Page 32 of Fierce Seas


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“Start talking, Elizabeth, before we run out of luck—and time!”

CHAPTER EIGHT

But Elizabeth didn’t speak.

Wordlessly jumping to her feet, she hurried from the salon back to her cabin.

Surprised by her sudden retreat, Scott stared after her.

Deciding to give her some time, he cleared the table and washed the dishes. When she still didn’t reappear, he walked to the cabin and knocked lightly on the door.

“Come in.” Her voice sounded weak.

Stepping inside, he found her perched on the edge of the bed gazing at the floor, her bag buckled up and ready to go.

“Hey,” he said casually, walking in and sitting beside her. “Why are you so rattled?”

She turned to face him with bloodshot eyes, and her cheeks wet with tears.

“Problems, even big ones, have a way of working themselves out,” he said softly, putting an arm around her. “I’ve been in dire circumstances, really dire, but here I am on a yacht in paradise with the wench from my dreams.”

“This isn’t a joke,” she sniffled.

“No, but a little levity can help, and who knows, maybe you are that wench.”

“You don’t believe that for a minute.”

“Miracles can happen.”

“I’m glad you said miracles,” she muttered with a heavy sigh. “I need more than one.”

He paused. “Is this about the money?”

Jerking back, she stared at him, shock in her red-rimmed eyes. “M-money? What money?”

“Elizabeth, I know about the cash in your bag.”

“You went through my stuff?”

“You left me no choice,” he said gravely. “You’re running from a cop and you refused to talk to me. What was I supposed to do?”

“I told you I was set up,” she retorted. “What else do you need to know?”

“Everything, and that means every sordid detail. It’s the only way I can help you. Surely you must understand that.”

“Actually, I do,” she admitted with a sigh, “but I’m surprised you’re still willing to after finding that money.”

“I don’t care if he is a cop, there’s no way I’d let Dan Miller get his hands on you.”

“The way he used to stare at me there were times I thought he was an evil psychopath,” she muttered, “but then he’d go out of his way to avoid me.”

“That evil psychopath broke into my boat,” Scott said grimly, “and when you heard about the toilet rolls on the bathroom floor I saw you freak out. Now I walk in here and find you in tears. I need to know why. Please, Elizabeth, tell me what happened—what is happening.”

“Okay,” she said, her shoulders slumping with resignation. “I’m freaking out because now Dan thinks I have the rest of the money that disappeared.”

“I don’t understand. What do rolls of toilet paper have in common with stolen money?”

“I hid rolls of cash inside the cardboard tubes.”

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