Highland Shifter (MacCoinnich Time Travels #4)(56)
Author: Catherine Bybee

Mrs. Dawson pushed forward and helped Amber return the cloak to her shoulders. “You’ve hardly recovered from your cold, m’dear. You should keep this on.”

As the cloak silenced the emotions in the room, Amber started to breathe easier.

“I should be going,” Philip said. “Let me know if you hear anything.”

“I will.”

“A pleasure meeting you.” Philip nodded toward Amber and walked beside Mrs. Dawson as they left the room.

Amber slumped into the sofa, exhausted from her brief exposure.

When Mrs. Dawson returned to the room, the cane was gone along with her limp. “My God, are you okay?”

“I’m well.” Yet her hand trembled.

“You don’t lie well.”

“Nay, I suppose I don’t. But that man does.”

“Hold that thought. Let me call Helen and find something to calm your nerves.”

* * * *

Two blocks away from Mrs. Dawson’s house, Philip pressed an icon on his Smartphone and brought up the audio feed.

“Drink this,” he heard Mrs. Dawson’s voice.

Good, they haven’t left the library.

“What is it?”

“It’s stronger than wine. You look like you need it.”

Philip remembered the washed out color on Amber’s beautiful face. Something had spooked the girl.

“Better?”

“Aye. Much.”

The thick accent of the girl sounded clearer than it had when he was in the room. Having just returned from Scotland, he recognized the lyrical tone.

“That man is not concerned about Helen’s well being.”

Philip held perfectly still.

“Are you sure?”

“He lied about the authorities. Lied about the desire for Helen to come home with a man. He’s after her.”

“Could you tell why?”

“Nay. But he won’t let her leave his sight once he finds her. Of that I’m certain.”

Philip fisted his palm.

“We need to warn her.”

He hit the dash of his car. “I knew they were lying. Old broad knows where she is.” He turned up the sound.

“They’re on their way home now.” Mrs. Dawson’s voice sounded farther away.

“Is that safe?”

“Safer than if she were out there by herself. Here she’ll have everyone’s protection.”

Who is everyone?

“Seems we’ve run from one battle to another.”

“Philip is only one man. Not an army you’ve left behind. Come, help me in the kitchen. Baking always helps me calm down.” Mrs. Dawson’s voice drifted away as they left the room.

Philip tossed his phone to the side.

Helen wasn’t lost after all. She was hiding.

The spooky, longhaired beauty knew his secrets.

That wouldn’t do.

* * * *

“Now what?”

Helen ran her hands over her face. “I think it’s obvious. I need to emerge from the missing or risk exposing everyone here.”

“How will you explain your absence?” Myra asked.

“Mrs. Dawson’s already done that. I met a guy. We had a wild fling. Now I’m back.”

Simon winked her way.

“You have to keep Simon’s name out of it,” Lizzy said.

“I know. I’ll make something up.”

“You need to stay clear of Philip. The man wants more than your safe return.” Amber’s somber expression reminded Helen that this wasn’t a game.

“He won’t accost me in public. I can’t see him accosting me at all.”

“You didn’t think him capable of breaking into your home, either. Yet, we saw him do so.” Simon placed a hand over hers as he spoke.

The children were in the kitchen eating chocolate chip cookies with Mrs. Dawson. Cian stood by the door listening to the conversation, as usual, and offering nothing while Lizzy, Myra, Simon, and Amber helped Helen figure out their next move.

The kilts were tucked away along with the medieval swords. The only weapons at their disposal were their gifts. Though that might prove useful to Myra, who could move objects with her mind and Lizzy who could fly away if need be, Helen felt quite useless. Sure, Simon could shift into an animal and take out an enemy, but that wouldn’t exactly go unnoticed in a crowd of people. Even the kids could do some crazy-ass stuff.

Maybe it was time for Helen to try and flick a flame from her fingertips. She rubbed her fingers together with the thoughts.

“I’ll take Amber with me to the office and have you or Cian wait outside for us.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I can’t hide forever, Simon. Besides, we need to know what Philip is after.”

“He’s after you,” Amber insisted.

“He has had access to me for years. Why the sudden need now? There’s something I’m missing here.”

Lizzy kicked her feet up on the coffee table. “What do you know about the man’s personal life? He’s not married, right?”

“No.”

“Family? Brothers, sisters?”

“No clue. I think he said something about his parents being gone. That’s all I know.”

Lizzy glanced at Myra. “I think I might need to call in a favor.”

“Oh?”

“Todd’s old partner, Jake. Only he’s not old.” Lizzy reached for the phone. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier. Man is he gonna flip.”

“Is that safe?” Myra asked.

“Why wouldn’t it be? It isn’t like we can fake getting older. If he’s still a cop, he’ll have the ability to do a background check on Philip. See if there’s anything in his past to point to what he’s up to now.”

Lizzy left the room with the cordless phone in her hand.

Helen shrugged and glanced at Simon. His jaw was set in a tight line, his expression grim. So much for worry-free days. “He’s just a man,” she assured him.

“We don’t know that.”

“I agree with Simon,” Amber added. “The man felt familiar to me.”

Helen tore her eyes away from Simon. “What do you mean familiar?”

“Strangers try to hide behind a mask of lies and a lack of expression but reading them is easy for me. I needed to lower my defenses to dig deeper into this man. He’s guarded, as if he knows someone is peering into his soul. I think he’s Druid.” Amber pulled her cloak closer to her frame.

Simon stood and started to pace the room. “If he is one of us, there is no telling what he’s capable of.”