Deep Into The Night (Hartz Island Series) (9 page)

“What is so funny?” Cassie glared at him, which he found comforting. At least she hadn’t lost all of her spunk.

“Do you need my help?”

She threw him a look and continued trying to affix the phone to her shirt but then got frustrated. “Okay. I need your…assistance,” she muttered.

“First off, you don’t want to tape to your skin because it will kill you to pull it off.”

“Duh.”

“I have an idea.” Jack made a saddle for the phone and then created a necklace. “Come here and turn around.”

She lifted her hair up, turned, and looked at him over her shoulder. Her lips parted, and her light gray eyes locked onto his like a heat seeking missile going straight to his balls. Damn, he hadn’t expected that reaction. He cleared his throat, averted his eyes, quickly taped the ends in a knot, and stepped away. What the hell just happened? This was the most annoying person he knew, and she had just given him the beginning of a boner. He took a couple of deep breaths.

“So, how’s that? Better?”

“Much better. Thanks.”

She glanced up at him and smiled. Jack didn’t think she was aware of what just happened.

He had both women walk fast around the living room and up and down the stairs, making sure the phones did not dislodge. Next, they tested walking and talking. With everything working properly, it was time to go. Cassie headed to the shed for props and returned with a small bucket and walking stick. She met Jack and Montana just inside the kitchen door. Jack pointed to the front.

“There’s a spot just on the edge of the property where I’m going to be standing. I’ll be able to see you at all times—”

Montana stopped him. “Jack, that’s not going to work. You don’t want us to start on this end of the beach. Rob Armstrong will know we came from here. We have to start at the other end and go back that way when we’re done.”

He digested Montana’s thoughts. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that. I need to rethink this and figure out my position.”

“You’re not coming with us?” Cassie’s eyes widened. “You’re not going to walk on the beach with us anywhere? Like throw a Frisbee or jog? Some guy thing?”

“I hadn’t planned on it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t.” He looked at Montana, who shrugged, and then back to Cassie, who just stared wide-eyed, biting her lower lip. Her reaction caught him by surprise. “Find something to disguise me while I make a phone call. We’ll improvise.”

He ended his conversation and pocketed his phone at the same time Montana and Cassie came down the stairs with a bag in hand.

With Cassie and Montana sitting in the rear seats, Jack headed down the Ryan’s drive stopping at the end where it met up with the lane. “Duck down until I say it’s clear. If the camera is working, I don’t want you spotted.”

Jack started to pull forward, and then slammed on the brakes, putting the truck in fast reverse, gassing it, and then stopping quickly. Cassie groaned and Montana made gagging sounds.

“Sorry about that. Are you okay back there?”

“Maybe minor whiplash. I think Cassie hit her head. What happened?” Montana asked.

“A gray sedan just pulled in to Blue Heron Lane, and I didn’t want it to see me.” Jack leaped out and opened Cassie’s door. She was slumped over in her seat. He unbuckled her seat belt and gently tilted her up. “Open your eyes.”

“I can’t. The world is spinning.” She groaned. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

He scooped her up, and she slumped against him. “Just hold me tight,” she whispered, and he did.

Chapter Thirteen

T
he nausea had passed, but she still clung to Jack. After a few moments, Cassie said, “I’m okay now.”

He lowered her feet to the ground, but she still kept her arms wrapped around him with her head on his chest. His heart beat fast, just like hers. So Mr. Calm wasn’t. How funny.

“I don’t think I hit my head so much, but it felt more like a roller-coaster, which always makes me sick.” She pulled away. “Maybe next time you can warn us when you become Mr. Demolition Derby.”

He laughed. “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try. I guess I’m lucky I didn’t hit a tree.”

“Was that a gray sedan as in Margery Anne, the Minister’s Wife?” Montana asked.

“That’s what I was thinking. So let’s start all over.” He held the rear door open for Cassie and Montana.

“I seem to be the only person around here who doesn’t understand what’s going on, and the importance of the minister’s wife.” Cassie caught Jack’s glance in the rearview mirror.

“You will,” he said.

Cassie poked him in on the shoulder.

“When you need to know, I’ll let you know.”

“And when will that be?”

“Soon.”

Jack exited the lane, drove down the road a bit, made a U-turn, came back, then went left to the very end, the furthest house away from the Ryan’s, fifteen to be exact. Like the Ryan’s, the dirt driveway was surrounded by trees until they reached the house, where it opened up. Jack parked his vehicle out of view from the beach and neighboring house. A jazzed up black Mustang pulled in right behind them and parked next to Jack.

“It’s Ray,” said Montana, grinning and hopping out.

A man dressed similar to Jack, in jeans and a light weight jacket, got out of the car and waved.

Jack introduced Cassie to Ray Carlson, San Juan Island County Sheriff for Hartz Island. He had the same fit look about him as Jack did—not like the island sheriff of her childhood. She might not know what was going on, but she could decipher a look of interest when Ray peered at Montana.

“I didn’t recognize your new hair color. You look good, but then you always do.”

“Why thank you, Ray.”

“When Jack said women, I expected your spying buddy Jeannie. Please don’t tell me you’ve conned someone else?” He winked at Cassie.

Montana laughed. “Jeannie couldn’t. Cassie volunteered.”

That was news to Cassie. She didn’t recall actually volunteering.

“Since you’re in spying mode, I’m putting you in charge of taking pictures.” Ray pulled out a small camera from his pocket and handed it to Montana. “Get creative and take a ton of pictures without being obvious.”

“Of course.” Montana flashed him a smile.

“I’m heading out on the beach with them.” Jack handed Ray the phones. “Montana and Cassie have phones hidden on them, so if I need to tell you anything, I’ll just use theirs.” He turned to the woman and asked, “So what did you come up with for my disguise?”

“We’re turning your sandy brown hair to gray.” Montana held up a can of hair spray to show him. “Not shaving this morning was great, so if you wear a ball cap, you should be incognito.”

Cassie handed Jack a towel to cover his face while Montana sprayed his hair. When she finished, the women stepped back and studied his new look. Cassie shook her head slightly, not one hundred percent pleased.

“What?” he asked.

“You need something more. Go sit down somewhere.”

Slightly taken aback, he did what he was told. Jack raised the hatch of the SUV and sat on the back.

She looked him square in the eye and said softly, “Now, I need you to spread your legs.”

“Is there anything more you want me to do?” He grinned.

Cassie was very aware of how close she was to him when she stepped in next to his muscular thighs. “I’ll let you know.”

He held her gaze, and her heart skipped several beats. This was a different Jack than what she was used to. And then it hit her. He was flirting with her as she was with him, and he didn’t seem to mind.

“What exactly are you planning to do?” he asked, almost smirking.

“You’ll see.”

Attached to the hair spray can had been a thick black eyeliner pencil. Concentrating on his brows, she darkened and broadened them. Cassie leaned back and studied his face.

“Not quite.”

Next, she took the side of the pencil and darkened his beard along his cheeks. Gently, she took her fingers and smoothed his cheek for an even look. Last was the area above his mouth. She smeared the black pencil on her fingertip before applying it. Her fingers traced the outline of his lips, stopping on the lower lip. She had never really noticed his mouth, always his eyes, but she did now. Her pulse kicked up several notches, and it was hard to breathe. Cassie stepped back away from his thighs.

“I’m finished.”

The air sizzled, just like her skin.

His eyes locked into hers. “Darn.”

Jack Wyatt had never flirted with her in her entire life. Why now? Could it be something simple like Montana had explained? A redhead? Her face felt hot, and an amused look crossed his.

Montana stepped over to survey Cassie’s work. “Wow. Now I see what you meant that he needed something more. Jack, go look in the mirror.”

Her friend Alexa was a pro, but Cassie thought she’d done a good job. Gone was the man from Colorado; Jack now resembled someone from the Mediterranean.

He returned, adjusting his hat and smiling at Cassie. “You did a great job. Obviously you have experience in creating a disguise.” He raised his brows at her, but she gave a noncommittal shrug back. Finally, what seemed like forever to her, Jack made a sweeping gesture toward the beach. “Ladies, after you. Try to keep your profile so your full face is never seen.”

The tides were out, allowing for an easy walk. Montana stepped ahead, walking close to the water’s edge. From a distance, it appeared exactly what they wanted: people strolling along without a care in the world. At times, she called for Cassie to join her and would point out something in the sand. A few moments later, Jack joined them. This continued until the culprit house came into view.

“We’re almost in front of the house,” Montana said into her wool poncho to Ray. “There’s a driftwood log that Cassie and Jack can sit down on. I can get their picture.” Montana called to them. “Okay you two, I need you to sit on the log, look like you’re sweethearts, and I’ll get your pic.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard.” He looped his arm around Cassie’s shoulder and brought her in close to him. Jack leaned down with his face almost in her chest and said to Ray, “This is fun. I get to talk to Cassie’s chest.”

Ray laughed. And then it hit her. Jack was enjoying himself, having a good time. With
her
.

“Remember to shield your face,” Jack reminded Montana.

Montana fussed and took pictures up close and stood further back. She had Jack and Cassie position themselves in different poses on the log. “Well, you are never going to believe this, but I am pretty sure the couple, who are lip-locking on the deck, are Margery Anne and Rob Armstrong.” Montana continued to snap away.

“So that’s why all the interest in the minister’s wife. She’s having an affair with the man in the photo.” Cassie double checked Jack’s face and saw confirmation.

“Hmm.” Jack pulled her in close, with his face next to hers. Montana grinned and continued to take shots over their shoulders. “It has that appearance, doesn’t it?”

“Lots of people have affairs, but it must be whom she’s having one with. So he is a person of interest, and this has to do with I.C.E.” Jack’s expression verified her thoughts. “So what’s he doing here?”

“When he arrived on Hartz Island last spring, he claimed he was here on a sabbatical to write a novel.”

“And you don’t believe hi… How in the world did the minister’s wife get hooked up with him?” People probably said the same thing about her and Sergei.

“They’re long lost friends.”

“Well, at least she has an excuse.” It was more than she had. Cassie pushed up from the log and started walking down the beach.

Jack jogged past her, and then turned back, making a loop around her. “By the way, I like you as a redhead.”

Surprised, she stopped and stared at him. “Me too. I’m thinking of chopping off my hair and dyeing it this color.” Cassie watched his reaction.

He nodded his head. “Then you wouldn’t be Princess Sassy Face any longer.”

“No, I wouldn’t.” And she rather liked that idea.

They continued to walk down the beach, almost at her family’s house.

“You can’t even see where we lay in the sand last night.”

“Hey, I can hear you,” said Ray. “Montana just said for you to turn around and head back her way. The lip-lockers retreated inside.”

Montana waved and pointed to the water. Cassie couldn’t tell if something was really out there or if she was pretending. Jack picked up a handful of stones and tossed them in while they walked along, something Cassie remembered him doing a long time ago with her brother. If it wasn’t rocks, it was a football. Jack had played football for the Huskies at the University of Washington until he was injured. Even though she was only fourteen, she remembered how upset her Dad had been for Jack.

When they arrived back at the vehicles, Ray and Montana were clicking through the photos on the small digital camera.

“This confirms MAMW is still hanging out with Armstrong. Not good.” Ray handed the camera and Montana’s borrowed cellphone to Jack.

“MAMW?” Cassie asked.

“Margery Anne, the Minister’s Wife,” Montana said. “Ray, can’t you do something?”

“What? She’s not breaking any laws that I know of. Yet. People hang out with scum all the time.”

“But still…”

“At the moment, it’s a domestic issue. Until he touches her, I can’t do a damn thing.”

“She’s in over her head. Clueless to what’s happening.”

“That’s never stopped people before,” replied Ray.

Cassie assumed nonchalance, though she felt Jack staring at her. It took all her concentration not to fidget and remain calm. They could have been talking about her. He handed the camera back to Ray and asked him to e-mail the photos.

“All this spying has made me hungry. Anyone interested in getting lunch?” Montana asked, zeroing in on Ray.

He returned her smile. “Sure. A man’s gotta eat. Jack?”

“No. Cassie and I need to get over to Anacortes on the next ferry.”

That was news to her. Jack opened the passenger door for her, and she climbed in. He quietly said, “We need to talk,” before shutting the door. A sudden queasiness settled in her stomach.