Chapter 2
Levi’s fingers tightened around Paradise’s hand as he eyed the Ferris wheel at The Wharf, a popular mall and marina near Orange
Beach. The Gulf breeze lifted his dark brown hair. “I don’t think I want to ride that.”
The boy had developed a fear of heights, and Paradise remembered when she’d felt the same. Even now her spine tingled at the
thought of getting stuck in one of the cars at the top. “You don’t have to ride it.” She shifted the bag of boy clothes from
one hand to the other. “We have what we came for.”
“I’ll go!” Isaac, Levi’s five-year-old brother, kicked off his shoes.
Jenna nudged his flip-flop closer to his left foot. “Get your shoes back on. Developing a bit of fear might be good for you.
I don’t like Ferris wheels either, so I’ll let Blake take you.”
“Gee, thanks, Mom.” Blake released Paradise’s other hand and reached for Isaac’s. “I can handle it though. Sure you don’t
want to come, Levi? I’ll hang on to you the whole time.”
Fear vied with interest in Levi’s brown eyes, and he cautiously edged closer to his older half brother. “The whole time?”
“Yep.” Blake took him by the hand and led both boys toward the ticket booth.
Though they could probably squeeze all four of them in the car, Paradise stayed put with Jenna. She and Blake’s mother were
more than wildlife veterinarian and employer—they’d quickly developed a solid friendship. Paradise pointed out a Build-A-Bear
Workshop. “We might want to steer them down another street when they get off the ride.”
“We’ll take them for Kilwins. Ice cream will win out over stuffies. There’s an empty bench over there.”
The June sun warmed Paradise’s arms and face, and she inhaled the aroma of sugared nuts roasting from a nearby sweet shop.
She waved at the boys. Blake held Levi tight against his side while Isaac waved with enthusiasm and shouted something the
wind snatched away. “Those boys make me laugh every time. You’re so lucky.”
Jenna tucked a strand of her dark brown bob behind her ear. “Don’t I know it. I wish their dad were here to see what great
sons they are. Blake has been a wonderful father figure for them. I don’t know what I would have done without his help. He’ll
be a great dad someday.”
Paradise knew where Jenna was going, but Blake’s mom didn’t have to point out Blake’s many positive attributes. He had always
been the man of her dreams, and she looked forward to someday holding a baby boy with his blue eyes and shock of dark hair.
Would it ever happen? She’d been gobsmacked when Blake turned down her marriage proposal. He’d claimed it was because she
was only doing it so his mother and brothers would have a place to stay if the worst happened with the animal park, but she
wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe neither of them were quite ready.
The incident two days ago with the leopard had shown her she wasn’t over her fear of big cats. She was better, but they still reduced her to a quivering ball of terror.
She took a tie from her purse and caught her flying hair in a ponytail. “I can’t wait for Saturday to get here. A whole month
with my brother will be heaven.”
“I’m excited to get to know him. Do you have a good starting point for the investigation?”
“He has a list of leads he wants to check out. I’ll let him take point.”
“Did you tell him about the leopard?”
Paradise caught the worry in Jenna’s blue eyes. “No, he called just before I spotted it, but I’ll tell him when he gets here.
You’ve been keeping the boys with you?”
“When they head to the backyard, I go along with a weapon.” The frown between Jenna’s eyes deepened. “Nothing from Jane about
any rumors of big cats held by private owners?”
“Nothing. But the threat against my brother makes me even more determined to find out who killed our parents. Whoever has
that leopard knows something and wants to keep it secret. Drew will bring a lot of expertise to the investigation.”
The ride ended, and the boys sprinted in front of Blake toward their mother. Jenna and Paradise stood as the children reached
them, and Isaac clambered up Paradise. “Did you see me? I wasn’t scared at all.”
She kissed his cheek. “I saw how brave you were! And your brother too.” She set his feet back on the ground. “I have something
sticky on my hand, so I’m going to pop into the restroom. I’ll meet you at the ice cream shop. I’ll have two scoops of chocolate
peanut butter in a cup.”
She watched the group troop across the street toward Kilwins before heading to the restroom, which was down a quiet side path and up on the second floor.
The escalator wasn’t working so she took the stairs.
The hair on the back of her neck tingled, and she resisted turning around to see if anyone was watching her.
The episode two nights ago had her jumpy, that’s all.
The bathroom was empty, and she washed her hands. When she exited into the enclosed foyer, she glanced around but saw no one.
That feeling of danger intensified, though she couldn’t spot any reason for it.
Trust yourself. The past few months had taught her to listen to that inner voice of reason to determine danger. Better safe than sorry. She slipped her hand into her purse and curled her fingers around the butt of the little pistol Blake had bought her, then
opened the door to the outside and went down the steps.
A blur of movement from the fence surrounding the dumpster hurled her heart to her throat, and she started to pull the gun
out.
Hard fingers whirled her around, then grabbed her purse and yanked it. The gun flipped out of her hand.
She went flying through the air and landed in the grass. Her head slammed against the fence, and the world went black.
Blake checked his watch. Where was Paradise? The sweet scents of ice cream and waffle cones blended with those of caramel
corn and fudge. The boys had already finished their ice cream and were getting antsy. The double scoop of chocolate peanut
butter he’d gotten Paradise puddled in the cup on the table.
He exchanged a worried glance with his mother. “I’m going to go check.”
She regarded the boys squirming on their seats. “I’ll take these two over to the marina to watch the boats. Text me when you’re ready to go to the van.”
He left Kilwins and checked the sidewalks first but didn’t see Paradise. The mall wasn’t busy today, and he darted across
the street and upstairs to the enclosed area outside the restroom entries. He stopped a woman exiting the ladies’ room. “Excuse
me, but is there anyone else in there? I’m worried about my girlfriend.”
She shook her head. “It’s empty.”
He thanked her and walked back down and headed toward the parking lot. Maybe she wasn’t feeling well and had gone to the van.
He kept a sharp eye out for any sign of Paradise.
A black-and-white tiger-striped flip-flop lay upside down on the sidewalk along the way, and the first inkling of terror struck
him when he saw a blue dot of ink on the top band. Isaac had taken a marker to it a couple of weeks ago. There was no doubt
the shoe belonged to Paradise.
He spun wildly in a circle looking for her. “Paradise!”
Her SIG P365 lay nearly hidden in a section of taller grass and her purse was a few feet away. He tucked her small pistol
into her purse and slung her bag over one shoulder while he continued to search.
There. Drag marks flattened the grass.
He followed the impression toward the fence-enclosed dumpster area. The partner to the flip-flop lay at the base of the trash
bin.
“Paradise!” he yelled again. Two gulls stared at him with beady black eyes and approached in hopes of a handout.
He yanked out his phone and started to call Jane, but a soft sound stilled his fingers. Was that a moan? He leaped toward the dumpster where the lid on one side was open. When he peered in he found Paradise curled in a ball, her light brown hair matted with blood.
Blake muttered a “please, God” before he vaulted over the top. He ignored the stench of garbage, then touched her carotid
artery, which thumped erratically under his fingers. Her normally tanned skin was pale and clammy.
At least she was alive.
Blood still flowed from a cut on her head, and his paramedic training in the Marines kicked in. He yanked off his tee to press
it to the wound, then tucked his phone under his chin and ordered it to call 911. When the dispatcher answered, he said, “I
need an ambulance out at The Wharf near the enclosed dumpsters in the back parking lot. Send the police too. Tell Chief Dixon
someone attacked Paradise Alden and she’s bleeding with a head wound.”
“We have help on the way, sir.”
He checked her pulse. Way too fast at nearly two hundred beats per minute. “I’m a paramedic so I’m going to sign off and tend
to her until help arrives.” He gave his name before he ended the call and dropped the phone into her purse still over his
shoulder.
He didn’t dare move her in case she had a spinal injury. He checked the wound, and the flow of blood was slowing. He renewed
the pressure on the cut. “Paradise, can you hear me? Open your eyes, babe.”
She had to be all right. Head wounds bled a lot. He reached for her hand and squeezed it, praying for answering pressure from
her fingers, but they lay slack in his grip. She was still out cold. Not good. A lump formed in his throat, and he checked
her pulse again. Steadier now and slower at just over a hundred beats per minute.
He allowed a ray of hope to blossom. “Paradise, I’m here. You’re all right.”
Her fingers moved slightly in his, and he leaned closer to her face. Her eyelids fluttered, and she coughed. He checked the wound and found it starting to clot. Thank you, God. She moved her head, which was an even better sign.
A siren wailed and grew louder, and she frowned as if the noise bothered her. “They’re coming to help you, babe. Hang on.
You’re going to be all right. Can you open your eyes?”
Her lids fluttered before opening to slits. “The light,” she muttered.
He shielded her with his hand from the glare streaming in the top of the dumpster. The siren cut off nearby and doors slammed.
There wasn’t much room in the dumpster with bags heaped all around them, so he’d have to climb out for the paramedics to have
room to check her out with proper equipment.
Her hand moved to her neck. “My locket.”
He’d given her his great-grandmother’s locket for her thirtieth birthday a few months ago, and she never took it off. He’d
often caught her opening it and smiling at the picture of the two of them on one side and her with his brothers on the other.
It meant the world to her.
He ran his fingers around her neck and found it. “It’s right here, babe.” He guided her fingers to touch the filigree and
the stress on her face relaxed.
Someone banged on the outside of the dumpster, and he reluctantly let go of her hand to struggle to his feet. “She’s in here.
I’ll get out.” He clambered over the side to join two men with a backboard. “I got the bleeding stopped.”
“We’ll take it from here. You related?”
“I’m her boyfriend. When she didn’t show up to get her ice cream, I went looking for her.”
A police car came to a stop in the lot by the ambulance, and two officers got out. Neither of them were familiar, and he was relieved that Detective Greene was not with them.
Blake intercepted the officers. “Someone attacked my girlfriend.” He told them about finding the flip-flop and following the
drag marks to the dumpster. “My mom is here somewhere with my little brothers. I need to let her know what’s happened.”
“Any idea who might want to harm her?” the younger officer asked.
“She’s been investigating the murders of her parents, and there have been some other threats.”
The officer jotted down the other incidents, and Blake took the opportunity to text his mother. Paradise attacked. EMS is here. She’s got a head wound but is starting to wake up. Better not let the boys see this.
His mother’s answer came back immediately. Oh no! Praying. I’ll take the boys to get pizza. Keep me posted.
Will do.
The paramedics motioned to them. “We could use some help getting her out of here. To be on the safe side, we’ll transport
her on the board until we get tests done.”
Blake jogged over to help. Paradise’s beautiful amber eyes were open, and she looked alert as she emerged from the dumpster.
He picked a piece of wilted lettuce from her hair and thanked God she was alive.