Bad Karma (12 page)

“
Hello?” she called, her voice echoing throughout the cavernous space.

“
Hello yourself.”

Cassie jumped, whirling toward the deep male voice that suddenly appeared right behind her.

“
Oh, my God! Don’t you ever wear a shirt?”

Javier was the last person she’d expected to see again so soon. He quirked a dimpled grin at her. “Yes, I’ve been known to wear a shirt.”

He was wearing a huge pair of bright yellow pants held up by wide red suspenders. It was a fireman’s outfit, or at least half of it.

“
Well, I certainly wouldn’t recognize you with your clothes on.”

His grin widened. “That may not be a bad thing.”

Another fireman sauntered over to where they stood. “Who is this pretty little thing?” He wore a dark blue uniform with the official Port Isabel Fire Department crest stitched over his heart and the name, “Dave” in yellow embroidery.

Javi winked at Cassie. “She’s my girlfriend. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

Dave wrapped his arm around Javi’s shoulder. “This guy does not need another girlfriend. He has women crawling all over him. Now me, I need a girlfriend.”

Cassie looked from one man to the other. “Well, I need thirty-four dollars and eighty-nine cents.”

“
Dave,” Javi said, without taking his eyes off Cassie. “Go collect my girl’s money.”

Dave gave her a little wave and disappeared between the two fire trucks.

Cassie gave Javi a grin of her own. “Women crawling all over you, huh?”

“
Well, not literally.”

“
Still, I never buy used merchandise.” She shook her head and wrinkled her nose. “So not into the second-hand thing.”

“
Not used,” he growled. “I prefer to think of myself as being experienced.”

“
Right, well you just keep telling yourself that.”

Dave returned clutching a fistful of cash and Javi tossed in a twenty dollar bill. When she left, she had almost sixty dollars in her hand.

“
Hey,” Javi called. “Do you still want to kick my ass all over the beach?”

“
No,” she called back. “You’d enjoy it too much.”

~*~

Javi stood staring after Cassie, watching the delivery vehicle disappear around the curve.

Dave gave him a punch on his well-developed bicep. “Not your usual type, Bro.”

Javi shot him a glance. “Do I have a type?”

“
Hot, petite Latina with curves aplenty.” He made a gesture with his hands to indicate curves. “Not like that long-legged blonde. She was way too skinny for you, man.”

Javi glared at Dave. “Don’t tell me she’s not my type. There’s something about her…I don’t know, but I just keep thinking about her all the time.”

Dave shook his head. “I can’t keep track of your women. Let me know when you’re done with that’n.” He walked off, laughing.

Surprisingly, a wave of fury washed over Javi. His jaw tightened as he fought to keep from pounding the loud-mouthed Dave.

He had to unclench his fists. He knew that Dave had meant his teasing to be in fun, but something in his words had set off a storm of anger roiling in his gut. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Since he’d first seen Cassidy running on the beach, he’d felt something for her. True, she wasn’t the usual type of girl he dated. But from his first glimpse of her big, aquamarine eyes and her impudent grin, he’d had the overwhelming desire to kiss her...and more. Her soft, sensuous mouth invited kissing. And the tumble of honey-colored curls blowing around her face. He’d been having fantasies about that, as well.

But he liked that she hadn’t fallen at his feet. When he’d touched her arm, she’d threatened to kick his ass. It took a lot of confidence for a slender, small-boned girl to say something like that to a big, buff guy like him.

He stood with his hands on his hips for a moment and then chuckled. One does not kick a former Navy SEAL’s ass, no matter how many belts you have.

~*~

Zach’s day had progressed well. He’d edited a scholarly paper he planned to submit to a professional periodical. He’d made notes in his dolphin journal and had taken great pleasure from his usual daily swim in the bay.

Now, he was enjoying a beer on his deck and keeping an eye open for the silver Audi. He was still a little unsettled about his feelings for Skyler. He needed to have learned a lot more about her before caring this much and she wasn’t exactly forthcoming with information. He wanted her to trust him enough to open up.

He took a long swallow of beer from the bottle.
I should just totally chill.
It might take a little time for her to loosen up. Whatever demons she was running from had brought her here to the Island and to him.

The Audi’s horn tooted and both women emerged from the vehicle, waving and grinning at him.

“
Hey, neighbor!” Cassie called.

“
Come on up,” he invited, waving them onto the deck.

Cassie sprinted up his stairs and Sky took her time with the one step at a time method.

Zach waved them toward a bucket of drinks he’d iced in anticipation of their arrival. “Help yourselves, ladies.”

Cassie rooted around in the ice and then squealed, “Oh, my God! You have Grape Nehi. I haven’t had one of those since I was a little girl.”

Sky grinned. “Our Gram used to keep them stocked in the fridge just for us.”

“
Nothing but the best for my new neighbors.” Zach experienced a warm swirl of emotions when Sky raised her face and gave him a peck close to his mouth. It surprised him, but pleased him nonetheless.

“
How was your day?” he asked. He settled down in a lounge chair to listen to each woman rehash her day.

“
I met the sheriff,” Sky said. She took a card out of her pocket and examined it. “Rafael Solis.”

Zach nodded. “I know the sheriff well.” He took another swallow of beer. “And I know his wife, Chloe.” Even now, when he said her name, his lips curved into a smile.

Cassie pulled a wad of cash out of her pocket. “I made over a hundred dollars in tips in four hours and I’ll get a paycheck from The Net too.” She demonstrated her glee with an ecstatic dance.

Zach gave her applause for which she bowed. “It’s Friday night on Padre Island. That means, it’s party time here on the island. The whole place will be rocking all night long. Are you ladies up for some night life?”

Cassie’s eyes lit up. “What’s there to do around here?”

Zach had to smile at her enthusiastic response. “Some of the bars have live music. I think I could wear both of you young ladies out on the dance floor, given enough time and music.”

“
Oh, I love live music, but I don’t know how to dance,” Cassie said. “I can watch you and Sky.”

He turned to Sky, but his smile faded when he saw her expression. She looked stricken. “Or, we could just relax around here. I’ll throw something on the grill and we can chill out.”

Sky’s lips trembled as she tried to hold off whatever had her in its grip. “I, uh...I have to work tomorrow. Why don’t the two of you go out and I’ll just turn in early.”

“
Don’t worry about us, Sky,” Zach said. “We can all go out another time. But you have to eat, so I’m going to throw some burgers on the grill and you can go to sleep with a full stomach.”

“
Sorry, Sky,” Cassie murmured.

Sky shook her head. “Cassie, don’t stop having fun just because of me.”

Cassie reached across to squeeze her hand. “No, if you’re not going, I don’t want to go out either.”

Zach’s gaze flicked from one sister to the other. “I’m going to get the meat for the grill. That will give you two a chance to talk, but when I get back, I want you to tell me what’s going on. I’m not an idiot, and I might be able to help.” He rose and went into the house. When he emerged with the hamburger patties and placed them on the grill, he turned to the two women. They were staring at him, expectantly.

He wiped his hands and returned to stand by the chair he’d occupied earlier. He reached for his beer. “Have you two got your stories straight?”

Cassie looked at Sky and nodded. “We decided to let you in on our secret, but it has to remain a secret.”

Zach crossed his heart and raised his palm in a silent pledge.

Cassie gave a big sigh, her shoulders rising and falling with the effort. “Sky has a stalker. He tried to run her down twice. The last time was just before we moved here. He killed her dog and she was re-injured just a week and a half ago.”

Zach leaned back against the railing of the deck, shocked that this kind of horror had been pursuing someone as gentle and kind as Sky.

Cassie ran her fingers through her hair and massaged the back of her neck. “I was moving here anyway because of the teaching job. I thought I’d relocate a few months early so Sky could be with me.”

Sky let out a one-syllable laugh. She rose and went to stand near Zach. Resting her elbows on the railing, she gazed out over the water. “And here I am, hiding behind my baby sister and looking over my shoulder all the time.” Tears welled in her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. “I hate that Cassie’s whole life had to change because of me.”

“
Don’t be silly,” Cassie said. “I love having you with me.”

Sky brushed away her tears and turned to Zach. “So, there you have it. My sad tale. Aren’t you sorry you got involved with your crazy neighbor now?”

Zach took her in his arms and pressed her against his chest. He stood stroking her hair. “How can I help?”

Sky clung to him, her face buried against his shirt.

Cassie cleared her throat. “I’ll just check the burgers.”

Zach caught Cassie’s worried expression before she made her strategic withdrawal. He buried his lips in Sky’s hair and spoke softly. “Sky, I’m not sorry I got involved with you. I’m sorry for all that you’ve gone through. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“
Don’t say that,” she hiccupped. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. This person who’s following me is very dangerous.”

“
Do you know who’s stalking you?”

“
No. I was in an automobile accident. It all started after that.”

Zach leaned back against the railing, pulling Sky against him. “Tell me about your accident.”

A giant sob shook her. “I...I can’t. It was too horrible.”

“
Shhh. Don’t cry. There’s nothing so terrible that you can’t tell me about it.” He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her temple. “Just tell me.”

“
A woman was killed...and a child.”

A roiling in his gut cut short what he’d been about to say. “My God!”

Her head nodded up and down against his chest. “It was the worst thing I can ever imagine going through. I’ll never forgive myself.”

“
It was an accident. You didn’t intentionally kill them, did you?”

She drew a deep breath. “No, but I might just as well have.” Sky pulled away and, wiping the tears from her face, looked up at Zach. “I was under the influence. I shouldn’t have been driving.”