CHAPTER 30

When Avery got to the classroom in the basement of the Episcopal Church, John, Karen, and Luke were already there. Smiling at them, she perched on a cozy-looking sofa on the far end of the room to unpack her instrument.

“You ready for tonight?” Karen asked, smoothing down the front of her concert dress.

Avery stood, hit her pitchfork on the heel of her shoe, listened for the tone, and used it to tune up her A-string. “Yes, I think so.” I hope so. Royce and Andy came in as she continued to tune her violin.

Luke came up to her. “Nervous?” he asked.

“A little,” she admitted, then laughed. “Okay, a lot. This is my first concert in a long time.”

“You’ll be fine. Just remember to breathe. We’ve all put in the practice time and this is a real friendly crowd.”

“I’ll try.”

“If that doesn’t work, you can always picture the crowd in their underwear.”

“Ew.”

Luke grinned. “Precisely. And Avery?” he said, his voice dropping. “You have my thanks.”

“I don’t know what for.” It was the truth. Like she’d told Babs, she hadn’t done anything.

“For just being you. Kate’s agreed to accept my suit.”

“Y-your suit?”

“For courting.”

“Oh.” She’d forgotten how old-fashioned Star Harbor could be. “Your suit. Gotcha.”

Luke took her hand and squeezed. “Thank you. I dropped so many hints, but she never caught on. If you hadn’t told Kate how much I liked her, I doubt she’d ever have noticed.”

Warmly, she smiled at him and gave him a brief hug. “I know you’ll make her happy,” she whispered.

He blushed red before clearing his throat and turning back to the group. “Okay, listen up, everyone. Keep the tempo of the Tchaikovsky brisk and even, just like we practiced. And those Christmas carols need to go on at a good clip. You all know what you need to do, so let’s get up there and play a great concert.”

Single file, they walked up the narrow staircase to the ground floor. When Luke gave the signal, John led the small processional off to the nave, where they’d set up their stands and chairs. Avery followed, trying to ignore the cheering from the large crowd. The turnout was huge—she hadn’t expected so many people to show up—but then again, this was a small town and the concert was considered the season’s major entertainment.

She’d played many concerts before, but somehow, none of them seemed as important as this one did. Kate was out there, and so were Emma and Jimmy. Sure, they’d heard her perform before, but playing in Star Harbor, where her family lived and worked, mattered. Maybe Theo was out there too, but thinking about that would be too distracting. The only thing she needed to focus on now was preparing herself to play.

Then Father Phillips came out in front of the sanctuary wearing a suit and the crowd grew quiet.

“Welcome, welcome to Star Harbor Episcopal for the holiday season,” he said with a smile. Accustomed to speaking in front of a large congregation, his words rang through the cavernous room. “On behalf of myself and the entire congregation, we wish you good tidings, season’s greetings, and of course, a merry Christmas.” Many people murmured “merry Christmas” back to the rector. He continued. “At this time of year, many of us find that our thoughts grow introspective as we search within ourselves to find the true meaning of the season. And we all enjoy the familiar signs that the holiday season is upon us—decorations, traditions, and of course, music. We are fortunate tonight to have the Star Harbor Chamber Music Group join us for an evening of music and merriment. They will be performing several classical pieces tonight, as well as some of our favorite Christmas songs. So relax, enjoy, and on behalf of the church, thank you for your generous donations.”

When Father Phillips walked off the stage, someone dimmed the lights in the church. Everything around Avery went into soft focus as she carefully lifted her bow to start the first piece—the Chopin—and then they were off. Notes, rhythm, and color buzzed through her mind in an ecstatic whirr as the music surrounded her, coursed through her, and lifted her higher and higher. All thoughts of work, life, family, and love were forgotten as she became one with her violin.

Theo couldn’t take his eyes off of Avery. She looked gorgeous in her elegant, draped top and long black skirt. Her hair was pinned up, but it shone like the sun under the bright spotlight. Her playing was brilliant, and even though Theo knew she was an amateur, to him, she sounded like the concertmistress of the Boston Philharmonic. Classical music wasn’t even his thing, but she made it exciting. It was evident from the expression on her face that she was in some kind of zone, completely wrapped up in her playing. He tried to pay attention to the other musicians, but he kept being drawn back to her. By the time they moved on to the second piece, Theo had stopped pretending to watch anyone else.

For the next hour and a half she led the group through their program. The Christmas music was welcome. Though not as technically challenging as the classical stuff, he enjoyed hearing it. And she looked happier playing it.

He wasn’t sure what he was going to say to her after the concert. Only that he was going to try to make it as clear as possible that he loved her and he wasn’t going anywhere.

He loved her. Amid the strains of the music wafting up to him in the last row of the balcony, everything else fell away. She was scared. He got that. But if she could figure out how to trust him unreservedly, regardless of how afraid she was, he’d be there for her. He needed to show her that.

After this concert was over, he’d find her and he’d make her understand exactly how he felt.

As if in an out-of-body experience, Avery was floating above herself, watching herself play. Watching the ensemble. She was a part of the group. A part of the music. And then before she knew it, the concert was over and she was standing up. The applause in the small church was deafening. She blinked, and she was suddenly back inside herself. She glanced over at Luke, who encouraged her to take an additional bow. She did, and when she raised her eyes again, she saw him on the balcony, all the way in the back. He was standing like all the rest, his eyes trained directly on her. Even from sixty feet away he could still see right through her.

She looked away and found Emma and Jimmy in the crowd. Jimmy let out a loud wolf whistle, completely inappropriate considering that they were in a church, but endearing all the same. Emma was clapping and smiling with abandon, and Kate was doing the same from her seat directly next to her.

Avery swelled with joy. No matter how confusing things in her life had become, no matter what issues she was dealing with, she had this. Her music. It wasn’t even the performance that had thrilled her, it was the wonderful group of which she had become a part. In these few short weeks, Luke, Karen, Royce, John, and Andy had become like family to her, brought together by a common interest they all shared and loved. They looked out for her. They cared for her, and she for them.

After the applause died down, a few people left, but many came up to congratulate her. She got hugs from Babs and Julie, and flowers from Emma and Kate. Lots of folks she didn’t even know came up to tell her how well she had played. It was wonderful to hear how much they’d enjoyed the concert, but her adrenaline had begun to wane. Instead of flying high, she was rapidly becoming exhausted.

Tired of smiling, she whispered to Emma, “I’m going downstairs to pack up my instrument. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“All right,” Emma said. “We’ll be here waiting.”

The minute Avery was backstage and alone, she let her smile drop. Drained, she slowly made her way downstairs. After the bright spotlights that had been beaming down on her in the nave, the dim lighting in the basement was a balm to her senses. Even the chill, musty air was pleasant. Relaxing her tired eyes, she walked down the darkened corridor to the back room where they had prepared for the concert. The lights were on, but no one was there. She thought the rest of the group must still be upstairs, basking in the praise of their friends and family. The concert had been a huge success, and Avery was glad she’d been a part of it, but now she just wanted to rest.

Crossing the room to where she had left her violin case, Avery opened it and pulled out a soft cloth. She was about to wipe her violin down when she heard a gentle voice.

“Avery?” It was Theo.

Slowly, she turned to face him, her skirt swinging around her ankles as she moved. In the low-ceilinged room, he looked bigger than usual, but just as gorgeous as always. How he managed to look so put-together all the time was a mystery, especially because he didn’t seem to pay much attention to his appearance.

“What do you want, Theo?” Her voice came out sounding more tired than it did cross. And she was tired. Tired of fighting herself, of trying—and failing—to get things right.

“You.” The simple word reverberated in her skull.

“I’m sorry, what?” she said, blinking.

“You,” he repeated, taking a step toward her. “I want you, Avery. I told you that the first night we met. Except I didn’t know then how much I needed you.”

“Don’t,” she whispered. She couldn’t deal with this—with the heartache of loving and losing.

“I have to,” he insisted. “And you have to listen because this is important. Saturday night was the worst night of my life. I was hurt and angry that you didn’t trust me enough.” He shook his head. “But I know now that I need to earn your trust. I can’t just expect you to give it to me when I demand it.”

Avery swallowed hard and her eyelids flickered. This wasn’t what she’d expected to hear, not by a long shot, and she was unprepared. “I—I don’t—I can’t—”

“I know,” he said, crossing the room until he was right in front of her. “I know you don’t and I know you can’t, but I’m not letting you go. I was wrong to push you away and I’m sorry. So sorry. Avery. I love you, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

She looked into the depths of his eyes, which were filled with love, compassion, and understanding. He loved her. He wanted to work to earn her trust. After how she’d acted, it was more than she deserved, and it humbled her. As if he understood, he gave her a half-smile and pushed up his glasses. But what if she couldn’t do it? “H-how do you know that I won’t end up hurting you?” she asked, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

He curled his hands around her shoulders. “I’m going to trust you the same way that you’re going to trust me.”

“I don’t trust myself,” she whispered, blinking furiously, trying to keep the tears from spilling.

“You will. We’re in this together now,” he said, touching his forehead to hers. “We’re going to make this work. Because I love you, and even though you might not be able to say it, I know you love me, too.”

“I—”

But before she could get a sentence out, he kissed her. When he finally pulled back, she was dizzy. “I don’t want to push you into anything. But I’m here. I’m staying in Star Harbor with you and I’m not leaving. You can tell me when you’re ready, okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered, grateful that she didn’t have to formulate something intelligent to say.

“We’ll talk more later. I brought you something, but damned if I didn’t forget it upstairs. Guess I was focused on talking to you first,” he said with a little laugh. “Don’t go away. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He disappeared before she had a chance to respond. A smile on her lips, she turned back to her violin and gently began to wipe it down. He loved her.

Love. The very last word she expected to hear out of his mouth. She’d been so wrapped up in her own confusion that she didn’t see—couldn’t see—the truth. He’d been dropping hints all along, but she’d been too blind to see them. She’d pushed him away so many times, but he’d held on tight. He wasn’t going to leave her. She still had so many questions, and so much soul-searching to do, but knowing that Theo would be there with her made everything seem brighter.

She’d spent the past few days searching deep inside herself, and she’d come to a startling conclusion. She was flawed just like everyone else, but it was wrong to push away the people who loved her. For years, she’d been wrong. She’d been so stupid. If only she’d taken the same advice that she’d given her clients—admit you have a problem, then figure out a way to fix it—she’d have been on the right path a long time ago.

Theo loved her. God, but those words made her feel good! Her heart swelled as she wrapped her violin in the cloth and tucked it into the case. She’d never dared to hope for a second chance with him. This time, she’d embrace her feelings instead of running from them. She needed to—for herself and for her future.

She popped in her bow and was about to shut the case, when she heard movement at the door. She turned, wondering how Theo had gotten back so quickly, but it wasn’t him. The swarthy man at the door was slightly built, with a day-old beard, deep blue eyes, and oily brown hair. He was wearing a thick, dark blue hoodie and worn jeans. For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other.

“The woman from the Inn.” He had a thick South Boston accent, and only because she’d lived in the city for so long could she actually understand what he was saying.

Avery frowned. “Yes, that’s me. May I help you?”

“You have something that’s mine. I need it back.”

“Sorry. I don’t think I have anything of yours,” she said, about to turn back to her violin case.

“Don’t play games with me, bitch.”

Blinking hard, she turned back to face him, realizing something was very, very wrong. “There’s no cause to be rude,” she said slowly. In her experience, the best way to deal with unhinged people was to speak calmly and rationally. She needed to keep him talking until Theo returned to give her some backup. “Maybe you can tell me exactly what you’re looking for, and we can get someone to help you find it.”

He walked right up to her and before she could even register what he was doing, he shoved her aside and began rummaging through her tote bag.

“Hey!” she said sharply. “Cut it out! That’s my stuff!”

He ignored her and stepped back. “So it’s not in there. I knew you wouldn’t drag it around. Too valuable. Did you give it to the sheriff already?”

Things were rapidly devolving. Niceness wasn’t working. It was time to get tough. “I’m going to have to ask you to go right now, mister!”

Though he stepped a few feet toward the door, he didn’t leave. Instead, he held out his hand, beckoning her to follow him. “If you didn’t give it to the cops, you still have it. Come on. We’re going back to the Inn so you can show me where you hid it.”

Avery crossed her arms under her chest. “I’m not going anywhere with you. You’d better get out of here or I’m going to scream.” As she drew in a breath, the guy reached into the pocket of his hoodie, pulled out a silver gun, and pointed it directly at her forehead. When she heard the click of the hammer being cocked, it was as if her whole world zoomed in to focus on the weapon. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, and she could almost feel the rush of blood through her veins.

“You’re not going to scream. Let’s take a walk.”

Avery froze, rooted to the spot. She wanted to speak, but her mouth was so dry she couldn’t even get a sound out. There was a loud, ringing sound in her ears and she swallowed hard. “Okay,” she whispered. “Just let me get my—”

“Now.”

She couldn’t even feel her body anymore, let alone move. “I d-don’t understand.”

“My boss needs that ledger,” the man said calmly, as if he held people at gunpoint every day. From the way he was holding the gun sideways, like a professional, he probably did.

“B-but I don’t know anything.” She was trembling now, her hands shaking.

“You know way too much if you have that book.”

“N-no,” she said. “I don’t have anything.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I swear it’s true.”

He lowered the gun fractionally so that it was pointing at her face instead of her forehead. “You think I’m stupid? You were the one working at the Inn the night the book went missing.”

“The night at the Inn … the book …” Her mind went on overdrive. Oh, my God. This had to be the book Wanda had told her about. Why hadn’t she followed up with Cole about the backpack? She blinked fast, feeling her eyelids flicker.

“Did you think we wouldn’t find out? We have eyes everywhere, ears everywhere. We know everything that goes on in this town. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

“I don’t,” she agreed. “And I don’t have the book. P-please let me go.” She thought she saw a shadow flash in the door frame. If Theo came back down and got shot because of her, she’d never be able to forgive herself.

“But you know what I’m talking about, don’t you.” He charged toward her, and she finally found the strength to move, stepping back until she hit the wall. He grabbed her arm and hissed at her. “Come on. We’re leaving now.”

There was no use arguing with him. No point in trying to convince him she didn’t have it. Avery knew he was going to take her to the Inn and when she couldn’t produce the ledger he was so desperate to get back, he would shoot and kill her. They’d find her dead somewhere, maybe outside, facedown in a snowdrift. Suddenly sick to her stomach, she pushed back against the wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. He must have mistaken her queasiness for fight, because he gripped her arm more tightly.

“If you make a sound, I’ll kill you here and then I’ll kill all your friends when they come looking for you. But if you come quietly and get me the book, we can do this easy and no one else needs to get hurt. Understand?” She nodded jerkily. “Good.” He pulled her arm and she followed him.

For all the training she’d had, for every situation she’d been faced with at work, she’d never dealt with anything like this. Of course she’d been trained to deal with physical altercations, but this—a gun in her face—was something so far outside the realm of her experience, she had no idea what to do.

Half-praying that someone would see and stop them, and half-praying that everyone she loved would stay far, far away, she let herself be led to the door of the classroom. She couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Fully conscious of the gun in the guy’s hand—and what it meant—her life flashed before her eyes. Kate, Emma, and Theo. Theo.

Nothing had ever seemed clearer. She wanted to fight for him. If she had the chance, she would fight for him and do whatever it took to make it work.

A burble of hysterical laughter welled up in her chest. Why now, of all times, had she come to that realization? Now, when there was nothing she could do except be marched off to her own certain death.

The guy paused at the door and peered around the frame, ostensibly to confirm that no one was waiting in the hallway, then pulled her behind him. “Move. And remember what I said about you screaming.” He led her down the hallway and around a corner to the basement exit. She knew where it led: up a short staircase to the back entrance of the church and directly into the graveyard. “You first,” he said, releasing her arm so that she could walk up the stairs. “I’m right behind you, so don’t try anything stupid.”

She glanced back, catching a quick view of the short hallway. No one was there. No one would help. Then she looked down. The muzzle of the gun gleamed in the dim light and he waved it at her, indicating she should keep moving. Swallowing hard, she took one step up. One step closer to the end of her life. Then another. How could she do this without even making a sound? Yet here she was, still moving. Three steps down, five to go until she reached the door. She paused and felt the guy come up behind her and prod her back with the gun. There was no place to go but up.

She’d never been a truly religious person, but now seemed as good a time as any to start praying.

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,” she murmured, the familiar, comforting words the only thing preventing her from collapsing with fear.

“Quiet,” he said. “Open the door.”

She shoved the heavy metal door open and a blast of cold air hit her squarely in the face. Strangely, she didn’t feel cold. Nor was she scared anymore. She just felt a quiet acceptance of what was about to happen. Her family and friends would be safe. All she had to do was get the guy out of the church.

It was pitch black outside. No lights. No moon. Nothing. Just the weak light from the corridor pooling out a few feet into darkness. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

“I said shut—”

But he never finished his sentence. Just as the words left his mouth, the lights in the hallway were snuffed out. Avery whirled around, eyes wide, trying to figure out what was going on. Before she could even blink, she heard feet pounding, then a yell, a short scuffle, a huge clang, and silence. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. She simply stood there on the landing, frozen with fear, as the door slammed shut, drenching her in blackness.

Then the lights came on.

Her assailant was crumpled in a heap at the foot of the staircase, his limbs splayed out around him. He looked oddly peaceful, as if he’d just fallen asleep, except for the blood on his forehead. Four men stood in a circle around him, each with a weapon. Cole had his gun drawn, Luke was holding his viola case, Jimmy was hanging onto a metal music stand, and Theo was gripping a thick candlestick.

“Is he out?” Jimmy asked.

Cole holstered his gun. “I think so,” he said with satisfaction. “Nice aim, Theo. Got him with the first crack.”

Theo handed the candlestick to Jimmy. “That was the plan. Avery, are you okay?” The other men lowered their makeshift weapons.

Avery gaped at them. “But, how did you … I mean, he just came and I was …” She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to figure out what had happened. “You weren’t even gone for five minutes.” There was a humming in her head that she tried to ignore.

“I came back downstairs and I saw this guy,” Theo motioned to the unconscious man, “holding a pistol on you. I wasn’t sure if I could handle him alone, so I enlisted some help. It was obvious he was going to try to move you, so I knew we had one shot and we needed to make it count.”

“Shot?” The humming in her head got louder. When her ears began to buzz, she thought she was going to pass out. She needed to sit down. Now.

“She’s going into shock,” Cole warned, taking a step toward her.

Theo vaulted up the stairs and caught her right before she collapsed. “I’ve got you,” he murmured as he swept her into his arms. So dizzy that she needed to close her eyes against the spinning sensation, she leaned her head on his shoulder as he carried her down the stairs and back into the classroom. Once inside, he sank down on a sofa, keeping her on his lap and elevating her legs. “It’s all right now,” he said. “You’re going to be fine, Avie. Just sit quietly and we’ll get through this.”

Fine with her. She didn’t want to go anywhere and she probably couldn’t move even if she tried. The nausea was abating, but she still felt dizzy.

“Theo, I’m sorry. So sorry,” she murmured.

He looked confused. “Sorry about that guy? You didn’t know he was going to attack you.” She shook her head, but it just made her dizzier. “Hey,” he said, gently holding her still. “Don’t.”

“I don’t mean about that guy. I mean about everything. You were right, Theo. You were right all along.”

“We don’t have to do this right now. Please, just rest. Cole and Jimmy are dealing with that dude and Luke went to get Julie.”

“We do,” she insisted. She needed to tell him how she felt. Had to let him know that she loved him and that she wanted to fight for him. “I—”

Instead of letting her talk, he simply covered her mouth with his. God, it felt so good to be wrapped up in his arms with his lips on hers. She’d missed this feeling over the past few days—she’d craved it. She pulled back for a moment.

“Theo, I love you.” His eyes blazed fire at her as he leaned over and crushed his mouth to hers again. When he pulled back, she continued. “There’s so much I need to tell you.”

Then his gaze softened. “I know. We will talk, I swear. But for now, it’s enough for me to know that you love me and that you’re okay.”

“I love you and I’m okay,” she whispered.

“Good,” he said, kissing her forehead. Then he kissed her mouth again. Sighing, she leaned against him and closed her eyes. “You played beautifully.”

“Thank you,” she said, her eyes still closed.

“Oh crap,” he said.

“What?” she asked, opening her eyes.

He sighed. “I brought flowers down here for you, but when I saw you being abducted, I dropped them somewhere. They’ve probably been stepped on.”

“I don’t care about the flowers.”

“Then neither do I.” He was about to kiss her a third time when a group of people burst through the door, Julie Kensington leading the pack. They were surrounded within seconds.

“Avery,” Julie said, “Can I take a look?”

“Sure.” There’d be no stopping her, anyway. Julie had that determined look in her eye, and Avery knew she meant business. Gamely, she did as Julie asked, following her finger as she waved it in front of her face, allowing her to take her pulse rate and feel her skin for signs of clamminess.

“I think you’re doing all right,” she said, looking at Theo. “You knew just what to do.”

“Elevate the legs, keep the person calm,” he recited.

“Perfect. Avery, can I take you to the hospital?”

“No.”

Julie gave her a little smile. “I thought you’d say that. Now I have two patients to visit on Ashumet Avenue.”

Avery glanced up at Theo. “I’ll be staying at the Inn. At least, for the time being.”

“Damn right you will,” he said, before kissing her again.