Unsafe Haven (3 page)

“Luna.” The one-word reprimand was enough for her to mutter a quick apology. Kendall tried a reassuring smile before she settled in her seat. She knew what teenage rebellion was all about. Poor kid, whatever her troubles.

After she’d mistaken the airport and its assorted buildings for the actual town itself, Staamat was a far cry from what she’d expected. Clean as a whistle and absolutely charming, Staamat seemed warm and inviting even before she had a chance to step out on its wooden sidewalks.

Without asking, Denn gave her a quick tour. She could see the town was laid out in an almost perfect semi-circle, with short residential side streets clustering at well-spaced intervals along the curve. In the middle of town, he identified a long, low building as the local Tribal Affairs offices. A smaller building attached along the rear housed a museum archiving much of Staamat’s history. There were more trees than she’d have thought to see, given Thom Banks’s explanation of climate in this region. Most were spindly and young, but she’d bet they were all lovingly planted and nurtured by the villagers who also took such obvious care with their houses and yards.

When she mentioned this aloud, he agreed. “Staamat is definitely a proud village. And in this region they’re unique. We get a decent share of tourists in the summer. Hunting, fishing, even a bit of private mining. It’s good incentive for town beautification. Here’s the Four Hills Inn, by the way.” He pulled up to a Victorian-style house and parked alongside the curb.

Kendall stared out the window at the inn, so different from the other houses she’d seen thus far. “It’s lovely.”

“It’s one of the few places in town with a second story. I called ahead and let Wendy know you were on your way.”

While Denn collected her bags from the rear of the Suburban, Kendall tried one more time to connect with Luna, who hadn’t said a word during the drive. “I’m sure I’ll see you around, Luna. I’m glad to have met you.”

Kendall looked into the back seat and for the first time, saw her clearly. The child was beautiful, with long black hair and high cheekbones. Her delicate, tilted nose and rounder, plumper face hinted at more than native Alaskan blood. Briefly, Kendall wondered if the siblings had the same parents on both sides, since they shared no similarities other than hair and probably—given Luna’s coloring—eyes. She took note of the girl’s sullen expression and figured adolescence was a painful process regardless of where you lived.

When Luna remained silent, Kendall gave up and shut the door, lugged her laptop case and purse to the sidewalk, and followed Denn to the inn’s wide front porch. Like any other bed-and-breakfast type establishment, there were comfortable chairs and rockers on the porch and occasional tables placed here and there, as if waiting for a tall, frosty glass of something sweet to rest on them. Hanging pots swung from curved hooks along the upper railing of the porch. Kendall figured they’d be planted with flower seeds as soon as the days warmed up.

“Is this a restored Victorian?” she asked as she reached his side. “It seems so . . . unexpected.”

He nodded. “Yeah, not what you’d see around here, for sure. But it’s a replica, built by a guy from New England who came up to work the pipeline in the Seventies. I can’t even tell you how much the house must have cost him to build, but he was rolling in oil money so I guess he didn’t care about cost. He’d fallen in love with a Yupiit girl and built her a mansion. After he finished it, his bride told him she wanted to live in the sun, so he abandoned the place and moved her to Florida.”

“What then?” Kendall asked, fascinated.

“It sat empty for years, until Wendy’s grandparents moved here from Beijing. Why they chose such a remote area, I don’t know. They had a lot of money, they liked the house, so they bought it. After they passed away, Wendy’s mother, Mei, made it into a bed and breakfast.” He opened the front door and gestured with one big hand. “After you.”

Outside, the inn was painted a soft cream, with navy blue and burgundy trim. Inside, the rooms showed a marked preference toward Victorian charm mixed with Native Alaskan heritage, in the framed art hung on the walls and clever touches of candles and carvings scattered over more polished tables. Lace curtains draped softly at each window. Kendall stood in the front parlor and eagerly looked around at everything, while Denn set her bags down and went in search of the owner.

He came back in less than a minute, following a tall, thin young woman with short black hair, cut to spike around her narrow face. Her eyes were deep brown, her features distinctly Asian, and—at the moment—not exactly friendly. Still, she held out a hand for Kendall to shake, when Denn introduced them.

“Kendall, meet Wendy Chang. She owns and runs the Four Hills Inn.” Denn gave Wendy a warm look, and the woman’s entire demeanor softened like melting wax.

So that’s the way of it
. Kendall offered her own easy smile, thinking the woman had no reason to worry for one second she’d be trying to steal Chief Nulo away from her. “Your inn is so lovely. I can’t wait to see my room if it’s anything like this wonderful parlor.”

At the enthused praise, Wendy unbent. “I hope you’ll be comfortable here. You’re interested in buying a house? I recall reading it on your application.”

“Yes, eventually. But it’ll be nice to not have to rush into buying anything. I’m just looking forward to getting myself settled and starting work.” At the confusion on both their faces, Kendall couldn’t hold back a tiny bubble of pride. “I bought The Last Outfitter Post.”

“I’ll be damned. Nulty never said a thing to me. I didn’t even know he had the place up for sale.” Denn abruptly turned to Wendy. “Did you know anything about this?”

“No, I would have mentioned it to you if I’d known.” Shock laced Wendy’s voice, and Kendall frowned at their reactions. Well, maybe Mr. Nulty had been a close friend of theirs and they were upset at being left out of the loop, so to speak.

Kendall swallowed nervously. “When I contacted Mr. Nulty about buying his place, he seemed thrilled, and told me he was looking forward to retiring. I don’t know anything about him, other than he’s a widower and he wants to live near his daughter in Fairbanks. I bought the store based on the photos he had on eBay.” An awful thought arose. “I hope Mr. Nulty’s store isn’t something different than what I found online.”

“No, it’s a great place,” Denn reassured her. “I’ll take you over myself, as soon as you’re settled here. We’re just caught by surprise. Mike Nulty is a good friend and I guess I’m upset he never shared his plans with me. I knew he was missing Cathy—that’s his daughter. She lives outside of Fairbanks, has a nice husband and a couple of boys.”

Wendy rubbed at her forehead, as if easing away tension. “He told me he was going for a visit when he left last week. He never said a thing about not coming back. He’s not coming back. Is he?” She aimed the almost accusatory question at Kendall, ignoring the hand Denn placed on her arm.

“Wendy, calm down.”

“Well, is he?” Wendy glared at Kendall.

Irritation suddenly overcame nerves, and Kendall’s eyes narrowed as she met Wendy’s hostile gaze. “I haven’t a clue, Miss Chang. All I know is that I own the deed to the place, whatever land it sits on, and whatever stock is inside. Last month Mr. Nulty sent me the keys along with the deed, and a note thanking me for doing business with him and hoping I’ll enjoy life in Staamat.” She straightened her shoulders and met the ice in Wendy Chang’s eyes with some frost of her own. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind showing me my room, I’d like to get unpacked and take a look around at my new home.”

A chilly silence remained in the Suburban as Denn drove through Staamat toward Puffin Circle, where The Last Outfitter Post was located. Kendall stared out the passenger window. She hadn’t said a word.

He shot her a sideways glance as he signaled onto Puffin. He couldn’t blame her for being angry. Hell, Wendy had just about accused her of robbing Nulty and taking his livelihood. His own reaction hadn’t been much better.

Well, he’d fix it; he had time. He’d left Luna at the inn, which hadn’t thrilled his sister. She didn’t get along with Wendy, but she’d behave herself until he came back for her. When they left the Four Hills, Wendy was dragging out the ingredients for sugar-free peanut butter balls, Luna’s favorite. Denn knew she’d help Wendy make them. He could also trust Wendy to control how many of the candies Luna ate.

Up ahead, Puffin Circle came to an abrupt stop at a gravel parking lot curving in front of The Last Outfitter Post. Beyond the store lay one of the four hills that had given Staamat its name, many years ago, by a family of Yupiit living north of Nome. They’d discovered the valley bracketed by the low mountain range, and called it the Yup’ik name for ‘four.’ In Alaska, where most mountains were hugely majestic, the four surrounding Staamat were considered hills.

The trading post, a newer building, contained a retail area with smaller rooms behind for extra stock and such. There was a compact kitchen and bathroom in the back. Mike Nulty had preferred living out here, and Denn knew why . . . but that was his friend’s business.

He exited the Suburban and came around to Kendall’s side, helping her out before she could stop him. She offered a tight murmur of thanks before she gave all of her attention to her new purchase.

The outside of the building gave no real indication of how nice it was inside. A bright and airy main room boasted several overhead fans and plenty of recessed lighting. An old-fashioned mercantile counter supported an antique cash register polished to a high gleam, and glass-fronted base cupboards showcased all manner of items vital to the serious outdoorsman. Round racks held outerwear and wall shelves contained everything from tee shirts to camouflage canteens and rain parkas. Alaskana souvenirs shared space with fishing gear and even a few pop-up tents, all organized yet displayed nicely around the store.

While Kendall murmured her delight at the unexpected bounty, Denn said, “I didn’t expect to see this much stock. He left a hell of a lot behind.”

“Maybe he just wanted to start over.” She walked through the store, skirted around the standing racks, fingering an item here and there.

“Maybe.” He hesitated for a few seconds, then said, “Nulty had a nice little place in the back. I know this isn’t exactly like living right in the village, but you might want to think about it before you get serious about buying a house.”

He led the way toward the rear and opened a door. Motioning her through, he heard her catch her breath when she entered the apartment.

“It has everything you need.” He showed her the galley-style kitchen. “I seem to recall one of the legs on the table wobbles. I can fix it for you.” The wooden table and three chairs had a few dings and scars from years of use but would hold up well enough. The single window overlooked a spectacular panorama of hills and tundra.

He followed as she wandered into another room, big enough to make into a combination sitting room and bedroom. Again, wide windows offered an outstanding view, while built-in shelves and a narrow walk-in closet could be filled with clothes and incidentals. A full-sized tub and a cubby for linens rounded out the bathroom.

Kendall turned in a circle, taking it all in. “I had no idea I’d be getting an apartment along with the store. Do you think I could live here permanently?” She swung toward him expectantly. Her face lit up with eagerness and changed her from a pretty girl to a stunning woman.

He leaned against the doorway and stared unabashedly as a sudden attraction for her swept over him. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman affected him like this. It wasn’t just her looks, although her long, golden brown curls and big brown eyes definitely got to him. It took more than a pretty face and a body to match for his interest to engage. Whatever that indefinable ‘something’ might be, Kendall Martin definitely had it.

And she’ll be close enough to see, every day.
The unbidden thought made him break out in a sweat.

“Chief Nulo?” Her voice had gone cool. She’d caught him gawking at her. Pink stained her cheeks and she’d taken a few steps away from him. His own cheeks heated with a similar flush, worse than a teenage boy with a centerfold in his hands.

Get a grip, Nulo.

“Sorry.” He struggled to recall what she’d asked him. “Um, living here . . . you’d need some furniture. New Mina has a general store. I’ve seen some stuff in there. But I think you could be pretty comfy, especially if you use one of the stockrooms for additional living space.” He indicated another door in the kitchen.

She pulled it open and flipped on the overhead light, revealing stacked, sealed boxes along one bare wall. Kendall ran her fingers over a dusty lid. “Maybe I could clear this stuff out, turn this room into some kind of office or study.” She closed the door and stepped back into the kitchen. “I’d need a car. How many miles is it from town? I guess I wasn’t paying attention.”

“About three. In the winter, the road is a mess, though. A snowmobile could handle it.” Denn thought a moment, and hesitantly offered, “I have a truck you can use. It’s not new, but it’s reliable. Three-quarter ton, so it’s damned steady on even the worst roads. I’m saving it for Luna, but obviously we have some years to go before she can drive it.”

“Oh, I couldn’t take your truck.”

“Why not? It’s just sitting in my driveway and it never gets driven. A vehicle needs to be driven. I use the Suburban all the time now. You’d be doing me a favor,” Denn insisted. When she gave a negative headshake, he spread his hands earnestly. “Listen, when I came back to town to take care of Luna after our mother died, everyone helped me like you wouldn’t believe. One of our neighbors was moving to Juneau and gave me the truck, no strings attached, and I was floored. I didn’t want to accept it. I thought it was too much, but folks around here are generous and they really care. I’d like to pay it forward.”

“Well—”

“Just think about it, okay? You need wheels and my truck needs a driver. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.” He gave her a wink, relieved when the caution in her eyes eased.

“I don’t like being beholden to anyone.”

“It’s not beholden. You’d be doing me a favor,” he repeated. He had to wonder what put such defense and innate mistrust in those pretty brown eyes of hers. She’d already surprised him a few times today.

He was an excellent judge of character. A cop had to have that particular skill. Her initial reaction was still on his mind. The shock she displayed had been tinged with fear. He’d all but smelled it. He would bet money that the lack of a decent meal and first-time-flyer jitters hadn’t caused her irrational reaction.

He didn’t know what her story was, but he’d make a point to find out. She’d be living in his town so it was important to him. In the meantime, though, he’d get to know her. It sure wouldn’t be a hardship. He hadn’t experienced an instant attraction like this, ever.