August Unknown (24 page)

“We have to work tomorrow.” When she looked up at Geoffrey,
her eyes were wide and watery, betraying the fear she tried to keep hidden.
“What if she’s up at the house now? She could be breaking in at this very
moment.”

“I’ll go with you,” Mike volunteered. “I’ll do a check of the
house before anyone goes inside.”

“And of course we’ll set the alarm,” Geoffrey promised. “If
anyone tries to break in, the siren will wake up the whole neighborhood.”

“And alert us.” Mike put on his hat. “Millie, I’d like you to
be especially careful, too. Lock up, set the alarm, and don’t go out again.”

“What for?” Gran Millie fairly shrieked. “It isn’t me this
nutcase is after. No crazy woman with a knife is going to make me a prisoner in
my own home.”

Mike grinned. “You’ll be here alone tonight, and you’re frail,
helpless, and senile.”

“Watch it, buddy.” She frowned and slowly swiveled to August,
keeping her narrowed eye on the sheriff as long as possible. “What do you say,
kiddo? You going home with these two capable protectors?”

“All right. I’ll go to the house.” The tension slid out of her
shoulders. “I feel safer already, knowing there are two strong men keeping
watch over me.”

Mike started toward the door. “All right then. Geoffrey,
you’ll follow me.”

“This is cool!” Derek sang happily. “I get a ride home.”

* * *

By the time they arrived at the beach house, August regretted
her decision. She told herself it was only for one night, or two, until Sheriff
Mike found out who she was. He’d assured her no one from her past would learn
about her until she’d been given all the information, and she would be allowed
to make her own decision on how to proceed.

But what if they didn’t find anything? How long could she go
on living with Geoffrey? What if she was hundreds of miles from home? What if
she’d been on the run for years? What if she didn’t have any family or friends?

There was nothing wrong with accepting his charity, but still
August wanted independence. She’d tasted it this week, working at the Mirthful
Mermaid. These were the first days that hadn’t been filled with desperate,
frustrating attempts to reach into the mud clogging her memory. Maybe it was
because she’d taken her mind off it altogether, but the bartender’s job at the
Mirthful Mermaid was fast-paced and fun. Millie’s regulars were a rowdy bunch,
and they weren’t stingy tippers, either.

Mike gave the all-clear, and they filed into the kitchen.

“Anyone up for microwave popcorn?” Derek asked.

“Not me. I ate leftover meatballs at the Mermaid,” August said
wearily. She wanted a hot bath, and then to disappear under the covers. “Besides,
the kernels get stuck in my teeth, and flossing with one hand is hard enough as
it is.”

“I’ve got to get back on duty,” Mike said. “Geoffrey, August—I’ll
be in touch tomorrow morning.”

They closed the door behind him. With every light blazing in
the house, August felt somewhat safer.

“How ’bout you, bro?”

“I want to talk to August for a minute.”

“Geez, what a bunch of party poopers. Well, I’m going to nuke
some up.”

August’s uneasiness grew as she followed Geoffrey down the
hall to his room. It was upstairs from the room she’d been using, and at the
opposite end of the house.

Was he going to suggest they share a room tonight? The hotel
had been one thing, but she wasn’t sure how she felt about sleeping in the same
room in his house, stalker or not.

Once inside the masculinely decorated room, he took her hand
and urged her to sit on the edge of the bed.

“I know you had a terrifying experience tonight and this
probably isn’t the best time...”

He took a deep breath. She could tell he was trying to put
something difficult into words. Her heart kicked up its speed with a mixture of
excitement and worry.

“But I realize how close I came to losing you tonight, and it
scared the hell out of me.”

Her sweet, humble Geoffrey. A tinge of pink had crept into his
cheeks. His eyes were soft velvet under a row of thick lashes that swept down
as he glanced to the floor for a long minute.

“I knew almost since the beginning that I loved you—”

“Shhh.” She put a finger to his lips. “Geoffrey, I love you,
too.”

It felt wonderful saying so. She smiled even as new tears
burned.

“To hear you say that is the greatest thing I could have hoped
for. I would say that I can’t live without you, but I know I could lose you to
your past. I’m okay with that. Because more than anything, I want you to have
the life you deserve. I know you didn’t just fall out of the sky. You’re going
to find your family, your friends—”

“Let’s not worry about what we don’t know.”

“I need to.” He took her good hand and grasped her fingers.
“What I can’t bear to lose you to is a senseless tragedy like the one that took
Christina. After she died, I wished I had done more to help her.” His eyes
misted over but he continued to smile warmly and tenderly. “I realize now I
have the perfect opportunity to do something, and I can’t pass it up.”

He produced a small velvet box. August caught her breath.

Geoffrey slipped to his knee on the floor. “I love you,
August. I would be honored if you would be my wife.”

He flipped open the lid. Inside was the most beautiful diamond
ring she’d ever seen. Shimmery starbursts exploded around it as her eyes
blurred with tears. She stared, thunderstruck, unable to find words.

Geoffrey removed the ring and placed it on her finger. Her
limbs turned warm and ticklish.

She splayed the fingers on her broken arm, watching the
stunning diamond sparkle as it caught the light. It fit perfectly, as though
custom made for her.

“It was my mother’s. My father gave it to me when she died.”

“It’s lovely.” She sniffled. “But you don’t even know me.
I
don’t even know me.”

He shook his head. “I know you, August. I know the person you
are inside. If I find out you’re heiress to the Pet Rock fortune or a bank
robber on the run, I’ll love you just the same.”

She choked out a single burst of laughter. “Oh Geoffrey.”

“I don’t expect an answer now,” he said quickly. “In fact, I
don’t want one. I just want you to know that I love you. No matter what you
find in your past, no matter how good, bad, or ugly—you have a home here with
me if you want it.”

She slid her arm around his neck and kissed him. He wiped her
tears away with his thumb.

“If I knew for certain there was nothing in my past to keep me
from you, my answer would be ‘yes’ right now.”

He smiled. “That’s good enough for me.”

She kissed him again, tiny pecks all over his face as she tried
to squeeze back what were now happy tears.

“Hey, yo’s, last chance on the popcorn—” Derek stopped in the
doorway. “Whoa, looks like I interrupted something important.”

Geoffrey rocked back on his heels and stood. “I’ve asked
August to marry me.”

* * *

It wasn’t the loud snoring that kept her awake. Nor was it her
fear of the mysterious woman haunting her memories. She’d hardly given her
stalker another thought.

Geoffrey wanted to marry her!

Her heart sang with joy, and excitement raced through her blood
like a high-speed pinball. He wanted to marry her, even if she had a less than
desirable past.

The enormous dog at the foot of the bed grunted in her sleep
and rolled over, nearly crushing August’s foot. Geoffrey had used his cell
phone on the ride home to call someone named Howard and inquire about Eunice,
but she had no idea Eunice was a two-hundred-pound Mastiff. The gigantic dog
was sweet as could be, but had a commanding bark, and August had no doubt the
muscular animal could bring down the largest of men.

Geoffrey’s sweet gesture nearly made her cry again, but she
fell into a fit of giggles when the dog rolled, groaned, and let loose a loud
flatulence.

The potted juniper outside the window rustled in the wind and
the dog jerked upright.

“Good girl, Eunice. At least I know you can hear intruders over
your own snoring.”

The dog gazed at her and licked her giant chops. She relaxed,
her panting breaths shaking the entire bed.

“You and I are going to become good friends,” she promised the
dog.

But in the back of her mind, August could not shake the uneasy
feeling that with this great happiness would also come great sadness.

As hard as she tried, the uncomfortable feeling was there,
just out of reach: something would keep her from staying in Newport.

* * *

Geoffrey’s phone rang as he was driving August back to the
Mirthful Mermaid for her shift. He saw the number and knew it was Mike calling
about August.

“Let me call you back in ten minutes.” He didn’t identify his
brother-in-law. The last thing he wanted was to make August anxious before her
shift. She seemed so happy, gazing at the ring on her finger.

He pulled into a parking space at the Mirthful Mermaid and
snapped the phone shut. “I think we should tell her together.”

Gran Millie eyed them suspiciously as they came through the
door. “All right you two, what’s going on? You look funny.”

The ring must have glinted because she looked down at August’s
hand and gasped. “Let me see that. Oh, my goodness. You’re just a bucket of
surprises, aren’t you, grandson?”

“I asked August to marry me...when we get our lives all sorted
out.”

“And she said yes, of course. I’m so happy you gave her
Susan’s ring. It fits you, dear.” Gran Millie looked up with shining eyes. Her
voice grew soft and whispery. “I couldn’t be happier. Let me be the first to
welcome you to the family.”

She pulled August into a hug, and then turned to Geoffrey.
“I’m happy for you, too, grandson. Nice to see you out of your funk.” She
stepped back and dabbed at her eyes. “Don’t think this means you can deliver
her late to work.”

“Does she still get a lunch break?” Geoffrey asked his
grandmother.

“Between two thirty and five, and I’m gonna make sure she
takes it today,” Millie answered for her.

August turned to him. “If you can get away, we could walk out
to the end of the jetty.”

“I’ll try. I’ve got a conference call at two, but I’ll come
down after. Don’t go anywhere until I get here.”

“Don’t worry.” She leaned over to kiss him. A burst of joy
jumped in his chest. “I’ll go up to my little room and bolt the door. Derek
will be here by then, anyway. His shift starts at two.”

If only he could be on the receiving end of those sweet kisses
for the rest of his life. He tamped down the tension coiling in his belly,
anxious to return Mike’s call. Before he could slip away, Gran Millie yanked
him into a bear hug.

“Come here, grandson.” She squeezed the breath out of him.
“Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m so happy, I could just cry.”

“You are crying.”

“Oh, go on.” She shooed him away.

He went back to the car, but sat in the front seat without
turning on the engine.

The heavy tone in his brother-in-law’s voice had put Geoffrey
on edge, and when he answered Geoffrey’s returned call, it was no different. Geoffrey
was learning to hate Mike’s policeman’s voice.

“I’ve got something you should see,” was all he would say.

“Is it bad?”

“I think it would be best if you saw for yourself.”

Geoffrey drove to the police station with the dread in his
stomach growing more acidic by the minute.

He sat in front of Mike’s desk and waited while his
brother-in-law concluded a phone call, and then got up and closed the door
before taking his seat again.

“I know you have become very fond of August,” he started.

“Don’t,” Geoffrey said sharply. He took a deep, calming
breath. “Don’t talk to me like you’re a doctor trying to find a gentle way to
tell me I have three weeks to live. Just give it to me straight.”

Mike glanced down. He opened a manila folder and handed over a
single sheet of paper to Geoffrey. “It took Wendy all of ten minutes to find
her this morning.”

It was a missing person’s report for Emily Atkinson of
Astoria, Washington. Geoffrey’s heart froze in his chest. In the center was a
photo of August.

* * *

“Colin, don’t do this to yourself.”

He kept his back to his father as he stuffed a change of
clothes into a duffel bag. This time, he wasn’t coming home in the same day. He
might have to camp out in Newport for a few days until...Hell, he wasn’t coming
back until he’d found her.

“It’s a lead, Dad. My first
real
lead.” He should have
left last night. He would have been in southern Oregon by now.

“Colin, it’s been three weeks. If she’s alive, why hasn’t she
come home?”

“I’m going to check the hospitals. She could be like that
woman in Seattle.”

“Don’t you think the authorities would have answered the
missing person’s report?”

They hadn’t called about the woman in the Seattle hospital.
Colin shook his head, but didn’t respond. It was useless arguing about it.

“It’s obvious she came out of her lifejacket.” Graham grabbed
him by the elbow and spun him around.

Colin jerked his arm free.

“No,” he barked a degree too harshly. “It was too small for
her. You said so yourself; you had been trying to get her to buy a new one. She
couldn’t have come out of it. Besides, that guy said it was unbuckled. She took
it off, or someone took it off her.”

“Colin, you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak again. I
hate to see you doing this to yourself.”

Colin grabbed his bag and zipped it shut with a shrill
whirr
.
He turned around and snatched his car keys from the dresser.

“Then don’t watch.”

Chapter Nineteen