TIMELESS FIRE - CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 45

Michael stood on a hill overlooking the house and the beach beyond and stared through the binoculars. A speck out on the water had caught is attention. The supplies weren’t due until later in the week, but the speck had been growing increasingly larger throughout the day. An hour ago it had disappeared altogether, leaving him to wonder if a ship had come ashore.After several minutes of searching the visible shoreline, he started back. If a ship had docked on the island, it couldn’t be seen from his vantage point.

As he rounded the corner of the beach house, he could see that Dora had set the table. It wasn’t until he stepped inside that he spotted Niki.She was lying on the floor—unconscious. At first he thought she was dead, but when he bent closer, he could see the regular rising and falling of her chest. The large bloody wound in her head indicated she had been hit hard or with something heavy. She would need stitches.

“Dora?”

When the cook failed to answer, he moved to the kitchen to investigate. The room was empty—the back door standing wide open. He stepped outside to look around. The ground at the back door showed signs of disturbance. He would have liked to investigate, but the growing darkness and Niki’s uncertain condition prevented him.Back inside, Niki was coming around.

Her low moans grew stronger as her mind became aware of the pain pounding in her head. Her eyes opened to a hazy world even as Michael’s voice pierced her consciousness. He was kneeling beside her—his face pinched with concern. He was pressing a towel against the wound in her head.“Did you see who hit you?”

“No.” Her voice sounded weak and breathy. “I was sitting at the table, waiting for you, when someone hit me from behind.”

“Was Dora in the room at the time?”

“No. She had served the table and gone back into the kitchen.”

“Did you see anyone outside the house or down on the beach?”

“No. I thought we were the only ones on the island.”

“So did I.” He lifted her onto the couch. “I need to get a doctor to look at that. He brought an afghan to ward off the chill of shock. “Did you have any clue as to the identity of your attacker?”

She shrank back, looking at him with open suspicion.

“You’ve got to be kidding. You think it was me?”

“You said it yourself. We’re the only ones on the island.”

“What about Dora? She’s missing. Did I do away with her too?”

“How would I know? For all I know, you and her are in this together.”

“Fine. Believe what you want.” He pulled the cell phone from his pocket. “I’ll leave you alone until the doctor arrives.”