EIGHT

Still bathing in the wedding glow, Jenna hadn’t let go of Kane’s hand since leaving home. Everything had happened so fast and now, finally alone with her husband, it was taking a long time to unwind. After cutting the wedding cake and posing for Rio to take a million photographs, they’d changed into casual clothes and climbed into the chopper. Excited to be leaving, the last thing on Jenna’s mind was murder. Bubbling over with happiness, she’d smiled as they waved goodbye to everyone. Wolfe had taken them directly to the airport and they boarded a private jet to Florida, compliments of POTUS.

Luxurious didn’t come close to how to describe the jet. It was like flying in a high-end hotel room. Jenna relaxed in the comfortable leather seat, snuggled under Kane’s arm, and just breathed. They’d been in the air for almost two hours when the flight attendant came by to offer them more drinks and a selection of meals. She listened with interest as he spoke to Kane.

“We just heard there’s a weather watch for the Florida coast. There is a hurricane out at sea and moving landward. Our orders have changed. We’re staying over until Monday in case you need to be evacuated. Here’s a number to call if the storm causes a problem. Just make it to hangar eight and we’ll take it from there.” He handed Kane a card.

“Copy that.” Kane’s brows knotted into a frown. “Just how bad is this storm?”

“It’s a big one, but you know hurricanes. They can change course. It might swing past and you’ll be fine. Just check the weather alerts, and if there’s a problem, get the hell out of Dodge.” He gave them a nod and headed back to the galley.

Staring out at the clear blue sky, Jenna rested her head on Kane’s chest. “We’ll be fine. Surely nothing will happen in the next couple of days. We’ll leave on Sunday if it looks like it’s heading inland.”

“Yeah.” Kane rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’ll be sure to check for weather alerts on my phone.” He smiled at her. “Let’s eat and maybe watch a movie to kill some time.”

With her mind on sea and sand, Jenna nodded and straightened in her seat. “You choose something.” She sighed. “This jet is spectacular. I could get used to this luxury.”

“We don’t have to work. We could retire and spend the rest of our lives doing whatever we liked.” Kane scrolled through the movie choices on the screen. “But after a time, I figure that would get boring. I know it seems crazy wanting to put in the hours solving crimes, but I actually enjoy it.”

Considering long and hard about spending a year on a beach in Hawaii and then dismissing it, Jenna had to agree with him. “I love my job too, and grabbing weekends like this together is all the more special because they’re hard to come by. I’d hate to lose that appreciation of taking a vacation.” She gazed down at the rings on her finger and smiled. “We had to get away for a honeymoon. I think we both need new memories and something to tell the grandkids. Although, I miss Duke and Pumpkin already.”

“Me too.” Kane lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Pumpkin is very independent, and Duke likes Carter and enjoys the company of Zorro. Time will tell if he copes without us being there.”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “He’ll probably give you the cold shoulder when you get back.”

“More like take to having showers with me again.” Kane grinned broadly. “For a dog who hates water, he must have been very insecure to do that.”

The memory of Kane buried alive sent shivers down Jenna’s spine. Without Duke they wouldn’t have found him in time. She pushed the memories into the back of her mind. “Let’s hope he’s never insecure again.”

It was late afternoon by the time they touched down in Florida. The heat was stifling and perspiration trickled down Jenna’s back as they made their way to the car rental desk. The only vehicle available was a small compact. Jenna shook her head in disbelief. “We reserved a truck. How are you going to fit in there? This is crazy.”

“Don’t worry. Wolfe said his mom’s condo is opposite the beach and everything we need is in walking distance.” Kane shook his head and pushed the seat back as far as it would go. He folded himself into the seat. “We just have to get there and back is all.” He leaned out the door to remove his hat. “My head is touching the roof and I don’t figure the seatbelt will fit.”

“I’ll snap you in.” Jenna opened the door to a wall of blistering heat that rushed out and surrounded her. Sweat stuck her shirt to her back as she lowered herself into the scorching seat. “I wasn’t expecting it to be this hot. Crank up the AC to its limit. I’m going to melt in this heat.”

“Open the windows. The air will blow out the heat, and when we shut them, the AC will work better.” Kane started the engine, entered the address into the GPS, and backed out of the parking space. “I wasn’t expecting it to be so hot on the coast.” He glanced at her. “We have a private jet at our disposal, maybe we could turn around and head for Hawaii.”

Laughing Jenna shook her head. “By the time we get there it will be time to head home. That’s got to be, what, nine hours or so from here?”

“Yeah, but it was nice and cool in the plane, and they had food and movies.” Kane’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “I love traveling on luxury aircraft. Not that I’ve been on many. I took a few flights with POTUS, but in service, it was usually anything that I could get a ride on. I’d be sitting on the floor most times with trucks and supplies.”

As this was her first visit to Florida, Jenna took in the scenery and grinned when the first glimpse of the sparkling ocean came into view. Concern crushed her excitement as she looked into the distance. A band of dark clouds hung over the horizon like a massive tsunami threatening to strike at any moment. “Oh, I don’t like the look of that.”

“It’s a long way away.” Kane turned into a beach road. “Most storms look like that at sea. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a hurricane. It might just be a thunderstorm. It’s very hot today and they often have evening storms here.”

Unease crawled over Jenna. “I hope you’re right.” She tried to push the worry from her mind. “What else did Wolfe tell you about this place?”

“Like I said, the condo is in a building with a restaurant, coffee shop, and a beachwear store, opposite the beach. He said the food is good, but we can cook ourselves if we want. He also said he left his knucklehead in the garage. It’s drained of gas, but his mom left a can of gas in there, if we want to take it for a ride. He’s having it shipped to Black Rock Falls when his mom comes down for her vacation in August.”

Jenna blinked at him. “What is a knucklehead?”

“A motorcycle, a Harley.” Kane chuckled. “It’s an old one he restored years ago and rides on his vacations. Since his wife died, he rarely comes here. It has too many memories.”

“That’s so sad.” She pointed. “Look! Palm Drive, turn here. Oh, this looks nice.”

As they joined a line of traffic crawling along the beachfront, Jenna’s attention moved to the sea. The Google search she’d made of the area showed images of a blue ocean and white crested shore breaks on golden sands. The sea looked angry, reflecting the gray clouds cumulating on the horizon. Huge waves pounded the beach, creating a line of foam, and high winds had lifted the sand, scattering it across the blacktop like gold dust. As they drove past stores, there seemed to be a general unease. People stood at the curb loading up their vehicles and others boarded up storefronts and windows. “Maybe we need to check the weather situation again. The locals are leaving in droves.”

“As soon as we get settled. Ah, here’s the building.” Kane drove into an underground parking lot and punched numbers into a keypad.

The mesh door rolled upward slowly and they drove from brilliant sunshine into a dim space. Jenna tipped up her sunglasses and pointed ahead. “Look we can park in the bays. They’re numbered, but if we drive through, there are garages lined up against the far wall.”

“They’re probably storage areas.” Kane parked in a bay. “This is the correct number. We’ll leave it here. It’s cooler under the building. We’ll need to collect the apartment key from a neighbor. Her name is Mrs. Coats.” He opened the door, climbed out and stretched. “I sure miss the Beast. If you want to go anywhere, maybe we should use the motorcycle?”

Smiling as she slid out of the sedan, Jenna inhaled the ozone and sighed. “I’m not planning on going anywhere, but I can’t wait to get my toes into the sand.”

“Maybe later, when it’s cooler.” Kane’s mouth curled into a smile, and he pulled her close and kissed her. “If you recall, this is our honeymoon?”

Jenna giggled. “How could I forget?” She gazed into his eyes. “But the beach later. Maybe a moonlight stroll after dinner?”

“Sure.” Kane stepped away and pulled their bags from the back seat. He pushed his hat on his head and his expression change to serious. He dumped the bags onto the hood of the sedan, turned and cupped her cheeks, his thumbs making tiny circles. “You are so darn beautiful, Jenna. Tell me this isn’t a dream.”

Misty-eyed, Jenna looked into his dark blue gaze and sighed in contentment. “Well, if it is, I don’t ever want to wake up.”

Tags: D.K. Hood Mystery
Source: readsnovelonline.net