Perilous Seas

by Lily Harper Hart

  “First off, I don’t like it when you phrase things that way,” Quinn started. “Secondly, I’m working with a friend of mine. He’s been looking into the Phoenix Society and we’re going to pull some financial documents if we can finagle it.”

  “Do you think that’s possible?” Paul asked, straightening his shoulders.

  “I don’t know.” Quinn opted for the truth. “I would like to say that we’re making real headway and this will be behind us in a few weeks, but we’re simply not there yet. Any information we pull right now is essentially new information. That doesn’t mean it’s good information.”

  “I get what you’re saying.”

  “There’s a high-level office in Miami, although we don’t have a contact there as of yet,” Quinn explained. “I’m hopeful that will change down the road, but right now, we’re simply looking at financial documents. It might turn into nothing.”

  “Well, I’m thankful that you’re putting the effort in.” Paul rested his hand on Rowan’s shoulder. “We will happily keep Rowan with us for the next few hours.”

  “I didn’t think it would be an issue.”

  “We’re thrilled to have her.”

  “THERE’S NOT MUCH HERE.”

  Fred met Quinn at a seafood restaurant off the highway. He didn’t want to be far from Rowan should she find trouble — which seemed to be an easy feat for her — but he wanted privacy to get into the nitty-gritty with Fred.

  “These are their public tax records, right?” Quinn flipped through several pages of documents. “They’re listed as a non-profit. How did they manage that?”

  “That’s an interesting question, and I happen to know some people in the Internal Revenue Service’s main office we could ask if we want to start harassing them. I would not suggest doing that now because the last thing we want is to draw attention to ourselves.”

  “Good point.” Quinn rolled his neck and smiled at the waitress as she dropped off their crab bisque. “I should bring Rowan here,” he said when she left, leaning over to inhale the heavenly aroma. “She loves seafood.”

  “I’ve noticed. She ate her weight in crab legs at dinner last night.”

  Quinn smirked. “I think she’s cute.”

  “I know you do. It’s written all over your face whenever you look at her. Speaking of that ... how did she take what I told her?”

  “She was angry.”

  “I figured that.”

  “I’m angry, too. You have a big mouth.”

  “If you expect me to apologize, you’re going to be waiting a long time.” Fred adopted a pragmatic tone. “Seriously, she needed to know that you were doing the exact same thing as her.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because you guys are a match made in geeky heaven. How should I know why you both do strange things?”

  “Not that.” Quinn shot his friend a biting look. “I’m talking about why she had to know what we were up to. I thought we were working undercover together.”

  “Yeah.” Fred rolled his eyes. “We both know you were going to tell her the truth eventually. I just saved you the trouble of agonizing over it. The longer you went without telling her, the more likely she was to get really angry.”

  Quinn wanted to argue the point but he couldn’t. “We came to a meeting of the minds,” he said, changing course. “She pointed out — and rightly so — that we’re not the type of people who can simply abandon an investigation. We have to see it through.

  “So, while the Phoenix Society is our main topic of interest, we’re going to work together to uncover whatever we can on the Sterlings as well,” he continued. “Personally, I’m glad we agreed to a new set of rules, because the more I think about the facts of the case, the more bothered I am.”

  “Oh, it’s a mess,” Fred agreed. “Apparently the Sterlings are lawyering up. They won’t talk to the cops and say law enforcement representatives are infringing on their time of grief. The cops think they’re really trying to come up with a way to cover their tracks ... although they have no idea what they’re hiding.”

  “I would love to get a better look at that compound,” Quinn admitted. “It’s not far from here, and I bet they’re doing all sorts of weird things behind those fences.”

  “It’s funny you should mention that.” Fred adopted a sly smile. “I just happen to have a map of that compound on me.”

  Quinn cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, really? Why would you possibly bring that with you?”

  “Because I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist.”

  “Well ... it might be worth a quick look.”

  “Somehow I knew you were going to say that.”

  “ARE YOU SURE THIS IS a good idea?”

  Paul felt distinctly uncomfortable as he walked through the trees on the north side of the Sterlings’ compound. Rowan was in the lead, her hair pulled back, and she seemed determined to get as close to the property line as possible.

  “It will be fine,” Rowan reassured him, her eyes sharp as she stared toward what looked to be a guesthouse. “What do you think that is?”

  Paul followed her gaze. When she suggested another walk, he’d been leery because he didn’t want to risk stumbling over another body part. She’d been so insistent, though, he couldn’t deny her. It wasn’t until they were almost at the compound that he realized what she was really doing and he was unbelievably nervous at the change of events.

  “It’s a pool house,” he automatically answered, wiping the sweat from his forehead. It was ridiculously hot, per usual. “See on the other side of the building?” He pointed for emphasis. “That’s a pool. The pool house is a place to change and probably even throw a party or two.”

  “It looks like a townhouse or something,” Rowan mused. “I wish we would’ve brought binoculars.”

  Paul’s eyebrows hopped. “What makes you think I have binoculars?”

  “What self-respecting man who had to fake his own death because of an evil corporation doesn’t have binoculars?”

  “Fair point.” He grinned despite himself. “I don’t think we should be here. Quinn isn’t going to find this little excursion amusing.”

  “Quinn will be fine.” Rowan was certain of that as she moved around a nearby tree. “Quinn and I had a talk last night. We’re on the same page.”

  “Oh, really?”

  Rowan froze at the new voice, slowly swiveling as two figures stepped out of the shadows to join them. She recognized Quinn and Fred right away despite the limited light and she immediately started scrambling for an excuse as to why she was spying on the Sterlings.

  “I ... you ... we ... .”

  Quinn folded his arms over his chest and waited.

  “Oh, you guys really are a match made in heaven,” Fred drawled, shaking his head. “Like ... just the cutest.”

  Paul snorted as Rowan rolled her eyes. “Um ... I don’t think we’ve met.” He seemed uncomfortable with the new face.

  “Oh, excuse me,” Quinn said hurriedly. “This is Fred. We were in the military together. He’s been helping me track down information regarding ... certain societies.”

  “Which is what you were supposed to be doing now,” Rowan noted, finding her voice. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m guessing we’re doing the same thing you’re doing,” Fred said as he shook Paul’s hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m a big fan of your daughter’s. I find her absolutely delightful ... and the way she’s whipped Quinn into shape is nothing short of miraculous.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” Quinn glowered. “I’m serious. I thought you guys were going to lay low for the day.”

  “Oh, well ... .” Paul felt distinctly uncomfortable.

  “Don’t blame him,” Rowan admonished, her temper coming out to play. “It’s not his fault. It was my idea.”

  “Oh, I have no doubt it was your idea.” Quinn pressed the tip of his tongue to the back of his teeth as he regarded her. “Do you think this was a smart move?”

/>   “I don’t know. Do you think it was a smart move for you and Fred to come out here?”

  “We’re trained.”

  “And I’m ... special.”

  Quinn made an effort to remain stern ... and failed. “You’re definitely special.” He took a step toward her. “You’re also driving me crazy. This was not a smart move. You should’ve called me before doing this.”

  “Why?” Rowan planted her hands on her hips. “I’m not asking permission to do what I want. You’re my boyfriend, not my keeper.”

  Quinn flicked his eyes to Paul for help.

  “Oh, don’t look at me.” Paul held up his hands and shook his head. “I’m not getting involved in this.”

  “She’s your daughter,” Quinn pointed out.

  “And she’s got a mind of her own.” Paul refused to fall victim to Quinn’s machinations. “If you want to yell at her, you’re going to have to do it without my help. I’m not going to allow you to make me the scapegoat should she become irate, though.”

  Quinn was rueful. “How did you know I was doing that?”

  “Because I would’ve done the same thing in your position.”

  “Good to know.” Quinn rubbed his jaw as he regarded his annoyed girlfriend. “Fine. You don’t need my permission to do things. I would never argue you do. Still, I don’t think you should’ve come down here without backup. These people could be dangerous.”

  “I don’t plan on talking to them,” Rowan argued. “I plan on spying on them. There’s a difference.”

  Quinn opened his mouth to argue but caught Fred shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. It was a very deliberate act and he recognized that his buddy was sharing a warning. “Fine. You win.” He held up his hands in mock capitulation. “Do whatever you want. Put yourself in danger. You’re queen of your parcel of the world.”

  “Thank you.” Rowan beamed at him before rolling to the balls of her feet to kiss his cheek. “I don’t suppose you brought binoculars, did you? We didn’t come prepared for proper spying.”

  Quinn reached into the waistband of his pants and retrieved a pair of expensive binoculars. “You owe me for this.”

  She merely smiled as she took the binoculars and focused on the grounds. “There’s a lot of activity for this early in the day,” she said after a few beats. “There are people buzzing all over the grounds.”

  “I think the funerals are coming up the day after tomorrow,” Fred noted. “Maybe they’re getting ready for them. Since they’re rich and the media has been following their every move, I’m guessing the funerals are going to get national coverage.”

  “Probably,” Rowan confirmed. “It doesn’t look like they’re preparing for an event, though. In fact ... holy crap!”

  Quinn moved closer to her, the alarm in her voice making him antsy. “What is it?”

  “I ... you tell me.” She handed the binoculars to him and pointed. “Right at the corner of the pool house over there. Do you see what I see?”

  Quinn shifted the binoculars to his eyes and frowned when he focused them on the spot Rowan indicated. “That’s Leona Chapman ... and she’s making out with Mitchum Sterling.”

  “Get out,” Fred intoned. “That’s weird, right?”

  “I would say that’s definitely weird.”

  “Mitchum is Pat’s brother, isn’t he?” Paul tapped his bottom lip. “That means that Mitchum is dating his nephew’s future wife’s mother. That’s a little close for comfort.”

  “It’s not altogether disgusting, though,” Quinn argued. “It’s not as if they’re related by blood or anything. In fact ... .” He trailed off as he moved the binoculars to a spot closer to the main house’s back patio. “Oh, this freaking family.”

  “What do you see now?” Impatient, Rowan grabbed the binoculars for herself and started searching. “Is it something good? Where is it?”

  “Check the patio,” Quinn said dully.

  Rowan did as instructed, making a face when she found what he was looking at. “Oh, man. That’s Patrice.”

  “That’s the grieving widow, right?” Paul queried.

  “Yes, but she doesn’t look to be grieving,” Quinn drawled. “In fact, she looks pretty happy given where her tongue is.”

  “Oh, now you’ve piqued my interest,” Fred supplied, perking up. “Who is she sharing her tongue with?”

  “That would be Byron Winchester,” Rowan replied, her stomach twisting. “He was the captain on the Serendipity when it went down.”

  “If it did go down,” Quinn countered. “I’m still not convinced there was a shipwreck at all.”

  “So, where do you think the boat is?” Fred asked. “Also, what happened to Pat, Barbara, and the friend who was with them?”

  “I don’t know what happened to them,” Quinn replied. “They’re obviously dead, though. I’m pretty sure they didn’t die on the open seas. Something else happened ... and I’m betting it was ugly.”

  “Totally ugly,” Rowan agreed. “I wonder if this relationship with Patrice and Byron is new.”

  “I’m betting it’s not. They look pretty comfortable together to me.”

  “Yeah, well ... .” Rowan shifted the binoculars to the balcony on the mega mansion’s third floor. “Did you see who is hanging out upstairs?” She sounded absolutely baffled.

  “No, and I’m not sure I want to know,” Quinn said. “I mean ... I’m already grossed out. If Ben is in there doing it with a maid — or Vicky is in there doing it with a butler, for that matter — I don’t think I really want to know.”

  “Well, if I have to know, then you have to know.” Rowan shoved the binoculars in Quinn’s hands and inclined her chin toward the house. “It’s a regular Peyton Place in there.”

  “Oh, you’re so cute.” Quinn tapped the end of her nose. “That’s such a dated reference.”

  “What reference should I be using?”

  He shrugged. “Something from the last twenty years would be preferable. You weren’t even born when Peyton Place was a fixture on television.”

  “No, but my mother loved it and talked about it incessantly. She had old episodes taped on VHS.”

  Paul laughed at the memory. “She totally did. I forgot all about that.”

  “I still have the tapes.” Rowan took on a far-off expression. “They’re in waterproof bins in a storage locker I rented in Michigan. I couldn’t bring everything I owned with me — even though it wasn’t much — so I had to leave a few things behind.”

  Quinn squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll get all that stuff ... and soon. I promise you that.” He lifted the binoculars to his eyes and focused on the balcony. “Oh, geez. That’s the girl who was helping on the yacht. She was the only employee — other than Winchester, that is — who was with them.”

  “Ariel,” Rowan volunteered. “That’s her name. I remember because she has red hair and so did the Little Mermaid.”

  “Ah.” Quinn worked his jaw. “She looks to be talking to someone. Did you see who?”

  “I did. Just keep watching.”

  “I ... oh, well, there he is. I should’ve known Ben would play into this somehow. I wonder where his fiancée is ... and if she’s aware of what’s going on.”

  “I have no idea.” Rowan was grim as she stretched her arms over her head. “This entire thing is unbelievable.”

  “It’s like a soap opera,” Paul corrected.

  “That’s exactly what it’s like,” Quinn agreed, handing the binoculars to Fred. “Essentially everyone was cheating on everyone else. I’m not sure how that adds up to a motive for murder, though.”

  “We’ll just have to figure it out,” Rowan said.

  He smiled as he took her hand. “I guess so. No more sneaking around, though. From here on out, we work together.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.”

  He grinned when she saluted. “That sounds like a fun game for later.”

  “I’m still her father,” Paul growled. “You shouldn’t say things like t
hat in front of me.”

  “Duly noted.”

  11

  Eleven

  “I’m hungry.”

  Rowan barely managed to hang on until they got back to the house. Once they were reasonably assured they escaped without anyone noticing their spying excursion, she turned to more important business.

  Quinn smirked. “What do you want? Maybe we can have something delivered.”

  She shrugged as she strolled into the living room and joined Nick, who was busy reading files as he waited for his brother and niece to return. “I don’t know. I can eat anything. You must be hungry. You had even less to eat at breakfast than me.”

  “Oh, well ... .” Quinn shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly uncomfortable.

  Rowan was instantly suspicious. “You already ate. How is that possible? It’s only one. It was too early for you to eat lunch before you found us.”

  “This should go over well,” Fred lamented as he slid into a chair and fixed Nick with a bright smile. “I’m Fred Delmore. I used to serve overseas with Quinn. I’m helping with the Phoenix Society and the Sterlings, although I’m not nearly as excited about the latter as I am the former.”

  Nick smirked. “That’s good to know. Did you find anything good while spying? Oh, and how did you all end up together?”

  “Apparently great minds think alike,” Quinn teased, poking Rowan’s side. “Fred and I weren’t getting anywhere with the financial information we managed to get our hands on so we decided to be proactive and spy on the Sterlings. It turns out we weren’t the only ones with that idea.”

  “I thought you were just walking on the beach.” Nick’s tone was accusatory as he focused on Paul. “I don’t think risking getting caught by the media — or the police, for that matter — just because you want to spy on the neighbors is a good idea.”

  Rowan’s face fell. “I didn’t even consider that. Don’t blame him. It was my fault.”

  “Stop saying that.” Paul wagged a finger. “I could’ve put my foot down. I didn’t. It’s my fault.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Quinn countered. “You’re so happy being able to spend time with Rowan you’re willing to do whatever she suggests. I get it. You’re still trying to make amends. That doesn’t mean you should give in to her every whim.”