Read Online Hold Me Tight: Heartbreakers by Cait London - Free Book Online Page B

up your time by chattering on and on, and I do that, chatter on and on—and I know you’re busy working at the old Matthews place, fixing it up. And you bartend in your spare time, filling in. That’s sweet of you. Oh, I’m supposed to go get Mrs. Black and take her to the beauty shop, and I—something came up and I forgot. I’d better call. Look around.”
    She hurried through the curtains behind the counter and Alexi heard her punching telephone buttons. “Mrs. Black, I’m sorry I’m late, but something happened last night—yes, I live alone, too, and I thought I heard someone at the door. No, I didn’t call the police. It’s just been weird here lately. I’ll be right over. I just have to close the shop.”
    Alexi looked down at the computer-printed note on the counter: “W. You have made me angry. You will pay.”
    Jessica had been right; someone was bothering Willow, and she was obviously tense and upset. The telephone rang again and Willow answered cautiously, her voice hushed. “Please don’t call again. Please,” she pleaded.
    Alexi picked up the bar of soap and compared the printing on the label to that of the warning note. It matched, but it could have been another machine like Willow’s. Or someone who had access to hers.
    When Willow pushed through the curtains, she was obviously upset, tears in her eyes. The odd smell of onions wafted from her and she pushed a cell phone into her pocket.
    “I’ll take these,” Alexi said, and placed one of Ed’s worry stones on the counter with some scented soap wrapped in raffia. “Do you know Jessica Sterling very well?”
    Willow seemed nervous as she rang up his purchase. Then she looked over her glasses to Alexi and said very firmly, “She’s my dearest friend. I think the world of her, and she’s terrific. She’s very special. Her beauty isn’t only on the outside. I can’t tell you the amount of times she’s stepped in to help me, financially and emotionally. She needed a rest badly and I recommended the Amoteh Resort.”
    The onion scent was strong near Willow, but Alexi followed the obvious hint she had delivered. “You’ve been crying, Willow. Is there something I can do to help?”
    He’d given her the opportunity to explain the onion scent, that she’d been cooking and that the smell had made her cry. Instead Willow glanced fearfully back at the curtains concealing the back room. “No…I…There’s nothing wrong.”
    She turned and with a frown stared at the young man peering into her shop window. She made a hand-swishing “shoo, get away” motion at him. “That’s Kapolo Jones. He’s Ryan’s friend—Ryan, Jarek’s brother-in-law. Kapolo and Ryan surfed together and Kapolo just came up from Australia. He’s told everyone he’s a direct descendant of Chief Kamakani. He isn’t. Kamakani was devoted to his one wife and Makamae died childless. That is well-documented, and he’s angry with me for disproving his claim. It’s like Elizabeth Price at the library telling everyone she’s a direct descendant of—never mind, but that can’t be true, either. I’ve got to go. Mrs. Black wants the discount the beauty shop offers today for tinting all-gray hair. Apparently blue is better. Do you mind?”
    By two o’clock, Alexi had visited the library. The mention of Willow’s name had struck fire in the librarian’s eyes. She slammed down the Date Due stamp into the book of a waiting child. “I don’t who she thinks she is, but that Willow person is dead wrong. I know my family tree.”
    Clearly, Willow had antagonized at least two locals—but she wasn’t afraid of them. Her tears were probably due to the strong onion scent, and Alexi had begun to doubt danger to her.
    Not ready to go back to his house, Alexi fought the memory of Jessica in his bed. He walked along the beach, inhaling theocean-scented air. In the distance, a warning buoy rode the dark waves, clanging softly.
    Alexi promised that he would forget her