The man had been so clueless—and he acted as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He’d learned that his brother was missing and possibly a part of a murder investigation, yet he had to rush away to watch his favorite TV show.
Ty had thought when they found the man they’d have more answers. But the only thing they’d really learned was that, according to Larry, Buddy was alive and out of town and pursuing a lucrative business on the island.
Did Larry know about the drugs? He didn’t appear to.
They already knew that blood didn’t belong to Buddy.
Something else about the conversation left him with questions: the intensity in Cassidy’s eyes. It was almost like she’d done stuff like this a million times before. Sure, she threw in a few “maybes” and “kind ofs.” But overall, she’d grilled the man like a pro.
Was she just a natural at these types of things? Maybe some people just had that propensity.
But still, Ty couldn’t help but feel there was much more to Cassidy Livingston than she let on. And he wanted to discover every one of those details.
His mom put her phone away when Ty and Cassidy reached the table. “Did you get your ice cream money?”
Cassidy smiled as she sat down. “I sure did. Thanks for understanding.”
“Of course.” His mom’s smile slipped. “I just got a call from my doctor’s office, and something strange showed up in my blood work. They want me to come in early for my follow-up.”
Ty’s stomach clenched, and that familiar sense of worry started to creep in. “What do you mean?”
“They said it could be nothing, but they want to go ahead and do a scan a few days early,” Dad said. “It’s no big deal.”
Ty tried to read his dad’s face. Could this nightmare really be starting again?
He closed his eyes. Please, Lord, no. Not again. Cut her some slack. Please.
“Get that expression off your face,” Del said. “None of us knows how long we’ve been placed here on earth, Ty. And I’ve determined to be happy with the days I have—whether it’s many more years or only weeks. This world isn’t the end for me, you know.”
He nodded, his emotions bigger than his knowledge right now. “I know. But I don’t want to see you suffer anymore. Why don’t you stay here so I can take care of you—”
His mom clamped her hand on his arm. “We’re not going to make decisions like that, Ty. Let’s see what the doctor says first. Then we’ll take it from there.”
Cassidy’s gentle touch on his back eased Ty’s muscles but only a little.
He finally nodded stiffly. “When are you leaving?”
“In the morning,” Dad said. “I guess we should get back to your place and get packed. I’m sorry to cut this short.”
“I’m sorry too,” Ty said.
Because when it came to people you loved, you had to make every moment count.
Chapter 20
Cassidy had to tamp down the swell of emotions that had risen inside her faster than floodwaters in a storm. They’d come from nowhere. But hearing about Ty’s mom had caused an irrepressible urge to cry.
It made no sense. She hardly knew the woman, and Del’s diagnosis was still uncertain.
By Ty’s family represented all she hoped for in life, the idyllic dreams she had for her own future. Dreams that she’d hardly realized.
And seeing Ty’s concern. Hearing the emotion in his voice.
It had nearly broken her.
Cassidy was quiet on the drive back, and, despite her good sense, she interlaced her fingers with Ty’s as she sat beside him. It probably wasn’t much of a comfort to him. But she didn’t want him to be alone right now.
When they finally got back to their houses and climbed from the car, Cassidy threw her arms around Del’s neck. “I’ll stop by and see you tomorrow before you leave.”
Del gripped Cassidy’s cheeks. “There’s no mourning, child. We’re not going to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow is going to worry about itself.”
Cassidy nodded. She’d heard that before. It was on her calendar. But hearing it come from Del brought new meaning to the Bible verse.
“You take care of my son, you hear?” Del’s gaze latched onto Cassidy’s.
Cassidy wanted to tell Del the truth. Yet she didn’t. So she nodded, emotions lodged in her throat.
“I’m going to walk Cassidy home,” Ty said, his voice deep and heavy. “I’ll be back in a few.”
“Take your time,” Del said.
They didn’t say anything as they walked across the wet sand, but Ty reached for her hand again. Cassidy didn’t refuse it. They remained silent as they climbed the steps to her covered deck. It wasn’t until they were at the top that Cassidy dared to speak.
“I’m so sorry, Ty.” She pulled him into a hug.
He didn’t refuse it, nor did he say anything, so Cassidy just held him, her arms wrapped around his neck, and his arms around her waist.
She was about to cry, she realized. Cassidy never cried. Her father had always said it was a sign of weakness.
Not only that, but she felt on the cusp of letting her guard down—something that wouldn’t be wise. She had to keep the bigger picture in mind here, but her resolve felt teetering at best.
Abruptly, she pulled away from Ty and turned toward the railing. She stared out at the ocean as she tried to get a grip, desperate not to let Ty see the turmoil in her eyes.
Ty appeared beside her, his arm snaking around her as they stared out at the ocean together.
“It puts life into perspective, doesn’t it?” Ty asked softly. “Seeing this big ocean makes me realize how small I am. In the grand scheme of things . . .”
“We’re just tiny players,” Cassidy finished.
“Yet God’s thoughts of us are more numerous than the grains of sand.”
Ty really believed that, didn’t he? Cassidy wanted to have a faith in something bigger than herself also. What would that be like?
She wiped away the moisture beneath her eyes.
Yep. She was crying. Not just over Ty’s mom—though that was a big part. But she was crying for Skye. Crying for the woman in San Francisco who’d died because of her. Crying because she understood what it was like to be so broken that she couldn’t imagine putting herself together again.
But maybe she could. With some help.
“What are you thinking about, Cassidy?” Ty’s voice was soft enough to be a caress.
She swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. Her throat burned. “Have you ever thought that you knew exactly what you wanted, only to figure out you didn’t have a clue?”
“As a matter of fact, I have.”
The burn in her throat grew warmer, but she didn’t dare look at Ty. She kept her eyes glued on the ocean. “What did you do?”
“I admitted I have only one chance to live this life, and I needed to make the best of it.”
One chance? Make the best of it?
Ty had pegged her when they’d had ice cream together a few weeks ago and he’d said she was the girl who seemed perfect but who tried too hard. Nothing had ever been good enough for her parents, and now Cassidy never felt like . . . well, she’d never felt like enough.
What would it be like to feel whole? Content? Good enough?
Ty drew her closer. Strangely, his nearness wasn’t weird but electrifying. Natural. Comfortable.
His body heat warmed her and tried to draw her even closer into its sheltering coziness.
“Sometimes what we think our future should be isn’t what happens,” he murmured. “Sometimes there’s something better in store.”
Cassidy’s throat felt raw and achy. Better? Could his words be true? Maybe there was more to her future than the fast track to success. Maybe the girl who had it all together actually had it all wrong.
All Ty had to do was mutter, “Cassidy,” and she turned toward him. Got a glimpse of his eyes. Eyes that were full of compassion and heat and . . . something el
se that drew her in like no one else’s eyes ever had.
The look unnerved her. Thrilled her. Stirred her curiosity.
In the next instant, Cassidy felt Ty’s chest against hers, strong and solid and capable. Her hands went to his neck.
And without so much as a prelude, their lips met—hungry. Curious. Impatient.
Just like earlier, her toes curled beneath her as something just short of magical exploded inside her. Cassidy had been kissed plenty of times. But never had she felt like this.
Her fingers brushed the edge of his hairline. Stroked his cheek and neck. Rested on his chest.
In one move, almost like a dance, Ty turned her around. Took three steps back. The shingles of the house brushed Cassidy’s back.
What was she doing? The question slammed into her mind.
Using every ounce of her willpower, Cassidy pushed Ty away and took in a deep gasp of air. Her lips burned. Felt swollen. Felt suddenly like they were missing something.
Missing Ty.
She didn’t belong here. She had too many secrets—enough to make a spy’s head spin. And she couldn’t tell Ty any of them.
She put her hands on Ty’s chest and pushed him back even farther. “I can’t do this.”
His lips curled, and he pulled her closer. “You were just doing it. Really well, if I do say.”
Her toes curled again. Because he’d just done it really well also. He was a great kisser—
She had to get her thoughts back into focus. If Ty kissed her again, she’d be a goner.
“I . . .” She what? Cassidy never got flustered. But she was now. Really flustered.
And if she stood here much longer—this close to him—she was going to kiss him again. The temptation was more than she could handle.
So she did the only thing she could.
Cassidy hurried toward her door, her hands trembling as she reached for the knob.
“I’m sorry,” she called over her shoulder. “But I shouldn’t have done that.”
Cassidy took one last glance back. Ty stood there, confusion obvious in his eyes, in his slumped posture.
But she couldn’t let that change her mind. Cassidy had to get away from him. Now.
Before she spilled all of her secrets.
Chapter 21
Ty leaned against the deck after Cassidy escaped inside, running away as if she was either scared or chased by regrets.
What had happened? He knew that she’d felt something also. Cassidy wouldn’t have kissed him that way if she hadn’t.
But something held her back.
Ty raked a hand through his hair. He couldn’t figure it out now. She needed time. And he needed to get back to his mom. The temporary escape from his worries had been nice . . . until it ended like this.
Memories of Renee filled him. Ty had been burned, and he’d vowed not to put himself in a situation like that again. So what exactly was he was doing? Just because he felt a connection with Cassidy didn’t mean they should date or be together.
Yet he couldn’t get the woman out of his mind.
Feeling a new weight on his shoulders, he started back toward his house. Halfway there, his phone buzzed. It was Austin.
Ty ducked for cover from the spotty rain before answering.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m down at the marina,” Austin said. “Something happened I think you should know about.”
He braced himself, sensing that the news wouldn’t be good. “Go ahead.”
“The police just took Jimmy James in for questioning,” he said. “It turns out they found a bloody knife on his boat.”
“Did the blood match what was found at Buddy’s house?”
“They don’t know yet. I’m sure they’ll test it. But there’s more to it. The knife they found? It belonged to Skye.”
Ty felt the blood drain from his face. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, man. I’m sure. It was the one she always used at the produce stand to let people sample her fruit and vegetables. It’s ornate, distinguishable. And it’s hers.”
His night just got a lot worse. “So the police think she’s a suspect again?”
“Yeah, I overheard them talking. They definitely think she ran because she’s guilty. But you and I both know that’s not true. We’ve got to find her.”
“I’m doing what I can.” Skye? His mom? He hated being pulled in two different directions. But he had no good leads as to where to search for Skye. Maybe with a good night’s rest he would.
“Don’t give up. Skye needs people on her side.”
“I’m not,” Ty said. “No man left behind.”
It was his mantra as a SEAL, and his mantra now as well.
Cassidy lowered herself on her couch and pulled a blanket over her, waiting for her lips to feel normal again. What had she been thinking? She should have never allowed that kiss. But she had, and now she’d need to deal with the fallout. She added it to her already long list of things going wrong in her life.
Needing to clear her head, she pulled out her phone again, an idea playing in her mind, teasing her and tempting her at the same time.
After nibbling on her cheeks for a minute, she made her choice.
She was going to call Samuel. Cassidy had two favors to ask him. Both required putting herself on the line, but it would be worth it.
“You know every time you call it puts you at risk,” Samuel answered. People murmured in the background, making Cassidy wonder if she interrupted a dinner party or a meeting.
“I know,” Cassidy said.
“Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know. But I need to ask you two things. Both are important.”
“Alright. I’ll hold off on giving you an answer until I know what you’re talking about.”
She closed her eyes. “First, I need you to trace a number.”
“Trace a number?”
“If I give you someone’s cell phone number, I need you to find the last known location of the device.” It was the only way Cassidy would find Skye. They were out of options.
“I need a warrant.”
“I know you can do it off the books.”
He didn’t say anything. They both knew her words were true. Stuff like that happened plenty.
“How important is this?” he finally asked.
“Very important.”
“Does it pertain to DH-7?”
Cassidy remembered the flakka they’d found and contemplated her answer. “I’m not sure.”
Samuel sighed. “I’ll see what I can do. What else?”
Cassidy’s next request nearly choked her. The words didn’t want to leave her lips, but she forced them. “Samuel, when I was undercover, I was injected with flakka. I woke up covered in blood.”
“What?” His voice climbed with emotion, and the background noise disappeared. “Why didn’t you mention this when we debriefed you?”
She pulled her blanket closer. “I don’t know. I was scared. I . . . I just don’t know.”
He paused before asking, “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember anything. But it was the same day that woman was found murdered.” Her voice cracked.
“The one you asked me about?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
Cassidy fisted the blanket around her. “Samuel, can you look into it? I need to know if I had anything to do with her death.”
“And if you did?” His words hung in the air.
“Then I expect to pay for my mistakes.”
“It’s doubtful there would be any charges pressed against you. If you did do it, you weren’t in your right mind.”
“If I killed someone who was innocent, I deserve to pay for it, whether I was in my right mind or not.”
She’d killed Raul, and even his death haunted her. Taking someone else’s life was a burden, whether they were innocent or guilty.
Samuel lowered his voice. “Last chance to change you
r mind. I’m willing to forget you told me this. Just say the words, and we won’t open this can of worms.”
Cassidy was tempted but only for a second. “No, I need to know, Samuel. I can’t live with these doubts anymore.”
“Very well then. I’ll see what I can find out.”
Chapter 22
Today’s Goal: Do whatever necessary to find Skye and nothing else.
Cassidy set her alarm, so she would wake up bright and early the next morning.
Despite how things ended between her and Ty last night, she’d promised Del she’d be there to say goodbye, and she wouldn’t go back on her word.
By the time Cassidy got dressed and walked next door, Ty and his parents were already loading suitcases into the station wagon parked beneath his place.
She could feel Ty’s eyes on her as she called good morning and raised her coffee mug in a sleepy-eyed salute.
“Well, there you are, Cassidy.” Del paused by the passenger side door, looking pretty and comfortable in her light-pink pants and top. “I was hoping I’d see you before I left.”
“I promised you would.” Cassidy stopped in front of her, wondering briefly if Ty had told her anything. He didn’t seem like the kiss-and-tell type, nor did Del seem to be holding anything against Cassidy at the moment. “I couldn’t miss saying goodbye.”
As if to confirm Cassidy’s earlier thought, Del pulled her into a long, warm hug. “There’s just so much to love about you.”
Cassidy chuckled at her enthusiasm and beamed at the compliment. Part of her didn’t want to let go. For the past few days, she’d felt as if she was a part of a family. It had been the best feeling in the world . . . but she’d known it would end. She should have been more careful not to get too attached.
“I’ll be praying for you,” Cassidy whispered. Praying for you? When had she ever said that before?
“I appreciate it, sweetheart. I really do.” Del turned to Frank and Ty. “Boys, I think there are a couple more bags up there. Would you two be sweeties and get them for me?”
“Of course,” Ty said.
Lantern Beach Mysteries Box Set Page 32
