by Rayna Morgan
“We’re as eager to get this guy off your back as you are,” Lea said. “Maybe then you can return your attention to our other cases.”
“Roger that,” Dan said. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“Everything’s set,” Warren concluded. “We’ve got you covered. One if by land, two if by sea.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
On the day of the party, Ingrid was busy tending bar in the second story lounge while Lea walked around the room serving drinks from a tray.
Dan stood near the entrance watching for the man they suspected to be Tony’s accomplice. Woody had taken position on a boat anchored at the dock outside the restaurant.
Warren welcomed new arrivals at the reception desk with a robust greeting and pointed the way to the buffet. Dan could tell Warren carried a gun by the way his suit bulged at his hip.
Stacy left the group of guests she was talking to and joined Dan. “Are you enjoying your engagement party?” she asked lightheartedly. “You seem nervous.”
He stroked his chin. “I was thinking of the time I did this for real. That seems lifetimes ago.”
“Do you think you’ll marry again?”
“I doubt it. Knowing how my first marriage turned out makes me wary. It doesn’t mean I’m not interested in a long-term relationship but I no longer require the trappings of a ceremony and a license.”
She nodded. “I understand. Everyone who marries expects their union to last a lifetime. As time passes, you understand the fallacy of believing in forever. You realize the vows bring no assurance of a life lived happily ever after.”
“I take it you haven’t seen your ex yet.”
“You’ll be the first to know when I do.”
Wondering if that was true, he studied her more closely. She wore an off-the-shoulder lace top with a full length floral skirt. Her single piece of jewelry was a gold pendant which she kept fingering.
“You seem nervous yourself,” he observed. “You’ll rub the inscription off that locket if you keep rubbing it. What is it?”
“It’s a good luck piece my father gave me before my first performance in public. I wear it for special occasions or when I’m in the mood.”
“Are you feeling in need of luck today?”
“I’m eager to get this over with, that’s all.”
“No more so than me and my partners.”
“Your partners?” Her forehead creased. “I thought this was between you and Tony.”
“I was referring to my partners anticipating a time when I can focus on my work without constantly looking over my shoulder.”
She took a hurried glance around the room. “Your partners aren’t here, are they?”
At that moment Ingrid approached, interrupting Dan’s answer.
“Ready for another round?” the bartender asked.
While they waited for their refills, Dan leaned closer to Stacy. “Look around and tell me what you see.”
“A waitress serving drinks to a group of locals we invited. People at the buffet table filling their plates. Guests arriving at the entrance.”
“Do you recognize the cocktail waitress?”
She hesitated before shaking her head. “Now that you point her out, I can see she’s not one of the regulars. Why did Ingrid hire an outsider for this occasion?”
“That’s Lea Austin, my partner at the detective agency.”
Stacy looked startled but made no comment.
“Now, observe the maitre d',” he instructed.
She looked closer at the man greeting visitors. “Let me guess. He’s your other partner.”
Dan noted her state of agitation. “Their presence shouldn’t alarm you. They’re here for your protection.”
“You should have told me,” she said crossly. “If you’re trying to prove how secretive you are, I knew that already.”
“Only demonstrating what to watch for in order to stay safe. You have to be unwilling to accept things based on appearance.”
“So you question everything you see? How can you live that way?”
“It’s who I’m trained to be.”
When they got their refills, she took his arm. “Let’s go outside. I need some air.”
Stacy walked to the edge of the deck and leaned on the railing, allowing the breeze to tousle her hair. She looked over her shoulder at Dan. “I didn’t mean to sound cranky. Your concern for my safety is touching. I’m not used to someone looking out for my welfare since growing accustomed to taking care of myself.”
“I understand,” he said moving to her side. “Would you like to try my little training exercise again?”
She locked her elbow through his. “Sure, why not?”
He pointed to several boats gliding through the water. “Tell me what you observe about those vessels.”
“One is the tour boat loaded with passengers returning from whale watching. The cruiser entering the harbor looks like a family with the father at the wheel and the children sunbathing on deck. And there’s a charter fishing vessel approaching the dock in front of the restaurant.”
“Look again at the fishing boat. Tell me what else you see.”
“There are two people aboard. The man in the front is steering.” She hesitated. “But I can’t see what the person wearing the sweatshirt is doing.”
“There’s usually a larger crew for deep sea fishing,” Dan mused.
“It’s your turn to say what you notice about the boat.” She sounded excited like a child playing a game.
“I don’t see any equipment.” His voice took on a more urgent note. “Where are the rods?”
Jim walked out on deck, his hands spread wide to embrace the couple. “What’s this nonsense I hear of you two getting engaged?”
Before Stacy could respond, they heard angry voices at the entrance.
“I’m sorry, sir. This is a private affair by invitation only. The restaurant will open to the public in an hour.”
A rough-looking man pushed past Warren. “Get out of my way. I don’t need no invite.”
As the uninvited guest barged in, Dan spun around in time to see the second man on the fishing boat raise a rifle to his shoulder.
“Duck, old timer!” Dan yelled.
Jim fell to his knees and crawled under the nearest table.
Dan grabbed Stacy and pushed her to the floor of the deck. Before he pulled his pistol from a holster at the small of his back, they heard a bang.
The man wearing the sweatshirt crumpled.
Woody pointed his gun at the person behind the steering wheel. “Don’t even think about starting your engine,” he warned.
He jumped from the speedboat and ran toward the fishing vessel as Dan raced inside the restaurant.
“Grab the intruder,” Dan yelled at Warren. “I’m going to help Woody with the guys on the boat.”
“Wow!” Lea exclaimed. “They came by both land and sea.”
• • •
When Dan jumped aboard the fishing boat, he found Woody leaning over the gunman. “Quit your whining. It’s only a flesh wound. You’ll live.”
His friend pointed toward the helmsman. “He was so surprised when his shooter went down, I overcame him before he got off a shot of his own.”
Dan stared at the man handcuffed to the steering wheel.
“Do you know who he is?” Woody asked.
“What do you say, Tony?” Dan sneered. “Do you and I need an introduction?”
The captive acknowledged the question with a condescending growl. “I know who you are, Archer.”
“If you want to avoid making a spectacle of yourself, I’ll remove the handcuffs. Then you and I will have a chat to sort things out.”
Tony spat over the side of the boat. “We’ve got nothing to talk about.”
Dan smirked. “Did you hear that, Woody? Our friend’s not in the mood to cooperate. Call Lieutenant Elliot at police headquarters.”
“No need to involve the cops,” Tony responded hurriedly. “
My guy was the only person injured. I’ll make him claim it was an accident. You got no reason to turn me in. I didn’t hurt anyone.”
“Intent makes you as guilty as if you fired the gun yourself. But I’ll hold off calling the lieutenant to give you a chance.”
“A chance for what?”
“To save yourself from going to jail for attempted murder.”
Tony looked skeptical. “Why would you do that for me? I’m sure it’s in your interests to get me out of the way.”
“Don’t think for a minute that’s not my preference. But Stacy doesn’t want her son’s visits with her father to take place in prison. She’s the only reason you aren’t behind bars. If I had my way, they’d lock you up and throw away the key.”
“You sound a bit testy.”
“Being shot at puts me out of sorts.” He poked Tony’s shoulder. “I want you gone from Stacy’s life for good.”
“So you can have her for yourself?”
“This has nothing to do with me. It’s what Stacy wants.”
Woody pulled Dan aside. “Speaking of her, are you sure she wasn’t in on this?”
“I admit the thought crossed my mind.”
“She knew we were going to the islands the day we got shot at. And the idea for this party was hers. She even brought you outside, away from the others. Seems to me she may have been leading you to the slaughter.”
Dan shook his head. “Nope. My gut tells me Stacy has nothing to do with it.”
“How can you be sure?”
“When we came out on deck, she could have placed me in the line of fire. Instead, she took my arm moments before the rifleman aimed his gun.”
Woody shrugged. “Have it your way, buddy. You’re seldom wrong. Just be sure you’re thinking with your brains and not your heart.”
Dan put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I hear where you’re coming from. I wasn’t convinced myself until today.”
He turned back to Tony. “What have you decided? Do we call the cops or will you do things our way?”
“What you’re asking is impossible. As you know, Stacy and I share a son.”
“Arrangements can be made for you to visit the boy without you and the boy’s mother seeing each other.”
“I want to talk to her.”
“Too bad. She doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“It’s all right, Dan.” Stacy’s voice was calm and steady as she climbed on board.
Tony stepped forward, grinning and spreading his arms. “I knew you’d come, baby. I want you to know, I did this out of love for you.”
Dan held his breath, waiting for her to rush into Tony’s embrace.
She moved within inches of her ex-husband. The look on her face was unreadable.
Suddenly, she slapped his face so hard the smack echoed over the waves. Without a word, she stepped back onto the dock and disappeared.
• • •
Stacy took the night off to visit Dan.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, helping her onto his boat.
“I’ve recovered but I couldn’t face smiling all night and acting cheerful.”
“I know what you mean. After I drove Woody to the airport, I came straight home.” He took her below deck where a half empty glass of whiskey sat on the table. “I’m drinking bourbon. What can I offer you?”
“Nothing, thanks,” she said, taking a seat. “I can't stay long.”
“Why such a short visit? You said you aren’t working.”
To avoid looking at him, she dropped her eyes.
He raised his glass but his hand stopped halfway to his mouth when he realized what she came to say.
“This thing between us.” Her voice was shaky. “I’m afraid it can’t continue.”
He tried not to sound as cold as he felt inside. “Any particular reason?”
“For one thing, I have to move. My agent booked a gig for me in Vegas.”
She seemed in high spirits so he pretended to match her enthusiasm. “Good for you!”
“It’s more than a gig, actually. I’ve signed a long-term contract. I’ll only be a lounge act but the money is steady. It will allow me to be home nights for my son.”
“That’s terrific, but it doesn’t have to be the end for us.” He drained his drink and refilled the glass. “Vegas is a reasonable drive for a long-distance relationship.”
She stared at her hands. “That’s not the only reason it can’t work between us.”
He remained silent and took a long sip of his drink, refusing to make it easy for her.
“I heard what you told Woody about not knowing until the end if I was setting you up for Tony.”
“Look, I didn’t mean—”
“I can’t believe you thought me capable of such a thing.” Her voice faded as her eyes filled with tears.
“It’s not like that. I understand if Tony threatened to take your son unless you helped.”
“What worried you so much that you never bothered to ask? Were you afraid to hear the truth, or afraid you couldn’t stop wondering if I lied?”
He reached across the table to take her hand. “You’re upset by all that’s happened. Once you’re settled in Vegas, you’ll feel differently about things.”
She pulled her hand away. “I have to go.”
He walked her to the end of the dock where he managed a crooked smile.
“Break a leg,” he said, touching her cheek. “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to say to wish you luck?”
She smiled tenderly. “As you suggested, Vegas isn’t far. Come visit me.”
He nodded but they both knew he wouldn’t.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Dan walked into Warren’s office and found Lea and Maddy conferring with their father. “Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt.”
Warren waved him in. “We aren’t talking business. Just family stuff.”
“My sister was telling of Mother’s success filling in at Maddy’s store,” Lea informed Dan as he took a seat.
“She listened to crotchety Mrs. Parsons complain about every topic under the sun,” Maddy said. “I don’t know where Mom finds the patience. I scarcely afford that woman the time of day.”
“That sounds like your mother,” Warren said. “Now anyone wanting a shoulder to cry on will flock to your establishment.”
“Who might that be?” Dan asked.
“Half the people in town, I imagine.”
“I’m not complaining,” Maddy replied. “Mrs. Parsons bought two lamps before she left.”
She looked at her father. “Do you mind if Mother helps on a permanent basis?”
“Fine by me but if she comes home with one more item from Maddy's on Main to squeeze into our condo, I’ll divorce her.”
“How are things between you and Stacy?” Maddy asked, looking at Dan. “Did you explain my bungling attempt to tail you?”
“I asked her if we could start over. If she believed in giving a guy a second chance.”
“How did she respond?”
“She brushed me off by saying second chances didn’t work with her ex.”
“You’re nothing like her ex,” Lea argued. “A much better man by far.”
“Thanks for your good opinion but I’m afraid Stacy and I hit the end of the road. She’s moving to Vegas. I have a hard enough time with relationships in my own back yard. Long distance wouldn’t work for me, although in her case I was willing to give it a shot.” He ran his fingers around the rim of his hat. “It’s all right. Our mock engagement party made me realize I’m in no hurry to get involved in a serious relationship. Even pretending gave me cold feet. But Stacy and I parted as friends.”
“Speaking of friends, has your Ranger buddy gone back to Texas?” Lea asked.
Dan turned to face her squarely. “Woody felt comfortable leaving me in the capable hands of my new partners.”
She blushed as he made his point. “Does that mean you intend to stay?”
He lowered
his eyes. “I wouldn’t presume to stay where I’m not wanted.”
“You’re definitely wanted at Conley and Austin,” Warren declared.
Both men looked at Lea for confirmation. “Yes, of course. But will you be happy living alone on your boat?”
“I won’t be living alone, or on the Dixie Cruiser.” In answer to their puzzled expressions, he explained. “When Carl was sent to prison for complicity in the drug operation, he had to give up his dog. I couldn’t stand the thought of Scout being abandoned or confined to a cage at the animal shelter. I arranged with Carl to adopt his German shepherd until he gets out of jail.”
“That may be a while.”
“The notion of getting Scout back loosened his tongue. He identified members of the cartel and will testify against them when they’re apprehended. That goes a long way toward shortening his sentence.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Lea said. “I don’t believe Carl is a bad man at heart. Seeing his relationship with his dog proved that to me. It’s his relationships with people that get him in trouble.”
“Is the dog the reason you won’t be staying on your boat?” Maddy asked.
Dan nodded. “A dog needs a yard to run around in. I’ve rented a house.”
“Does that mean you’re making Buena Viaje your permanent home?”
“I signed a year’s lease. We’ll see how things go from there.”
Lea’s phone rang. Noting the caller’s identification, she put the call on speaker for the others to hear. “Congressman Wolf. What a surprise.”
“No need to use my title. In fact, I wish you wouldn’t. I’m not running for another term.”
“What changed your plans?”
“More than our warehouse was destroyed in that fire. My marriage went up in smoke as well. But so did any illusion of me living up to my family’s proud legacy of farming. I took your advice to take responsibility for everything that happened and what our family business has become.”
“Speaking of taking responsibility, Carl has confessed,” Dan reported. “He refuses to testify against Dottie but he’s working with the authorities against the cartel.”
“That’s good news. The cartel needs to be put out of business to stop them from ruining people’s lives.”
