Page 39 of The Beach Hut on Plum Island
“What?” Harriet frowned as the haze in her eyes cleared before realization dawned. “Oh, right.” She whispered, “Can you lean down slightly? You’re so tall I can’t see over your shoulder.”
“Okay, well, I have another idea,” Finn said, taking her hand and stepping toward the door so Harriet could see behind them before reaching over and pushing it open. “Do you see her?”
“Yup!” Harriet said. “She’s right there behind the tree.”
“Are you going to be okay on your own?” Finn looked at Harriet worriedly.
“I’ll be fine,” Harriet assured him with a smile.
“Okay.” Finn kissed her forehead. “Good night, princess. Sweet dreams.”
Harriet watched Finn walk away before turning to go to the reception desk. Finn’s heart was hammering in his chest, and his emotions ran wild as he headed toward his pickup. He was so deep in thought that he didn’t hear the footsteps behind him until it was too late. He was grabbed from behind, and someone plopped a bag over his head. Finn heard someone say, quickly injecting the sedative right before another familiar voice came from behind them.
“Hey!” Alex shouted. “What’s going on? Harley, come quick.”
Finn used the distraction to act quickly. He was about to use his now free head to knock into the person who held him, but he felt the man crumble, and he was suddenly free. There were a few grunts and moans around him before the bag was ripped from his head.
“Finn, what on earth, man,” Alex stood in front of him, holding the hood.
Finn looked around at the three men lying on the ground.
“Let me go,” the fourth man struggled against Harley, who was holding the man with both arms painfully twisted behind his back. “Do you know who I am?”
“Yeah,” Harley told him. “You’re the guy that tried to kidnap my friend, so I don’t need to know who you are, but I’m sure the police will.”
“Why were you trying to kidnap our friend?” Alex’s voice resonated with warning.
“Because he wants to marry Harriet,” Finn told them. “Meet Duke Leon something or other.”
“You’re Leon Gladstone?” Alex’s eyes narrowed, and before they could stop him, Alex punched Leon in the jaw. “Now you know what it feels like when you hit someone.”
“What?” Finn looked at Alex in alarm. “What do you mean by that?”
“Harriet thinks I don’t know,” Alex hissed, looking at Leon in disgust. “But Dawn saw him hit Harriet at a party not long before she broke off the engagement.”
“You hit Harriet?” Finn seethed. He felt his blood boil, and a haze of red clouded his vision as he vaulted forward.
“Finn, no, don’t!” Harriet’s voice pulled him back from the brink of his anger, and he spun around, and she ran to him. “He’s not worth it.”
“Look at what these Neanderthals have done,” Leon growled. “They accosted me in the parking lot. Your uncle’s going to hear about this.”
“Oh, shut up,” Harley told him. “And I’m sure when the police arrive, your unconscious friends here will be able to contradict what you’ve just said.”
“Leon tried to kidnap Finn,” Alex blurted to Harriet.
“Is that true?” Harriet looked at Leon in disbelief.
“I won’t say another word without an attorney,” Leon glared at Alex. “An attorney who’s going to sue you for everything you’ve got for breaking my jaw.”
“If your jaw were broken, you wouldn’t be able to whine,” Harley hissed. “And as far as we know, you were injured when you tripped and fell running from the crime scene.”
CHAPTER 7
Harriet awoke early the following morning to her screaming alarm clock. Groaning, she pulled a pillow over her head, wondering if she should skip her morning run. Then, she could get another hour’s sleep before meeting Finn and her parents at the Beach Hut.
The moment she thought of Finn, her eyes flew open, and the pillow was dumped on the bed beside her. Harriet’s hand hit her phone and slid the alarm off. Her heart jolted, and she sat up as the fluttering things in her stomach came alive.
“Looks like I’m going for a run after all.” Harriet yawned and climbed out of bed.
