Protector, Lover...Husband?: In the Dark / Sure Bet / Deadly Exposure

“Don’t worry, there’s a key in there somewhere, and if not, Zach will open the door. Mrs. Conroy, you could really help me out here. Did Seth know the name of the ship he wanted to find?”

“The name of the ship…” she repeated.

“The name.”

“Oh…yes! The Anne Marie, I think he said.” Her eyes brightened, and she smiled, forgetting her quest for her key for a moment. “He was very excited about it. He said there was more fantasy written about her than fact. That the legend had it all wrong. No, history was wrong, legend was right.” She shook her head and gave her attention back to her purse. “Where is that damned key?”

The door opened. Zach looked at them anxiously.

“I thought I should walk your mom to your cottage,” David said.

Zach looked amazingly world-weary, understanding and tolerant. “Thanks, Mr. Denham.”

“No problem, and call me David.”

The kid nodded, taking his mother’s arm.

“I’m okay,” Ally said, steadying herself. She cupped Zach’s face, then gave him a kiss on the forehead. “I guess we have to take care of each other, huh? I’m sorry, hon.”

“It’s okay, Mom.”

“I’m going to lie down,” Ally said.

“Good idea,” Zach told her.

Ally paused, looking at David. “I…thank you,” she said.

“Not at all.”

“I’ll try to remember anything else I can,” she told him. “After an aspirin and a night’s sleep,” she added dryly.

“Thanks again.”

Ally walked inside. Zach looked at David. “She liked Mr. Granger,” he said with a shrug. “I was sorry, but…I didn’t want her getting all tied up with him. I know she was thinking it would be great for me to have a dad, but he was a loudmouth. And rude. I didn’t want my mom with him. I didn’t make him fall in the water, though.”

“I never thought you did, Zach,” David said.

“Thanks,” Zach said. As David started to walk away, he called him back. “Hey, Mr. Denham? David?”

“Yes?”

“Maybe sometime, if you’re not too busy, you could show me the Icarus?”

“I’d be glad to,” David said. “Maybe tomorrow. Ask your Mom. Maybe we can have coffee together, or breakfast, and I’ll take you both out on her.”

In all honesty, he liked the kid. Especially after tonight.

And he damn sure wanted to talk to Ally Conroy when she was sober.

Before anyone else did.

Chapter Seven

Len Creighton was off work, and he considered his free time as totally his own. He sat nursing a double stinger at the Tiki Hut. He needed it.

He’d been behind the desk when a news brief had interrupted the television program in the lobby with the stunning information that millionaire tycoon Seth Granger was dead, apparently by drowning. There was little other information at the time, but he’d heard more about it once the boats had returned to Moon Bay. It had been pretty much the only topic of conversation in the Tiki Hut.

He was still hearing the buzz about it from other tables when Hank Adamson sat down in front of him.

“Long day, huh?” Adamson said, indicating Len’s drink.

“Longer for you, I imagine, Mr. Adamson.”

“You can call me Hank, please. Yeah, we were there a long time. The sheriff asked everyone if anyone had seen Seth go out or fall in the water. No one had.”

“No one saw him? How sad,” Len said.

Hank lifted a hand to order a drink. After giving his order, he told Len, “Sad thing is, I don’t think anyone cared.”

“I care,” Len said in protest. He shrugged sheepishly. “He always tipped well.”

“He was rude as hell to the waitress today. You don’t think she pushed him into the drink, do you?”

Len smiled, but knew he had to be careful with Hank Adamson. “I’m sure he was just tipsy and fell in himself.”

“That old sheriff…he’s something, though. Ever had a homicide in this area?”

“Not since I’ve been here.”

“Well, there you go. A local-yokel sheriff just trying to make a name for himself.”

“Nigel’s a good guy,” Len defended.

“So you think he really thinks there was foul play?” Hank asked, smiling at the waitress and accepting a beer from her.

“He’s no yokel,” Len said.

Adamson leaned toward him. “Why would someone murder Granger? They aren’t going to be blaming it on any ex-wife. If he was killed, it had to be someone who was with us at that bar. Someone on the staff at Moon Bay?”

“No way!” Len protested.

“Your boss admits he wants in on a lot of action,” Hank said. “He’d love to get into the salvage operations business.”

Len stood up. Writer or no, Hank Adamson had crossed the line.

“Jay is as honest as the day is long,” Len said firmly.

“Hey, an honest man can be driven to murder,” Hank said, smiling as he took another sip of beer straight from the bottle. “Sit down. I like your boss. In my opinion, the jerk just fell off the pier. Finish your drink, and I’ll buy you another.”