Highland Shifter (MacCoinnich Time Travel) (29 page)

“You want me to check this Philip guy for priors?”

“We’d like to know anything you can find out about him. Family, friends…places where he spends time outside of work.”

“I
’m not a private investigator. I’m a cop.”

“He broke into my apartment. I saw him leaving.”

“Did he take anything?”

“No,” Helen said. “But then he followed me to Scotland.”

Jake removed a small notebook from his jacket pocket. “Spell his name.”

Helen rambled off the spelling and offered his place of business with an address and phone number. After Jake stuffed the book away, he turned to Liz. “I
’ll see what I can find. How long do you think you’ll be here?”

She shook her head. “We don
’t know. But unlike before, we know we can get back and how. Helen has the key.”

Jake narrowed his eyes in Helen
’s direction. “Seems to me if this Philip guy wanted to harm you, he would have by now. My guess is he’s searching for something. Something you have.”

“I don
’t have anything. Before my trip to Scotland, I was an open book to the man.”

Jake stood and everyone in the room stood with him. “I
’ll get back to you tomorrow.”

At the door, he stopped. “Do you plan on disappearing again, Helen?”

The hair on Simon’s arms stood on end. Helen glanced his way with a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze. “N-no, not permanently anyway.”

“Then you might consider coming into the station sooner than later. Tell everyone you
’re not a missing person and call off the search. Suspicion is higher when you’re found. Considering you’re the only one here with an identification that can be traced, it wouldn’t work well for anonymity to be found here.”

“Right.”

Simon stepped forward. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

Jake
’s left eye twitched but he didn’t argue as Simon led him out. The others stayed behind.

“What else can I do for you, Simon?”

Smart man. “About identification. Maybe you could give me a name of someone who can create such a thing.”

“False ID would be illegal.”

“We both know I’m not a criminal. I need to protect Helen and don’t need to worry about being detained for deportation. Though I’m not sure where they would deport me to.”

Jake snorted. “Don
’t you have some kind of special power that would help you get away?”

Simon flicked a finger in the air and a small flame shot in the sky. “A diversion wouldn
’t stop the police from searching for me. Revealing to the world what we’re capable of would be catastrophic. We don’t need reporters camped out here.”

Reaching for the car door, Jake opened it and shifted one foot on the ledge. “I
’ll see what I can do. But you didn’t get the information from me. I like my job, and have this crazy desire to eat. I was on probation for over a year after your mom and Fin disappeared the last time. I’m only helping because of Todd. But I have to look out for my kids first.”

Simon nodded. “I understand. Any help would be appreciated.”

He stood back as Jake slid behind the wheel and left Mrs. Dawson’s driveway.

No one understood the need to protect a family more than Simon.

He turned back to the house, determined to protect his.

* * * *

Helen felt a bit like a teenage kid sneaking out of the house. A part of her loved having so many people around who seemed to care, but she’d always lived her life alone. Only abiding by the rules she made for herself and no one else…so waiting until Simon and the others approved of what she wanted to do wasn’t in her.

One good thing about having a house full of people was her ability to play each against the other to sneak out. She told Myra she was with Simon, told Simon she was with Liz and told Mrs. Dawson that she needed a nap. Cian wasn
’t anywhere to be found, not that she’d say anything to him. The guy wigged her out. The strong silent type never did anything for her. Cian was all that and more.

Jake had called the day before to inform Liz that Philip
’s record was clean. Not one prior, not one juvenile offence. He had a brother, however, who was anything but clean. Serving life for a rape and murder charge without the possibility of parole. According to Jake, Philip visited his brother on occasion, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The police had brought Philip in for questioning a couple of times in regards to Helen’s disappearance. With nothing more than a criminal brother to go on, they didn’t hold him.

Philip wasn
’t the reason for her disappearance and didn’t like the thought of the man being accused of something he hadn’t done.

Armed with a story written in her head, Helen drove away from Mrs. Dawson
’s home ready to face her boss. It was Wednesday. Shipments came in on Wednesday so the auction house would have a few more people around than normal. Though she probably would have lost her job, she thought it best to act somewhat remorseful for her unexplained absence.

Her hands shook as she pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered to herself as she slid out of the car. Not taking any chances, she walked through the front door, knowing the cameras pointed there were always running.

A shriek from the back of the building told Helen she’d been seen.

“Oh my freaking God.” Lisa darted around the tables and embraced her hard. “I thought you were dead.”

Guilt welled in Helen’s chest. She hadn’t thought she’d be missed. Not like this anyway. “Not dead.”

Lisa moved away to look at her, and then pulled her in for a second hug. “You scared the crap out of me. Jesus, where have you been? Are you all right? Were you hurt?”

“I’m sorry I worried you. I met this guy—”

“A guy?”

“Yeah, an amazing Scottish yummy—”

“You
’ve been missing for over two weeks. The police have questioned everyone. We thought you were dead and you were off with a guy?”

The concern in Lisa
’s face shifted to hurt.

“I know, totally irresponsible of me. He took me to this remote cabin. I lost my cell. It
’s been crazy. God, I’m sorry I didn’t find a way to tell you I was okay.”

“I hope he was worth it.”

“Is any guy really worth it? I’ve probably lost my job, huh?”

Lisa crossed her arms over her chest and blew a strand of bleach blonde hair from her eyes. “You don
’t take a two week vacation without telling the boss. Philip has been worried like the rest of us.”

Helen glanced beyond Lisa to the back of the showroom. “Is he here?”

“He was in the warehouse a few minutes ago.”

Ignoring the pounding of her heart, Helen pushed around Lisa. “I better let him know I
’m alive.”

“You should do that.”

As Helen made her way around the room, Lisa called out. “I’m going to want details about your Highland hottie.”

Helen pictured Simon on his horse and wearing a kilt. Something in her expression must have shifted because Lisa whistled and winked. “That good, huh?”

“I’ve had an unforgettable two weeks.” There wasn’t a trace of lie in her statement.

Helen heard voices in the warehouse before she rounded the corner and noticed Philip standing beside two men who were setting an early Regency buffet down.

“Philip,” Helen uttered his name and waited for him to turn her way.

For a brief moment, Philip didn
’t look at all surprised to see her, but his expression quickly changed to one of complete concern. “Helen?”

She lifted her arms. “Back from the dead, apparently.”

Philip strode her way and pulled her into his arms. She stiffened, never having had the man this close to her before.

The delivery guys watched the exchange.

Unable to avoid his brief hug, Helen patted his back and tried to push out of his arms. “I’m sorry I worried everyone.”

He didn
’t let her go immediately and Helen’s skin started to buzz. He tightened his hold and the realization that the man holding her was stronger than she was, made her question the wisdom of coming there alone. When he let go, he kept his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.

His touch was cold, his eyes dark. “Where the hell have you been?”

“It’s complicated,” she offered.

“Ah, Mr. Lyons, where do you want the rest of this stuff?”

Philip kept one hand on her shoulder and turned toward the men. “Set everything on the east wall. I’ll have Lisa come back and finish the inventory.”

The guys nodded and went back to work.

Philip kept a hand on Helen’s shoulder and led her out of the warehouse and into his office.

He barked an order to Lisa and closed the door.

Some of the concern lifted and Philip’s eyes crawled up and down her frame. They leveled on her chest briefly before returning to her face.

“I
’m sorry, Philip, I should have found a way to call.”

He leaned against his desk and waited for her to explain.

Ten minutes later, Helen had delivered her well thought out lie that sounded convincing even to her.

“I should fire you on the spot.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

“Did you tell Mrs. Dawson you
’re back?”

Helen nodded. “I called her when I arrived.”

“What about the police? We filed a missing person’s report.”

None of what Philip was saying sparked any alarms, but the way his eyes kept a hooded stare on her made her heart leap. “I
’ll have to give ‘em a call. I didn’t think everyone would be so shook up with me taking a few days off.”

“We wouldn
’t have if you’d told us.”

He sounded sincere, and Helen started to feel guilty about her deception. Maybe Amber was wrong about the man, maybe he was only concerned for her well being. But then why had he been in her apartment snooping around? And why had he followed her to Scotland?

“Lisa told me you followed me to Scotland.”

Philip pushed off the desk as he spoke, his eyes leaving hers. “I thought you
’d like the help. I didn’t think I’d be interrupting…”

“It wasn
’t like that.”

He waved her off. “I don
’t want the details.”

He closed himself off and slid into his chair. “I
’m sorry.”

“Do you know the police questioned me?” A spark of anger edged with his words.

“Why you?” Now was the time to ask some questions. Maybe find out why he was at her apartment.

“I
’m your boss. We were both in Scotland when you disappeared.”

His explanation was plausible.

It was time to stretch some of the truth. “I talked to one of my neighbors today, they said they saw someone who looked like you at my apartment right after I left.”

His hand hesitated as he reached for a pen on his desk. “I went to your apartment after you went missing. They must have seen me then.”

Helen shook her head. “That’s funny, they said a guy in a suit was there the day after I left. They must have you mixed up with someone else. But you’re the only one I know who wears a suit.”

Philip
’s eyes found hers and held.

They were cold, piercing.

Helen shivered.

“It wasn
’t me.”

“Okay.”

But it wasn’t okay.

“I should be going. Let the police know I
’m not missing.”

Philip lifted his chin. “I
’m glad you’re not dead.”

Helen
’s skin started to buzz and her hand reached for the necklace. It was warm in her palm and reminded her of who waited for her at Mrs. Dawson’s home. She really should get back before someone came looking for her.

“I
’m sorry.”

“You should be. I
’ll have to think about your job.”

“I thought I
’d be fired.”

“I should fire you. Not look back.”

Any other boss would. The fact he didn’t told her he needed her for something.

“I
’ll be in touch.” His voice stopped her before she left the room. “The next time you end up missing, people aren’t going to search hard to find you.”

It was a warning. Or maybe it was a threat. “I
’m sure you’re right.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Where the hell is she?”

Simon was frantic. He’d searched the house and hadn’t found Helen anywhere.

Her car was gone.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Myra said as she slowly made her way across the room. “Probably just needed some air.”

“She would have told one of us if that were true.” No, Simon had seen something in her eyes earlier that day. She
’d been quieter than normal.

Amber placed a hand over his. “She wanted to confront Philip. Do you believe she
’d go alone?”

Damn he hoped she wouldn
’t be blind to the threat the man posed. But he knew how determined she’d been the other night. “Aye. She would.”

“Helen
’s a smart girl, if she did go to him, she wouldn’t have met him alone.” Mrs. Dawson picked up her phone and started to dial.

The room grew silent while Mrs. Dawson made her call.

“Hello Lisa, dear. It’s Mrs. Dawson.”

She paused and nodded. Then smiled. “So she was there?”

Simon’s shoulders fell. At least he knew that much.

“Oh, okay. Well, can I speak with Philip, then?”

Mrs. Dawson’s lips fell, her back stiffened. “I see.”

The room felt cold.

“Okay. Be a dear and tell him I called, will you? Fine.” Mrs. Dawson hung up and set the receiver down. “Helen was there. She told Lisa the story about her fling and spoke briefly with Philip before leaving.”

“So she
’s on her way back?”

Mrs. Dawson
’s eyes grew wide. “She left over an hour ago.”

Liz stepped forward. “How far away is the office?”

“Thirty minutes.”

Simon reached for his broadsword, but his hand only met the denim on his hips. “Where was Philip?”

“He left shortly after Helen. Told Lisa to lock up.”

Everything went still inside of Simon
’s head.

She should be back by now.

Something was wrong.