Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

eyes. Jackson looked away from her. “Don’t look at me like that.â€
    â€œLike what?â€
    â€œLike I’m a fucking saint, El e. I’m not.â€
    â€œDon’t worry, until you stop using the ‘F’ word, no one is going to mistake you for a saint.â€
    He grinned at her. “You get that little schoolmarm tone in your voice whenever you scold me.â€
    â€œYou like it,†she said.
    â€œIt’s cute.â€
    She made a face at him. “Just for that I’m tel ing my sisters you’re ‘good-deed Jackson.’ They’l never let you hear the end of it.â€
    He groaned. “You wouldn’t dare.â€
    The smile faded from El e’s face. She froze, turning her head in the direction of the Drake house. She suddenly leapt to her feet, nearly knocking over her teacup. Jackson, uncertain what was happening, rose to his feet as wel , reaching for the gun in his holdout holster. El e’s face had gone pale and her eyes were enormous. She looked wildly around the house and then started for the door.
    Jackson was there before her, inserting his large, immovable frame between her and the exit. “Talk to me, baby. What’s wrong?â€
    â€œI don’t know.†She frowned and shoved a hand over her silky hair in agitation, her expression far away, eyes a little fey. “Abbey.
    She’s upset. She’s heading into . . .†She looked over his shoulder toward the spreading gray mass, now closer to shore. “That.â€
    â€œAre you certain?â€
    Her gaze came back to his face and this time she looked annoyed. “Of course I’m certain. She’s my sister. We’re al tied together.
    Can’t you feel her, too? Through me?â€
    Jackson al owed himself further into El e’s mind and Abigail’s alarm was wrenching. She was in a near state of panic. The phone jarred both of them. “Get it, El e.â€

    â€œBut Abbey may need me.â€
    â€œGet the phone. I’l go to Abbey.†He already knew exactly what Abigail was doing and no way was he al owing El e anywhere near the sea.
    â€œThat wil be Aleksandr. Tel him to get over here now and guard your ass. He was working out near Fort Bragg.†He gave her a smal shove toward the phone and sprinted for his bedroom.
    When he returned minutes later, he was in his wet suit, flippers in hand, his scuba gear and diving belt on his shoulder. “I want you in the house. Do you understand me? You stay inside with the door closed and the dog with you. Swear it to me, El e, or I don’t go.â€
    â€œBut I should—â€
    â€œSwear it to me, damn it,†he said, cutting her off.
    Abigail’s distress increased and both of them could see her now. She flashed past the house running toward the ocean.
    â€œI won’t leave the house, I promise. Help her, Jackson.â€
    Jackson caught the nape of her neck, kissed her hard and turned and ran outside. “Abbey, wait. I’m getting the boat. It wil take less time.â€
    Abbey was at the water’s edge, belting on her tank. “Hurry, Jackson. Boscoe’s caught in a net, or something. He’s going to drown.â€
    Jackson leapt into his old truck and fired up the engine. He launched the dory into the surf within minutes. Abbey was in tears, looking out to sea. The engine started on the second pul and they sped off.
    â€œThank you. I wasn’t certain how I’d get back. He’s a distance out.â€
    He didn’t give her a lecture. She’d been around the sea al of her life. It was growing dark. The wind had picked up and even with the Drakes’ help, she couldn’t fight a stormy sea at night. Not to mention, and he wasn’t thril ed with the idea, the bigger predators that came out this time of night to feed.
    The dory cut through the surf, bumping as he increased speed. Abbey looked out toward deeper waters, whistling every now and then. He could barely hear over the engine, but she directed him, fol owing the instructions of Kiwi, the other male bottlenose, as he emitted a series of squeaks and clicks. It was unusual that the male dolphins and their group spent so much time near Sea Haven, as it was common for them to swim up to fifty miles in a day, yet they “hung out†to be close to Abigail.
    He slowed the dory when she signaled to him and turned on