Page 13 of Deadly Storms (Sunrise Lake #3)

The cookies and coffee were nostalgic to her. She didn’t make them often, and when she did have them, they sold out fast, but they were always a bridge between her lost, massacred family in Saudi Arabia and the present. It had been Mama Ahmad who had taught her how to bake and cook.

She quickly looked away before she drew Beaumont’s attention and engaged the people at the table she’d stopped beside in conversation. It took another hour to make her way to Raine’s table.

“Mind if I sit down for a minute?” Shabina asked.

“It looks as if you’re working, so feel free to say no.

” A part of her hoped Raine would say she was too busy.

The more upset she got, the more likely someone would tell Sam.

He was such a part of their group, he was almost considered one of the girls.

Raine was extremely perceptive. She didn’t miss details, not even small ones.

Shabina knew she wasn’t going to get much past Raine.

“Shabina, I always want to visit with you. Why do you think I stayed so long?” Raine flashed a little smile.

“That and your apricot scones. They’re so good.

I could eat a dozen of them. I might have already.

” She closed her laptop. “Why aren’t you sleeping?

I thought we put your fears to rest for a little while, long enough for me to work on facial recognition. ”

“I felt better after all of us talked,” Shabina confirmed.

“I really did. A couple of things have happened since then.” She hesitated, dropping her hand below the table to rub at her left thigh.

She would have to learn to break that particular very bad habit.

It seemed the moment she got rid of one, a new, much worse behavior took its place.

Raine leaned toward her. “Tell me.”

“There was a small package on the bench beside my gate, where packages sometimes are left. I exited my car. The dogs always come with me and they alerted instantly. Bale confronted me. The cameras were recording; we were right in front of them. I haven’t checked to see if audio was on.

I thought it better if I had you do that.

I’m okay at handling them but not the best. I want to make sure that we have the best recordings.

He threatened to burn down the café with the dogs and me inside.

He told me he intended to make my life a living hell, and this time I believed him. He really hates me, Raine.”

“Were you afraid for your life?”

“I think if the dogs hadn’t been there, he would have attacked me.

I had my gun and would have shot him. He was armed.

There was no doubt that he was. Had he pulled his weapon, I would have shot him.

He left, but I know he’s planning something big to exact his revenge for what he considers me humiliating him. ”

“I can get the security video and audio, no problem. I’ve been collecting proof of his harassment from the feed here at the café. I have permission from Alek Donovan at the Grill to collect the feed there as well.”

“Does Lawyer know you’re doing it?” Lawyer Collins had been the person to install Shabina’s security cameras in the café.

Not at her home, but he’d installed most of the security networks in town.

He’d been born and raised in Knightly, which meant he’d known Bale Landry since they were boys.

Lawyer sold laptops, cell phones and computers out of his store as well as repaired them.

He was brilliant when it came to technology.

He was always open and friendly. He often came into the café to eat and recommended it to everyone.

Shabina liked him, but she didn’t altogether trust him.

But then she didn’t trust many people. Lately, that trait in her had worsened, she feared, growing straight into paranoia.

“You aren’t telling me everything.” Raine made it a statement.

“I know. I’m thinking what to say about the package. I just left it sitting outside my gate there on the bench. I really did think Bale put it there to get me to stop when the gates were open, but now I don’t.”

Raine, being Raine, just waited. Shabina pressed her fingertips into the aching muscle of her thigh. She could count her heartbeats there.

“In Saudi Arabia, oud is a perfume created from the aquilaria tree. It’s considered a luxury perfume, and many of the top brands are extremely expensive.

You can go into most marketplaces, and you’ll smell oud everywhere.

Small packets of oud perfume and chips are sold as souvenirs to tourists.

The scent of oud is said to strengthen the body and mind, so it’s used often for aromatherapy. ”

Raine’s intense blue eyes moved over her face, missing nothing.

Shabina was certain that her friend could see she hadn’t slept at all.

It hadn’t been Bale’s threat of burning down the café, although it should have been; it was the idea that Scorpion had sent his agents to kidnap her.

She was certain he wouldn’t just kill her outright.

He would try to put her in the worst state of fear possible.

He was a true sadist and took great pleasure in watching others suffer.

He would want to see her slowly losing all confidence—just as she was—before he had her taken.

“When I smelled the package, I identified the oud fragrance immediately. I left the package on the bench. I didn’t know what to think.

Bale has no way of knowing what that scent would trigger in me.

At least, I don’t think he does. And what if it’s something else?

A bomb? Just the outside packaging might have been tainted with the scent.

It wasn’t heavy. It was subtle. Faint. But it was definitely oud. There was no mistaking it.”

“I’m sure after all the time you spent in Saudi Arabia, you would recognize such a familiar scent, faint or not. There’s no doubt the package had that perfume on it. It will be easy enough for one of my guys to pick it up. We can scan it, see what’s inside, and if it’s harmless, return it to you.”

“Will you have to report it to anyone before we know?”

“Meaning Rainier? He oversees your security.”

“I feel like I have to be certain something is really threatening me before I involve him.”

“That isn’t the way he feels.”

A shadow fell across the table, and both women looked up.

Zahra, as always, looked sophisticated dressed in her professional clothes, her hair windblown and her wide smile giving her a slightly seductive look.

“I’m dying of starvation. I called in my order for your famous zucchini sticks and then added a hundred other items. Now I’m going to be late for my meeting. Sheesh.”

Shabina couldn’t help laughing. Zahra was always hungry, ate an impressive amount of food but didn’t seem to gain weight. She wasn’t in the same category as Raine, who could put away food impressively, but Zahra was no slouch.

“Do you need me to speed your order up?”

“No, they’ve got it under control. I just wanted to make sure you got the package I left you.

I put it on the bench by your gate last night.

I was going to text you, but I forgot. I found your bracelet.

You left it at my house, so I wrapped it up and put it in a little box, but you weren’t home and I was in a hurry.

Then I got worried because it was outside the gate. ”

Shabina nearly slumped over the table in relief. “You left that package? It didn’t have a label on it, and I couldn’t tell who it was from. I didn’t open it.”

“Oh no.” Zahra put her hand briefly on Shabina’s shoulder. “Did I scare you? I should have texted you right away, but I got distracted playing with Misty and forgot everything.”

“No, everything is fine,” Shabina lied to reassure her friend. “Vaughn is waving like mad. I think your order is ready. We can’t have you fainting on the floor for lack of food.”

Zahra laughed. “I doubt it would happen. I used to want to faint like a heroine in a movie, but I never could manage it.” She waved cheerfully and rushed over to the counter, gathering up several carryout bags.

“She’s like a little tornado,” Shabina said.

“She is,” Raine agreed.

“I’m so relieved she came in when she did. You don’t have to go to all the trouble of anyone looking at the package.” Shabina was very grateful there was no chance Rainier would be informed.

“I’m glad Zahra had an explanation for the box, Shabina,” Raine said. “But what about the fragrance on the outside of the packaging? Someone else had to have tampered with the wrapping. I don’t want you to dismiss this incident so lightly.”

“I could have been mistaken.” But Shabina knew she wasn’t.

She snuck a quick look at the four men from the university sitting at the table near the windows.

They didn’t appear to be paying the least bit of attention to her.

Neither was Charlie Gainer. He was laughing and joking with his friends, his accent very heavy.

“It’s easy enough to check through the feed to see who else went near that parcel.

They didn’t have a big window of opportunity between the time Zahra dropped the package after her work and when you arrived home.

Bale was already there. If he didn’t do it, someone had to have done it just before he arrived. ”

“Raine, is there a way to tell if someone else can tap into my security cameras? Could someone be watching me through my own cameras?”

Raine glanced around the café. “Here? With Lawyer’s system?

I do it, so any really good hacker could.

Your home is covered by an entirely different system, Shabina, so it isn’t likely.

I’m not saying it would be impossible. Nothing is ever impossible, at least not in the tech world.

There’s always something more to learn. There’s always someone better. ”