Shadows in the Night Read online

  Shadows in the Night

  A Crystal Cove Series: Book Two

  By Kelsey MacBride

  Contents

  Book Description

  AVAILABLE TITLES BY KELSEY MACBRIDE

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Book Description

  If you would like to be notified about sales and new book releases, be sure to sign up for my free newsletter at the following link: http://kelseymacbride.com/newsletter-signup

  Shadows in the Night is book 2 of 3 Christian Suspense Romance Novels in The Crystal Cove Series. The story continues with Heather Parks recovery from a surprise attack in the backyard of the Robbin's estate. As time passes, Heather develops a strong emotional bond with the family, especially with Michael, and soon she begins to question if it is time to move on. But when Michael almost dies from an attack in the middle of the night, her love for him is put to the test. Will Heather follow the desires of her heart and develop a deeper relationship with Michael? Or will she succumb to the fears of her past and leave the Robbins estate? Find out what happens in this gripping continuation of the Crystal Cove Series.

  AVAILABLE TITLES BY KELSEY MACBRIDE

  The Crystal Cove Series

  Secrets of the Heart – Book 1 (Free)

  Shadow in the Night – Book 2

  Beyond a Broken Dream – Book 3

  The Grand Bay Series

  Second Chance Love (Free)

  Unfailing Love

  The Colorado Springs Series

  Dreams of Gold (Free)

  Heart of a Champion

  The Hawaii Love Series

  Courageous Love (Free)

  Perfect Love

  Inspiration Point Series

  Free to Love (Free)

  Unforgettable Love

  Glen Ellen Series

  Fall From Grace (Free)

  Saving Grace

  Bradley Sister Series

  Choices of the Heart: Lauren’s story (Free)

  Desires of the Heart: Megan’s story

  Passions of the Heart: Tiffany’s story

  Redemption of the Heart: Katie’s story

  Please visit www.KelseyMacBride.com for release dates of future books and to find out how to join my community of followers.

  Copyright © 2016 by Kelsey MacBride

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Jimmy Gibbs.

  Book design by Kelsey MacBride

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Kelsey MacBride

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing: December, 2016

  New Prosperity Publishing, Inc.

  ASIN-

  AUTHOR’S NOTE:

  This is the updated version of book 2 in the Crystal Cove Series.

  *Please note that Crystal’s name has been changed to Evelyn and The Crystal Thief is now The Cove Thief. I apologize for any confusion this may cause.*

  There are storylines that started in book 1 and will follow through to book 2. If this is the first book you’ve picked up in the series, and you want to enjoy this series to the fullest, please begin with book 1 Secrets of the Heart.

  Chapter 1

  Michael raised his head off the top of his desk and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The last thing he remembered was dreaming about the peaceful look on Heather’s face as she lay in bed before he drifted off to sleep. He relaxed his grip around the small picture frame still clutched in the palm of his hand and set it back on the corner of his desk. If only Carla knew how much he still missed her and the countless hours he had spent staring at her picture. It was enough to etch her face permanently into the back of his mind. God only knew how much he had mourned her loss.

  But a part of him couldn’t help feeling guilty, not because he hadn’t shed enough tears, but because there was another woman slowly taking her place in his heart. Michael heaved a heavy sigh. After the loss of Carla, he never thought it would be possible for another woman to capture his heart. But Heather had done the impossible, and now he couldn’t stop the tidal wave of desire he began to feel for her. Didn’t he memorialize Carla enough? Didn’t he punish himself enough by carrying a heavy load of guilt all these years? Surely he should be free to move on with his life?

  Michael struggled to find an answer to the questions that nagged at his consciousness. He stretched out his arms and glanced at the nickel dial of the grandfather clock on the wall next to his desk. The American antique had been given to his father by a business client and featured nine tubular bells that played several English tunes. The dials pointed at two twenty-five in the morning, and he had stayed up longer than he intended to. He combed his hand through his hair and walked out from behind his desk before flipping off the switch to the crystal chandelier above his desk. The house was eerily silent as he navigated his way down the hall and trudged up the stairs to his room. It was when he reached the top of the stairs that his eyes grew wider as he studied the body of a woman collapsed into the chair as she lay fast asleep.

  Indignation flashed through Michael as he stared at the barefoot woman who slumbered in her nightgown in an uncomfortable position.

  What was she thinking trying to navigate the house alone after suffering a concussion? The woman could have easily injured herself.

  Michael shook his head in disapproval and stuck out a hand to wake the silly woman and scold her for not using better judgment. But as he stared at the angelic face in front of him, his hand stopped short. How could he jar Heather from a peaceful sleep after all that she had been through? The woman needed as much rest as she could get so she could recover from her injuries.

  Michael leaned over her and gently carried her small frame down the hallway to her room. Heather’s skin felt silky smooth against his firm hands, and her skin smelled of jasmine mixed with cedar wood. The woman remained fast asleep as he tucked her into bed. As Michael turned to exit the room, he heard the whisper of her voice.

  “God sent me to you, Michael.” Heather’s eyes remained closed as the words left her lips.

  Michael stole a glance over his shoulder just in time to see Heather’s eyes flutter for a brief second before settling back to their restful state. With one last sigh, he turned and walked out of her room.

  Over the next few weeks, Heather slowly regained her ability to focus and walk without feeling dizzy. While she still experienced migraine-like headaches, they were happening with less frequency, and she hoped to be back to normal after another week. Evelyn had been worried sick about her and was relieved to know that she would be OK.

  “I’ll be glad when I’m better, and I don’t have to take that stuff anymore,” Evelyn said as she took the evening pills from the palm of Heather’s hand and chased them down with a glass of water from her nightstand.

  “I know you will, Evelyn, and then you can go shopping with Miss Wilson,” she teased with a smile.

  “That woman is so st
uffy. In fact, I don’t believe she cares about me. That woman is a witch. She just wants Daddy for his money,” Evelyn’s voice pitched louder as she rolled her eyes. Over the last few weeks, Evelyn had seen enough of Cynthia Wilson to last more than a lifetime. She could see the greedy woman only wanted to marry her father for money and that objective included winning Evelyn’s heart with fancy little trinkets and designer clothing. But she determined it wasn’t going to work.

  “Be nice, Evelyn; she’s trying to be nice.” Heather gave her a wry smile. Even though she agreed with the girl’s conclusions, she refused to share her feelings. Heather didn’t want Michael to accuse her of sabotaging his wedding by poisoning Evelyn’s mind. But having the woman show up unannounced in the afternoons was problematic for their schedule. Michael had tried to encourage Miss Wilson to respect Evelyn’s schedule, but the stubborn woman seemed to live by her own set of rules. Heather wondered if that’s what showbiz did to a person. She was surprised to find out Cynthia was an aspiring actress in Hollywood, and Heather could tell the woman was good at it.

  It seemed Michael had accommodated his schedule to fit hers, and they were always attending some premier or exclusive party from one week to the next. To her surprise, Heather had even seen Michael on the red carpet at an award ceremony last week on television. While Miss Wilson basked in the attention, she could see Michael was uncomfortable being in the limelight.

  It was hard for her not to feel sympathy for him. But even though everything seemed fine between them, she couldn’t’ help noticing that Michael kept his distance as she recovered from her injury. He had been attentive the night of her injury, but with the passing of time, he became more distant and reserved, and she couldn’t figure out why. Aside from checking on her from time to time, he was seldom at home. Even though a part of Heather’s heart still yearned to see him, she knew it was better this way.

  “Don’t forget about your trip this weekend, Evelyn.” Heather tucked the comforter around Evelyn and gave her a big hug. The trip to Thrill Mountain was finally about to happen, and Michael had been kind enough to postpone the trip until Heather felt better.

  “I don’t know if I can sleep tonight. I’m so excited.” Evelyn’s body shook as a smile flashed across her face.

  Heather stroked the side of Evelyn’s head and smiled back. “I know. You’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, and I can’t believe it’s finally here.”

  “Neither can I. The first thing I want to go on is the Colossal Scream Machine.”

  The corner of Heather’s lips turned down into a frown. “Alright young lady, not so fast. I think you need to start out on the easy rides and gradually build up to the crazy ones. I don’t want you getting sick and throwing up.”

  “I guess you’re right. But I want you to go with me on the first ride, okay?”

  “Don’t worry, I will. We’re going to have a great time tomorrow.”

  “We sure are,” Evelyn said as she closed her eyes and dreamed about the big day.

  Heather prayed with Evelyn before making her way down to the outside patio. It had been almost a month since her attack, and she had been vigilant not to explore the gardens alone, especially at nighttime. But today had been an extremely hot day, and the warm nighttime breeze seemed the perfect opportunity to relax outside on the patio and enjoy the peaceful moonlit coast. Heather believed no harm would come to her so long as she stayed close to the house.

  While she secretly wished Michael was at home to enjoy the evening with her, she knew he was busy with his fiancée planning the final details of their wedding. Heather’s heart sank lower at the thought. It seemed the only man that could make her heart race was about to tie the knot with a woman who knew nothing about how to make him happy.

  His lost appreciation for art, his sensitive personality, and the indescribable pain he carried inside from dealing with Carla’s disaster and Evelyn’s sickness. All of these issues needed nurturing to help Michael become the complete man God designed him to be. And Heather believed she had the sensitivity and love to nurture the little boy inside the man’s body.

  She feared Michael was about to commit himself to a lifetime of misery by marrying the wrong woman. Even though she loved staying at the Robbins household, it seemed her life was becoming more complicated the closer it got to Michael’s wedding, and she didn’t know how long she could continue to act like it didn’t bother her.

  Heather sighed as she watched the waves come rolling in. She had grown fond of Evelyn, and if the girl’s health had healed faster, she would have moved on with her life. But it seemed Evelyn’s health was slow to respond to chemotherapy, and she worried about the girl’s future.

  The sound of heavy footsteps from the garden interrupted her from her musings, and her heart began to race wildly as epinephrine coursed through her body.

  Who would be in the gardens at night? Was it the same attacker from the other night?

  Heather knew one thing for sure, she wasn’t about to wait and find out. She jumped to her feet, ready to bolt for the kitchen side door. Her legs tensed like a sprinter ready to win a gold medal, but before she could make a run for the house, a shadowy figure of a tall man stepped onto the patio.

  Chapter 2

  “Such a fine woman enjoying the night all alone?” Heather picked up on the uncomfortable enthusiasm in his voice as he stared at her like a hyena who had just discovered a raw piece of steak. “I’m new here; my name is Henry.” He held out a thick calloused hand that could easily crush hers with one strong squeeze. Heather wanted to retreat from the stranger, but her legs felt like lead weights had been attached to them.

  “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” she blurted out as she tried to hide the trembling in her voice. Heather ignored the man’s greeting and watched as he pushed his leathered hand back into his jeans.

  “I’m the new gardener, lady. And who are you?”

  “New gardener?” Heather’s forehead creased with wrinkles. “Where’s Mr. Jacoby? No one ever told me they hired a new gardener.” Heather felt the strength return to her legs as she trod backwards from the man until the stucco wall pressed against her back.

  “He’s still here. They must have forgotten to tell you. Mr. Robbins just hired me for the west section. Who are you?” The man with long hair and a beard showed off his crooked teeth as he took a step toward her.

  Heather’s body relaxed slightly, but she still didn’t trust the man. “I’m Heather, Evelyn’s nurse. I’ve had a lot going on, and I guess they haven’t had a chance to tell me. I apologize.”

  “No Ma’am, I understand. I’m happy to meet you. Would you like some company? It would be a shame to enjoy this beautiful evening all alone.” The smell of his sweat infused with a thick cologne reminded her of a strong cleaning product that made her nauseous.

  Heather held up the palms of her hands and flashed him a nervous smile. “Thanks for the offer, but I was just about to head inside.” Her body pivoted toward the patio door, but before she could take a step toward freedom, his arm shot across her chest.

  “So . . . you enjoying your stay here, Ma’am?” He leaned within inches of her face and brushed something off the wall behind her. Heather’s mind raced wildly for a way to escape the gardener.

  “I love it here,” her voice began to waver. “Actually, what about you? Do you like it here so far?”

  “Phillips, my name is Henry Phillips. But you can call me Henry, now that we’ve been properly introduced.” He gave her a wink before spitting on the ground beside him. “I like it OK. I’ve traveled the states a lot before getting here to Cali, and I must say Mr. Robbins has a pretty good thing going here. He gets to live by the beautiful ocean—” the man’s eyes roamed from her face to her feet, “and the pretty girls. I’m a lucky man to be staying here. The west garden is so huge, looks like I’ll be here a good while.” The man traced his lips with his tongue and leaned close enough for Heather to feel the moist heat of his breath agai
nst her face.

  A chill ran down Heather’s spine. Not because she could feel the nauseating moist heat of his breath against her face, but because her eyes rested on the large hunting knife strapped to the side of his jeans. Without hesitation, she nimbly ducked her head under his arm and scurried to the patio door.

  “Well, I must get going; it was nice to meet you, Mr. Phillips.”

  “See you around soon,” he yelled from behind as Heather made her way to safety inside the house.

  The glass shook as Heather slammed the patio door shut behind her. She peered past the glass to see if the man had followed her. But he just stood there, watching her with a smirk on his face before turning and vanishing into the darkness. Heather let out a sigh of relief. Something about the man sent shivers down her spine, and she had an uneasy feeling about him. She wanted to share her reservations with Michael and ask him to reconsider his decision to hire the strange man, but Heather decided against it. She didn’t want to appear paranoid or weak to Michael. What if she misjudged the man?

  She pushed her hair behind her ears and straightened her dress before marching into the kitchen. To her surprise, she found Linda in the kitchen, a wisp of hair in her eyes as she concentrated on pouring a dark liquid over a beige colored cake on the counter. She glanced past the woman to the large mess of bowls and cooking utensils scattered across the counter.

  “Wow, Linda. It looks like you’re making something really special.” A smile formed on Heather’s lips.

  “I’ve been spending the last few three hours trying to make this dessert.” Linda brushed her sleeve across her forehead.

  “Can I ask what you’re making?”

  “It’s tiramisu cheesecake. It’s Mr. Robbins favorite, and Miss Archer only makes it on special occasions. But I figured it would be a nice surprise when he gets home from his latest trip.” Linda pointed to the portable mixer on the counter. “I could use a little help with the frosting if you’re up to it.”

  Heather grabbed the mixer and began beating the frosting until it reached a cloud-like consistency. “That’s so nice that you think about him, Linda. He’s lucky to have you around. He even mentioned it to me the other day.” Linda lifted her gaze at Heather. “She does a little bit of everything, he said to me.”