by Maci Grant
He traced his thumb along the back of her hand. Then he raised her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss just above her knuckles. Blu shivered and pulled her hand away.
She caught sight of AJ’s pleased smile just before she jumped out of the jeep. It didn’t matter how much she tried to deny it; the moment that he touched her, the evidence was there.
AJ waved to her as he drove off down the street.
Chapter 15
Blu walked up to the house as her head spun. The house was dark, so she slipped in quietly. She didn’t want to disturb the kids or Rachel. They had a big day the next day, and she knew that the kids probably had a hard time going to sleep with the excitement of their father’s arrival.
She started down the hall toward her room. As she passed the living room, she heard the clink of a glass being set down on the coffee table. She froze. Was Rachel still up? She peeked into the dimly lit living room and recognized Marshall right away. He sat on the couch with only a small lamp on for light.
“Oh, I’m sorry Marshall, I didn’t know that you were home.”
“Hey, Blu. It’s okay. I’m sorry if I surprised you. I got in about an hour ago, and everyone’s gone to bed. I’m a little off schedule from the flight.”
“I’m so glad that you were able to make it for the clambake.”
“Me too.” He sighed and picked up his glass.
Blu lingered by the entrance of the living room. As a rule of thumb, she tended to be less friendly with the husbands of the couples she worked for. She knew it made the wives feel more at ease, and there wasn’t often much she needed to do that involved the father of the children. But Marshall was a little different. He was rarely home, but when he was, he usually spent all of his time with the kids. As a result, Blu got to know him a little better than most. Despite the dim lighting, the slump of his shoulders and the tenor of his voice indicated to Blu that he was as sad as Rachel often looked.
“Can I get you anything, Marshall? There’s ice cream in the freezer.”
“No. I’m fine.” He finished his drink and set the glass down. “So the body at the beach—it’s all over the news. Do you know anything about that?”
“Only that it might involve drugs.” She decided not to mention that she’d seen the drugs herself that very night.
Marshall sighed and slouched back against the couch. “You know, I thought being wealthy was all that was needed.”
“What do you mean?”
He shook his head. “I wanted to be a good dad—you know, protect my kids from everything. I thought if I made enough money, they’d always be safe—that I’d never have to worry—but that’s not the case, is it?” He glanced over at her.
“I think you’re a great dad.”
“Thanks, Blu, I appreciate that. One day when you have your own kids, you’ll understand. Nothing I do will ever make up for the time that I’ve missed with them. I keep telling myself that I’m making the smart decisions by following my career—by providing for them, rather than taking time to be with them, but the truth is, I’ve been missing out. I hope to change that over the next year. I want to be here for my family, even if I can’t make up for the past.”
“I know that they’ll all love that.” Blu smiled warmly at him.
“Blu, I know that you’re an adult, and I know that you have your own family to guide you, but can I share some advice with you?”
“Sure.” Blu sat down on the arm of the couch.
“If you have the opportunity to experience life, then experience it. Even if it seems messy or risky. In the long run, it’s worth it to take that risk. It’s worth it not to always make the smart decision. Otherwise, you end up in your forties with very little life lived and no idea what the future will hold.”
Blu sensed his deep regret. She longed to be able to show him just how much his wife and kids adored him, but she knew that was something only they could do.
“I’ll remember that. I promise. Thank you, Marshall. Try to get some sleep, okay?”
“Yes, I will. You too.”
Blu stood up and walked to her room. Marshall’s words stuck with her even as she changed into a nightshirt.
Was she doing what he’d talked about? Or was she only making the safe choices in her life?
She’d fled the opportunity to become a journalist when the job seemed too dangerous. She gave up on dating before she’d even tried, because she thought if it wasn’t the right man, it wasn’t worth the risk or the time. But how would she ever know who was the right man when she never gave any of them a chance?
She sat down on the edge of her bed and pulled off her shoes. There was a lot of time stretched out ahead of her and there was one conclusion that she’d come to.
She didn’t want to spend that time alone.
Her fingertips touched the corner of her lips. What would have happened if she hadn’t pulled away from AJ earlier? Would the sky have fallen? Would the earth have crumbled away beneath her? Maybe she was being silly to think one little kiss could matter so much.
Chapter 16
As Blu stretched out on her bed, she tried to distract herself with thoughts about the case. If Xavier wasn’t the murderer, then who was? Wayne? Someone else? Her mind drifted back to the face she’d seen in the window of the cafe.
James Carry. It was a long shot, but he was on the beach that morning. Even if he wasn’t involved in the crime, that didn’t mean that he didn’t know something.
She sat up and grabbed her phone. Without even thinking about the time, she called Maddie.
“Hello?” Her friend’s sluggish voice made Blu look at the clock. It was nearly midnight.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to wake you. This can wait until the morning. Go back to sleep.”
“It’s okay. What’s up?”
“I was wondering if you could look into someone for me—but I can call you back in the morning.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m up.” She cleared her throat. “Who is it?”
“Councilman James Carry.”
“Oh wow, a heavy hitter, huh? Do you really want me to shake that tree? You never know what might fall out.”
“I’m just curious. His name keeps coming up. I wonder if he might know something more about what happened at the beach than what he’s been talking about.”
“Sure, I’ll look into him.” Maddie paused. “Are you doing okay, Blu?”
“Yes. We had some interesting developments in the case tonight.” She filled Maddie in on what they’d found. “I’m just not sure what to think any more. I thought all this was settled—that Xavier was the killer—but now that we found the drugs left behind, it’s harder to believe that.”
“Well, Wayne had plenty of motive, and he and Betty sure aren’t hiding the fact that they’re quite happy about George’s death,” said Maddie.
“That’s true. Plus, they were there. And Cathy mentioned that Wayne wore a lot of rings that day.”
“Yes, so the ring you found tonight might be his.”
“But, here’s the thing. George was drowned in the mud. He wasn’t beaten up. Why would Wayne wear all those rings if he was just going to drown him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it seemed like the easier choice. Violence doesn’t usually work out the way you plan it.”
“Maybe. What a horrible thing to think about before bed. I’m sorry I woke you up to talk about this.”
“Yes, I can think of much better things to think about and talk about—like telling AJ that you’re willing to give it a go…”
“Maddie!”
“You’re thinking about better things now, aren’t you?” Maddie giggled.
“Yes. Yes, I am.” Blu sighed and hung up the phone.
As she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts turned to her confusion over AJ. It was strange that a murder seemed easier to solve than a romance that hadn’t even begun.
Blu woke with a start the next morning. Her heart lurched, then began to pound. For some reason i
t seemed as if someone had just been in the room with her. She sat up and looked around her bedroom. The morning light was just starting to spill through the window. There was no evidence of anyone else in the room.
When her heart settled, she climbed out of bed and grabbed her robe. She walked to the window. Her room had a partly obstructed view of the beach and the water. She could see the waves as they thrashed against the shore. Maybe the sound of the rough surf had drawn her from her slumber.
Still, she was unsettled. When she looked at the clock she saw that it too early for the kids to be up. She decided to go for a run along the beach. With so much weighing on her mind, a run was the best way for her to sort through it.
Within a few minutes she’d changed out of her pajamas into running gear. She let herself out through the back door. Since Marshall and Rachel had given her the day off, she didn’t bother to leave a note.
Chapter 17
As Blu ran across the sand, a familiar elation billowed through her. The wind against her face always teased her into believing that she could fly. She ran without really thinking about how far or in which direction she was going.
As the morning progressed she noticed more runners on the beach. One runner in particular appeared to be headed straight for her. Blu moved to the side to give him plenty of room to run past. Still, he seemed to be determined on a collision course with her. She moved again—so close to the water that her shoes almost got wet. He moved as well and continued to run straight for her.
Her heart jumped into her throat as she realized who the runner was—Councilman James Carry.
Why would he be running somewhere completely different than his usual run?
Only then did she realize that she was the one who had gravitated back to the crime scene. She looked over at the cafe that overlooked the stretch of beach she ran across. This was where James Carry ran every morning, according to Cathy, but that didn’t explain why he insisted on running straight toward her.
Blu could see that the councilman was wearing wrap-around dark sunglasses. As he got closer, she couldn’t tell if he was staring at her or not, but it sure felt like he was.
As he continued in her direction, Blu’s heart began to race. Did he somehow know that she had Maddie looking into him?
Just when she thought he was going to run straight into her, Blu jumped into the water. As the salty liquid soaked through her sneakers, James Carry ran right past her as if he’d never seen her in the first place. He didn’t offer an apology or an explanation. Blu felt invisible to the man, who obviously thought he was quite powerful.
She waded out of the water and stared after him as he continued to run down the beach. His muscles rippled, revealing his athleticism. A shiver carried along her spine despite the warmth of the morning. Something about him left her feeling very unsettled.
Blu was about to follow him when her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of the case on her hip.
“Hello?”
“Blu, it’s Maddie. Are you okay? It sounds like you’re panting.”
“I was out for a run.”
“Oh, sorry to interrupt!”
“No, no. You’re fine. Did you find something on James Carry?”
“Something doesn’t even begin to describe it. It turns out that James Carry has quite an inflated ego. He seems to think that he can change the entire criminal scene. Not only that, but he’s verbally lashed out at the police department, Chief Pitman, and every defense attorney in this town. I dug a little deeper into the community boards, and I found out that he’s been posting in crime forums. He’s been trying to organize a private security group to patrol the beaches. Some of these posts are really pushing the boundaries of taking the law into your own hands.”
“Interesting.” Blu squinted into the distance until she couldn’t see James any more. “I think we might just have a new suspect to focus on.”
“I think you might be right. But Blu, you need to let Chief Pitman handle this one. You know that I’m usually on your side when it comes to investigations, but you’re talking about a powerful, influential man here. You can’t just go around accusing someone like this of murder. Besides, just because James is an angry vigilante, that doesn’t mean that he went as far as murder.”
“You’re right. But it doesn’t mean that he didn’t. Every time I think this case is about to be settled, it takes a new twist. I wonder if we’ll figure it out before it’s time to head back to Manhattan.”
“Good question. My family is leaving on Saturday, what about yours?”
“I’m not sure yet. Marshall is here so I’m guessing it will be sooner rather than later.”
“Have you talked to AJ yet?”
“You mean since last night?” Blu laughed. “No, not yet.”
“You need to figure things out with him, Blu.”
“I know, I know. But first I think I need to talk to Cathy again.”
“Sounds like a plan. Where do you want to meet at the clambake?”
“Actually, Rachel and Marshall gave me the day off, so I’m going to go with AJ.”
“Great! That’s perfect. A romantic day together—”
“—Investigating a murder.”
“Oh, Blu, open your mind. At least hold his hand.”
“I might hold his hand.”
“Good girl.”
“Speaking of hands…if you get bored, could you see if you can find a photograph online of James Carry’s hands? That ring we found at the crime scene might not belong to Wayne. It could be the councilman’s.”
“Sure, that shouldn’t be too hard to find. Politicians are always shaking hands.”
“Thanks, Maddie.”
“Good luck today.”
Blu smiled as she hung up the phone, but her smile faded when she noticed the footprints the councilman had left in the mud. It made her wonder if he’d left the same prints beside George’s body.
She drew a deep breath and began the long run back.
By the time she reached the beach house she’d been out for almost two hours. She was exhausted from the run.
As she stepped into the house, she noticed the remaining scent of French toast. The quiet indicated that the family had already left for the clambake.
Blu was relieved, as it meant that she could take a long hot shower without worrying about being interrupted by the kids.
Chapter 18
Blu shed her running clothes and stepped into the shower. As the hot water soothed her muscles, she closed her eyes. Within an instant, she was on the beach again beside the rowboat. She saw Betty and Wayne a few feet away. There was Xavier right next to the boat. When she looked away from Xavier she saw James Carry. He was jogging toward her with those dark sunglasses on. It amazed her that George, a man who’d barely made an impact on the world around him, had three people who despised him enough to want to kill him.
She opened her eyes and let the water run back through her hair. If there was a killer on the loose, she wished there was a way to resolve it before the clambake. There were still a few hours before the actual festivities started. In that time frame, she hoped to question Cathy and check out Wayne’s boots.
But there was something else weighing on her mind as well—AJ.
She turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. With a hand towel she wiped the fog away from the mirror. When she gazed at her own reflection, she thought about what he must see in her eyes. She often felt as if she could read his every emotion in the subtle changes of his eyes.
Could he do the same with her? If so, what did he see?
She was sure that he was frustrated over the mixed signals she was sending. A part of her wondered if she’d been throwing herself into this murder investigation as a way to avoid the truth.
Summer was about to end, and Blu had no idea what to do about the intense connection that she’d been feeling with AJ. Could she really just let it go? Or would she make the wrong decision and end up regretting it for the rest o
f her life?
She continued to think about it as she dressed.
Finally, she grabbed her phone. There was only one way to figure everything out. She needed to immerse herself in the situation, rather than continue her inclination to avoid it.
She dialed AJ’s number. The moment she heard his voice, her heart skipped.
“Morning, beautiful.”
“Morning. Do you want to go to breakfast with me?”
“I would love to go to breakfast with you. I’m honored that you’re asking. When do you want me to pick you up?”
“I’ll pick you up.”
“I’m at the Beach Bum doing some paperwork.”
“No problem, I’ll meet you there.”
“Okay.”
“Say in about ten minutes?”
“I don’t know if that will give me enough time to get pretty for you.”
Blu smiled at AJ’s teasing. “Hm, alright—fifteen.”
They both laughed as she hung up the phone.
Blu grabbed her purse and walked out the door. She wanted to find out exactly what Cathy knew about the councilman, because she had a suspicion that it was more than what she’d been saying.
As she started to walk toward her car, the hair on the back of her neck prickled. She paused in the middle of the driveway and looked around. There was no sign of anyone else. Maybe a light breeze had tickled a curl of her still-damp hair. What else could it be? She was alone. Or, she should have been.
She heard the snap of bubble gum. When she turned toward the sound, she was greeted by the sight of a woman not far from the side of the house. Her black leather vest and fierce gaze aided Blu’s recognition of her right away.
“Betty, what are you doing here?”
Betty sneered at Blu as she walked toward her.
The closer she came, the more Blu wanted to run.
