Page 46 of Shallow Remains

“Fantastic. You’re a gem. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“Sounds good. See you tomorrow,” Maddy finished, looking to her left down the road. The sudden silence amplified the sound of the rain drumming on the car. She didn’t see anything. No cars or shadows. No more movement.

Tucking her painting inside her jacket to shield it, she got out and dashed to the front porch. A nagging sense of unease made her glance back down the street as she unlocked the door.

There was nothing there, but the reassuring beep of the security system was welcome as she stepped inside. Instant relief hit when she locked the door and armed the system to “home” mode.

Just to be sure, she took another look through the side panel window. Still didn’t see anything out there.

But as she turned away she thought she just glimpsed the dark shape of a car as it drove slowly past through the pouring rain.

TWENTY-TWO

Rafe was waiting at the dock when Lachlan steered the boat into its berth. Grey and Emma were on deck with the two survivors.

He grabbed the lines to tie them up. When the men saw him their expressions turned wary. Both avoided eye contact with him as Grey and Emma escorted them off the boat.

He stayed put with his feet planted apart, arms folded across the chest of his sheriff’s uniform jacket. “Welcome to Skeleton Island. Heard you had some engine trouble out there.”

“We’re good,” the shorter one said, and went to sidestep him.

Rafe blocked his path. “Just a few questions before you go.”

The kid took off in one direction while the one with the backpack spun around and leapt aboard the boat. Rafe tore after the first one, caught up a dozen or so yards up the dock and dove at him. They hit the wooden planks with a thud, the suspect taking the brunt of the impact.

Straddling the guy’s hips, Rafe caught his wrists, yanked them behind him and was reaching for the cuffs on his belt when Emma appeared with a pair of plastic flex cuffs in hand. He secured the suspect with a solid tug. “Watch him while I frisk him.”

“With pleasure.” She crouched beside them while Rafe checked for weapons.

Negative, but he did find a wallet and phone. “David. Good to meet you. I’m taking these into evidence. Want to tell me what you were doing on that boat?”

Footsteps thudded on the dock behind him before David could answer. Rafe glanced back and saw Grey frog-marching the other cuffed suspect toward them.

“Thought he could make a getaway on the boat with Lachlan still on it,” Grey said, his brother a few steps behind him carrying the backpack. The suspect was bleeding from a split lip.

“Interesting tactic.” Rafe stood. “What’s in the bag?”

Lachlan yanked the top zipper open and showed him.

Well, well, well.

Stacks of hundreds secured by rubber bands. At first glance, at least twenty thousand.

Wasn’t that interesting?

Rafe looked up at the bleeding suspect. “What’s your name? I’ve already been formally introduced to your buddy David.”

The guy stared at his feet with a blend of defiance and sullenness and didn’t answer.

“Any weapons?” Rafe asked Lachlan.

“This.” He handed over a switchblade and a phone. “No ID on him.”

If he found enough evidence and got a warrant, the IT department could unlock the phones and extract any data. Hopefully enough to give them a solid lead into what was going on here. “Your buddy’s not talking, David. Got anything to say about where all this cash came from?”

“I want a lawyer.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet you do.” Looked like he was in for another long night. “We’ll take you boys into the station and get your lip looked at.” Among other things. He nodded to Lachlan. “Let’s take them to the parking area.”