Lethal Game (GhostWalkers 16)

She glared at him, stopping directly in front of him. He was grateful he’d gotten around the corner and out of sight of the three people watching him. The late morning sun turned her hair into a blaze of icy gold. He couldn’t help smoothing the strands with his hands, feeling all that silk. Soothing her.

“You did it, didn’t you? You set yourself up without me to have your back.”

“Babe. I’m working here. Don’t rain on my parade. My brothers are in town and they agreed you needed sleep after working on my leg.”

“That healer said you needed to rest the leg, not walk around on it just hours after we worked on it.”

He took her elbow and turned her toward the beach. “First, you did the work too. Just because someone else did work after you doesn’t negate the fact that you need to rest. Second, you should still be in bed.”

And I’m going to kill Zeke. He was supposed to be watching her. Where the hell is he? He could have used a warning that she was close. Amaryllis could have blown everything.

“I woke up and you weren’t there,” she said. “Seriously, Malichai. You could undo all the work that was done last night.”

“The leg is strong. Stronger than it’s ever been. It will hold. You can’t be here, honey. I mean it. I have to see if they’ll try to attack me in the water the way someone did Dozer.”

“Dozer is a little crazy, Malichai.” She threw her hands into the air. “You shouldn’t be running around on that leg. I’m serious. I can swim just as fast in the water as you can. If someone needs to be a target, I can do it. You should have waited for me. I would have set myself up.”

“You’ve got enough work to do at the B and B for Marie and Jacy, babe. I can do this much. It’s no big thing.”

“Malichai, just think about what you could be doing to that leg.” She shook her head, looking more anxious than ever.

He took her face gently between his hands. “You know Rubin worked on my leg. He wants me swimming in the ocean. He thinks that will be what strengthens my leg. I hope he’s right. I won’t be running or even jogging. I’m not going to overdo it. I’m just going to swim.”

She took a deep breath and then forced herself to nod when she clearly didn’t want to give in. “Tell me what’s happening.” She didn’t like it, but she accepted what he said and was willing to go along with it.

“Miss Crystal wasn’t in the shop. The woman who was in there was very rude and didn’t like me asking questions. If she was hired to watch the store in the owner’s absence, there would be no reason for her to be rude to one of Miss Crystal’s friends. And to have two men join her at the door and watch me walk off says something even more sinister.”

“You could be absolutely right. But setting yourself up to be killed underwater where no one can see you or help you is ludicrous. I can go into the water with you. You know I’m a really good swimmer, probably as good as you.”

“No, you’re going to go back to the bed-and-breakfast and watch over Marie and Jacy. I don’t like the fact that Anna and Bryon were murdered, and Burnell and Jay feel threatened. That’s too close to Marie and Jacy.”

She glanced up at him, a shadow crossing her face. “Do you really think there could be a danger to them?”

“I think it’s a good possibility if Anna and Bryon were really murdered—and I think they were. I don’t know what’s going on, but we need to get to the bottom of it. I’d feel better if you were there to watch over them. Rubin should be somewhere close by if you need backup. He needed sleep, and unlike you, I imagine he’s actually getting it. Ezekiel is probably making himself and everyone else crazy by inspecting every inch of the bed-and-breakfast to see if someone has the place wired.”

“It sounds as if your people have everything well in hand.”

They stood together on the sidewalk just in front of the long expanse of sand. Already the lounge chairs were filling up as people claimed their spots for the day. The water glittered as if diamonds were scattered across the surface. Waves raced toward the beach, folding over to form foamy crests several yards from shore. It was an idyllic scene. Beautiful and peaceful. One would never consider murder might have taken place on that white sand or near the serenity of the ocean.

“Marie needs you, Amaryllis,” Malichai said gently. He framed her face again and bent his head toward hers. “I need to know you’ve got this. I can’t be worried about them and still go into the sea knowing I might be attacked.”