She nodded, understanding his answer completely. The drawing from his journal flashed through her mind. The pasture, the trees, the moon. There was also a snakelike drawing. What if that was actually . . . this river?
Ryan kicked the boat into higher gear and they raced across the water. The sun shone high in the sky, inviting them to stay for as long as they wanted. An afternoon out on the boat could be the perfect medicine for her otherwise heavy thoughts.
“Want to drive?” Ryan asked.
“As long as you don’t let me crash.”
He extended his arm toward her. “I’ve got your back, Daleigh.”
She had no doubt that he did. She stood and Ryan’s hand found a place at her waist, steadying her on the moving boat. He explained how everything on the console worked before giving her the wheel. To her relief, Ryan stayed beside her as she dashed across the water.
He leaned in close. “You’re doing great.”
The feel of his breath on her cheek caused her stomach to do a flip. Why was she letting Ryan have this effect on her? She had to get a grip.
Eventually, Ryan took over the controls and the boat puttered until it came to a stop in front of a strip of buildings lining a bulkhead. She recognized the Elizabeth City waterfront. She helped Ryan to dock the boat.
“If I haven’t told you this before, you’re a lot like your dad.”
Daleigh smiled as she stepped onto the pier. “I’ve heard that before.”
He anchored the boat to the dock and glanced up at her. “I guess your sister turned out like your mother?”
“I never knew my mother. She died when I was young—too young to remember, really. But my dad always said Hannah reminded him of Mom.” Daleigh smiled. “He said they were both bossy.”
Ryan cast her a knowing smile as he stepped onto the pier with her.
As they began to walk toward a waterfront restaurant in the distance, Daleigh glanced up at Ryan. “Did my dad seem happy before he died, Ryan?”
She could feel Ryan’s eyes on her but refused to look his way. One look at the compassion on his face and she might find herself in his arms.
“He seemed really happy, Daleigh.”
“Good.” Her lips faded into a frown. “You know, I was supposed to come home three weeks ago, but I had to cancel.”
“He told me.”
She turned her head toward Ryan. She looked for the condemnation in his eyes, but saw none. “He did?”
“He was looking forward to it. But he understood that you couldn’t make it.”
“A concert came up. Vince said it was too big of an opportunity to pass up. For some reason, I listened to him.”
“Vince knows what he’s talking about. He’s been in music a long time.”
“Yeah, but family should have come first.”
“We have to live and learn, Daleigh.”
“Are you always such a good listener?” She paused for a moment to study his face, how the sunlight covered him with an orange glow that made him look like a travel guide cover model. He had down-home good looks and that grin . . . whenever he flashed it, Daleigh went weak at the knees.
“I could listen to you all day.” He flashed that charming, dimpled grin and pulled on her hand. “We should get inside before we’re late.”
They walked into the restaurant. The inside was dimly lit and boasted decorations like fishing nets and plastic swordfish. An underlying scent of dirty dishwater hung in the air, turning Daleigh’s stomach.
She spotted Patricia sitting in the corner by the window. Her face looked pinched and pale. Daleigh tensed as she wondered what this conversation would hold.
They slid into the booth across from her. Patricia’s gaze fluttered up and part of her lips curled up in a halfhearted smile. “Thanks for meeting me.”
“No problem,” Daleigh said. Before she could dive into her questions, the waitress appeared. Daleigh ordered a sweet tea, and Ryan got a root beer.
Daleigh rested her arms on the table and studied Patricia a moment. The woman looked nervous. “What’s going on?” Daleigh asked.
Patricia glanced around, almost as if looking for anyone who was eavesdropping. “I finally made myself go through some of your father’s things. I found a recorder in his drawer. I’ve never really known him to record anything, although he had said his arthritis was acting up lately. Maybe recording was easier than writing.” She shook her head. “I don’t know. Anyway, I didn’t know if I should listen to it or not, but I decided just to see what was on the recorder, in case it had to do with his classes.”
Apprehension squeezed Daleigh’s lungs. “And?”
Patricia cleared her throat before leveling her gaze with Daleigh’s. “I think your dad was studying moonshiners.”
“Moonshiners?” Daleigh whispered. She leaned back, shocked at the new information. Of all the things she expected to hear, moonshining was not one of them. “Really? Do people even do that anymore?”
She nodded. “Apparently. It can be big money.”
“It’s also very illegal,” Ryan added.
“Why do people even make moonshine? I don’t get it. What am I missing here?”
The waitress brought them their drinks. After she scurried away, Ryan rested his arm on the table. “People moonshine to evade high liquor taxes. The alcohol content in moonshine can be much higher than commercial alcohol, which is dangerous. It’s not regulated either, which can cause some problems.”
Patricia nodded. “I did a little research. It’s called moonshine because its makers used to move it at night, under the light of the moon, to avoid being caught by authorities.”
The river? At night? Could that be what was going on? Daleigh’s eyes widened. Finally, maybe she was on to something.
“I thought of something else that might interest you,” Patricia continued. “The university has a bit of reputation as a party school. Not too long ago, one of the students was killed in a drunk-driving accident. Your dad seemed really preoccupied with the woman’s death and trying to figure out who was selling alcohol to under-aged students.”
“Did he know the student who died?”
“She was in one of his classes.”
Daleigh shook her head, trying to process all the new information. “Did my dad say anything else?”
That same strained expression pulled at Patricia’s features. “The recording was very static-y at points. But I did make out one name.”
“Whose?”
“Danny Harris.”
***
Daleigh leaned against the railing overlooking the water. Patricia had gone back to the university after their lunch, and now she and Ryan took a moment to mull over their conversation. Before she left, Patricia had handed over the recorder, which was now in Daleigh’s back pocket. She’d listen to it once she got home.
She glanced over at Ryan and shook her head in disbelief. “Moonshine? Could all of this be because of alcohol?”
“People have killed for lesser reasons, though I agree it’s strange. What if that’s what all the activity on the river is? The Coast Guard thought it could be drugs. It could be moonshine.”
“Exactly. And somehow my dad discovered that Danny Harris was behind it and he got himself killed. What if . . . what if this student who died in the accident somehow got the alcohol—the moonshine—from Danny Harris? What if it did have a higher concentration of alcohol and that somehow contributed to her death? How do I prove that?”
Ryan stared at her a moment. “You’re not thinking about going to talk to Danny again, are you?”
Daleigh shook her head. “Not yet. Maybe not ever. I’m not sure. I’ve got to think about this.”
She turned away from the sun, her gaze skimming the street behind them. She straightened as a familiar vehicle caught her eye in the distance.
“What is it?”
She pointed to the black truck that pulled away. She’d bet there was a dark-haired man wearing sunglasses inside. “I’ve see
n that truck several times since I’ve been in town, enough that it’s starting to make me nervous.”
Ryan turned so he faced the street, casually surveying everything around them. “Tell me about that stalker you had in Nashville. How often does stuff like that happen?”
“More than I’d like. I think it comes with the territory.”
“How so?”
“People feel like they know me because they’ve seen my interviews and been to my concerts. They feel like we’ve established a relationship, when the fact of the matter is I don’t know them at all. Some people get a little weird about it.”
“How do you handle it?”
“I really just try to keep life as normal as possible. I’ve never wanted to be a star. I’ve just wanted to sing and write songs.”
“You’re not thinking I’m a stalker or something, are you?” Ryan’s boyish grin pulled her from her thoughts.
“Not at all.” Never with Ryan. With others, maybe. But there was something about Ryan that allowed Daleigh to give him her total trust.
“Have I told you you’re incredible lately?”
Daleigh grinned. “Not lately.”
He cupped her cheek. “You’re one incredible woman, Daleigh McDermott.”
He brushed her lips with his for a moment before taking her hand. “I hate to end my time with you, but I do need to get back to work. You ready?”
She nodded. Ryan helped her into the boat, and a few minutes later they were cruising down the river. Daleigh let the wind smack her face as she mulled over the conversation. What should her next move be? Go to the police? Give them the recorder?
She looked across the water and saw a speedboat in the distance. It charged straight for them.
“Ryan, that boat appears to be heading right for us,” she shouted over the noise of the engine.
He glanced over his shoulder. “It’ll change course. Give it a moment.” He sounded calm, but his gaze remained on the distant boat. It continued charging in their direction. “It sure doesn’t appear to see us.”
Daleigh’s hand dug into Ryan’s forearm. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the watercraft. Suddenly, Ryan cranked up the speed on the boat.
“I don’t know what this yahoo is doing. We best be on the safe side.”
Daleigh waved her hands in the air, trying to get the driver’s attention. From where she was, Daleigh couldn’t make out how many people were on the boat, but it appeared to be just a lone captain. Aviator sunglasses and an oversized hat concealed his face.
The buzz of the boat grew louder, and it didn’t appear to be changing course. Its nose pointed directly at them.
Ryan put the Bay Runner in gear, and they sped out of the kamikaze’s way. Daleigh sucked in a deep breath when she noticed the other boat changed direction, and they remained in its path.
“Sit back and put on a life preserver,” Ryan ordered, his muscles taut.
Daleigh quickly obliged. She pressed herself into the seat, her eyes not leaving the boat. What was the driver thinking? Did he have a death wish?
Lord, help us, she silently prayed.
Ryan cranked the boat into a higher gear and raced out of the boat’s path. The other boat was in hot pursuit of them, though. It veered toward them, its speed surpassing their own.
“This lunatic is trying to hit us!” Ryan shook his head. “Hold on, Daleigh.”
Ryan jerked the boat to the right. Daleigh felt herself being tossed with the momentum, and she grabbed the edge of the seat. The waves from the boat’s wake catapulted the vessel back and forth.
Daleigh turned, searching for the predator. It appeared behind them. Holding her breath, she watched as it turned, still on their trail and getting closer by the minute. Daleigh’s grip on the seat tightened. In a matter of mere seconds, their pursuer could ram them.
Daleigh could barely make out the features of the driver in the opposite boat. Medium build, lean frame. A long-sleeved shirt covered the man’s arms.
He was going to hit them. No matter how fast they traveled, they couldn’t escape. Daleigh’s throat went dry.
“Brace yourself!” Ryan yelled over his shoulder.
Chapter Twenty
Daleigh’s fingers dug into the seat as she struggled to keep her balance. Ryan pulled the wheel to the left. The boat suddenly jostled before hitting something. Metal screeched. Water reached up to grab them.
The speedboat chasing them swerved across the river, barely missing them as it changed directions. The boat’s momentum caused a wave to charge toward them with the propensity of a nuclear aftershock.
Ryan’s boat rocked violently, water lapping over the edges. Daleigh reached for something to steady herself, desperate to stay upright as the river began filling the boat’s basin.
God, help us!
Just then, another wave headed toward them.
Its strength jarred the boat, swaying it. Daleigh flew from one side to the other. Ryan reached for her, but it was too late. Then the entire craft flipped.
The cold, murky water surrounded Daleigh, sucking away her breath. Her arm collided with something hard. The impact caused pain to rip through her muscles.
Panic claimed her. She could barely see through the brown water. Boards and coolers and oars scattered across the depths until finally her life jacket pulled her to the surface. She sputtered as she broke free.
Just then, strong arms circled her waist and began tugging at her. Ryan? Was Ryan okay?
An explosion sounded behind her. The boat. Ryan’s boat.
“Come on!” Ryan’s hand latched on to her wrist. “We’ve got to swim toward the shore.”
Using all of her strength, Daleigh propelled herself toward a grove of trees, away from the fumes swirling around the boat. Pain ripped through her arm, growing in intensity until she cried out.
Ryan turned on his back, nestling Daleigh against his chest as he swam backward toward the shoreline.
“Where’s the other boat?” Daleigh looked around, waiting for it to return and finish the task.
“It disappeared as soon as our boat flipped.”
“He was trying to kill us,” she muttered, disbelief straining each word.
Daleigh touched land, and she dragged herself to her feet. Ryan’s arm wrapped around her, helping to steady her in the chest-deep water. Pain shot through her shoulder, making her wince.
“What’s wrong?” Ryan gently took her arm and examined it. Pain continued to rip through her shoulder.
“I hit something when the boat flipped. My shoulder . . .”
“We’ll get you help. You hang in, okay?” Another boat approached in the distance, beyond where Ryan’s boat flamed. Ryan waved his hands in the air. “Over here!”
Daleigh’s lungs tightened. Could they trust these men? How did they know this boat wasn’t the same one that had tried to ram them?
The closer the boat came, the more tightly wound her muscles felt. Part of her wanted to run for the shoreline, but the stumps rising from the surface were like knives; one slip and she’d only hurt herself more. The pain in her shoulder clouded her rationale. Instead, she sagged against Ryan, trusting his judgment.
As the boat approached them, Daleigh spotted two elderly fishermen onboard and breathed a sigh of relief.
“We saw the explosion. Is everything okay?” an older, Asian man asked them.
“We need to get to the hospital,” Ryan said. “Another boat tried to ram us, and Daleigh’s shoulder is hurt.”
“I’m Royce.” The man reached toward Daleigh and helped pull her into the boat. “Tried to ram you, you said?”
Daleigh climbed into one of the seats, accepting an orange towel from the other fisherman. That had been close. Too close. Her gaze met the man’s, and she tried to focus. “Thank you, and yes. Whoever did this, did it on purpose. Did you pass anyone on your way here?”
The man scratched his head. “I did see a boat pulling away in the distance. Couldn’t tell anything abo
ut it.”
The other man—he said his name was Gene—offered Ryan a hand. He climbed into the boat. Worry stained every expression as he sat on the bench beside her. “Whoever it was, they knew these waters,” he muttered.
“Why would you say that?” Daleigh asked. When she shivered, Royce offered her another grungy towel. She draped it over her legs, fighting wooziness.
Ryan’s hand went to her knee, helping to ground her. “The driver of that boat knew we’d tried to get away from him. That’s why he ‘herded’ us toward this area. He must have known there were stumps just below this waterline that we’d hit.”
Daleigh shook her head. This wasn’t a coincidence. This had to be connected with her father’s death.
Her heart nearly stopped at her next thought. What about . . . ?
She reached for her back pocket.
Both her cell phone and the recorder were gone.
***
Just as the doctor at the hospital in Elizabeth City finished wrapping a compression bandage around Daleigh’s shoulder, Hannah hurried into the room, both kids in tow. Mascara smeared beneath her eyes and her normally perfect hair was lopsided and frizzy.
“Bruce called and told me what happened,” Hannah rushed. She paused at Daleigh’s bed, leaving her girls stationed near the flimsy curtain. “Are you okay?”
Daleigh nodded, totally wiped out after today’s events. She couldn’t remember the last time when she felt so completely exhausted. “Nothing that won’t heal.”
“What happened?” Hannah turned an accusatory gaze on Ryan, who sat in a chair by Daleigh’s bed in the curtain-enclosed emergency room.
“Someone tried to sink my boat, with us on it.” Ryan shifted in his seat and held his gaze against Hannah’s. Daleigh fought a smile, glad to see that Ryan didn’t back down from her sister.
“Why would someone do that?” Hannah shot a wide-eyed gaze Daleigh’s way. Her sister did care, Daleigh realized, even if she did show it in odd ways sometimes.
“We don’t know,” Daleigh said. “But they were determined to shake us up.”
“Someone tried to hurt you?” Clara gasped. Her little eyes widened to the size of half her face, it seemed.
Home Before Dark (Christian Romantic Suspense) (Carolina Moon Book 1) Page 17