Anchor tapped his fingers against the table to get everyone’s attention.“Alright.Church is in session.”
Chairs shifted.Guys straightened.
“We’ll run this down quick,” Anchor said.“First, the window tapping.”
A ripple of anger went around the table.Vin muttered a curse, Skull ground his jaw, and Push shook his head.
Anchor continued, “Wannabe, Vin, and Skull did another perimeter check this afternoon.No new disturbances.Whoever came to Shay’s window knew exactly where they were going and exactly how not to leave tracks.”
Shay’s hand tightened around her fork.
I slid my leg against hers under the table in silent reassurance.
Anchor moved on.“Second thing, surveillance.”
Push nodded.“All cameras are up.I’ve synced everything to the main monitor and the backup.We’ve got overlapping sightlines around the cabins, the boathouse, and the haunted house exterior.We still need to reinforce the basement entrance on the far side of the island, but otherwise, we’re done.”
“Pull and Post are checking the blind spots,” Skull added.“Should have a full sweep by midnight.”
“Good,” Anchor said.
I could hear the strain in his voice.This past week had aged him.The whole club felt it.
“Third,” Anchor said, “the island opens Saturday.”
Piney groaned.“Shit.”
“That’s what I said,” Anchor muttered.“But we don’t have a choice.We need the money.Security ate up more than half the cushion fund.”
He wasn’t wrong.
He also wasn’t worried about grumbling.He knew every man at this table would be busting his ass for the island’s opening day, whether they liked it or not.
“Next,” Anchor said, tone deepening, “Shay.”
The entire room went quiet.
I felt Shay stiffen beside me.Her breath caught, her shoulders tensed, and her hands curled together in her lap.
I angled my body slightly toward her.“I’ve got you,” I whispered.
“She discovered today,” Anchor said slowly, “that she’s Bernice’s granddaughter.”
Vin was the first to break the silence.“How do we know that for a fact?”
I blinked at him.
Vin wasn’t an asshole.He was a skeptic.Sharp-eyed.The kind of man who needed proof written in steel before he’d claim it as truth.
“It could all just be coincidence,” Vin continued.“Small town, old photos, families knew each other.Doesn’t mean she’s her granddaughter.”
Pearl’s reaction was instant.She sat straighter and lifted her chin.“We looked at the photos.Shay looks just like Bernice when she was her age.You can’t deny it.”
Vin opened his mouth, closed it, then rubbed his jaw.“I’m not saying it’s impossible.I’m saying we don’t know for sure.”
Anchor nodded.He wasn’t disagreeing, but he wasn’t brushing it aside either.He turned his eyes to Shay.“Shay,” he said gently, “do you have any family you can talk to?Anyone who can confirm this?”
She looked at me instantly, asking permission with her eyes.
