Page 51 of Deep Tide

“You know he has a house down here?” she asked.

“I’d heard that, yeah.”

“He paid three-point-eight million and then gutted the whole thing. I hear he put in a rooftop deck with a pool. And a sauna. And he added a movie theater.”

“Sounds expensive.” Sean sipped his beer.

“Some people have way too much money.”

She watched him, wondering if he’d expand on the topic of Luc Gagnon, but he didn’t—which confirmed her suspicion that the man was somehow mixed in with whatever Sean was doing down here. Now she was even more intrigued than before.

“So, you heard from the newlyweds?” Sean asked, changing the subject.

“I talked to them briefly. Why?”

“Just wondering if they’re liking Costa Rica.”

“They’ve been doing some diving, which is good. Joel hasn’t been on a vacation since—” She squinted. “Come to think of it, I can’t even remember the last time it was. It’s good for them to get away.”

Sean nodded. “He’s a workaholic.”

“Yep.”

Maybe Sean knew her brother better than she thought.

“Are you guys close?” he asked.

She shrugged. “We were close growing up. Not so much lately.”

“How come?”

She sipped her mojito, debating how much to tell him. “Ever since my dad died, I don’t know. My brothers and I have kind of drifted in different directions. I mean, I still see them and everything. Everyone but Alex lives here on the island, so there’s no avoiding it. But... I guess we’re all wrapped up in our own things.”

He watched her, appearing interested in her family dynamics. Whether he really was or not, she couldn’t tell.

“Anyway, Joel’s with Miranda now. Owen’s with Macey. Alex... Well, who knows about Alex? I’m sure he’s got a string of girlfriends.” She shrugged. “We don’t spend that much time together anymore.”

“And your mom?”

“She rounds everyone up for family stuff from time to time. You know, birthdays and holidays, things like that. But even then, cops don’t exactly work regular hours, so work tends to get in the way. I’m sure you know how that goes.”

He nodded. “I do.”

Leyla picked the mint leaf from her drink and put it into her mouth. “You said you have a sister in Austin. What does she do?”

“She runs a software startup.”

“Oh yeah? Good for her.”

“Fifteen employees. She basically works twenty-four seven.” He leaned back. “She reminds me of you, actually. She’s pretty intense.”

“I’m intense?” She laughed. “I think you mean Joel. And Alex. They’re the intense ones in the family.”

“What about Owen?”

“He’s a little mixed.” She took a sip of her drink.

“Mixed?”

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