Page 24 of Hideaway Reunion

“I suggest you leave now before you make things worse for yourself and your client.” Brayden’s small shift underscored the quiet promise of violence in his voice. “Probably best to throw your weight around and pull any string you can find for some new ECMs. I hear those can take over a week to be replaced. That’ll really impede your construction milestones,” Brayden said.

Caldwell seemed to choke and cough before he turned to Veronica. “I guess you’ll get a break from the racket.”

“You won’t hear me complain about that.”

Furious, Vanbeck stormed off. Brayden pulled out his phone, using the app to be sure the man stayed well away from the house.

Deputy Morton tapped his hat to Veronica. “Our apologies for the disruption, Ms. Hargrave. Thank you for your cooperation. Have a good day.”

“Thank you.” Roni was relieved and grateful he’d handled things with such a calm professionalism.

“We’ll send over a copy of our official report,” Caldwell said. “If you choose to file a formal complaint regarding harassment, my office will accept the paperwork.”

“Thank you, Chief.” Veronica slid a glance toward Brayden. “I think we’ll do that.”

Within minutes, they were alone, the extra cars gone and the street still once more. With the construction site shut down, she could hear the nearby drumming of the ocean again. She turned to Brayden, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins. “You did it. Thank you.”

“We did it,” he murmured to the top of her head. “And they can’t even start up their equipment,” he chuckled. “Talk about a stunt backfiring.” He pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the ground as he kissed her—the triumph pulsing through her.

“We’ve won this round, Roni,” he continued, setting her on her feet once more. “And we need to enjoy it even as we prepare for their next move. Vanbeck’s reaction tells me they’re desperate. I’d like to know why. We’ll track down where those planted ECMs actually came from.” He slipped his arm around her as they walked around the back of the house. “Desperation can lead to dangerous decisions. We need to be ready.”

She had no idea what ready looked like, but she’d follow his lead. “In the meantime, let’s have breakfast before my first client. We can even make extra for whoever will be covering the house.”

Brayden agreed with a chuckle. “Jess told me it’ll be Trent.”

“That makes it easy,” she smiled, feeling so much happier than an hour ago. “Thanks to Natalie, he’s family now. I’ll put some oatmeal raisin cookies in the oven while we eat.”

CHAPTER 7

Brayden leaned back against an old, moss-draped live oak tree in the side yard of Monroe’s B&B on Bay Street. His cell phone in hand, he occasionally shifted to send a text message. To anyone passing by, he looked like one more relaxed tourist enjoying the shade.

In reality, his attention was divided between the physical therapy session taking place on the back porch and the general hum of activity around the house. Unlike the Hideaway, Monroe’s ran a true B&B experience, renting individual rooms, offering a fully prepared breakfast, and serving light refreshments in the evening. Someone was always on standby, much like a concierge, making sure guests had what they needed for an ideal stay.

Also, unlike the Hideaway, this B&B was in the heart of Brookwell, in the height of tourist season. The steady traffic blended with voices as people moved between the local shops and the beach. The expected noise was comforting and a big improvement over the construction annoyances he’d been coping with since his arrival.

Twenty feet away, Veronica worked with Abigail, fulfilling her commitment to keep the older woman on schedule with her post-op rehab. Roni’s voice was calm and light, her directions precise, as she guided Abigail through a slow, controlled external arm rotation. She had her hair pulled up into a clip, revealing the long line of her neck. The navy-blue cropped pants hugged her toned legs as she moved, and the loose striped top flowed easily as she demonstrated, supported, and corrected her client.

She looked professional, cool, and utterly in control. As if the wild incident earlier hadn’t happened at all.

Brayden suspected he was the only one who could see the telltale signs of stress under her smile and the rigid set of her shoulders—as if her typically perfect posture was trying too hard.

He noticed the clench of her jaw every time a passing car slowed down for the stop sign at Bay and Central. The events of the morning—the inundation of law enforcement, the search warrant, and the smug arrogance of Silas Vanbeck—had left their mark. Veronica wouldn’t crack in front of a client, but he could see her usually unflappable poise fraying at the edges.

“Keep your breathing steady,” Veronica reminded her client. “Relax and let the motion be natural. No forcing it.”

“I’m trying.” Abigail lowered her arm and sighed through a wry smile. “Patience is hard, even at my age.” She paused for a drink of water. “Are you all right? We heard there was some nonsense and commotion at the Hideaway this morning.”

Brayden didn’t move, but he was listening. The news about the search warrant had traveled fast, though he hadn’t expected B&B guests to have heard. On the drive over, they’d stopped for gas and the cashier had quizzed Roni about the multiple cars from the police department and sheriff’s office. Worse, somehow he’d heard about the reportedly stolen goods.

He assumed Vanbeck had leaked the story to erode the Hargrave credibility. It had been satisfying to disabuse the cashier of any wrongdoing, though clearly, it would be an uphill battle against the island rumor mill.

“Can’t beat a small town for a good line on juicy news,” Roni replied. “Nothing to worry about.” She sipped from her own water bottle. “A misunderstanding at best. I really can’t say more than that.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear it.”

“Thank you. Let’s just focus on getting that shoulder healed up. One more set.”

How she summoned that friendly, sincere smile was a marvel. Brayden shifted his focus as his phone vibrated in his plan. The caller ID showed a Guardian Agency headquarters line.