Page 74 of One of Six

"I'll show you. Bring up the list."

"That's easy," Ed comments with a glance at Essex and me. He shakes his head. "When we were kids, we wrote coded messages." He laughs. "Kid stuff, but it was fun."

He reads the list:

BRead

Dishwashing liquid

Asparagus

Skittles

#

Bananas

Apples 3

Lemons 8

Lime$

"The password isRiskball38$."

"No way!" Essex hisses.

"Yes, way. Your mom, Bea, was smart!"

"So now that we have the password, we can find out what she was up to."

"Maybe," Ed mumbles. "We need a laptop."

The warmthof the day and the gentle rocking of the boat lulled me to sleep. I knew it had been a bad idea to lie down, but the makeshift bed had looked too tempting. So, I'd snuggled down and left the sleuthing to Essex and Ed. They have their heads together as I wake, reading something on the laptop in front of them. The wheelhouse gives them some shade to read without the glare of the sun.

As if he feels my eyes on him, Essex lifts his eyes and catches mine. I smile at him. Totally distracted, Ed glances at him and then at me before shaking his head.

I force myself into a sitting position, pulling my legs up and resting my chin on my knees. "I wonder what happened to the gun?"

Both eyes freeze on me. Ed steps out of the wheelhouse with his hands on his hips. "That's a good question."

"David showed up right after, didn't he?" Essex adds. "He should know where it is."

"He hasn't said anything to me about it." Ed frowns. "Then again, I didn't ask."

"Should I call him?" I take my phone out of the front pocket of my backpack and hold it in my hand while I wait for Ed to decide what to do.

He nods.

The moment the phone rings, it's answered.

"Hang on Wayne!" David says.

I frown at the phone and wait while I hear doors opening and closing and David talking to someone in the background.

"Bea! Sorry about that. Lionel and Judge are in the office. They want me to find you. Something to do with some papers you ran off with."

"I'll explain when I see you. Is there any chance you can come to me without telling anyone?"

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