Rough Waters

by Maggie Toussaint

  Chapter 29

  The mob?

  Jeanie staggered back, knocking over the greeting card display. The metal stand clattered onto the tiled floor. Rock caught her before she fell, but a whuff of pain snaked out of his lips. He’d grabbed her with his bad arm because he still held the gun in his right hand. She jerked away instinctively. Suddenly his touch confused instead of comforted her.

  “Don’t touch my wife, you effing criminal!” Avery yelled.

  “Back off, Munro.”

  What the hell was going on here? Why couldn’t she think straight? Rock, a criminal?

  “Leave Jeanie alone,” Avery snarled. “She’s mine.”

  The guttural response from Rock’s throat scared her. “The hell she is.”

  “Stop it! Stop it, both of you,” Jeanie shouted, waving her arms in frustration. “I’m not yours or anyone else’s,” she snapped, stepping away from Rock. “So just stop it.”

  As a girl she’d fantasized about having two men argue over her. The fantasy was vastly overrated. She turned to her ex-husband. “You have five minutes to explain yourself. Go.”

  His face took on a familiar pinched look. His voice did that waggle thing it did whenever he expected her to fold. “I’m in trouble, J-girl. I need you. I’ve always needed you.”

  Jeanie didn’t say anything. Couldn’t. Avery had bled her dry so many times, she should laugh in his face. Despite her hard-line attitude, a wisp of something stirred. She squashed the emotion. No way would she empathize with this loser.

  “Remember the good times we had? We can have them again. I love you, Jeanie. Always have. Ever since that first pinkie-swear in junior high.”

  That wisp of sympathy strengthened. Those had been good times.

  Avery’s familiar brown eyes pleaded with her. Sincerity radiated from his hunched frame. “I made a mistake. I’m begging you to take me back.”

  She pressed her lips together. Couldn’t afford for the wrong sound to slip out.

  Avery’s nose went up, and his gaze narrowed. “Damn it, Jeanie. Give me something. I can’t believe you’re hanging out with this hack. He doesn’t belong here. I do.”

  He’d left her for another woman. That thought thudded against her chest, clanging into her ribs like a road crew’s jackhammer. He’d emptied their bank account. Stuck her with credit card bills she couldn’t pay. Made her lose their home to foreclosure. Abandoned their children.

  “You can’t be serious about this guy. He’s a used-up has been. With a gun. What are you doing hanging with a man who carries a gun, J-girl? We can be a family again.”

  He’d made promises before.

  Broken them.

  Rubbed her face in them.

  Then trampled her heart on the way out the door.

  “Time’s up.” She glanced over at Rock. At least he’d put the gun away. “Your turn. Five minutes.”

  “I didn’t lie to you,” Rock said, his face poppy red, his rigid posture carved granite.

  Had it only been this morning when she couldn’t stop kissing him? He’d paid her the most outrageous compliments. She’d kissed every square inch of his athletic form.

  She wanted to throttle him. Slowly. “You didn’t tell the whole truth either,” she shot back.

  “I’m sorry. I did what I thought was best.”

  He’s a man.

  His lips are moving.

  He’s lying.

  “What’s this about the mob?” she asked.

  He took so long to answer, she thought he wouldn’t.

  “Munro exaggerated. I borrowed money from an investor to finance my shipwreck exploration. Lyle isn’t mob-connected, but he is serious about being repaid,” Rock began slowly. “He expects those coins and the chest. Like yesterday.”

  “Why didn’t you give this Lyle the loot as soon as you found it?”

  “I thought I had an inside track on a sure thing, and that we’d find more. I gambled with my future and lost. I’m still trying to understand what happened. Munro was my best lead at finding the stolen coins and the chest.”

  Gamblers.

  Gamblers and liars.

  Jeanie shuddered. Why didn’t she ever learn?

  No wonder Rock was broke. “Jeanie?” Rock asked, stepping closer.

  She thrust out her palm to halt his approach. “What?”

  “Please. Let me fix this.”

  She couldn’t see worth a damn. “Give me a minute.” She dashed the tears from her eyes. Wished her stomach would settle. Wished her knees would stop trembling.

  “You can’t believe a word this man says,” Avery said. “He’s a fortune hunting liar.”

  “Quiet. You had your say,” she told her ex-husband, her gaze locked on Rock. “This is still Rock’s nickel. Anything else you want to tell me?”

  “I’ll make this right,” Rock said instead.

  Tears welled again. She blinked them back. She would not fall apart now. This was her shop, her life, her livelihood, and future.

  Avery wasn’t part of the picture any more. She felt sorry for him, but she didn’t love him. He’d hurt her too badly. She wouldn’t give him another chance to destroy her kids.

  And Rock? She’d thought they had something, but he was too cloak and dagger for her. How the hell had she gotten hooked up with a man who carried a gun?

  Jeanie unlocked the door, opened it, and squared her shoulders. “Get out. Both of you.”

  Chapter 30

  Rock took one last look at Jeanie’s unforgiving face before he left the flower shop. With burglars at large, she had no business being on her own. He grabbed Avery Munro by the nape of the neck in the parking lot.

  “Wait here until I get back,” Rock said.

  “Why?” Munroe sneered, twisting away. “So you can shoot me?”

  Rock flashed the handgun in Munro’s face. “I could shoot you right now, pal, but this is about keeping Jeanie alive. Keep an eye on the shop. Only let locals inside. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

  Munro swore.

  Rock held the man’s gaze. “Can I trust you?”

  “No more than I trust you.”

  “Good. You’re starting to think for yourself. Ten minutes. Leave, and I will find you.”

  Without waiting for the man’s reply, Rock jogged the few blocks to his house. How could he have believed Munro masterminded the coin theft? The man had abandoned his family to chase after the ghosts of lust, youth, and riches. And now he was crawling back like a whipped dog.

  Munro’s instability should have raised red flags in Rock’s mind. Drifter types like Munro might partner with someone else short term. A silent partner?

  At the marina, Munro might have befriended Vince Palamiri. Were they collaborating? If they’d stolen his treasure, why were they here? The skimpy facts didn’t mesh.

  Morning sunshine filtered through the thick canopy of live oaks. A slight breeze danced through the tendrils of Spanish moss hanging from every branch. Rock inhaled deeply as the sea air centered him. Once Jeanie had protection, he’d get answers from Munro.

  Castor and Pollox jumped and pranced when he opened the door. He gathered their supplies and escorted the dogs to the flower shop. Across the street, Munro loitered under the shade of a big oak.

  When Rock opened the shop door, Jeanie snapped at him from behind the work counter. “Step one foot in my shop, and I’m calling the cops.”

  Not trusting himself to speak to her, he placed the backpack of dog bowls and leashes inside the door. “Wache,” he ordered the dogs. With his hand, he repeated the command with the “guard” signal.

  Jeanie’s voice followed him outside. “Don’t hurt him.”

  Nothing good would come of arguing the point with her. He marched toward her ex-husband. “Move.”

  “Where to?” Munro asked.

  “The waterfront.”

  “Why?”

  “Just do it.”

  “What about Jeanie?”

  Rock wanted to slug the
jerk. “What about her?”

  “Is she safe?”

  “My dogs will defend her with their lives.”

  Munro stumbled and recovered. “Seriously?”

  He shot the man a quelling glare as they crossed the empty street. “How do you fit in this?”

  “Whaddya mean?”

  “Who do you work for?” Rock asked.

  “I don’t work for no one. I mean nobody. I mean, I’m my own man.”

  Rock let that slide. “How’d you find out about the coins and the wooden chest?”

  “I was listening.”

  Rock’s pulse quickened. “Keep talking.”

  “I got troubles of my own.”

  If Munro had hidden the coins at Jeanie’s house or shop, he wouldn’t have torn the places apart. Munro seemed an opportunist, waiting for the good life to find him. Disappointment tasted sour on Rock’s tongue as the likelihood of Munro being party to the theft approached zero.

  Rock felt no satisfaction at having caught his quarry. With Munro off the table as a suspect, he needed a new suspect. Munro might prove useful yet.

  “You plan to involve Jeanie in those troubles?” Rock asked.

  “What I do with my wife is none of your business.”

  “Ex-wife.”

  Munro carelessly waggled a wrist. “Words. They ain’t worth the air they’re printed on. Jeanie loves me. Has since seventh grade. She’ll take me back in a heartbeat.”

  Not if Rock had anything to say about it. “Tell me about you and Palamiri.”

  Munro’s face darkened. Rock shifted his weight to the balls of his feet. Waited.

  Munro tried to make a break for it. Rock tackled him on the bike path before he’d gone three steps and pulled the man to his feet. He ignored the fresh pain in his arm. “Is Palamiri your boss?”

  Munro’s shoulders and head slumped as they neared the Mossy River. “I don’t work for Palamiri. Same as I don’t work for you. I worked for Larry at the marina.”

  “And the landscaping company.”

  “My side job. The marina was my main gig.”

  “You like boats?”

  “Used to have one. Sold it to pay bills.”

  Been there, done that. “Who was talking about the treasure we found?”

  Munro glared at him. “You don’t let up, do you?”

  “Not about this.”

  “Your buddy told me. Tarpley.”

  A terrible rip current tugged at Rock’s feet, threatening to topple him into the river at the unexpected mention of his former business partner. He gripped the wooden dock railing firmly. “He’s dead.”

  “So? Tarpley told me before your boat blew up. He blabbed your big secret to the whole world.”

  “Who else knows?”

  “Brent.”

  The bartender at The Rusty Anchor, the bar closest to the marina. “Anyone else?”

  “Nope. We were the only ones left in the place at closing time that night. When I got there, Tarpley was already three sheets to the wind. I’d come back for a cold one after Shandy and me had a spat over money. No matter what I did, she never had enough. She had the nerve to cut me off. Me, and I couldn’t get any action on a Saturday night,” he muttered.

  “What did Tarpley say?”

  Munro snickered. “Said you was one secretive SOB. Said you wouldn’t even let him hold that journal. Said he was all broken up about your lack of trust. That guy could put away the sour mash.”

  Tarpley had had no interest in studying the journal until they came up empty. By then, Rock had realized the journal might be the only way out of his debt. No way would he loan the journal to anyone at that point.

  “Tarpley lied. He read the journal at my kitchen table. Lots of times.”

  Munro shrugged. “Just telling you what he said, man.”

  “Tell me about Brent. How well do you know him?”

  “We’s drinkin’ buddies. He called a friend to get me the side job with the landscaper. Good man, Brent.”

  “Did you tell him where you lived?”

  “I told him about Jeanie and the kids. I might have mentioned Mossy Bog.”

  “Who did Brent hang out with? Who were his friends?”

  “Ahhh...” He gave Rock an annoyingly crafty look, as if they were suddenly partners. “I see where you’re going with this. Brent and Palamiri were big buds.”

  Chapter 31

  A car door slammed outside. As the dogs stood and listened, Jeanie put down the slender pink rose she’d been wiring. Despite her initial outrage at having canine babysitters, she was glad she wasn’t alone at The Muddy Rose.

  Every noise today made her jump. Heart in her throat, she peered out the shop window. Blue sedan, dent on the passenger side. Donna. With big to-go bags from her carryout service.

  Jeanie’s mouth watered. Lunch. Brilliant idea. She hadn’t thought once about eating, and the time was mid-afternoon. How could she, when a burglar might walk through her doorway? Between being steaming mad at Avery and Rock, she’d been making flower arrangements all day, thankful for the uptick in business. The town of Mossy Bog looked after its own.

  Castor and Pollox barked as her friend approached.

  “Shh. Donna’s my friend,” Jeanie said. Why hadn’t she asked Rock for a list of their commands? Would the dogs attack her friend? “Y’all behave.”

  The dogs quieted and pushed in front of her. Ignoring them, Jeanie flung open the door. “Hey.”

  Donna bustled past the dogs, and Jeanie directed her to set her load on the counter. “You got dogs and didn’t tell me?”

  “They’re not mine. Rock’s.”

  “Ahhh.”

  “What?”

  “His dogs. Big dinner at his house last night. Now he orders you lunch from my place. I’m sensing a pattern here.”

  “Lunch?” Jeanie couldn’t keep the grin off her face. “What did he order? I’m starving.”

  “Chicken salad croissant and vegetable soup. The tea’s on me.”

  Jeanie’s stomach growled at the mention of her favorite foods. “It’s a bad idea to encourage him, but he’s sure got me pegged.”

  “He had a little help in the ordering department,” Donna said, handing out the food.

  Wonderful aromas entwined in her head as she opened the containers. If she ever got rich enough to hire a personal chef, Donna would be her first choice. “I thought you wanted Rock for yourself.”

  Her friend brushed away her statement like a pesky housefly. “He only has eyes for you, and I want to hear all about the Big Romance.”

  So did half the county from the calls she’d fielded today, but she was tired of pretending everything was normal. She needed to talk this through. “Not much to tell. I kicked him out today. Him and Avery.”

  Jeanie snapped her fingers. “Darn. I need to call Laurie Ann and cancel that missing persons search for Avery.”

  “Forget Avery.” Donna leaned forward, eyes aglow. “What happened with you and Rock?”

  “What’s the buzz about town?”

  “Josh asked me to keep a lookout for strangers in town. He told me about the break-in at your place when he stopped by for coffee first thing this morning. A little later, I overheard Noreen telling Rudell your van spent the night at Rock’s place. Dish, girlfriend.”

  “If you weren’t my best friend, I’d sock you for knowing more about my business than I do. And since when are you and Officer Josh Calucci on first name basis?”

  “Don’t try to change the subject. Police boy can wait. Tell me about major hottie with two cute dogs. Did he meet your expectations? I’m dying for details.”

  “All right, already. I ate dinner with Rock last night. I mean, my family ate dinner with him. The evening went well, even the kids and Mom enjoyed the meal. But when we drove home, my front door was open. I locked the door before I left, same as I always do. Anyway, I hightailed it back to Rock’s place and called the cops. Scared out of my gourd. My kids could’ve been hurt if we wer
e home when the break-in happened. I couldn’t stop shaking. Laurie Ann’s working the leads. Rock and I stashed Mom and the kids in Florida and drove home to his place. I didn’t plan on sleeping with him, but I did.”

  “You can’t stop there. This is the best part.”

  The room felt like it was closing in on her. She couldn’t swallow. “No. My love life isn’t a made-for-TV movie.”

  “He must not be any good in the sack if y’all are already on the outs.”

  “He got that part right.” Jeanie felt her face flame. Why, oh why, was she saying this? Didn’t she have any sense of self-preservation? “The after part wasn’t so good.”

  “How so?”

  She met her friend’s inquiring gaze head on. “He lied to me.”

  “Oh, dear. Not another one.”

  “More than once. Only he claims it wasn’t lying. He kept things from me. Because he thinks he knows best.”

  “Gosh, if I’d known there was this much drama over here, I’d have closed up today and set up a lawn chair outside and charged admission. You don’t need another Avery.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “You need a hero.”

  The food in her stomach weighed as much as a shrimp trawler. She didn’t need a hero. She needed a man who would be straight with her. “Don’t try to cheer me up. I’m not ready to come out of my funky mood yet.”

  Donna drained her iced tea. “Speaking of the devil, what did Avery want?”

  Jeanie snorted. “Me. Said he made a mistake. Said we could be a family again.”

  “Good Lord. I hope you whipped out the roach repellent.” Donna’s jaw dropped. “Oh, no. You’re not taking him back? He’s no good for you, hon. Don’t do it.”

  “The kids miss their dad. You know what else? I miss being part of a couple. I don’t like doing this alone.”

  “Now who’s been sniffing the craft glue? You were alone when you were with Avery. He didn’t help with the bills. He didn’t help around the house. He was so bad for you. I beg you, don’t hook up with him again.”

  “I’m not. We have kids together. He’ll always be a part of their lives.”

  “Think with your head. Not your broken heart. If Rock isn’t Mr. Wonderful, we’ll find you someone who is.”

  Rock was a mystery. Experience had taught her she needed to be on an equal footing with the man in her life. She’d already been trampled by one man. Darn if she’d let another one trample her heart.