Page 73 of Deep Waters
Anya smacked his chest lightly. “Spoil sport.”
“I’m just glad he finally worked up the courage to ask you out, Rae. I don’t think I could take another decade of him mooning over you.”
“He did not moon over me.”
“What do you call it when his high school yearbook has tiny hearts drawn around all your photos?”
“Is this true?” I asked, turning to Zach. He watched me with hooded eyes, the truth in his slow smile. “Did everyone know Zach was interested in more than friendshipbutme?”
Vi nodded, and Anya dipped her chin. Even Lee and Drew gave me smiles that verged on pitying.
“And no one said anything?” I asked.
Drew arched a dark brow. “To the woman who was supposedly in a long-term, committed relationship?”
“Fair point.”
Lingering guilt made me squirm inside. As if sensing my disquiet, Zach wrapped an arm around me in a quick side hug.
After we’d eaten and cleaned up, we settled in the living room with our drinks, and attention shifted to Zach and me.
“Okay, we’ve been patient, but tell us everything,” Vi said, expression intent.
I walked them through my confrontation with Brandon, culminating in my hammer maneuver. Zach lifted our joined hands, bringing my knuckles to his lips. Our friends peppered us with questions, but the main one was something none of us could fully answer: why?
“Unless Brandon talks, we may never know the whole story,” Zach said.
“He clearly believed there was something in the house worth risking everything for,” Drew pointed out. “A ski mask isn’t much of a disguise when Rae was likely to recognize his voice and body type.”
“Sheriff Walker is tight-lipped. Just says they’re still collecting evidence and that it’s an ongoing investigation.”
“And the safe was empty after all that?” Anya tugged at her bottom lip. “They must have had buyers if Jordan and Brandon were just the middlemen, smuggling from Canada.”
“Yes, or some kind of intermediary.”
“You think it could be someone down at the marina?” Drew asked.
“It doesn’t even have to be our marina. Assuming they were using their whale-watching boat, they could have docked anywhere and made an exchange.”
“Would that explain why Jordan was up on the bluffs?” Lucy asked. “Brandon dropped him off to make their drop, and things went very wrong?”
“God, Lucifer. You’re evil, smart, and sexy. Marry me?”
“Knock it off, Robertson. No one wants to marry your goofy ass.”
Clay pouted. At least as much as a giant mountain of a man could pout. Lucy crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring his puppy dog eyes, but I caught the hint of a smile turning up her lip. She wasn’t as immune to Clay as she wanted him to think. But he was so over-the-top, it was hard to take him seriously.
“Anything is possible. Brandon clearly believed something was still in play but didn’t have their stock. If someone is pressuring him for delivery, and whatever it was went over the edge with Jordan, it might explain his desperation.”
Drew frowned. “I found that case on the shore the day after Jordan’s accident.” He shook his head. “It still drives me nuts that it got stolen before we could find out what was inside.”
“Do you think Brandon stole the case?” Clay asked.
“Not if he was lurking around Jia’s because he believed it was in Jordan’s safe.”
“That alone makes me think we’ve got another player in town,” Drew said.
Zach stretched, spreading his arms until they touched the wall behind us, yawning loud and long. “These are mysteries for another day. I’m beat.” His gaze snagged mine. “Ready to head home?”
