Alaskan Courage: Silenced Part 16

"Who's at the door?" a young male asked.

"Deputy Cavanagh. He-" Amelia began.

"My mother's not here." Phillip Humphries, Conrad and Vivienne's younger son, swung the door open wide. "And don't you think you've put her through enough already?"

"I'm sorry if we've upset your mother or you," Jake said, "but it's my job to figure out who killed your dad."

"Well, it wasn't my mom. So leave us alone." He slammed the door in Jake's face.

Jake moved to knock again, but the door opened. Amelia snuck out and closed it quietly behind herself. "You must excuse Phillip. He's taking Mr. Humphries' death quite hard."

It probably didn't help that his mom had taken off to Kodiak with Conrad's best friend. "Of course," he said. "Do you know when Mrs. Humphries will be back?"

"Not until late tonight. If you want to speak with her, you'll have to come back in the morning."

Tomorrow was Cole and Bailey's wedding, which meant they'd need to return the day after. He was thankful they'd have a day away from Imnek. The place was getting under his skin. He wanted Kayden safe and on home turf. "Thank you, Amelia."

She nodded and stepped back inside the house.

"Seems odd for a grieving widow to take off with the deceased's best friend for the day and just leave her kids at home right after they lost their dad," Kayden said.

"In most cases I'd agree. . . ." Jake looked back at the house and caught sight of Phillip watching from the upstairs window. "Sadly, based on Vivienne and Stuart's behavior thus far, I can't say I'm surprised."

"What do you think they're doing on Kodiak?"

He arched a brow.

"So soon after Conrad's death? Wow, no shame there."

"I could be wrong. Maybe they wanted some time away from us in order to get their stories straight."

"So . . . you think they killed Conrad?"

"I don't know, but their taking off certainly doesn't help their case." He tried picturing Vivienne or Stuart leaving the threatening messages. Were either of them a cold-blooded killer, ready to kill again if need be?

After getting a replacement propeller for her plane, the trip back to Yancey pa.s.sed 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.

15.

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 sh.o.r.e. Earlier they'd set up beach chairs in large circles around a series of fire pits. Picnic tables lined the gra.s.sy s.p.a.ce between the sh.o.r.e 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 m.u.f.fled 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 antic.i.p.ate 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 gra.s.s, 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.

16.

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 gra.s.sy 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 someone, 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 straightened, 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 pa.s.sage of Scripture-Ephesians 5:25. "'Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.'"