Page 2 of Deep Waters

“Setin Nyemouth,” Christian corrected. “Maybe. Like I said, I’m not sure. I’m looking for inspiration. Just trying to get ideas for now.”

“You’ve come to the right place,” Harry told him.

“Yeah,” Tom agreed. “We’ve got it all going on here.”

Christian smiled. It crinkled his eyes even further and revealed good white teeth. It was a very attractive smile.

For an older man, Harry reminded himself.

“Is that so?”

“Hell, yeah.” Tom bounced with excitement. “If I tell you about it, will you put me in your book? Like, as a character.”

Christian chuckled, humouring him in a good-natured way. “We’ll see. I can give you an acknowledgement…if your information is good.”

Harry listened as his cousin ran his mouth, content to steer the boat without contributing.

“For a little town, we’ve had so much shit going on that most people wouldn’t believe it—murders, attempted murders, drowning. Whatever you can think of, it’s happened here. Just this summer, the UK Border Forces intercepted a fishing boat coming into the harbour. They found sixty-nine migrants hidden in the hold. The boat had come over from Belgium. They must have figured it was easier to smuggle people onto the quieter north coast than down south, where everyone is watching for them. That caused quite a stir. And just last year, a local businessman tried to murder his husband on a yacht just outside the harbour. And before that, someone tried to kill Arnie Walker, you know, the actor, on the north shore beach. You should put all that in your book.”

Christian nodded, zipping his jacket. The wind had increased. “I know Arnie Walker—and his husband, Dominic. They are the main reason I’m here. When I told Dominic I was thinking about setting a book in Northumberland, he suggested I check out this area.”

“Oh, that’s right. Dominic’s a writer, too. I always forget that. He doesn’t use his own name.” Harry looked at Christian in a new light. Dominic Melton was one of the nicest men he knew, brave and dependable. If Christian was a friend of his, there had to be something good about him.

“That’s how we met,” Christian said, turning his cool grey eyes towards him. “At a literary festival about three years ago. We’ve kept in touch, though this is my first time in Nyemouth.”

“So, are you staying with Dominic and Arnie?” Tom asked.

“No. I’ve got a room at Quay House. Nothing against the guys and their lovely home, but I like my privacy at the end of the day. I can never relax when I’m in someone else’s place.”

Harry understood that well enough. He’d lived on his own since leaving his parents and couldn’t imagine the compromise involved in sharing with someone else. “What kind of books do you write? The same kind of stuff as Dominic?”

He shook his head. “Dominic’s novels are more action-oriented. I write crime stories, murder mysteries—that kind of thing.”

“What did I say?” Tom blurted excitedly. “You’ve definitely come to the right place.”

“Not from what I’ve seen so far. Nyemouth seems a quiet, laid-back kind of town.”

“It’s really not,” Tom said.

“When did you arrive?” Harry asked.

“I got here on Saturday afternoon.”

“Give it time,” Tom told him. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“Give it a rest, Tom,” Harry admonished. “It’s not that bad, honestly. There have been a few incidents over the years, but no more than any other place. I bet if you scratch the surface of any small town, you’ll find plenty of similar stories.”

“I know,” Christian said with a knowing smile.

The winds increased, and the boat swayed farther in the swell. The weather was changing much faster than he’d expected. A few heavy splats of rain landed on the deck.

“Things are about to get choppy,” Harry told Christian. “Come into the wheelhouse. You’ll be sheltered from the worst of it.” He told Tom to brew another round of tea.

As Christian stepped inside, the rain started in full and was soon bouncing several inches off the wooden decking.

“Is it always so unpredictable?” he asked.

“Yep. The only thing you should expect at sea is the unexpected. I’m going to have to pick the speed up a bit if we’re going to outrun the worst of it. That means it’s going to get bumpy. Hold on to something and watch your footing.”

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