Page 39 of Fortune’s Control (Fortune’s Creek #1)

Sophie moved from one slide to another. “As you can see, Fortune’s Creek’s long history presents several ways to grow its local economy and increase tourism.

Since numbers leave me confused,” she started, and everyone in the room, besides me, tittered.

“I’m giving the rest to Delilah Mayberry, who brought that part together. ”

I shivered from the room’s sudden chill as my stomach dropped.

The polite clapping drew me to the front of the room until I stared at a sea of men in matching gray business suits.

Couldn’t they have inserted a blue or black one to mix it up a little?

My cheeks burned, and I probably looked redder than a tomato.

Only a few short hours ago, Shane showered compliments all over me.

He’d called me amazing and cheered on all my career plans.

He gave me space to grow and figure it all out while making no demands of his own.

I didn’t want to return home and tell him I had frozen up and blown this entire effort, and not because of his disappointment, but because Shane’s pride in my efforts wouldn’t change a bit.

“I always say the best part of numbers are found at the bottom line.” That corny joke drew another round of laughs. More confident, I continued in a stronger voice. “As you can see from the next slide…”

The rest of our presentation passed in a blur, with the three of us answering questions and sharing all our plans, until we found ourselves back in Sophie’s car, and on our way home to Fortune’s Creek .

“That was fantastic! You were amazing, Lilah.” Sophie gave a celebratory honk of the horn.

“You both were. That was worth giving up a date with my beloved fishing pole,” Sam said.

“We were all incredible,” I said. Sophie glanced at me in the rearview mirror, and our eyes met. “We’ll celebrate tonight.”

My mother hadn’t called or texted, which was fine with me. This was a party night, and misery didn’t belong.

“How long until we hear the results?” Sophie asked.

“Well, now, that’s the important question.

” Sam took his beloved captain’s hat from where it sat on the dash and planted it on his head.

“Not long. You’ll be the first to learn the results.

That’s a promise.” He twisted in the front seat to face me.

“If it comes through, I hope we can talk about your continued role. This effort needs someone to manage it, and I can’t imagine anyone better suited than you. ”

My eyes bulged. “I look forward to it.” A restrained response, while I inwardly screamed.

*****

Sam asked us to take him home, claiming he needed an early bedtime to prepare for his newest fishing date. Sophie and I guessed he wanted to give the younger folk, as he called us, a chance to celebrate and drink tonight.

Sophie turned onto the long driveway, and a familiar truck followed behind.

I rubbed my hands together, anticipating the rest of the night.

We didn’t know if Fortune’s Creek had received the grant money yet, but the gray-suited men acted like we had.

The tingle in me hadn’t faded, and for once, I trusted those instincts .

“You once mentioned managing this project if it happens. Are you bothered I might do it instead?” I wanted it, but this entire effort started with Sophie, and she deserved the chance if she wanted it.

“Not at all. Not even a little. I have different plans.” Sophie opened her car door so the overhead light came on as she wiggled her brows. “Like Sam said, you’ll be the first to know. That’s a promise.”

Shane’s truck rolled to a stop behind us.

“We were fantastic,” I said to him after he stepped down. Poor service interrupted our phone call, so we switched to messaging afterward.

“She was fantastic. Seriously, I should have taken a video. Lilah showed numbers and graphs until my head exploded.” Sophie mimed it for additional effect.

“I swear the suits were throwing her dollar signs by the end.” Jack stepped out of the passenger side of Shane’s truck, and her amusement faded. “I’m going to shower.”

Sophie escaped to the garage apartment before anyone spoke.

“I guess in the sudden excitement, she forgot she’s staying in the house,” Shane said. Neither of us bothered calling her back, while Jack stood there with visible discomfort.

“How was today’s catch?” I asked.

“Enough for dinner,” he replied. “Listen, about your mother.”

I groaned. “She can wait until tomorrow.” I wouldn’t allow her to ruin my mood, not after today.

“No, I don’t think so,” Shane started, but Sophie slammed the apartment door open and came running down, interrupting any further conversation. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone trashed it. Like trashed it, trashed it.”

My stomach twisted. “He found us. That’s impossible.

There’s no way he could know. My mother called to find me because she didn’t know where I was.

There’s no one else.” The detectives visited, but they were unaware of the garage apartment.

Weren’t they? I spoke with Detective Davis several times and provided him with my contact information.

“Emma.” Panic gripped me. “Emma knew. Oh, no. Nononono.”

“Hey, look at me.” Shane gripped my chin, tilting until our eyes met. “You stay here while I check the house. Try to contact her.”

“I’ll check the apartment,” Jack said.

“You will not,” Sophie shot back. She put her hands on her hips to block his access. “I don’t need you. I haven’t needed you in over ten years, Jack Dossman.”

He went still. “That may be the absolute dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Jack picked her up, switching their positions, and left her there.

He climbed the stairs as Sophie followed with a long series of threats.

Shane witnessed it all with apparent disinterest. “Stay here.”

I didn’t argue, choosing to send Emma a quick text. She didn’t respond, so I called her instead. “It’s Emma. I’m considering a rash decision that will bring my secret dreams to life. Should I do it? Press six for no or nine for yes. If you have nothing to contribute, leave a message.”

My best friend was a strange one. “It’s me. Call me back. A psycho may be stalking you, and I’m freaking out.”

I hung up, sent another text, and called her again. Emma picked up before it rang. “You’re pregnant, and I’m the father. Wow, Lilah. This isn’t easy to process. I’ll need a moment.”

The apartment was trashed, and a psycho might be stalking her. Oh, and my mother was in town. I laughed until my stomach hurt. “Not yet, or anytime soon. Anything strange? Have any police visited you?”

She grew serious. “No police in a black hoodie. What happened?”

“Someone broke into the garage apartment and trashed it.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t want to hear this, but you should stay somewhere else. He can come with.”

The house lights turned on, one by one, while two loud voices drifted from the apartment. “I’m not leaving here. Maybe it isn’t my technical home, but I refuse to run away again. We have cameras, and Shane or someone else is with me. I’m not doing it.”

“You can say that, but I don’t like it. Also, you know what else? Add another bodyguard to your ensemble because I’m coming down again.”

My eyes grew wide with excitement. “When?”

“Three or four days. I miss you, and this town is miserable with no one to entertain me.”

Shane came back outside. “The house is empty, and Pirate is asleep on my pillow.” He said the last part through gritted teeth. “Did you find Emma?”

“On the phone with her now. She plans another visit soon.” He nodded as I returned to the call. “Please be careful.”

“He’s there with you, not here with me. You be careful. Seriously. I mean it, Lilah. Don’t trust anyone except those guys. Plus, Sophie and Lainey. You can trust them too, but no one else. Got it?”

“Got it.”

We ended the call as Jack and Sophie came back down the stairs.

“It’s a mess, but nothing is missing. No permanent damage either. The drawers and cabinets were emptied. My guess is whoever did it was looking for something,” Jack said. He pointed at Sophie. “She’s staying in the main house, and I already informed her I’m staying on the couch again.”

“I refuse to be afraid of some pathetic little worm with a goatee and a hoodie. That’s loser fashion,” Sophie said as she entered the house. “And shut up, Jack.”

“Do you plan to tell me to stay away from her?” he asked Shane. Jack’s tone implied he had no intention of doing so, regardless of Shane’s response.

“Why would I do that? Be her shadow, so I know she’s taken care of. It’s a simple decision. For now, let’s check those cameras.”

*****

“Is that him?” I asked.

We watched as a hooded figure walked past the pool in slow motion. He scanned the yard and moved toward the house before changing his mind.

“He’s been here before,” Shane said, and paused several frames to find a clearer picture. “Do you recognize him?”

“I can’t see his face.” He resumed the video, and we watched as the hooded man climbed the staircase and disappeared. “He knew to search the apartment.” But why? “Those pictures. The ones I showed you, remember? I found those shoved under my door. Maybe there’s a clue in them.”

“Maybe, but why not take them earlier? ”

“Then he’s angry at me, or trying to frighten me.” It wouldn’t work. All I felt was anger. The hooded man emerged from the apartment, and I gasped. “He took it off. Shane, that’s him. He’s the one I saw that night. He killed Sandy Cooper.”

I banged a finger on the man’s face. Shane paused the video on an image of the man staring into the camera.

“He realized no one was home and got lazy. That isn’t the guy in the detective’s pictures,” Shane agreed.

“He’s also the one who chased us down in his car.”

Shane called his sister. “Do you recognize him?” he asked after giving her a chance to study the picture.

“That’s the freak loser who tried to run us over. Give me a car, and I’ll return the favor.”

Jack stayed silent while never taking his focus off her.

Shane took a screenshot and continued the video.

“Can you go back to that image? I want to see him again.”

Shane did so, and I leaned in so close my nose almost touched the monitor.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Remember when I said something was wrong? I knew it wasn’t Wilson Skane, but I couldn’t figure out how I knew.

I’m trying to figure it out.” It was more than his appearance.

The man in the photo could be Wilson Skane’s relative.

They were the same height and build, with the same stupid goatee.

“I never met him up close, but I heard them argue several times.”

The doorbell rang, and my thoughts dispersed. Whatever tendril or clue lay out there, it vanished.

“Who is that? Our friends enter through the back door,” Sophie said.

“I forgot.” Shane looked at me with a silent apology. “It’s your mother.”

Shit.