Summer tells him of the detective Victor hired and where they think he is headed. Alex gets up and lights a cigarette before pacing. “Excellent. Already we are closing in on him.”
“That’s just it, Alex. He knows where I am. He sent me a warning. A tin full of chocolates laced with poison or worse. It was more than a threat, it was a promise. I will never be free of him. He blames me for losing his standing in the medical community. You can't imagine the depths he will go to.” Visible tremors shake her small form, and he pulls her into a hug before whispering against her hair.
“Tonight, we are going to celebrate finding each other. We will discuss our strategy over a drink. I want to compare our notes and get to know this Victor you’ve chosen.” Alex walks with her back to their horses and closes the gate reverently behind them.
Chapter 38
Back at the house Summer excuses herself to change for dinner and Alex watches her go. He turns to Victor and stares intently at the man who has been protecting his sister for the past few months.
“Why did you help her, Victor? Besides the obvious reason, I mean. You were not obligated to do it. What’s in it for you?”
Seth grins, he knew it was coming. “Perhaps, we should beat him first, then ask questions?”
“She saved my son from a man and took a beating meant for him,” Victor says standing up to face her family.
“Where were you when this man was beating your son and my sister?” Alex demands.
“Don’t you yell at my Daddy! It was all my fault he hit my Summer.” Jonah yells and runs from his hiding spot to his father’s side.
“Jonah, it was not your fault.” He squats and turns his son to look at him. “He was a bad man, and he will never hurt anyone ever again.”
“Cause you stopped him?” Jonah asks glaring at Alex.
“Precisely. Jonah let me introduce you to Summer’s brother, Alex and his friend Seth.”
Jonah stares at them and growls, “You can’t take her, I won’t let you!” Alex stares in shock as he runs from the room.
“You’ll have to excuse him, he’s afraid that you’re going to take her from us.”
“Are you afraid of that Mr. Yates?” Alex goads.
“Hell, no! No one is taking her from me,” Victor snarls and steps towards him.
Alex smiles, “Good answer.” He steps forward to meet Victor, “I will never be able to thank you for taking care of her, but I will try.”
“You owe me nothing, Alex. I love her, and I intend to marry her as soon as possible. I would like your blessing, but it’s not a requirement.” Victor explains softly.
“Understood. Summer wouldn’t have chosen you if she didn’t feel the same way. I will honor her wishes. Now tell me what she has been through.”
Victor pours three whiskey’s and hands it to them. “You will need this.” He explains in detail what he knows of her experience on the ship and the island. Alex pales when he hears how close she came to her own death. Seth curses and pours them another drink.
“It’s a miracle her mind didn’t break. He tried to kill her and very nearly did. Now he knows where she is, Alex. We have to go after him, while he thinks he’s safe from capture.”
“Agreed. We will leave in the morning.”
“You had a delivery from a Sean Aherne this morning,” Tarrah says putting the finishing touches on Summer's hair. “I put it in the closet on the top shelf.”
“Excellent, thank you, Tarrah.” Her mind begins running all kinds of possibilities.
Jonah runs through the kitchen and grabs a chocolate cookie cooling on a plate. He shoves one in his mouth and runs from the room holding the other one. When he reaches Summer’s room, he is still chewing on it when he walks inside.
“There you are, Jonah. I've been waiting….” Summer turns and sees him with chocolate smeared on his face, and she leaps to her face.
“What are you eating?” In her mind, she sees her sisters licking their fingers clean and chocolates smeared with the disease.
“It’s just a cookie,” he says, spitting crumbs as he talks.
“Oh, God… I need to sit for minute…” she collapses into a chair as Tarrah rushes to bring her a glass of water. “Thank you.”
“Summer are you gonna leave with those men?” Jonah asks stomping over to her.
“I… Alex is my brother and Seth is his friend, Jonah. I don’t know right now what I’m going to do?” She replies softly. “Tell me, did you catch many fish today?” She asks, hoping to change the subject.
“I caught a turtle! It was snapping at me, and I had to let him go cause it's not nice to kill a turtle.”
“That sounds exciting. Your daddy will be up to tuck you in soon, love. Tonight, I must visit with my family and tomorrow…”
“Please don't leave me, Summer,” he wails and throws his arms around her neck. She gathers him up into her arms and cuddles him tight. Jonah is fighting tears again, so she soothes him as best she can.
“I promise you that I will be here in the morning. Trust me, Jonah. Everything will be alright.” She lies to him, and her heart is heavy with the weight of it. Seeing his tiny face covered in chocolate was
