Page 46 of What Happens in Paradise
“Dear God,” Irene says. “Paulette?”
“She left the island. Her husband and her son too.”
“She left the island?” Irene says. “I called and left a message asking for a certified copy of the death certificate and she never returned my call, but then, voilà, a copy came in the mail.”
“Well, that’s good,” Huck says. “Right?”
“I thought Russ was still alive somewhere,” Irene says. “I had these dreams where he was so…vivid, so present, so whole. He was there, three-dimensionally, in my mind. And when I’d wake up, I’d think, He made it out of that helicopter and Croft plucked him out of the sea and whisked him away.” Irene is mortified when her voice breaks. “I thought he was just hiding somewhere. I thought I’d see him again.”
Huck takes Irene’s hand. Irene looks down to see their fingers intertwined, her hand slender and wrinkled and white, his large and wrinkled and brown.
“The FBI didn’t find anything in Iowa,” Irene says. “Did they find anything in your house, other than the money? Did they find anything in Rosie’s room?”
“Not that I know of,” Huck says. “I had Ayers go through Rosie’s things while Maia was at school. Ayers was the one who discovered the money.”
“But not anything else?” Irene says. “No clues? No…explanations?”
“No,” Huck says.
“And we can trust Ayers?” Irene asks. “We don’t think she knows more than she’s saying, do we?”
“I trust her,” Huck says. “She’s just as in the dark as you and me.”
“But she was Rosie’s best friend,” Irene says. “Her confidante. Surely…”
“Where the Invisible Man was concerned, Rosie was a brick wall,” Huck says. He signals to turn up Lovers Lane. “Sorry—I mean Russ.”
“It’s okay,” Irene says. “The nickname fits.”
When they get to the house, they see both Jeeps are gone; the boys must still be out. Huck brings Irene’s luggage up the stone steps to the deck.
“Will you stay for a beer?” Irene asks.
“I should go collect Maia,” he says.
“No, of course,” Irene says. She needs to shower and unpack. The news of the FBI, the cash, and Paulette leaving the island has Irene rattled. “Are you worried, Huck? Does it feel like the fire is getting a little close?”
“I’m concerned,” Huck says. “I want to remain informed and aware, but I’m not going to let this whole mess control me. This has nothing to do with us, AC. I have a clean conscience and I know you do as well.”
“I do,” Irene says.
“I’ll tell you if we ever have reason to worry,” he says. “Will you trust me on that?”
Irene nods. It’s remarkable how much better she feels knowing Huck’s on her side. If he’s not going to worry, she isn’t either.
“I’ll take a rain check on the beer,” Huck says. “I promise. And hey, we have an afternoon charter on Wednesday. Two couples from Wichita.”
“So you haven’t had second thoughts?” Irene says. “You still want me to be your first mate?”
“I need you to be my first mate,” Huck says.
“I’ll come on Wednesday and we’ll see how I do, okay? But I promise I won’t be offended if you want to hire some young guy.” She winks at him. “Or young woman.”
“Agent Vasco was quite attractive,” Huck says. “I nearly offered her the job.”
“Oh, was she,” Irene says. She sounds jealous to her own ears.
“Are you jealous?” Huck asks.
