Page 19 of A Rhapsody of Ravens and Revenge

He knocked on her door and waited for a response.

There was nothing.

“Evie?” he asked. “Open up. We need to talk.”

But still there was no response.

His heart thudded in his chest as he put his weapon down at his side and tried the knob. It was locked.

“Evie, I’m giving you fair warning. If you don’t open the door I’m breaking the door down.”

He tried not to let fear get him. He knew the French doors were a vulnerable entry point. He never should have let her come back upstairs alone. What if Taber already had her?

Without a second thought his foot made contact with the door, and it splintered open.

“Evie!” he called out again as he made the perimeter, checking the closets and bathroom along the way. There was no sign of her. No note. Nothing. She was just—gone.

The French doors were unlocked from the inside and he swore.

Cal knew the house, inside and out. He’d spent countless hours there, visiting the family, vacationing at the beach, and playing golf at the course down the road. He’d familiarized himself even more by studying the security system and the plans in place for an emergency evacuation.

If Taber didn’t have her it meant she’d left of her own volition. And if that was the case he was going to wring her neck for putting her life in danger. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told her they were going to stick together like glue. Where she went, he would be. And vice versa. That included their sleeping arrangements. She wasn’t going to be happy about it—he wasn’t that happy about it either because she was a temptation that would be hard to resist—but the only question she should have was what side of the bed she should sleep on. That’s how close they needed to be at all times.

But it was a necessity. Her bedroom was a security nightmare. It was on the second floor, and a veranda ran the entire length of that wing of the house. Double staircases ran all the way to the third floor, and her bedroom had a wall of windows and a French door along the entire side of one wall. Huge palm trees surrounded the house, which provided cover for anyone who shouldn’t be there, and there was a two-hundred-year-old live oak with strong and extended branches centered in the back courtyard.

He knew from experience how easy it was to jump onto a branch from the balcony and shimmy down to the ground. It was also easy to climb when trying to sneak into the house. The scenery was beautiful—a clear view of the ocean on a sunny day. But it was paradise to anyone who wanted to get in. And for someone like Taber, it was like wrapping Evangeline up like a present and handing her over.

The bedroom across the hall and at the opposite end of the wing was a much better and safer choice. He could set up security precautions to give them time to escape if someone breached the house.

He took a deep breath and calmed his mind, doing another pass through the bedroom. It was a room that suited the real Evangeline. Not stuffy and closed off like she pretended to be. But vibrant and full of life and color. It made him think of something a sultan and his harem might enjoy.

The bed was a massive four-poster monstrosity, dominating the room, and the comforter a rich blue silk. Sheers in different shades of blue and turquoise were draped from one corner to the other and pillows were piled high on the bed. Rugs with the same shades of turquoise were scattered along the hardwood floors, and there was a sitting area with a delicate settee in pure white and a chair upholstered in blue with thin gold stripes. Soft white sheers hung in place of curtains, but they were no protection against anyone who wanted to see in. It was the only room in the house with color.

There were no signs of struggle. She was a neat and organized creature of habit. She hadn’t always been that way. It’s as if a switch had been flipped that day ten years before.

The room was full of books—all kinds of books—from romance novels to technology guides, to memoirs. The shelves and every available surface were overflowing with books. And a lone, battered laptop sat closed on her desk. The pang of regret was sharp.

He checked his phone. There was no contact from any of the agents he had watching the house. She’d slipped out. Unnoticed. Unprotected. How did she do it?

He did another pass through the bathroom and noticed the clothes she’d been wearing down in the kitchen. They were folded neatly on the side of the tub. He went back over to the French doors and opened them, stepping out onto the balcony.

He dialed a number on his phone and waited for the answer.

“James,” the agent said.

“Evangeline is gone,” Cal said. “Give me a report. Who’s got eyes on the back of the house?”

“Curtis,” James said. “But we had a slight hiccup. He’s in one of the boats watching from the water, but the tide shifted and the winds picked up. He got set off course and lost visual for a few minutes.”

“A storm is going to be coming in tonight,” Cal said. “If you’ve got boats out there you better make sure the agents in them are experienced sailors. Things are going to get rough, and that’s exactly the time that Taber will strike.”

“Yes, sir,” James said.

“She went off her balcony and climbed down the tree. I can see her footprints on the sand. Do you see her?”

“I don’t have a visual,” James said. “She must be hidden behind the rocks. There’s a cove that’s pretty secluded.”

“I feel like I’m keeping a pretty good hold of my temper by not coming down there and beating the hell out of all of you, and then finding people competent enough to keep track of one woman.”

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