Page 41 of Deadly Storms (Sunrise Lake #3)

“Shabina.” Eve Garner waved at her, smiling widely. Her sister gestured for Shabina to join them at the little table where Tyrone had seated them.

Shabina excused herself to the Swedish climbers she was speaking with and made her way across the room to join the two women.

“You won’t believe the little house we found to buy,” Felicity told her, excitement edging her voice. “It’s so perfect for us. It has a yard where we can grow vegetables, but it isn’t too big, so it should be easy to take care of.”

“And a patio with a built-in firepit right off a sliding glass door,” Eve added. “We’ve already started the paperwork. The agent said if the loan goes through, and it will, we can move in after the first.”

“I’m so happy for you.” Shabina genuinely was. The two sisters were glowing. It was such a difference from when she’d first encountered them.

“We feel so much closer to Freda here,” Felicity said. “It’s nice to learn all the things she loved to do. We ran into the local vet, Dr. Sanderson, and she recommended Miguel Valdez to teach us to climb. He’s a personal trainer. Do you know him?”

Shabina nodded. “He’s very nice, but exacting. If you hire him, he works, and he’ll expect you to.” She laughed. “Unless you’re Zahra. The rest of us work our butts off, but somehow, and we’ve never quite figured out how, she manages to get out of the workout.”

“Zahra is legendary,” Felicity said. “I hear her name all over town.”

“She’s the chief administrator at the hospital. Without her, we wouldn’t have the amazing trauma center that we do. No one is better at securing grants and fundraising than she is.”

Tyrone seated the four male students from the university at one of the window tables, handing out menus and chatting briefly before leaving them to their waitress.

Shabina had the same reaction to the four men she’d had before Rainier’s arrival.

Her heart accelerated. It was difficult to breathe. She instantly felt on guard.

Shabina was disappointed in herself. She kept her mask on, murmuring her replies to the two women with a smile before she took her leave and went on to the next table to greet her customers.

She would have to say hello to the men from the university.

They had come into her café several times now and had taken the bird-watching tour.

It was clear they enjoyed the cuisine she included from the Middle East as well as the specialty coffee.

They ordered it each time they came in. Jules Beaumont had switched from the Middle Eastern cuisine to her Belgian waterzooi, a creamy stew made with chicken, cream, vegetables and eggs, at lunchtime.

He seemed to really savor the dish. She had put it on the menu when he’d mentioned that he came from Belgium.

Raine and Zahra entered the café, and Vaughn hurried to help Raine to their favorite table in the back. Shabina brought them their usual drinks, grateful for their reassuring presence.

“Can you sit a moment?” Raine asked. “I want to catch you up on the latest.”

“I only have a few minutes. We’re filling up,” Shabina said, slipping into the chair beside her.

Raine leaned close to her. “A member of the rescue team didn’t check in last night. They always search in groups, and they check in with one another and their team leader.”

Cold fingers crept down Shabina’s spine. “It’s too soon. He must be lost. The murderer wouldn’t kill again this soon, would he? And how would he find the opportunity with so many people searching the trails?”

“We don’t know for certain he’s been murdered.” Zahra was practical. “He could have gotten turned around.”

“You don’t believe that,” Shabina objected. “Who, Raine? He must be local, or he wouldn’t be on the Search and Rescue team.”

“Lucca Delgotto. He’s a waiter at the Grill. His family moved to Knightly when he was eight. Two brothers, one sister. Both parents are alive.” Raine had no expression in her voice.

Shabina scrubbed her hand down her face. She not only knew Lucca, but she knew his entire family. “Has Vienna been in touch?”

“Only to send news of Lucca,” Raine said.

“And to tell me she needs more time off. Harlow returned to cover at the hospital,” Zahra interjected.

“We’ve got to figure out who’s doing this,” Shabina said. “We can’t wait for the FBI or Rafferty. Raine, we have to put the clues together and stop him. I know we can do it; we’re smart. If we all work at it, we should be able to figure it out.”

Patsy arrived to take their orders. “Sorry it took so long. We’re one waitress down, and I’m covering outside as well.

” She gave Shabina a sober, questioning look.

“Your partner took Chelsey outside for a talk. It didn’t go well.

He looked scary. She cried a lot. She apparently was fired? ” That was a question.

Shabina nodded. “Yes. I’ve got three interviews this afternoon after work. I’ve talked to them before, and all three seem good candidates. I’m sorry I didn’t have time to warn you, Patsy. I’ll get moving in a minute.”

Patsy waved the suggestion away. “We can handle it right now. You visit for a minute. If we get too overloaded, I thought we might tell Mr. Hottie he has to wait tables.” She winked at Shabina. “Can you imagine the women fainting when he walks in?”

“I can’t imagine anyone telling him to wait tables,” Shabina said. “That idea leaves me a little faint.”

Patsy laughed again and hurried away to put their orders in. Silence followed her departure. Shabina felt color rising under her skin and creeping up her neck and face. She tried not to look at Zahra and Raine, but it was impossible.

Raine regarded her with a mixture of amusement and what could have been satisfaction. Zahra had her infamous expressive eyebrow lift and shock on her face.

“Partner?” she challenged. “You have a partner, and your besties don’t know?”

“We were discussing murder.” Shabina tried her best to be nonchalant.

Zahra waved the subject away. “Not nearly as interesting at this time. Explain the partner.”

“You aren’t the most observant woman in the world, little mama ,” Shabina said, calling her by the familiar endearment she often used for her.

She placed her left hand on the table between them, so that her ring caught the light.

She had no doubt that Raine had seen the ring the moment she sat down.

Zahra caught her hand to nearly jerk her out of her chair.

“Is that thing real? It looks like a blue diamond. Tell me it isn’t real.

And who is your partner?” Abruptly she sat back, her expression changing rapidly.

“Not Rainier. Don’t tell me you’re engaged to Rainier Ashcroft.

Because if you are, we need to have an intervention immediately. ”

Shabina burst out laughing. “Prepare to intervene, not that it will do you any good. I’m not giving him up. If he tried to run away, I’d sue him for breach of contract or whatever it is I could do to hold him to his word.”

Raine joined in her laughter. “I hardly think that’s a possibility. Rainier’s built his entire life around you. He isn’t going to run off because Zahra doesn’t like him.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like him,” Zahra objected. “I’m reserving judgment until I have all the details.”

Shabina and Raine both laughed. Zahra had the most expressive face. She managed to look innocent and skeptical at the same time.

“I think the instant response of stating we need an intervention might show your feelings toward Rainier are negative,” Raine pointed out.

Zahra waved that away. “I suppose my statement could have a negative connotation, if you really wanted to stretch the imagination. The man has the good taste to choose Shabina. That does say something for him.”

Shabina and Raine exchanged an amused look but didn’t dare reply. They both were afraid they’d erupt into gales of laughter.

“When did all this come about?” Raine asked.

“He parachuted in last night with his three Malinois because, you know, drama suits him.” Shabina knew Zahra would be impressed. “Those dogs are no joke. He tries to act tough, but you should see him with them.”

“Parachuted?” Zahra echoed. “Three dogs?”

“And lots of equipment. You know, the usual. Guns, knives, grenades, C-4, maybe a mortar gun or two.” Shabina just managed to keep a straight face.

“He parachuted? At night? Why?”

“I was having a hard time, and I called him. He came right away,” Shabina explained. “We sorted out how we both felt. He already had a ring for me. Apparently, he’s had it for a while. Am I the only one who didn’t know how he felt about me?” She looked directly at Raine.

Raine smiled at her. “It was evident to me that he was building his entire life around you. I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t so certain of him. After Zale and he weren’t forthcoming about the knowledge they had of Vienna’s father, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with him.”

“Neither was I,” Zahra said. “In fact, I wanted to kick him really hard. Did he have an explanation for his silence?”

“We didn’t talk about that,” Shabina admitted. “I had to fill him in on the murder, Bale’s creepy behavior and the fact that one of my servers stole from me. He wasn’t happy that I’d waited so long to call him.”

“You just remember that men who are bossy don’t get better over time, Shabina,” Zahra cautioned. “They often get worse. Rainier strikes me as an extremely take-charge man. Have you taken that into consideration?”

Shabina nodded. “I’m well aware of Rainier’s personality.”

“There’s an age difference too,” Zahra pointed out.

“He might always think he can act like he knows so much more than you do just because of that. And wasn’t he raised in the Middle East?

If so, it’s very possible he has that attitude that men can rule women.

I’m not being judgmental; I’m just saying these are points to consider.

Your backgrounds are very different. There are cultural differences as well as economic differences to consider. ”