Silenced (Alaskan Courage Book #4) (11 page)

After getting a replacement propeller for her plane, the trip back to Yancey passed quickly, and Kayden found herself reluctant to leave Jake’s presence. Though they’d both be attending the rehearsal and dinner following, it would be different. It wouldn’t be just the two of them, and while that should cause her relief, it left her wanting more.

They’d spent more one-on-one time together in the past few months, in the past few days, than they had in all the years they’d known each other. She enjoyed their time alone way too much and was already starting to rely on him, which was dangerous. She didn’t want to need anyone. Not again.

Reef sat with Anna on a blanket overlooking the ocean. The rehearsal had taken place at Grace Community Church, where his family attended, and soon the wedding party would be returning for the rehearsal dinner—rehearsal clam bake, to be precise. Darcy and a handful of family friends had hung back at Kayden and Piper’s, where the party was being held on the shore. Earlier they’d set up beach chairs in large circles around a series of fire pits. Picnic tables lined the grassy space between the shore and the house, and the scent of fresh seafood wafted on the ocean breeze.

Reef glanced over at Anna shivering in her yellow sundress. Alaska was a far cry from her California home. He slipped off his sweater and offered it to her.

She took in his white T-shirt and cargo shorts. “Are you sure you’ll be warm enough?”

“I’ll be fine. If not, the house is right there. I can always grab a sweatshirt.”

He helped her slip on the navy cable-knit sweater, the sleeves drooping a good three inches past her hands. She was so delicate.

“I’m anxious to meet Kayden and Jake. He sounds interesting.”

So far she’d met the rest of his siblings, their significant others, and a handful of townsfolk—all very curious to see what kind of lady the wild McKenna boy had brought home.

“They’re back,” Darcy said, moving up the hill to greet Gage.

Reef stood and helped Anna to her feet. He spotted Jake first, opening his truck door for Kayden. Reef raked a hand through his hair. He still couldn’t believe Jake’s past. It seemed the thing of movies, not real life. His heart went out to the man. All those years of having his character questioned and doubted by Kayden. He wondered how his sister viewed him now.

Kayden turned toward him, beautiful as ever—long dark hair, high cheekbones, and large almond-shaped eyes. Just like their mom. It was like peeking back into his childhood.

“Hey there,” she said as she approached.

“Hey.” He gave her a hug—quick, like she preferred.

“There’s someone I want you to meet.” He turned to Anna, introducing her.

“It’s nice to meet you, Anna,” Kayden said. “I hope you aren’t finding our family to be too overwhelming.” She glanced over her shoulder at Cole and Gage already goofing around with a Nerf rocket launcher.

“Everyone’s been wonderful,” she said.

Reef waved Jake down from his perch on the hill.

“How’s it going, Reef?”

“Much better than last time I was here.”

Jake smiled.

“I don’t know if I ever really thanked you for your part in clearing me.”

“Happy to help, small as that part was.”

He was being too modest, but that was Jake. Though he’d been traveling for most of the time Jake had been in Yancey, Reef recognized him as a man to be admired.

“I hear you and Kayden have an interesting case going.”

Jake looked back at Kayden. “That’s one way to put it.”

“We spent the better part of two days questioning Patty Tate, Natalie Adams, and Brody Patterson,” she said.

“Brody? I haven’t heard that name in years. How’s he doing?”

“He owns the climbing gym over on Imnek. Seems to be doing okay.”

Reef smiled. “Bet he enjoyed seeing you.”

“Actually . . .” Kayden shuffled her feet along the sand. “He wasn’t too happy with our questions. Took it out on my propeller.”

“He’s the one who did that?” Piper had mentioned what had happened, but not who was responsible.

Kayden nodded.

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” The extreme-boarding community was the same as the climbing community. People looked out for their own, and talk stayed within the core. No outsiders. And Jake was an outsider, even if he’d taken up climbing. He wasn’t truly one of them, not yet.

“We’re heading back over day after tomorrow.”

“Doubt you’ll get people to open up.” When Reef’s friend and fellow extreme athlete Karli Davis had been murdered and he was a suspect, few spoke, and when they did, their words weren’t pretty.

Kayden glanced at Jake with a smile. “He has a way of getting what he needs from people.”

Reef stared. Had his sister just paid Jake a compliment? “Any suspects?” he asked, shaking off his shock.

“A few.” She shrugged.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to narrow it down after Booth finishes running the sample we brought back,” Jake said. “And after we spend another day on Imnek, of course.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re not going to get a good reception.”

“Based on our experience so far, I’d say you’re definitely right.”

Kayden woke to the ringing of her cell.

Blinking, she glanced at the clock. 5:11 a.m. This had to stop. If this was another one of Brody’s pranks . . .

She looked at her phone, not recognizing the number. “What?”

“I’m watching you.” The voice was muffled and robotic—computerized. “You’ll be so beautiful in death.”

“Who is this?”

“Your end.”

Click
.

She tossed the phone on her nightstand, resisting the overwhelming urge to call Jake. Today was her brother’s wedding. She didn’t want to do anything to take away from Cole and Bailey’s joy. Didn’t want people focused on Brody’s prank rather than the festivities, but the tone of the pranks was growing darker.

She tried to settle back into bed. Jake had warned her to anticipate some blowback, but for the first time in a long time she was truly scared.

Unable to sleep, she pulled on her robe and headed
downstairs. She brewed a cup of coffee and headed out onto the porch swing to enjoy the sunrise.

Yellow and orange in hue, the sun shone brilliantly as it crested over the horizon, bringing the breadth of their property into view.

A fresh layer of dew graced the grass, dampening the earth, blanketing the . . . She stared at the markings trailing across the lawn and stopping beneath her bedroom window. Boot prints.

She stood and followed them across the yard into the trees and back out to the road. Somebody
had
been watching her. Had the killer called her from outside her home?

Fear coursed anew through her.

Kayden took a deep, steadying breath before taking her first step down the aisle.

Pastor Braden waited at the end underneath the wooden arch her brothers built and Piper had draped with a beautiful white linen swag that swayed in the ocean breeze. To Pastor Braden’s left stood Cole, then Gage, then Landon, and finally Jake. All four so dapper in their crisp white dress shirts, sleeves rolled to the elbows, shirts untucked, hanging over new khaki pants rolled up to their ankles with bare feet in the sand. It was the perfect shabby-chic beach wedding.

Instead of matching rows of white chairs, they’d raided their homes for their dad’s handcrafted chairs, along with more from Bailey’s antique shop—the Russian-Alaskan Trading Post. What they had gathered provided an eclectic yet beautiful collection of handcrafted pieces and historical treasures. The end chair in each row was decorated with an abundant bouquet of wild flowers tied with bright turquoise ribbon—the colors bursting in a vivid path lining the walk that would forever change Cole and Bailey’s life. In less than a half hour Bailey Craig would become Bailey McKenna.

Kayden couldn’t imagine what it would be like to become one with a man, but that’s how the Bible described the union, and that’s how her parents lived out their marriage. Unfortunately, seeing the incredible agony her mom had suffered at the loss of her husband, at the loss of her other half . . .

Kayden’s hand tightened on her bouquet.

She refused to ever set herself up to experience such pain. She continued walking down the grassy aisle to where it met the sand.

The sun was warm, the air a gentle sixty-three degrees. Cole smiled as she approached. He looked so handsome and happy. She tried to keep the creepy morning wake-up call and footprints out of her head, but the eerie voice lingered.

Jake flashed a worried look her way. How could he always tell when she was upset? She smiled, trying to throw him off, but something in his expression said he wasn’t buying it. She looked away, focusing on Landon instead as his stare fastened on something behind her. On some
one
, rather—Piper. Abundant love and happiness swelled in his eyes.

Who would have thought her little sister would find love so early in her life? It wasn’t really surprising, though. Piper was warm, open, caring, giving—such a stark contrast to herself.

And Landon . . .

A smile tugged at her lips. Despite her aversion to their incessant PDAs, they were perfect for one another, and it warmed her heart to know her sister would be loved, cherished, and well taken care of.

Piper took her place beside Kayden as the matron of honor—Bailey’s best friend from Oregon, Carrie Matthews—followed down the aisle.

The music shifted, signaling Bailey’s arrival. Cole straight
ened, his entire countenance beaming. She was overjoyed for her big brother, and for sweet Bailey. She watched as her future sister-in-law walked down the aisle on Gus’s arm. Her gown was long and flowing—white satin that gently hugged her curves with a simple V neckline and an understated elegance. Her hair was in a soft, loose updo with a white calla lily tucked behind her ear.

Kayden glanced at her brother, at the love shining in his eyes for his bride-to-be. She ached for that, for someone to look at her with such overwhelming love—but it could never be.

Cole’s heart seized at the sight of his bride. His
bride
. Bailey Craig. The woman he’d loved since he was a teen was about to become
his
bride.

He glanced up at the heavens—
Thank you, Father
—then back at Bailey. Blond tendrils spilled out of her side bun and down across her creamy shoulders. He was sure her gown was lovely, but he couldn’t pull his eyes from hers—blue and overflowing with love for him.
For me.
He was so very blessed.

Gus, family friend and Bailey’s adoptive uncle, handed her off, and together they turned, hand in hand, to face Pastor Braden. This was it. He’d found his happily ever after, and she was standing right beside him.

Pastor Braden began with a prayer and then a passage of Scripture—Ephesians 5:25. “‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.’”

He would. He would strive every second of his life to love Bailey as Christ loved the church.

But I can only do it through your
strength, Father. Equip me to love her as you created
me to. May our lives and our marriage glorify you
always.

The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur, so much emotion welling inside him, in the words of love he spoke, in the words of love she spoke to him. Her hands were trembling as he slid the ring on her finger, but the joy in her eyes said it was all out of love. She placed the band on his finger and Pastor Braden said, “You may now kiss your bride.”

My bride
. The greatest joy he’d ever known, next to accepting Christ as his Savior, swept over him as he pulled Bailey into his arms and kissed his wife for the very first time.

“Mrs. McKenna,” he whispered against her petal-soft lips.

She smiled, making his insides Jell-O. “I like the sound of that.”

He grinned. “How about this?” He moved his mouth to her ear and whispered words of love only a wife should ever hear, and joy filled him as her smile widened, brushing her cheek close to his. A giggle escaped her lips.

Round tables with white linen tablecloths dotted the grounds, candles glowing in glass pillars at the center of each. Well over a hundred guests were in attendance, everyone smiling and enjoying the festivities.

Jake watched from the periphery as usual. The McKennas’ property had been transformed once again—this time into an oasis beneath the stars.

Growing up with his well-to-do parents, he’d been to his fair share of elegant dinners and dances, but all that paled in comparison to the beauty before him and the rhythmic sound of waves tossing behind him.

Cole had doted on Bailey throughout dinner, and his bride shined. Memories of his wedding day flooded Jake’s mind,
and he wished he’d been more mature, more loving, more enraptured. He and Becca, while they loved each other, had been so young, and having recently become the youngest homicide detective in Boston history, he’d been far too cocky. He hadn’t known the first thing about being a good husband, but he’d tried his best, until the co-ed case fell in his lap and he’d become obsessed. He’d let Becca take a backseat to his career, and in the end she’d died because of it—because of him. How he regretted his arrogance, regretted a great many things.

And now he regretted not admitting to Kayden how he truly felt about her—about the depth of love coursing through every fiber of his being for her. The arrogance had been knocked out of him long ago. He was far more mature now, and when it came to Kayden . . .
enraptured
didn’t even come close. But because he loved her so much, he remained silent. She wasn’t interested in him like that. Despite the gentle looks he caught now and again, she never indicated anything more. It was better than her previous animosity and distrust, but it wasn’t love.

“The bride and groom will share their first dance as man and wife,” the bandleader announced.

Cole and Bailey stepped onto the dance floor they’d set up on the sand—taking great pains to level it out perfectly and place it high enough on the beach that the shifting tide wouldn’t touch it. Old-fashioned glass bulbs fanned out in strings over the dance floor, and white Chinese lanterns dotted the perimeter. “Greatest Story Ever Told,” by Oliver James, played as the two danced.

Jake’s gaze shifted to Kayden, watching from across the dance floor, the light of the lanterns shimmering off her
golden skin and radiant complexion. The turquoise bridesmaid dress suited her perfectly, her long brown hair nearly covering the open back.

The song concluded, but Cole and Bailey remained wrapped in each other’s arms.

“The bride and groom request the bridal party join them on the dance floor.”

Kayden’s gaze locked on his.

He smiled to squelch his nerves, but they only jangled harder. This was it. His excuse to dance with Kayden. Surely she wouldn’t refuse. She kept her focus on him as he made his way around the dance floor to her side. Piper and Landon were already dancing, and Gage was taking Carrie Matthews’ hand.

Kayden’s hand
. He’d finally be able to hold her hand, to touch her skin, to feel her near him—if only for the length of the song. And it was a great one. “You and Me,” by Lifehouse.

His heart hammered in his throat as he stepped toward her, closing the distance between them.

She looked . . . nervous. Was she that uncomfortable about dancing with him?

“Hi,” he said, reaching her side.
Hi?
Wow.
He was the master of vocabulary tonight.

She brushed her hair behind her shoulder. “Hi.”

“May I have this dance?” He held out his hand, praying he wasn’t shaking as badly as he felt he was.

Without a word, she placed her hand in his—lithe fingers, velvety skin. She felt more delicate than he’d imagined. Not what he’d expected from a climber’s hands.

He led her onto the dance floor, wishing he could lead her all the days of his life, but he’d settle for this perfect moment in time.

He cradled his hand along the supple curve of her back, just below the tip of her lush hair, the silky strands tickling the top edge of his fingers.

He placed her free hand on his shoulder, and they began to move in step with the melody, in step with each other.

The lights overhead reminded him of fireflies in the night during his summers spent with his grandparents down along the western shore of Maryland. His parents had shipped him out to his mom’s parents while they took cruises, visited spas, and toured Europe.

Many children would have been hurt by being left behind, but he’d loved every minute of it. His grandpa had taught him how to fish, to track, and to camp. His grandmother had taught him about comfort, laughter, and joy—all of which were sorely missing from his proper parents’ lives. Best of all, his grandmother had taught him to dance.

It started one night after he was supposed to be in bed. He heard music—the throaty crooning of Patsy Cline—and had snuck down to catch his grandparents dancing on the front porch beneath the full summer moon.

Grandma’s favorite song had been “Fly Me to the Moon,” because Grandpa had always spun her—just as Jake was spinning Kayden now, her long lush hair flowing. The soft hint of a smile on her lips warmed him, and his head spun faster than his body. How did she do that? Utterly captivate him . . .

She was breathtaking, and he prayed this moment would never end.

She lifted a glass off a passing tray. Quite a party the McKenna clan threw. She’d been hearing as much. Shame
they didn’t serve alcohol. She could use a stiff drink, but no matter. She took a sip of the wretched ice tea and moved closer to the dance floor, closer to them—the source of her problem. But not for long.

“Don’t they make a handsome couple?” a man said beside her.

“Yes.” She took another sip as Jake twirled Kayden around. Too bad they wouldn’t live long enough to pursue a relationship.
Such a pity.