Inez owned the local--and only--grocery store in Sea Haven. She'd been a part of the Drake sisters' lives as long as Elle could remember. She looked fragile with her graying hair and slender body, but she was already smiling at the dog.
"Good job, Bomber. You protect our girl. I brought some things I thought you two might need," she said in greeting, her sharp eyes inventorying Elle as she emerged from her hiding place in the bushes. "Hi, honey, I didn't think you'd be up so early. I was going to leave the box on the deck."
Elle felt her color rising in spite of her efforts to control it. She couldn't stop herself from looking down, to see if all the wounds were adequately covered. Jackson's sweater was long on her, but it was white and some of the bandages showed through. There were a couple of spots where blood had wept through, staining the material. She lifted her hand to touch the tangle of dull red hair, still matted from lack of care.
Jackson caught her wrist and tugged, pulling her beneath his shoulder, his body shielding hers just slightly, making it more difficult for Inez to get a good look at her.
"That's so sweet of you, Inez," Jackson spoke into the brief silence.
He could feel Elle's discomfort, her sudden irrational fear, and her distress at treating an old friend with such a lack of warmth. He rarely talked to anyone in the village for more than a couple of terse sentences. But, if Elle couldn't visit yet, then it was up to him to cover for her. He flashed a friendly smile and indicated Inez precede him up the stone path to the deck. He kept his arm firmly around Elle's waist, urging her to walk with him.
"When did you put etchings on your stones, Jackson?" Inez asked, looking down at the path. "I never noticed that in all the time I've brought you groceries."
Elle glanced quickly up at Jackson's face. She brings you groceries?
The moment she used telepathy, her brain seized, squeezing her skull like a vise. She gasped and clung to Jackson to keep from falling. He put his hand on the nape of her neck and pushed her head down so she could draw in deep breaths to keep from fainting.
Libby told you not to use telepathy. You have to let your brain heal, Elle. If you keep this up you'll destroy your talent completely. Fear made his voice edgy and gruffer than he intended.
Elle tried to jerk out from under his hand, glaring up at him. "I know that. Don't you think I know that? I forgot."
"Forgot what, dear?" Inez turned with a smile on her face, but gasped when she saw Elle's face. "You're bleeding, Elle."
"Am I?" Elle touched her mouth and nose. Her fingers came away smeared with blood. "It doesn't hurt, Inez. I'll just go in and wash up and be right back." Keeping her head down, she hurried into the house, sliding the screen closed behind her. Bomber just managed to slip through at Jackson's signal before the screen slammed shut.
"Should you go in with her?" Inez asked. "I can leave, Jackson."
Jackson's first reaction was to have her go. He'd always been uneasy around people, but Inez had known Elle from birth, she'd attended the baby shower for her. He could see concern in her eyes, and the lines in her face deepened as she put down the groceries and regarded him.
"Please stay. Have a cup of tea with us this morning." He sent her a small grin. "Or coffee. Don't tell Elle, but I have coffee in the kitchen."
Inez smiled back. "Coffee would be fantastic. I haven't had my quota for the morning yet." She glanced at her watch as she settled into a glider. "I have just enough time before I'm supposed to open the store."
"I'll just take these inside and bring you out a cup. Sugar and cream?"
She shook her head. "I like it black and strong. And maybe we shouldn't mention that to Elle either."
Jackson gave her a thumbs-up and hurried inside to check on Elle. She had already scrubbed her face and was desperately trying to tame her hair. Tears ran down her face. He caught her frantic hands and held them still. "Tell me."
"Look at me. I'm a mess."
"No, you're not, Elle. You're the most beautiful woman in the world. Pull your hair back and do that thing you do--you know, twisting it up and sticking a pencil in it. It really brings out the shape of your face."
He was thinking about her skin and mouth and her bone structure. Not even in a sexual way, she decided, her tears drying up instantly. Just in an abstract way and he truly did think she was beautiful. Just the way he thought made her feel as if she might be. She took a deep breath, unconsciously following his breathing pattern and did as he suggested, twisting the mass of hair into an ornate roll and sticking a pencil through to hold it in place.
"Inez is going to have a cup of--er--something with us this morning before work. You can catch up on all the happenings in Sea Haven."
Elle caught his sleeve. "Am I covered up?"
"All the way, baby." He leaned down and brushed a soft kiss across her trembling mouth. "A little too much if you ask me, but then I'm rather fond of looking at you."
Jackson went back into the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee from his automatic coffeemaker, which he loved. New technology was wonderful sometimes and to have coffee ready when he woke up was one of his joys in life.
"I know what you're doing," Elle called out from the other room.
The tea kettle began singing, although Jackson had not yet turned on the burner. "Damn it, Elle. You're not supposed to use psychic powers at all. Do you not comprehend what at all means? Because I can help you understand it."
"Don't threaten me, Jackson," Elle warned.
He heard the water running and knew she'd bled again around her nose and mouth. Her brain was far from healed. "It wasn't a threat, baby. It was more like a promise. Knock it off." He made a small pot of tea and put a tea towel over it to steep while he carried the coffee out to Inez. "Sorry it took so long."
Inez glanced toward the house with a small smile. "I think you've got your hands full with that one, Jackson. It's going to take a strong man."
He flashed another grin at Inez, actually feeling amusement, something rare for him. He sprawled his legs out in front of him, taking a long, careful look around. "I like her being a spitfire. She looks so deceptive you know, a little thing, young-looking, people never take her seriously, but she's got that brain, she's smart as hell, and when she gets going, it's a thing of beauty."
Inez laughed. "She's been that way since she was two." She turned her head and looked straight at him. "She'll get through this and be all the stronger for it. She doesn't think so now, but Elle's a fighter. And we'll help. You see anything at all we can do, you let us know."
He raised his coffee cup to her. "You're doing it, Inez. She needs to know she's surrounded by people who love her."
Inez looked away but not before he caught the sheen of tears. "The Drake girls have been a bright light in our village from the moment they were born. They've helped most of us in one way or another. This is a tight-knit community and we're close. I know you're worried about her." Her faded eyes turned shrewd. "You think she's still in danger, don't you?"
Jackson kept all expression from his face. Inez had no way of knowing where Elle had been or what had happened to her, and he wasn't about to clue her in. Elle would hate that.
"Oh, don't worry, you don't have to tell me," Inez said, as if reading his thoughts. "But if she's in danger, we'll all protect her. She's ours as much as yours."
"Thank you, Inez," Jackson said.
"When did you put in all these new plants?" Inez changed the subject, indicating his yard with her chin. "The last time I was here delivering groceries, none of those plants were there."
Jackson frowned as he regarded his yard. Dark green vines twisted up his fence. Several green shoots were nearly knee high and thick with buds all up and down the walkway, lining the stepping stones. He looked closer at the stones. Inez had commented on the symbols etched into the stone. They hadn't been there before. Neither had the plants. It wasn't spring, yet plants were shooting up all over and he saw more birds flitting through his backyard then he'd ever seen befo
re.
He was staring thoughtfully out to sea when Elle stepped onto the deck. Two dolphins leapt into the air, somersaulted and returned to the water. He leaned forward and took another slow look around his yard. Birds flitted from branches, stripped of leaves for the winter, yet he could see the buds forming on the bare limbs. He drew in his breath as he stood to settle Elle in the most comfortable glider and tuck a blanket around her slender form.
"Do you often bring Jackson groceries, Inez?" Elle asked.
Inez nodded solemnly, ignoring the teasing note in Elle's voice. "Someone had to make certain he ate properly."
With deliberate intent, Elle studied the defined muscles in Jackson's arms and chest. "You're right, he looks to me like he's been starving." She flashed the older woman a smile and blew on her tea.
Inez looked stern. "That was sarcasm, young lady."
Bomber pushed his head under Jackson's fingers for a scratch. Elle suppressed another smile. "I think you've spoiled him, Inez. Do you have any idea of the big bad reputation he has that's going to be gone when this gets out?"
Inez looked at Jackson fondly. "He just thinks he's big and bad. Did you know that he looks in on young Donny Ruttermyer nearly every single night and goes over his money with him to make certain he's paying his bills?"
Elle knew Donny had Down syndrome and when he turned twenty had begun doing odd jobs for several businesses, determined to make his own way. She could see faint color stealing up Jackson's neck and he carefully refrained from looking at her. "Does he now?"
Inez nodded. "Donny really looks up to him."
Jackson squirmed in his chair. "Actually Old Man Mars looks after Donny. He brings him produce and he was the one who persuaded Donna over there at the gift shop to rent the boy a room. And Mars goes over his bills with him, I just double-check things."
"You give him the money if he's short." Inez gave him away without a qualm.
"He's not short all that often," Jackson defended. "The kid makes his own way."
Elle exchanged a glance of amusement with Inez. "Yes, he does, Jackson." She took a deep breath. "So what's the latest rumor on me, Inez? I'd like to know what the village suspects happened to me."
Inez shrugged. "You're gone so often at first no one had a clue anything was wrong, but then your sisters stopped talking weddings and began gathering in that house of yours. We could see Hannah on the captain's walk and knew something was wrong. The general consensus is that you were exploring somewhere and were lost."
Elle nodded, meeting the older woman's gaze and holding it for a moment. That "general consensus" had come from Inez, who possessed a knack for influencing the people around her in what she wanted them to believe about the Drake sisters. "I was traveling in South America and I fell while climbing a rather sheer rock face and was injured, but I'm recovering nicely."
Inez glanced at her watch and set down her coffee cup. "Donna will be wondering where I got to this morning. She's such a nosy woman, and she'll be calling Jonas, reporting I didn't show up for work this morning. She spends half her life looking out that gift shop window to see what I'm doing." There was affection in her voice as she groused about her best friend.
Jackson rose with her. "Thanks for the groceries, Inez. It's always a pleasure to see you." He stepped between the older woman and Elle, smoothly walking with her down the steps. "It meant a lot that you came."
Inez glanced back at Elle. "She looks very thin and tired, Jackson. You take care of her."
"You know I will."
"One more thing." Inez caught his sleeve, halting him, lowering her voice even more. "That horrible Reverend RJ person has been in town for a few days. He's renting a beach house and trying to get followers. He brought a few people with him, a woman and her daughter from San Francisco I think. He's been asking about the ribbons the village had up. He was told they were for one of the local boys overseas, but I had the feeling he was really here to cause mischief with the Drakes. Jonas and you were both gone, so I didn't say anything until now."
"You're certain he's still in town?" The Reverend RJ had caused trouble for both Hannah and Joley. Jackson couldn't imagine that he was in Sea Haven for any other reason than to stir up headlines for himself and the last thing they needed was publicity.
"I haven't seen or heard about him for a couple of days now, Jackson."
"How old is the woman's daughter?"
Inez frowned. "Young, fifteen maybe. It's hard to tell these days with kids. She dressed in the goth fashion, all black, lots of piercings, hair hanging in her face, but she looked cute. She didn't talk when they came into the store and she looked sad. I felt sorry for her. Do you want me to ask around about him?"
Jackson shook his head. "No, just keep your ears open. If he's around, someone will mention him to you. Don't act overly interested, but call Jonas, Ilya or me."
Inez nodded solemnly. "Don't you go worrying about me, Jackson, I've been around his kind a time or two." She waved to Elle and stalked off, her thin shoulders stiff.
Jackson watched her go with a small smile, shaking his head as he turned back to Elle. "She's a very nice woman."
Elle nodded. "She looks after half the village." She watched him come toward her, the easy fluid way he moved, whisper quiet, his eyes watchful, restless, shifting from sky to ground, even out to sea. He made her feel safe. "That's nice--what you do for Donny."
Jackson shrugged. "He's a great kid and I got the time. He likes to talk about law enforcement. The boy doesn't have a mean bone in his body. I've got him keeping an eye on both Donna and Inez. I told him they were getting up a bit in age, although neither wanted to admit it, so he carries heavier boxes for them." He gave her a quick, embarrassed grin. "Then I told them I was trying to help Donny learn manners so if he asked to help them carry things, it would be doing him a favor to let him."
"Very clever, Deveau. I'm going to have to watch you. What was all that whispering she was doing? What's going on?"
"She just warned me that I'd better look after you. And she said RJ was in town a few days ago."
His voice was very casual, but Elle stiffened, tension rising in her enough to trigger the dog into going alert, his head up and ears cocked, listening for trouble. His eyes remained focused on her.
"It's no big deal, Elle. RJ coming into town isn't unusual. Joley and Hannah and even Kate generate news coverage. He wants it. We'll just keep a low profile."
She nodded, forcing air through her lungs. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I'm just not ready for my name to be public in any way. I still have to contact Dane and file a report, and even that scares me. Being held prisoner in his house, I realize every passing day just how much power Stavros really has. It's not only his money--and believe me, he'd buy his way out of anything--it's his psychic ability. He subtly influences people. I didn't even recognize the flow of energy for what it was until we were on the island and he couldn't use it on me anymore."
"How does he influence them? What exactly are his psychic abilities?"
She rubbed at her temple. Her hand was trembling and she twisted her fingers together in her lap. "I don't know, Jackson. He obviously knew I was psychic and I never suspected he was. I couldn't read him and just thought he had natural barriers. But I couldn't read his bodyguard either or any of the men in the room with us. I should have suspected, but I never felt energy at all around him."
"Could that be his only talent?"
"He was afraid of his brother and with that psychic barrier on the island, I'd guess that his brother can be more lethal, but I don't know." She rubbed her temple again.
Jackson stepped behind her and dropped his hands to her shoulders, massaging her, feeling her small bones. He couldn't understand how Stavros could have hurt her the way he had. Elle needed someone to love her, to understand her, to admire and respect her. Why try to break her down?
Her hand came up to cover his fingers. "He isn't you, Jackson, and he never will be. He doesn't want a strong woma
n. He doesn't want a partner. I don't know, maybe he's into the entire dominant and submissive thing and I didn't really understand it."
"I doubt it, baby. From what I've heard, a true dom loves and appreciates his woman. He wants her happy and satisfied. A submissive gives him or herself to her partner. No, he was breaking you, forcing dependency. Tell me what you know of his brother."
A seagull cried and another answered. He glanced up at the sky. The fog was beginning to thicken, coming in off the ocean, misty fingers trailing along the shore, moving toward them.
"His brother came into the room once and he really frightened me. There was evil in his eyes and in his aura. Stavros is right to fear him. He likes hurting people, not just women, but anyone. And he looked at Stavros with the exact same look he gave me. Cold. Calculating. He told Stavros how to 'break' me to his will. When he talked, he made certain I heard every word. He showed me the whips and cane and described each instrument in detail and how it would hurt. He described the bruises or wounds each would make and how to teach me to serve him sexually. He said he enjoys breaking in the women for their clients."
Jackson tugged at her hand. "You're shivering. Let's go into the house."
Elle shook her head. "Not yet. I like being out in the open where I can see something coming at me."
He didn't like the look of the fog, dark and damp and much heavier than usual. He glanced at Bomber, noting the dog was alert, staring out toward the choppy water, his body between Elle, Jackson and the incoming fog. The Shepherd was standing, his ears up, his eyes focused, his hair up and tail down, poised and ready, stretched toward an unseen enemy.
Elle's fingers crept up to her throat. Jackson caught her hand. "Why did you do that?"
She swallowed. "I don't know. Just for a moment, my throat closed. I think talking about Stavros puts me in a state of panic. I'm sorry, Jackson. I don't mean to be such a baby."
"You're no baby, Elle." He leaned down and brushed his mouth over the top of her head. He was beginning to get a bad feeling and every single time in his life he'd had that same churning gut, something bad had happened. "Your home is safer than mine. I've got the room where I stash my weapons, and you'll be relatively safe there if we get you in it, but your house eats people. It actively protects you. And there're more people to look after you."