Page 104 of Fire and Rain
Sean got a strange expression on his face, and Eden worried that she’d hurt him. Sean had saved her life today, but it wasn’t him she’d seen in her darkest moment. It was Justin.
“I’m sorry. I know it must be awkward to hear me talk about Justin, but—”
“No.” He shook his head. “No, it’s not that. I found you because you reached up. I saw your hand over the crest of a swell.”
“You did?” A shiver went down Eden’s spine. “Do you think…”
Sean smiled. “That you truly saw Justin, that he was really there? Well, he sent you that piece of red sea glass, didn’t he?”
Eden nodded, smiled, happy that he understood. “I guess I had both of you working together to save my life today.”
“We always made a good team.” Then Sean’s smile faded, a troubled expression on his face. “The whole time we were in flight, I kept kicking myself in the ass for not telling you sooner. I thought I might never get another chance to do it.”
“To do what?”
Sean looked into her eyes. “To tell you how much I love you.”
Eden’s heart soared.
ChapterTwenty-Three
Eden spentthe next few weeks on total rest, while Sean and her sisters pampered her, took care of the chores, and watched over Maverick. She didn’t pay much attention to the outside world, the abduction and those terrible hours of being in the storm with Charlie finding their way into her dreams. Of Agent Santee, Charlie’s buddy in Homer, and the fate of her belovedSea Nymph,she heard nothing.
Three weeks after the abduction, Sean got a call from Santee. He told Sean that he, together with the FBI and DEA, had, indeed, caught Charlie’s buddy in Homer that day. Federal agents had interrogated him and Charlie and had used that information, together with data on the phones they’d confiscated, to bring down the entire network in a series of coordinated arrests.
“That’s why there was nothing about it in the papers.” Sean sat beside Eden on the sofa. “They kept it quiet because they didn’t want to tip off the bad guys.”
Eden’s reaction wasn’t just the anticipated relief at knowing it was over, but something much deeper she hadn’t expected. “This gives Justin’s death meaning.”
“I had the same thought.” Sean took her hand, the smile returning to his face. “Santee wanted me to tell you he thinks you’re a badass, and he’s right. I don’t know many people who could have done what you did—figuring out a way to set off the EPIRB and the personal locator beacon, standing up to your abductor, and piloting the boat in heavy seas.”
Eden hadn’t felt like a badass. “I didn’t have much choice.”
“He also wanted you to know that, when they’d heard what had happened, the cutter crew in Homer decided to give the Sea Nymph a cleanup. He’s arranged to have it towed back to the marina at no cost to you. It should be there later this afternoon.”
Eden’s heart lifted. “Oh, thank goodness!”
Life was slowly returning to normal—but not for everyone.
In the first week of August, Maria stopped by to tell Eden that Mila would likely lose everything as the federal government moved to seize all assets Charlie had purchased with drug money.
“They’re going after everything—the house, the cars, their bank accounts, even Mila’s jewelry. They’ll take every dime he earned through selling drugs, and then charge him taxes on it, which Mila can’t pay with the seized assets. And, Eden, she could owe millions. That’s what Auntie Evelyn says.”
Oh, God.
Eden couldn’t imagine how devastated Mila must feel. Her entire life with Charlie had been a lie, and now she would probably lose everything. “How are Nick and Lina? This must be so confusing for them.”
“They’re having a really hard time.”
Eden stood. “Let’s stop by and bring some treats for the kids.”
Maria stared at her. “Are you sure? You might not be Mila’s favorite person.”
“She’s my cousin, and she’s in trouble.” Eden got Maverick ready to go, and they climbed into Maria’s vehicle, picking up flowers for Mila and pastries for the kids along the way.
Auntie Evelyn opened the door and seemed surprised to see Eden. She glanced back over her shoulder. “I’m not sure she’s going to want to see you right—”
“Who is it?” Mila stepped into the room and saw Eden, her dark expression turning darker. “Why are you here? Have you come to tell me what an asshole my soon-to-be-ex-husband is?”
