Chapter 10
Ephraim arose at first light and reconnoitered the property, planning the sites for the security lights and alarms he’d ordered. Whether Sophie liked it or not, she’d be protected during and after he left.
The small property was surrounded by brush or small trees, then the forest took over.
A mixture of trees like magnolia and pine interspersed with palm and other spiky bushes and plants that would make an intruder think twice about wandering around in the dark.
Still, Ephraim knew from experience that even the most uncomfortable surroundings could be tolerated during an important mission.
If his experience with the men and women he’d worked for was any proof, and it should be, the person or persons putting Sophie at risk and hunting him were as good, maybe even better, at hunting than he was.
He only hoped his association with the Brotherhood Protectors would give him the advantage he needed to keep Sophie safe.
He entered the house to hear her talking. He’d not seen anyone drive up, so had someone gotten by him on foot? When he entered the living area, he saw her talking on her cell phone. She laughed, “I’m glad. I wasn’t sure if it’d get stale before they had a chance to open it.”
A pause followed by another chuckle drew Ephraim closer to listen to her end of the conversation. “I’ll be sure to make them some for their birthdays. Did he? Oh, good.”
She saw him and waved then turned to the sink where she started washing up the dishes from the night before.
“I do too. I had some unexpected company arrive and time got away from us when we were visiting.” He watched her cheeks pinken then she said, “Oh, no, just an old friend from up north. He came a few days ago.”
She dried her hands from the few dishes she’d finished then went to the refrigerator where she pulled out a coffee can. “I’m not sure, maybe after the first of the year? Ok, great. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Ephraim side stepped around her as she started the coffee and grabbed cups from the cabinet. “Sorry I screwed up your holiday plans.”
She shook her head. “That’s okay. I usually go to either a Christmas Eve service or one on Christmas Day and my friend was checking in on me.”
“It’s good to have someone to do that,” he said and looked at the coffee can. “So, that’s where you hid the coffee. I tried to find it this morning before my walk but didn’t think to look in the fridge.”
She replaced the can and held up a carton of eggs. At his nod she took them out along with butter and bread. “My mom stored it there, so I guess I picked up the habit. I’d left it out the other day.”
“Does it last longer or taste better or something?” he took the bread from her and opened it.
“Don’t know, like I said, it’s a habit.” She looked at him then turned from the stove to study him more closely. “You have better coloring today, not pale anymore.”
He nodded. “I feel better. No headache. I might even go for a run later.”
“Don’t push it. You still have a healing gash on your head,” she said and put the eggs in the sizzling butter.
And he’d be leaving her alone, he remembered. They finished preparing breakfast and sat at the counter. Soon, the eggs and toast were gone, and they were on a second cup of coffee each. “What’s your plans for the day?” Ephraim asked.
Sophie shrugged. “No plans. Maybe clean the house and read. I probably need to go to the grocery store too. I don’t keep a lot of food on hand so we may need to eat.”
He laughed, “It’s one of my favorite activities.
” He sobered. “I need to pick up some stuff I ordered, if it’s okay.
” When she nodded, he continued. “I’ve scoped out the property for placement of the security lights and cameras and found where they’ll be most effective, so I can get that done today. ”
Sophie frowned at him then nodded. “All right.” His surprise showed in his expression, and she stood to gather the dishes.
“I don’t like living with the knowledge that someone might creep up on me, but with the past few days and the island and all, I guess it’s necessary.
Are the lights motion detected?” He nodded.
She smiled at him. “Did you think I’d be ticked off? ”
“Well, yeah, I did. And speaking of the island, I’d like to go back out there, see if I can find anything.”
She shook her head. “After the storm, there won’t be anything to find. The rain and wind, along with any increase in surf, would wash away almost any debris.”
He huffed a breath, “Probably, but I still need to go out there. Do you think you could wrangle us a visit?”
She nodded and put the dishes in the sink then picked up her cell phone. “I’ll check and see if it’s okay with the Piersons.”
He washed the dishes while she talked with the island’s owners. A few minutes of discussion later and she disconnected. “They’re okay with it as long as we don’t disturb them.”
He quelled the resentment he had for her. She cleaned their house, took care to make everything pristine and they didn’t want disturbed. What century was it? He didn’t say anything but wondered how many property owners treated Sophie like the Piersons did.
They decided to visit the island first, as it would take the most time out of the day. Sophie drove them to the small docking area and her boat, and they soon were on the water between the bay and the small island. “How long have you been taking care of the Piersons’ property?” he asked.
“Around four years,” Sophie replied, her eyes on the small dot ahead of them.
“And they’re okay bosses?”
“Clients. And yes. They give me a bonus at the end of the year, don’t press if I have to rearrange some dates when my schedule gets busy. They rent the house to people they know or lend it to friends, so it’s not used as much as most of the other rentals on my list.”
“Have they owned the island long?” Ephraim was getting a picture of a couple in his head, and it wasn’t a very complimentary one.
“No, I think they bought it a year or two before I started working for them. He made a lot of money in tech or something and she’s a trophy wife.” She grimaced, “Sorry, shouldn’t have said that. She’s just a couple of decades younger than he is and very up on the latest cosmetic procedures.”
Ephraim laughed, “Very nice way to put it. Do they always want you to stay away from the family when you come to the island?”
Sophie looked at him in surprise then turned her head to maneuver around some shallow waters. “I never come to the island when they’re here. This is the first time I’ll be on it with them in house. The only way I know what they even look like is that we met to sign the contract for my work.”
He kept silent as she docked the boat in the small inlet dock.
He’d been dizzy and confused when they’d left the island and now could see what a good sailor Sophie was.
She’d maneuvered the boat into the dock with no difficulty at all.
He glanced around for another boat. “Where do the Piersons’ dock? ”
She nodded across to the house. “There’s a much larger and deeper dock on the other side of the property. I don’t use it because it takes another thirty minutes to travel around the island.”
They tied up the boat and headed toward the sight she’d found him, wading through scrub and sandy grass. Ephraim surveyed the land around them. The island was small, around a couple miles long and less than that wide. It would be a nice place to get away from it all, if you could afford it.
The house, oddly out of place with the attached garage, paved driveway, and manicured lawn, jutted up and out of the land. “Not an original house?” he said as he took in the structure that could be from any high-end neighborhood from Nantucket to Georgia.
Sophie shook her head and kept walking. “There was originally an old lighthouse that got inundated by water and collapsed. There was a small cottage for the keeper, but it was dilapidated when the Piersons bought the property.”
“So, they didn’t tear down an existing house?”
Sophie turned to look at him with an odd smile.
“No. The island had been just a barrier for the bay. No one in town figured it was livable, since it gets the brunt of the storms.” She gestured toward the house.
“The Piersons had the walls reinforced, a pump installed if the house ever gets flooded and a lot more modifications I don’t understand.
They spent a lot of money, most of it locally, to get the place built. ”
“Sorry,” Ephraim said and followed her as she veered away from the house and toward the end of a gravel drive. “I heard the part about not being seen by them and made assumptions.”
“We’re not supposed to be seen because their kids are sleeping late after a long Christmas celebration.” Sophie said. “Evidently they brought the whole family up for the holidays and everyone stayed up late.”
He nodded, blasting himself for, once again, making assumptions about people.
They got to the spot where Sophie had found him and then knelt to examine the area. Minutes passed and he looked, and Sophie stood at his side, motionless. Finally, he stood and shook his head. “Nothing, you were right.”
She swallowed and then pointed to the right toward a small rise in the land. “On the other side of that dune is the larger dock. Do you want to check it out?”
He nodded and they walked slowly toward the dune, Ephraim bending over on occasion to examine a rock or sandy depression. Finally, when they topped the ridge, he sighed. “That theirs?” She nodded.
The boat wasn’t an ostentatious yacht, like he’d expected, but a very nice cruiser that would serve as transportation as well as a family party boat.
It was moored, gently floated and bumping against a wide dock extending at least thirty feet from shore.
When he and Sophie approached the beach line, a man appeared at the stern and yelled for them to identify themselves.