“I appreciate your position.” Sara tried to keep her voice steady. Lord, this was difficult. “And I know you’re my friend and concerned about me but I can’t—”
“Forget about friendship.” Penny turned back to face her. “That’s not the primary issue here. You’re an employee of World Report and your actions could put us in very hot water. I can’t let you do that, Sara.” She paused before adding deliberately, “You like your job. Is it worth giving it up to put your head on the chopping block?”
Sara’s eyes widened. “You’d actually fire me?”
Penny hesitated. “Oh, hell, probably not. But Mac might not be so lenient. He was mad as hell when he heard about it. He told me very succinctly how he wanted this handled. He said ‘extricate her.’ Well, that’s exactly what I’m doing. You’re being ‘extricated.’ ”
Sara’s brow wrinkled in a frown. “This is important to me, Penny. I believe in what I’m doing. I don’t know if any job is worth leaving Kemp on the streets.”
“I was afraid that would be your reaction, so I took out some insurance.” Penny smiled grimly. “You may be too idealistic to care about your job, but Lieutenant Blaise knuckled under quite nicely when I zeroed in on him. The police department has no desire to attract the kind of heat World Report can generate.”
“You threatened him?”
“I told him we’d crucify him if they continued with this charade and anything happened to you. They preferred not to take the chance.” Penny’s tone was totally ruthless. “You’ll find they now want you out of this situation as much as we do. It wouldn’t surprise me if they sent a man to escort us politely to the airport to make sure you leave the city.”
“Lord, you play hard ball,” Sara whispered. She was experiencing a sudden surge of overwhelming relief. It was out of her hands. She was being forced to abandon Lieutenant Blaise’s plan. She didn’t have to wait for Kemp to come for her, for death to come for her.
“When necessary.” Penny’s gaze met her own. “No more arguments?”
Sara shook her head. “You appear to have closed me into a box,” she said lightly. “I don’t seem to have any alternative unless I choose the police escort. Where do you intend to stash me?”
“I own a tiny island off the coast of Santa Barbara.” Penny made a face. “Or rather the bank and I own it. It’s just a wild, hilly smudge in the middle of the ocean, but it has a nice little hacienda that was built about sixty years ago by a reclusive writer. We’ll hire a helicopter from the Santa Barbara airport and I’ll get you settled in at the hacienda. Then I’ll come back here and watch for developments. There’s no phone on the island, but when they locate Kemp I’ll come back and pick you up.”
“I didn’t know you owned an island.”
“I need a place to be by myself occasionally and I’ve always liked the idea of an island. Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted a place that belonged only to me.” She shrugged. “I guess I didn’t want to share it even with my friends. This was my place. My sanctuary.”
“But you’re sharing it with me now,” Sara said softly. How many other aspects of Penny’s life were unknown to her? she wondered. She had assumed her friend’s life was an open book, but this clearly was not the case. Penny had dreams and secrets and a past that might hold infinitely more than the career Sara had thought was her prime motivation.
“I’m sharing it because you need a sanctuary now too. Sanctuaries can be pretty wonderful when you need to hide or heal.”
Sara felt a swift thrust of fresh pain. Was it so obvious that she needed healing? She tried to smile. “And what is this sanctuary called?”
“Just the island. I don’t believe in giving places fancy names. It’s not my style.” Penny started for the bedroom. “Now, let’s get you packed. Lots of sweaters and jeans. It can get chilly when the wind comes in off the sea.”
The island was as wild as Penny had claimed and from the air looked even smaller. It was almost completely rockbound except for a single cove on the windward side from which a slender pier jutted out like a fragile finger into the wild surf.
“I don’t see a house.” Sara peered out the window of the slowly descending helicopter.
Penny nodded. “It’s beyond that hill. The pines and the pepper trees are too dense to see it from here. You’ll like it, I think. It took me four years of vacations to fix up the place and decorate. It’s not easy to transport furniture from the mainland to the island.” She grimaced. “And tradespeople are most unreasonable about delivering by boat or helicopter without charging an arm and a leg. Do you know the woman who did the window treatments actually had the nerve to charge me a penalty because she got seasick on the boat coming to the island?”
“I can understand that,” Sara murmured, her gaze taking in the savage force of the waves crashing on the rocks below. “This doesn’t look like the tamest surf I’ve ever seen.”
“It isn’t,” Penny answered. “The currents are treacherous around here. Riptides. So stay out of the water. Okay?”
“Okay.” The helicopter had landed on the rocky edge of the shore beside the pier, and Sara looked around with interest. “I’m certainly getting a new perspective on you. Do you really like this kind of wild terrain?”
“I love it,” Penny said simply. “It satisfies me.” She turned to the pilot. “Wait here, Ralph. I’ll be right back as soon as I help carry these groceries up to the house.”
“I’ll do that for you,” the young pilot offered cheerfully.
“No,” Penny said quickly. “Wait here. We can manage. Sara only has the one duffel bag to carry.”
“I wish you could stay for a few days,” Sara picked up her scarlet canvas bag, opened the heavy door, and jumped to the ground. She shivered as the sharp wind whipped around her, tearing at her hair. “I’m not sure I like the idea of being alone here.”
“There’s a radio and a stereo at the house.” Penny got out of the helicopter and reached back into the aircraft for the sack of groceries on the floor. “And a zillion books to read. It will be good for you to relax and contemplate your navel for a few days. You may even develop a taste for the solitary life.”
“I doubt it.” Sara’s grip tightened on the handle of her bag as she followed Penny up the winding dirt path. “It’s too lonely here. I need people around me.”
“I know you do.” Penny gave her an affectionate glance over her shoulder. “You always were happier with conversation than a spectacular view.” Her expression sobered as her gaze slid away from Sara. “I don’t think you’ll be lonely here.”
“Then you think wrong,” Sara said. “The last thing I need right now is solitude. I don’t want time to—” She broke off and her steps quickened. “Are we almost there?”
“Soon.” Penny turned to look at the patch of orange scarlet of the sunset filtering through the branches of the trees. “Just over the hill.” She kept her gaze straight ahead. “I gather you’ve changed your mind about Jordan?”
Sara stiffened. “I don’t want to talk about him.”
“I don’t either, but it’s got to be done,” Penny said quietly. “Because I’ve changed my mind about him too. I trust him, Sara.”
Sara gazed at her in bewilderment. “Then you’re an idiot. Lord, Penny, I never thought you’d be taken in by him too. What the devil did he say to you this morning?”
“Not much,” Penny said softly. “Not much at all. But I believed every word he said. He’s hurting, Sara.”
“Good. He deserves to hurt.” Sara swallowed to ease the painful tightness in her throat. “He lied to me. He beguiled me—”
“Beguiled.” Penny’s voice was thoughtful. “Good heavens, what an old-fashioned word, almost biblical. Wasn’t it Lucifer who beguiled Eve in the Garden?” She grinned as she murmured softly, “ ‘O why hast thou so beguiled me?’ It all sounds rather enticing. Is that how you see Jordan?”
“No, I don’t see—” Sara drew a shaky breath. “Look, it’s stupid to ta
lk about this. You were right and I was wrong. The volcano erupted and blew me straight to kingdom come and now I’ve got to pick up the pieces and go on. This isn’t the time for you to play devil’s advocate.”
“I’m nobody’s advocate. I believe in letting everyone make up his own mind, make his own decisions.” Penny paused. “As I made mine. I guess I’m trying to explain why—” She stopped and appeared to be searching for words.
“Why you let him talk you into blowing Lieutenant Blaise’s plan?”
“No, he didn’t have to talk me into doing that.” Penny hesitated again. “I was worried about leaving you here alone. You need protection.” She had reached the summit of the hill and waited until Sara came even with her. “I believed him, Sara.”
“You said that before. We’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“He gave me his word.” Penny caught sight of something in the valley below. Before Sara’s gaze could follow, Penny hurriedly set down the bag of groceries she was carrying. “I had to make a choice.”
“What are you talking about? You’re not making sense.”
Penny nodded to the path leading down to the valley. “My choice.”
Sara turned and felt the breath leave her body. “No,” she whispered. “You wouldn’t do that to me.”
Jordan was striding up the hill, the brilliant light casting a fiery glow as it tangled in the darkness of his hair. His face was shadowed but his gait was charged with the relentless energy she knew so well.
She pulled her gaze away from Jordan and turned back toward Penny. But Penny was hurrying away. “Penny!”
Penny stopped and glanced back at her. “You need protection and Jordan will make sure you get it.”
“Good God, Penny, what could he have said to you that would make you do this to me?”
“He told me he’d die for you,” Penny said simply. “And I think he would.” Then she was gone, running down the hill toward the pier in the distance.
Sara stared after her, stunned. Penny was actually leaving her alone with Jordan. “Penny, wait!” She dropped her canvas duffel bag and darted down the hill. “You can’t do this.”
Penny jumped into the helicopter, slammed the door, and said something to the pilot. The helicopter lifted off, wheeling sluggishly away from the pier.
“Penny, dammit, you come back here.” Sara could hear the edge of panic in her voice as she screamed the words at the top of her lungs.
Penny shook her head and blew Sara a kiss before settling back in the passenger seat.
Sara’s hands clenched into fists as she watched the helicopter slowly gain altitude.
“You’d better come back to the hacienda with me now. The wind is sharp here on the shore.”
Jordan’s voice was quiet, almost soft behind her, but she stiffened as if struck by a bullet.
She turned slowly to face him. “How did you do it?”
“You mean convince your friend that I was sincere?” His smile was bittersweet. “I told you once that she was very perceptive. She has your best interests at heart and doesn’t give a damn whom she uses to serve them. I assure you I didn’t try to con her.”
“You don’t have to try; it’s second nature to you.”
He flinched. “I know better than to argue with you. You wouldn’t believe me anyway.”
“No.” Her nails bit into her palms. “I’m glad you realize that.”
“Oh, I do.” He met her gaze steadily. “I have no delusions either about the way you feel about me or about what I’ve done. I accept the responsibility for both.”
“Then suppose you phone the mainland and get Penny to send a helicopter to pick me up. I’m not staying here.”
He shook his head. “There’s no telephone.”
Penny had mentioned that, Sara remembered now. “This is crazy! I won’t stay here alone with you, Jordan.”
“We won’t be alone. Cam’s rented a launch and will be here tomorrow morning with supplies.”
“Cam! He’s in on this madness too?”
“Perhaps he’s more like me than you thought. At least, he understands and can empathize.” He jammed his hands in the pockets of his denim jacket. “Or maybe you think I conned him too. You seem to think I have the eloquence of Lucifer.”
Sara had a fleeting memory of Penny’s words regarding the beguiling of Eve. “The comparison isn’t inappropriate, but eloquence is effective only if one is willing to listen. I gave up listening to you when that phone rang last night.”
“I know. That’s why I went to your friend Penny. You had to be gotten out of that trap, and if I couldn’t do it, I wasn’t above using anyone who could.” The corners of his lips lifted in a mirthless smile. “Which, of course, substantiates your opinion of my character. But it doesn’t matter what you think of me. The only thing that matters is that you’re safe here and I’m going to make sure you stay that way.” He turned away. “I’m going back to the house to start dinner. Come when you’re ready.”
He walked away from her and a moment later was climbing the hill. Sara gazed at his back, feeling the anger and frustration bubbling through her in a hot stream. “It’s not going to be that easy,” she called after him. “I’ll be damned if I’ll let you do this to me. I won’t be under your thumb ever again.”
He turned to face her, his expression reflecting only an immense weariness. “For heaven’s sake, do you think Penny would go along with this without exacting promises? I told her I wouldn’t coerce you in any way. I’ll make the same promise to you, if you’ll believe me.”
“I won’t believe you.”
“I didn’t think so.” His expression hardened. “I guess that doesn’t matter either.” He paused and then burst out, “Hell, yes, it matters, but I can live with it. I can stand anything if it keeps you alive. You’re not leaving this island until Kemp is no longer a danger to you, and I’m going to be closer than your shadow while you’re here.”
“The hell you will.”
He nodded. “It will probably be pretty close to hell for both of us.” He turned and once more began climbing the hill, his long-legged stride swiftly covering the distance to the summit. For a moment his slender, powerful body was silhouetted against the sullen scarlet of the sky, then he disappeared from view as he started down the other side of the hill.
Sara stood there, feeling very much alone. The wind’s bite seemed suddenly keener, the pounding of the waves against the rocks wilder. She turned and looked out toward the sea. She felt as savage as the elements at this moment. If Penny had been here, she would have been tempted to strangle her, she thought grimly. How had Penny dared to put her in this position? Both Jordan and Penny had treated her like a puppet.
Well, she was no puppet and she would stack her mental abilities against theirs any day. Her only weakness had been trust in both of them, a trust they had blown to smithereens. Jordan had told her that her loss of trust in him had freed him, but she didn’t feel free. She felt heartsick and lonely and empty inside. She would get over it. She would learn to be as tough as Penny and Jordan. She would stay here for a while and watch the turbulence of the sea and try to banish the storm within herself and compose herself to face Jordan again.
The spicy aroma of onions and peppers greeted her as soon as she walked into the red-tiled hacienda and she followed the fragrance down the terrazzo hall to the back of the house. Jordan glanced up from stirring the mixture in the frying pan. “I put your suitcase upstairs in the master bedroom.” He smiled faintly. “It not much bigger than the other two, but it has a private bath. Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.”
“I’m not giving in, you know.”
“I know.”
“But I’m not stupid enough to spend the night outside just to avoid you.”
“Very sensible of you.”
“I’m going to get off this island.”
He resumed stirring the onion and peppers. “When it’s safe.”
“No, I won’t be treated lik
e an idiot child. I don’t know what made you and Penny think I’d be malleable enough to let you get away with this but—”
“Not malleable.” He looked down at the pan. “Trusting. I told you once you were too trusting. Even when you thought I’d betrayed you, you still had to trust someone. You always will, Sara.”
“No,” she said sharply. “I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll be just as tough and cynical as you and Penny.”
“No, you won’t.” He looked up, his expression grave. “You’d like to believe you can change, but it won’t happen. You’re gentle and loving and strong enough not to let people like me twist you or make you into something you aren’t.”
“I’m not so sure I want to be gentle or loving any longer.”
“You do. I’m sure enough for both of us.” He set the frying pan on the back burner. “I’m making a casserole. If you like, I’ll fix a tray and bring it up to you. I can understand why you’d think it best not to be around me.”
“I told you I had no reason to avoid you,” she said curtly. “I’ll come down after I’ve showered and changed.” She started to turn away.
“There will be plenty of reason to avoid me tonight.”
She quickly glanced back over her shoulder.
A flicker of humor indented the corners of his lips. “Don’t look so wary.” He turned away. “I was talking about the onions. I’m crazy about them, remember?”
Seven
“I’ve never seen you like this.” Sara pushed away her plate and studied Jordan’s face across the kitchen table. “Is this another act?”
Jordan shook his head. “All the acts are over and the curtain has officially rung down.” He stood up. “Have you finished? I’ll get the coffee.”
Sara watched him cross the kitchen, a puzzled frown wrinkling her brow. There was something different about Jordan tonight. The stillness that was so much a part of him was still present, his strength of will was more than evident, yet there was something missing. Suddenly she realized what was out of kilter. The underlying tension that had always charged his every action was gone. “You’re … relaxed.”