Page 20 of Shallow Remains

Maddy thought of poor Onyx, swimming almost this exact same route a few weeks back when something had suddenly caused her to strand on the beach along with two other members of her pod. A sonar signal was the only explanation that made sense.

It infuriated her that a sub might have killed that gorgeous animal.

“Never gets old,” Lachlan said as the orcas moved past them and out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. “Anything else you wanna check out up this way?”

When Xanthe glanced at Maddy, she shook her head. “No, I think we’re good here. You’re cleared to return to port.”

“Roger.” He started the engines and turned them to port, heading back the way they’d come.

The ride back was even more beautiful as the mist burned off, revealing the unique geography along the coastline—banks undercut by constant erosion, swirling rock sculptures left behind when the tide went out, even a cave bored into the base of a cliff.

Light showers began to fall as they reached the harbor. Whalebone Cove sat proudly partway up the hill, the humpback mandible arch standing sentinel from the cliff over the harbor.

Lachlan steered them back to their berth at the dock. Xanthe tied the lines. “You got any trips booked today?” she asked Lachlan as she hopped ashore.

“One later this afternoon. Scattering ashes.”

“Oh,” Maddy said, not having realized that was a service he provided. “Do you get a lot of those?”

“A few, and getting more. We’ve got an increasingly aging population on the island.” He helped Bronwyn and Willow onto the dock.

Maddy hung back a little as the others walked away, pausing in front of him. “Thanks for taking us out.”

His smile warmed his eyes. “It was my pleasure. You get what you needed up there?”

“I think so.” It had been good to see the area from the water. Gave a completely different perspective she could use to compare to the video footage. “Boat seems perfect.”

“She is,” he said in a fond voice, running a hand over the tube he stood next to.

She wouldn’t mind feeling his hands running over her.

Shocked at the direction of her thoughts, she reached for the metal railing at the bottom of the steps to get out of his way. Lachlan took her by the upper arm to help her up.

Completely unnecessary, but she liked it when he touched her.

That alone was significant. Physical touch could be jarring for her.

“Thanks again,” she said as he steadied her on her way up the metal steps.

“Sure.” He didn’t let go when she reached the top but watched her for a moment, as if he were about to say something important.

A buzzing sound shattered the quiet. He dug his phone from his pocket to check the screen. His eyebrows drew together slightly.

“Everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah.” He looked up at her. “Sorry, but I have to run into town now.”

“Oh. No problem. See you later.” She turned and hurried after the others, wondering what he’d been about to say. Had he been about to ask her out? Maybe.

If he had, would she have said yes?

Yeah, she probably would have. That was doubly ironic considering she’d been wondering if there was something wrong with him.

Because she doubted he’d still be interested in her if he knew how damaged she was.

TEN

Grey was already waiting for him when Lachlan arrived at the diner along Harborview Street ten minutes after leaving the marina. Whalebone Cove’s main drag was the heart of the historic district where all the shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses were clustered within a few square blocks.