Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

necessary?”

    “I believe in being safe. You’re with me, Kate. Nothing’s going to take you away from me. I don’t care if it’s a monster in the fog or something crawling out of the ocean.” He pushed open the door to his house and stepped outside. His eyes searched the terrain restlessly, never stopping. “Do you smel something burning?”
    The breeze shifted again, but Kate caught the peculiar pungent odor. “Oily rags?”
    Matt hurried over the stepping-stones leading around to the back of the house. He had a good ocean view on three sides, but the bedroom was to the back. The dark stains led from the beach to the stairs and straight to the smal photography laboratory he had built. The door was closed and appeared locked, but there were oily smudges al over the door, the same oily smudges they’d seen on the beach.
    Kate’s heart began to pound. She felt the danger swamping her. Glancing up, she could see the branches of the tree spread over the top of the deck, reaching over the bedroom where she and Matt had been kissing. In the branches were nests of mistletoe and the base of the tree was covered in the oily substance. “Matthew, let’s wait for Jonas.”
    “I have photo-developing chemicals in there, Kate. I’m not losing my house to this thing.” He set her away from him. “You stay back. I mean it, Kate.
    If I have to run, I’l need the way clear. Drag the hose over here for me, but don’t get too close.”
    Matt felt the door. It wasn’t hot to the touch. He opened it cautiously. The stench was overpowering, smel ing of the sea, dead fish, and heavy oil.
    Black smoke seeped from a pile of photo paper and rags piled with smashed glass and a mixture of what he knew was lethal chemicals. He dragged some of the papers from the pile, trying to stop the inevitable. Tiny flames licked up the sides of the pile. There was a flash of white and a popping sound.
    Kate thrust the hose into his hands. The water was running ful out. He turned it on the greedy flames. “Get out of here, Kate,” he ordered.
    Kate stifled a scream when Jonas emerged out of nowhere and pul ed her back, away from the deck. “Cal the fire department,” he snapped. “Use my car radio and stay out of the house.” He pointed to the driveway, where he’d pul ed in and left the door on the driver’s side open. “I have a jacket it in the car, put it on, you aren’t wearing very much.”
    Kate heard the wail of a siren and saw the deputy’s car tear up the driveway. She ran to Jackson as he stepped out of his car. “Jonas says to cal the fire department.”
    He made the cal from his radio, pointing silently to the car, as if that was enough to make her stay, then he quickly joined Jonas and Matt. Kate dragged on Jonas’s jacket, nearly sagging with relief. There was something utterly reassuring about the three men being together. They exuded complete confidence and worked as a team, almost as if each knew what the others were thinking. They had the fire out before the fire trucks even arrived. It took longer to go through the mess in the photo lab, searching for evidence. She was grateful to be able to return to the house where it was warm. Kate curled up in a chair and waited for Matt to return to her.

Chapter
8
    And the b lood runs red on the pristine white snow…
    While around all the houses the Christmas lights glow.
    MATT STARED OUT THE LARGE BAY WINDOW OF his kitchen at the pounding sea. He frowned at the foaming waves, peering toward the darkness far out in the distance, almost at the horizon where a mass seemed to be congealing. Dark clouds had spread across the entire sky by the time the three men had sifted through the mess in his photography lab. Matt had taken cal s from his parents and his brothers making certain he was alive and wel and the house was stil standing. Kate had received cal s from her sisters.
    Kate, fresh from her shower and wrapped in his robe, sat in the chair nearest him. “It’s out there, isn’t it?” she asked quietly. “I’m sorry about al your equipment.”
    He spun around to look at her. “Do you think I blame you for this?”
    She hesitated. “I don’t think he would have come here if I hadn’t been here. I don’t know why I draw him,” she said, shaking her head. “Maybe he got my scent in the old mil , or maybe he perceives me as a threat.”
    “So it’s definitely a he. I think it’s taking shape, gaining a form,” Matt said.
    “I need to go home and help