Page 46 of The Pretender

“It really is.” But Damon continued to stare at Kramer. “Now try answering. Did you leave the island?”

“I had dinner, checked on the boat slip, like I always do, then watched some television until I fell asleep around nine.” Kramer flicked his hand, as if waving them away. “Now you can leave.”

“Alone?” Damon asked.

“Son, do you see other people on the island?”

Damon looked at Harris. “He’s a joy to talk to.”

“I’m happy you’re the investigator.” Harris did much better with jobs that didn’t include humans. Security systems, blueprints, plans filed with the city—he handled all of that with ease. The fewer people involved in a job, the better.

He didn’t take on partners. That was the one thing that tripped up his mom and shined a spotlight on her after years of getting away with it.

Ted balanced the pool skimmer against the edge of the pool. “Let’s shortcut this since it’s probably my turn next. I left the island with Craig last night. We went to a few bars and had some dinner in Baltimore. We got back here after one and I told him to stay. He left about seven this morning.”

“You two slept at your dad’s place.” Harris didn’t have to phrase it as a question because he knew. He’d seen Ted go in and out of the cottage every day.

Ted nodded. “Yeah.”

“And your dad was there when you got back last night?” Damon asked.

Kramer stepped in front of his son and aimed all of his ire at Damon. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Someone broke into the main house last night,” Damon explained.

“Probably him.” Kramer switched his attention to Harris as he pointed. “I don’t trust you.”

That wasn’t exactly news. Kramer hadn’t exactly been a one-man welcoming committee, so Harris wasn’t surprised. “You’ve hidden it well.”

Kramer reached down and closed his toolbox. When he stood up again he had it in his hand. “Are we done?”

For a few seconds Damon stared at Kramer, looked him up and down. “For now.”

“Excellent.” Kramer pushed past Harris and walked across the patio and into the grass.

“I’m sorry about that.” Ted sat on the edge of one of the teak deck chairs. “He wants all of this to go away.”

It sounded reasonable enough but Harris didn’t quite get it. “What about you?”

“Tabitha is dead. It’s hard to say we should all move on when her murder is so unsettled.”

Damon stood at the end of Ted’s chair. “What can you tell me about Craig?”

“Craig?” Ted stumbled over the name then fell silent.

Points to Damon for leading with a question Ted didn’t expect. Harris appreciated the strategy. “That’s what he said.”

“For the record, you sound like an investigator right now,” Ted said.

Damon nodded as he eyed up Harris then looked at Ted again. “He could use some work, but yeah.”

“Craig is a great guy. He grew up not far from here, spent a lot of time on the water as a kid. We all did. He went out and tried to do the day-job thing, following his dad’s footsteps and all that, but he knew it wouldn’t work. He missed the open water and managed to make that into a career.” Ted looked at the patio beneath his feet. “Actually, I think... well, that doesn’t matter.”

“You know you can’t just drop that comment, right?” Damon asked.

Ted hesitated for a few seconds but then started talking. “It’s not my place to say, but he had a thing for Tabitha.”

Damon’s stiff stance eased as confusion crossed his face. “What?”

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