Page 74 of Deep Tide

“They said he just turned west on Driftwood. Can you catch up to him?”

“Yes.” Sean exited the parking lot.

“This is the first time he’s left since he got here this trip. We need to see what he’s up to.”

“Roger that.”

Sean checked the gas gauge. Only a quarter tank. Not ideal, but this was a small island.

“Keep your distance,” Moore said. “We don’t want to put him on alert.”

“I won’t.”

•••

Nicole let herself into her apartment. Not bothering with a light, she went straight into the kitchen and dropped her plastic bag on the counter. She crouched down, wincing as pain shot up her side. Tears burned her eyes and she paused for a moment before opening the cabinet and taking out the dusty bottle that she hadn’t touched in years. She didn’t want to reach for a glass, so she grabbed an empty mug from the sink and poured a shot of bourbon. Scrunching up her face, she took a tentative sip.

A rap on the door had her whirling around, and she gasped as pain zinged through her. She carefully set the mug down and went to check the peephole.

Shit.

Nicole took a few shallow breaths—deep ones were out—and smoothed a hand over her hair before opening the door.

“What the hell, Nicole?” Emmet stepped past her.

“Please come in.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

She closed the door and locked it, then walked past him into her kitchen.

“Why’d you go over there by yourself?” he demanded.

“I was looking for evidence.”

“At eleven at night?”

“Sure, why not?”

He folded his arms and leaned back against the kitchen counter. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, and the hair gel told her he’d been out at a bar earlier. Unlike her, Emmet attempted to have a social life on the weekends.

“Tell me what happened,” he said.

“You already heard, obviously, or you wouldn’t be here.” She leaned against the counter opposite him and tried not to wince.

“I heard you got your ass kicked.”

“Who told you that?”

“Someone at the clinic.”

Emmet was friendly with several of the nurses there. He was friendly with a lot of people and caught gossip with annoying regularity.

“Nothing broken,” she said. “Just some bruised ribs.”

“Let me see.”

“No.”

---