25. Home Away from Home
“ H ow’s Poppy doing? We have some extra pillows and blankets to make her more comfortable. There are also plenty of towels and anything else she might need in the bathroom,” Phoebe said to Isaiah in the kitchen.
He’d carried Poppy to the spare room, and thankfully she hadn’t woken when he’d left the room to talk with the others.
Whatever the paramedics had given her had knocked her out.
While she slept he had been tempted to redirect the taxi to the hospital, but he didn’t want to cause her more distress, and she had been so adamant despite the severity of her injury and pain that he guessed she had a good reason.
“She’s asleep, but I don’t want to leave her too long in case she wakes up. Thank you for all you’ve done. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you,” Isaiah said, not wanting to burden them or bring up old traumas.
Phoebe opened the fridge and waved off his thanks.
“No need to thank us. You’re more than welcome – you’ve done so much for me, for us!
It’s the least we can do. There isn’t much food in the fridge.
We’ve been eating out mostly since the construction workers have been here, and we didn’t want to be in the way, but I can pick up some food and necessities in the morning.
” She rattled on, eager to help, as she boiled the kettle and made them some tea.
“I already texted the workers, and they’re going to take a couple of days off, so you can stay for as long as you need.
Axel called the hotel, and we’ve booked ourselves in to give you two some space. ”
“Are you sure you don’t mind us staying? We’re putting you out of your own home, and though I can’t be sure, I have a feeling that the danger isn’t over yet.”
“You’re staying here for as long as you need.
I’m not taking no for an answer. Besides, it’s not our first time in danger, and no one knows you’re here.
You’ll have your own private pool and balcony.
It can be your little holiday home while the police investigate.
” Phoebe smiled, sliding the mug towards him.
“Last time I say it, but thank you,” Isaiah said, not wanting to be scolded again.
“Since the police are holding all your belongings, I left some clothes for you and Poppy on the chest of drawers outside the spare room,” Phoebe said kindly.
“Right. I didn’t even think about that,” he admitted, tasting the extra sugar in his tea.
“For the shock – you could use the pick-me-up,” Phoebe said, reading his expression.
“She’s going to be okay. She might never forget what’s happened, but she’ll learn to cope.
It’s in your nature to ask questions, to want to solve things, but just be patient with her, and she’ll open up in her own time. ”
“I knew you two were going to be fast friends,” Isaiah joked. “I wanted to ask… could you not tell anyone that we’re here? The fewer people that know, the better.” He wanted to err on the side of caution.
“My lips are sealed.” Phoebe zipped her lips. “I’ve left the spare key in the kitchen in the porcelain duck by the door, and you already know the alarm code.”
Her phone rang. From her tone, it was Axel.
“Okay, I’ll be right there,” she said before hanging up and putting her mug in the sink.
“Axel managed to get the event back under control. Some of the guests wandered down the beach to the scene, but most have returned, and they want us to check in and make sure everything is okay. I want to tip the staff something extra for all their work. He managed to get us a room, so there’s nothing left to worry about.
All you have to do is rest and look after Poppy. ”
Isaiah had been so distracted by what was happening with Poppy and the Midas that he’d forgotten about their event.
She would never let on that it upset or bothered her that the chaos had detracted from the event.
However, considering how hard they had worked, it would have been nice to have the night end without sirens and murder.
“We’re only down the road, so call us if you need anything. Get some rest. You need to look after yourself too,” Phoebe said, resting a reassuring hand on his arm before heading off.
Isaiah locked the door behind her and turned on the alarm system he had installed for them last year.
Lying beside Poppy to watch out for any signs of fever, Isaiah kept a hand on her as she slept in case he fell asleep, so he would be alerted when she woke up.
He figured she would be in a lot of pain, and he didn’t want her to experience that alone.
Watching her chest rising and falling softly, he wished they had gone to the hospital to be safe.
He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, and her eyes fluttered open.
“Mina!” Poppy bolted up, only to let out a howl of pain as she clutched her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Mina’s fine. You’re safe,” Isaiah said, easing her back against the pillows.
She grimaced and positioned herself so she was leaning more on him than on her injured side.
“Take these,” he said, handing her some painkillers that would help with the worst of it. She sighed in relief and took a glass of water from him. “How’s your shoulder?” He had other questions, but he only cared about protecting her right now.
“It aches, but whatever they gave me still hasn’t fully worn off. I’d say when it does, it won’t be pretty. Where are Phoebe and Axel?” Poppy asked, taking in her surroundings. He had left the balcony doors open during the warm night so they could see the starry skies and coastline.
“They had to go back to the hotel, and they decided to stay the night so we could have some space,” Isaiah told her, putting the glass of water on the bedside table.
“We should have stayed in the hotel. This is their home,” Poppy said sadly.
“Phoebe is more than happy to help us, and she doesn’t want you beating yourself up,” Isaiah said, not wanting her to feel bad on top of every other emotion she was sure to be feeling. “Phoebe knows this is the safest place for us, so please don’t think any more about it.”
“We owe her a massive present when this is all over. This was meant to be her night,” Poppy said.
“I’m sure she’ll take you up on that, but right now, she only cares that you’re safe and healing.” Isaiah kissed her hair, and she settled under his arm. He was sure she could hear his heartbeat. It sped up whenever she was close, but this time it was because he was nervous.
“You want to ask me what happened, what I didn’t tell you before we got here?” Poppy asked, looking up at him.
“Davide wasn’t the mastermind, was he?” Isaiah dared to ask.
“No.”
He thought telling her what he had learnt would make it easier for her to open up.
“You were talking to someone before he arrived. I don’t think the police paid attention to anything except what happened when you shot Davide, but I saw it on the security footage the captain sent me while you were sleeping.
Who were you talking to?” He didn’t want to sound like he was interrogating her.
“I’m not accusing you of anything. I just need all the facts to protect you. ”
Why was she so reluctant to share? Had she been threatened? Did the killer have something on her? The footage had had no audio, and he desperately wanted to know who she was talking to.
Poppy took his hand and threaded her fingers between his own. “Have you ever been in love?”
The question surprised him. He hesitated, and she stared up at him, eyes wide with fear and hope. They had only known each other for less than a fortnight, but every day had felt like a decade. They had been through more together in a matter of days than most couples went through in a lifetime.
“Not until you,” Isaiah confessed.
“You mean that?” she asked, sitting up so they could talk face to face. “Even after everything that’s happened, everything I’ve told you?”
He noticed how she bit her lip to contain her smile, like she was afraid to be happy. He knew all her secrets, including some he should arrest her for, but instead, he loved her. It didn’t feel possible.
Isaiah closed the gap between them and desperately kissed her concerns away. Not wanting to hurt her, he gently eased her towards him until she straddled him. The friction made her gasp against his mouth.
“I love you too.” Her confession was barely a whisper against his lips.
Heat travelled down his spine as she ground herself against him in the most delicious rhythm. With only thin fabric separating them and her dress pushed up around her hips, his hard length started to throb with need. Her moans told him she couldn’t take much more, either.
“You don’t have to say it if you’re not ready,” he said, not wanting her to feel any pressure.
“You’re the only person I’ve said that to and truly meant it.” Poppy took his hand and placed it over her heart. “This is yours, and yours only.”
Her words nearly stopped his heart, but when he went to kiss her, she pulled away, and fear twisted his gut.
“Did I hurt you?!”
“No, you didn’t. But I need to know when you realized when it felt like—”
She didn’t know how to ask the question, so he finished it.
“The first night, when you called me a hunky chunky detective, I knew I didn’t stand a chance against you,” he chuckled, holding her in his arms. “Why? Do you think what happened in the surveillance room will change how I feel about you? Because it won’t.
” He rested his forehead against hers, practically hearing her thinking.
She removed herself from him but stayed close. He waited patiently, letting her take all the time she needed.
“Sophia. The woman I was talking to was Sophia,” she told him at last. “She threatened to kill you, to ruin your career because of what you know about me, about what I’ve done.
I knew I loved you when I didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
What I said in the taxi – I meant it when I said I wouldn’t lose you.
Davide was just another scapegoat. She wanted him to take the blame for Patrice, Joshua, Calliope, and even Mina.
Davide was her escape plan, but I was the final piece of the puzzle. ”
“What’s next?” Isaiah asked, digesting this. He had a dozen more questions but forced himself to remain quiet and listen.
“Me. It’s only me and Sophia left. She’ll find me when the time is right.
I don’t know why or what I’ve done to fuel such hatred.
I don’t know when she’ll approach, but I don’t doubt it’ll be soon.
She’s as tired of this game as I am, but I also think she’ll wait until I’m home.
There’s too much heat on us here and too many eyes on the investigation.
She doesn’t want to get caught, and her self-preservation should protect us for a little while,” Poppy said.
“Patrice and Joshua’s deaths were merely to prevent her from being named and caught.
She wants to protect her own life as much as she wants to take mine. That plays in our favour.”
“You want to use yourself as bait.” Isaiah read between the lines, wondering why she was hesitating to share this or look at him.
She had shot Davide to protect him, and now she was going to end it herself.
If she was right, time was on their side.
“Once we’re home, I’ll use every resource I have to find her.
She won’t get away with this. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to Captain Hamill and the police.
She won’t be able to leave the country.”
“We’ve got no evidence against her. As far as everyone living knows, she’s just another guest on the ship with an alibi for two of the deaths on board.
If you go after her, she’ll kill you and disappear.
But if we continue to live as normal, go home, and let her think that I’m going along with her plan, she’ll come after me– and I’ll be ready.
We’ll be ready. If you tell the police and Captain Hamill, we’ll be back in the dark. ”
He made to argue, but her lips slammed against him, silencing him.
He could taste her desperation, how much she needed him to believe in her, that this was what she needed.
If Sophia knew what Poppy had done, going to the police was mutually assured destruction.
She would end up in a cell right next to Sophia’s.
“Trust me?” she asked, holding his face in her hands.
He took a breath. “I trust you.”