Page 89 of Light of Day
“Come on, let’s get you out of here.” He found a pair of yellow rubber gloves meant for the housekeeping staff, and used it to pick up the scarf and the vial, which he tucked into the glove’s finger. That would have to do as an evidence bag. He couldn’t leave it here to be collected by the bad guys.
Also known as his family.
Jesus.
He helped Judy climb out of the closet. She was so weak that she had to lean against him for support. But once they were out, she clutched at him. “Lukie, you go do what you have to do. I can get to my room from here.”
“Are you sure? Who put you in here?”
“I…it…” She scrunched her face up. “It was Carson. Yes. Carson needed a towel, so I came to grab one for him and—” She shuddered and touched the back of her head.
Fucking Carson. If he was out there doing something to Heather…
“Right now I’m trying to find Heather. Any idea where she might be? I think Celine has been working with someone to?—”
“Fiona,” she said right away. “I’ve seen them talking. They used to hate each other, so it seemed strange. Lately they’ve been keeping me away from your father. Every time I need to talk about something, they say Carson can handle it.”
His gut clenched as the reality sank in. His brother and sister might have done something terrible, unforgivable. And they might be doing the same thing to Heather right now.
He flashed on the telescope in Fiona’s room, pointed straight down toward the ocean. Hadn’t they explored that bit of coastline once? They’d gotten into huge trouble because no one was supposed to go there, it was too dangerous because of the sea caves. Their father had come after them with the speedboat and scooped them up before they got too far.
Maybe Fiona had gone back there and gotten to know those sea caves.
“Are you sure you’re good?” he asked Judy urgently.
“Yes, just go get your girl. Heather’s a good one, no matter what people say. You should hang on to her.”
He raced down the stairs and through the foyer. Out the door, he spotted Officer Chen and Gabby roaring up the drive on a golf cart. Someone else was in the back seat with them. For a wild moment he thought it was Heather, but it was a young woman he didn’t recognize.
Chen zoomed to a stop next to him. “I happened to run into these two and figured they’ll be helpful.”
“We need a boat,” he told her.
“Now? It’s getting dark.”
“Now!” He twirled his finger as he slid in next to the unfamiliar woman. “Back down to the wharf, stat.”
“This is Sasha!” Gabby called over the screech of the golf cart executing a sharp three-point turn. “She’s the proof.”
“The what?”
Sasha smiled at him apologetically. She was a gorgeous young woman with golden-brown skin and wavy dark hair. “I’m just finding out about this too. I guess my ancestors used to live here? It’s all news to me.”
42
At the east wharf,Gary had already cast off his stern line when Luke commandeered his vessel.
Which was a fancy way of saying “asked if he could use it for an hour or two.”
“Ayup,” Gary said amiably. “I’ll be at the bar. That bartender they got sure is a treat for the eyes. Always a pleasure delivering lobsters here.” He ambled back up the dock toward the hotel.
The rest of the group piled into the boat—Detective Chen, Gabby, and Sasha.
“Does anyone know how to pilot a lobster boat?” he asked them.
Everyone shook their heads, and Luke regretted letting Gary disappear. Maybe it was for the best; he knew where the caves were and could get them there the fastest.
Darkness was falling fast across the water, turning the familiar shoreline into a wild foreign land.
