AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Have you researched Mystic River at all? It’s a close-knit community. Its people look out for one another, and strangers are noticed and challenged. It might be a very polite challenge, but it isn’t like in Seattle where I could go in, take him out, and fade into the crowd. In case you missed it, there is no crowd.”
“You’ve dealt with targets in remote places before.”
“Not like Mystic River. I had to come up with a cover story to be there so that I could stalk my prey and ensure he died, but now because of someone else’s—and more than one someone else’s—screw-ups, both the target and those protecting him are going to be on the lookout. I don’t think my cover is going to hold up. I’m going to need to do an unplanned layover in Kodiak and come up with a deeper cover that will bear some pretty intense scrutiny. I want triple my normal fee.”
“How dare you…” the Master sputtered.
“How dare I? You’re the one who sent idiots to take out this Hutchinson and put everybody and his brother on alert. I’m also going to expect you to pick up the additional expenses I’m going to have to incur.”
“I could make you my next target,” snarled the Master.
“You could, but you won’t.”
“What makes you think that?”
“You have way too much money invested in me to take me out just for doing what you taught me to do and renegotiating the payment for a deal when the terms have changed. But more importantly, you and I both know that the chances of you finding someone who could actually accomplish killing me are slim to none. And, if I ever believe you have turned on me, I will come for you, and I will not miss. Don’t forget I know who and what you are, and I know how to end you. That’s not to say a part of me wouldn’t miss you, but if the choice is your life or mine? I choose mine.”
* * *
Nora spent the next few days in a surprisingly nice hotel in Kodiak. She would have preferred an intimate B&B or a boutique hotel, but as she was on a job, she wanted to ensure no one would really notice her comings or goings. She spent most of her time in her room, shoring up her cover story of being a romance writer, trying to break her writer’s block and find inspiration for her new pen name for a series of romance novels set in the wilds of Alaska. This allowed her to spend inordinate amounts of time alone and to ask all kinds of questions about Alaska in general and Kodiak in particular.
Once she was sure she had all her bases covered and that her story would stand up to the kind of scrutiny Reynolds could bring to bear, she made arrangements to be ferried up by airboat to Mystic River and to stay at the only lodging available year-round, a B&B known as The Refuge.
Ahh, if only that were possible. Lately Nora had begun to think not only about her future, but about her past—the things she had done, the people she had killed. There had been a time she’d been a true believer and felt proud to be the one person the Master trusted with his secrets. She’d thought him a noble and persecuted individual, but as she’d grown up, she’d taken her rose-colored glasses off and seen him for what he truly was—a power-hungry dragon bent on shaping the world to his will and seeking revenge on the descendants who had done him wrong thousands of years ago. It was sad and she had pity for all he had endured, but she had come to believe that it didn’t justify all the blood that had been shed.
It didn’t surprise her that the sheriff, Jax Miller, offered her his hand and greeted her as she stepped off the boat, any more than his taking her bags for her.
“Ms. Brady?” He addressed her by the name she was using—the one she would discard once she killed the target. “I’m Sheriff Miller. I understand you’re going to be spending a few days in Mystic River. Trudy had to stop at the Northern Lights Bakery and will be right along to pick you up and take you to the B&B.”
“Perhaps I should just join her. I’m kind of hungry. Do they have coffee as well?”
Jax Miller laughed, showing even, white teeth. “Ms. Brady, this is Mystic River. I don’t think there’s any place that doesn’t have coffee. Joey,” he said to the man who’d brought her up on the boat, “why don’t you take Ms. Brady’s bags up to Trudy’s?”
“Will they be safe out on the porch?” Nora asked.
Again, the sheriff laughed. “You don’t know much about small town Alaska, do you? He won’t leave them on the porch. The cold might damage something. He’ll put them inside the unlocked front door. Now, come along, and I’ll walk you up to the bakery. At least you have sensible footwear. Never ceases to amaze me how many people come up here with shoes that wouldn’t last an hour.”
She gave her best smile as she took his proffered arm and allowed him to lead her up from the river. “I live in Vermont,” Nora said alluding to the cover story she’d put in place. “I’ve seen more than my fair share of harsh winters, but this,” she said, indicating the landscape, “this is gorgeous. I’m so glad I came to see for myself. Pictures really don’t do it justice.”
“It truly is. Once you leave and come back, you find yourself wondering how you ever thought you wanted to be anywhere else.” He lowered his voice. “By the way, you’re safe here. Mystic River and our sister town on the mainland, Otter Cove, house shifters of all kinds, shapes and sizes. We live in peace and harmony with each other. I thought you might like to know that in case you wanted to shift and take a run or something.”
“Thank you, Sheriff. I had no idea about the makeup of Mystic River and Otter Cove. It must be wonderful to be able to be your truest self without worry.”
“It is until it’s a couple of young male bears with too much to drink looking to have a go at each other.”
Nora laughed—genuinely. She tried to remember the last time she had done so and couldn’t. She found herself warming to the sheriff and hoped she wouldn’t have to harm him or anyone close to him before this was all over.
“Here you go,” he said, leading her up onto the wide front porch of a charming storefront.
“Is it as old as it looks?” she asked. Nora loved old and vintage things. History was a hobby of hers.
“Pretty much everything in Mystic River is older than it looks. This community has always prided itself on preserving the past and improving upon it, not just tearing it down and putting up something shiny and new.”
He opened the door and ushered her in. A small, buxom woman turned and smiled. “You must be Ms. Brady. I’m Trudy Edwards. I own The Refuge. I’m sorry I didn’t meet your boat.”
Nora stood transfixed by the man behind the counter in the white apron. He was gorgeous. His picture did not do him justice. Every synapse in her body went on high alert. Her body was on fire, and her blood was singing through her veins.
“Are you all right, Ms. Brady?” asked Hutchinson, coming around the counter.
