Part 8 (1/2)

Skylar took one deliberate step forward as she stared straight into the Kodiak's closely set mahogany eyes, which were just above its moist black snout.

The bear dropped down onto all fours again, pawed the ground, bared its long fangs, and snorted loudly. And for several seconds the beast and the young woman continued staring at each other intensely, burning brown eyes to burning blue eyes.

Then the bear lurched forward with a guttural growl.

So did Skylar, immediately, with a growl of her own. And she raised her arms high above her head, to appear larger.

The bear stopped in its tracks, hesitating a few moments as it continued to sniff the air. Then it turned and loped off through the forest.

Skylar laughed, and the sounds of her amus.e.m.e.nt echoed through the trees. G.o.d, she loved this place.

When she'd finished dressing the deer, she carried the innards to the edge of the cliff and dropped them into the ocean far below. Then she raised her eyes from the waves cras.h.i.+ng onto the rocky sh.o.r.e, to the mainland in the distance through the fading light, then farther up to the gorgeous azure sky stretching out above her, which was streaked by gold and silver to the west as the sun dropped toward the horizon. She was convinced that there was no sky like this anywhere else on earth.

A familiar lump formed in her throat, and heat rose to the corners of her eyes. But her emotional reaction bothered her not in the least. She was not afraid to accept and relish her feelings when she was out here alone. This place was mystical for her, the most special place on earth. And a tremendous realization struck her as she gazed into the night sky, hoping it would be painted by a s.h.i.+mmering aurora borealis in a few hours. It was early yet in the season to see the northern lights, but she had a feeling about tonight. Her premonitions were rarely off when they were this strong.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, enjoying her solitude. Kodiak Island was the gateway to heaven. It had to be.

GADANZ'S MIGRAINE had finally eased, probably because he'd swallowed every drop of scotch in the flask again and his brain was completely numb. The headache would be back with a vengeance when the alcohol wore off. But he didn't care. Even though the relief was temporary, it was beautiful. He needed to get the flask refilled p.r.o.nto.

”What do you want me to do with them, sir?” one of the two guards asked, gesturing at the three young women who were standing in a corner of the room, chained together at the neck by collars.

Gadanz glanced at them from the throne. He'd brought them back in after Sterling left with Sophia, and watched them perform as he directed. Sizzling images, but there was still no physical reaction. He hated them for failing him again, all of them.

And they'd heard specific names as targets, he realized. Bill Jensen, Jack, and Troy, he remembered through the alcohol. ”Kill them. Kill them all.”

As the guards herded the women out of the throne room, they began to cry and beg for their lives. But their tears and desperate pleas did not affect him at all. In fact, they irritated him.

”And have your way with them before you kill them!” Gadanz shouted. ”Someone might as well!”

CHAPTER 13.

”HI, MOM.” Jack leaned down and gave Cheryl a kiss on the cheek, then moved beside Karen, who was standing with Cheryl, and kissed her, too.

Karen smiled up at him with her half smile, then placed one hand on his arm and leaned on her cane with the other.

Troy kissed Cheryl on the cheek as well, though he did not move close to Jennie Perez, his girlfriend, who was also standing with Cheryl.

Cheryl was hosting Bill's small birthday party in one of the home's ornate living rooms-even though he'd been missing for nine months. She'd invited only twenty people, just immediate family and a few close friends. The party had started an hour ago, but Jack and Troy had just arrived.

”I'm sorry we're late,” Jack said.

”Me, too,” Troy added.

After the fight on the porch, they'd taken back stairs to the third floor, cleaned up in separate rooms, then texted each other about coming down to the party together. Tonight was all about their mother, not them. And even though emotions were still running hot between them, they would play their parts and make sure no one would pick up on what had happened.

”It's all right, boys.”

”There was nothing we could do about it,” Jack said lamely, feeling very guilty. ”We got caught up in something.”

Cheryl was tall and slim and, despite all the gray hair that had appeared since Bill's disappearance, she still looked vibrant. She rode and took care of her Thoroughbreds every day, and those horses rarely acted up on her, Jack knew. She was a gentle soul, but down deep she had the heart of a lioness. She always tried negotiating first, but if all else failed, she was ready to fight for what was right.

She'd been the perfect mother, delicately refereeing a long line of nasty arguments between Bill and him down through the years, and Jack adored her. If Bill really was alive somewhere, and Rita Hayes had anything to do with his disappearance or was helping him in any way, he'd never speak to his stepfather again.

Cheryl smiled. ”Oh, I've gotten used to it.”

”I haven't,” Jennie said.

Jack's gaze flashed to her. She had dark hair, high cheekbones, and full lips. She was a beautiful young woman, and why wouldn't she be? She was Troy's girlfriend.

”It's a wonderful gesture, Cheryl,” Karen spoke up after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. ”Having the birthday party even though Bill isn't here, I mean.”

Karen's speech was still affected by the bullet to the head she'd taken in Wyoming-she slurred, sometimes so badly her words were almost unintelligible. And she still needed a cane to walk.

She'd put hundreds of hours into rehab-Jack had taken her to many of those early-morning sessions-and her dedication was paying dividends. But she'd never fully recover from what Shane Maddux had done to her.

”Thank you, honey. That's very nice of you to say. Would you do me a favor?”

”What?” Karen asked.

”It's been two months since you and Jack married. Will you please start calling me Mom?”

”Okay . . . Mom.”

Everyone laughed. Except Jennie, Jack noticed.

”When do you two leave for Paris?” Cheryl asked.

”Tomorrow,” Jack answered. It was their delayed honeymoon. He'd been unable to get away from the bond desk at First Manhattan until now. ”We're really looking-”

Jack was interrupted by a high-pitched shriek as Little Jack, Troy's one-year-old son, tore into the room, followed by his nanny. Little Jack's mother was Lisa Martinez, whom Shane Maddux had murdered last October in a desperate attempt to find Troy and silence him about what he knew of the plot to kill President Dorn. Lisa was Jennie Perez's cousin.

Jack had taken care of Lisa during her pregnancy, because Troy was always off in some far corner of the world he couldn't tell anyone about. So Lisa had named the baby boy after Jack. Blond and blue-eyed, L.J. already looked a lot like Troy. Apparently he had his father's physical gifts as well, Jack figured. He'd mastered walking at six months, and was already sprinting everywhere while most boys his age were still wobbling around at best.

”It must be nice,” Jennie commented as Troy picked up L.J. and hugged him tightly.

”What do you mean?” Karen asked.

”Having someone who wants to take you places,” she answered. She glanced at Troy, then turned and walked off.

”Oh, Lord,” Karen murmured. ”I'd better go talk to her.” She squeezed Jack's arm and then hobbled slowly after Jennie. They had become good friends in the last few months.

Jack looked over at Troy, who was laughing with L.J., seemingly unconcerned with Jennie. Yup, definitely trouble in paradise.

CHAPTER 14.