Debra Burroughs - Paradise Valley 06 - The Harbor of Lies

by Debra Burroughs

  “Ahhh.” The chief’s eyes lit up with understanding, and an impish grin spread across his face as he sat back down.

  “So you’ve seen her?” Emily asked.

  “Eyah, at the inn, the night of the murder.”

  “Then you know what I’m talking about.”

  “Eyah.” His eyebrows rose at the thought of her.

  “Now, you wouldn’t happen to have a GPS beacon of some kind around here, would you, Chief?” Emily asked. “Something we could slip onto the boat to see where it goes?”

  “Without a search warrant, I can’t authorize planting a tracker. I could get in a heap of trouble. You’re a PI, don’t you have one?”

  “I don’t carry them around with me all the time. It’s not like I knew I’d stumble over a dead body and we’d be working a case while we were in Maine for our wedding,” she paused and shot Colin a steamy glare, “or I might have packed a couple.”

  Colin leaned on the desk, quickly shifting his gaze away from Emily, and eyed the chief. “Come on, Alvin, work with us here. We’re trying to help you out, the least you could do is—”

  “All right, all right. But you can’t say where you got this.” Chief Taylor opened his side desk drawer. He pulled out a small black disc, about the size of a gambling token, with what looked like a tiny computer chip on one side, and he laid it on his desktop. “There’s a hunting tracker. We stick one of these in our pockets when we go up into the mountains, in case we get lost and need to be rescued.”

  Emily happily snatched it up and dropped it in her purse. “Thanks. That’s perfect. Now, do you happen to have a wire?”

  “Eyah, somewhere in my desk—but we can’t record anything without a warrant,” the chief replied, as if it rarely got any use.

  “I don’t want to record the conversation, just listen in, in case Maggie does happen to get in over her head.”

  The chief threw her a worried look before bending down to rummage around in the deep bottom drawer of his desk.

  “So, of course, I’ll need a listening device to go with that wire.”

  “Of course.” The chief rolled his eyes like an irritated teenager and dug back into the drawer.

  “What’s your plan, Emily?” Colin asked.

  She explained what she had come up with and Colin snickered. “Good thing Peter isn’t coming ’til tomorrow night.”

  The chief laid a dark gray plastic box, which housed the equipment, on his desk. “Who’s Peter?”

  Chapter 13

  “We should be going, Chief.” Emily shrugged her coat on. “We’re meeting friends for dinner.”

  Colin’s phone rang and he tugged it out of his pocket. “Hey, it’s Marconi from NYPD.” He pushed the answer button. “Hello, this is Detective Andrews.”

  He paused and listened briefly. “I’m here with Emily and the Chief of Police in Rock Harbor. I’m going to put you on speaker so we can all hear what you’ve got to say.” Colin clicked the speaker icon and held his phone out. “Go ahead.”

  “Well, your guy Ben Kingston is a popular fella.”

  Colin looked over at the chief. “What do you mean?”

  “Word on the street is that he’s got a two-hundred-thousand-dollar bounty on his head. I’d say the people he’s supposed to testify against really don’t want him showing up at the courthouse.”

  “Which means they’ve put the word out, and probably his picture.” Colin cast a glance at Emily. “Hey, what do you have on a Rosco Ciminella?”

  “I’ve heard the name Ciminella before, but I don’t think it was connected to someone named Rosco. Maybe he’s a relative. I’ll check it out. I can’t promise you anything, but I’ll get back to you when I know something more.”

  “Thanks, buddy.” Colin shoved the phone back in his pocket.

  “You two better get going,” the chief said. “I’ll see if I can find something out about Rosco on my own. And if anything turns up, I’ll give you a jingle.”

  ~*~

  By the time Colin and Emily left the police station, night had fallen and the temperature was beginning to drop. The inn was only a few blocks away, a short pleasant walk down Main Street. The old-fashioned streetlamps illuminated both sides of the narrow street that was crowded with cars and an abundance of tourists who bustled in and out of the warmly lit shops and cafés.

  Colin zipped up his coat and circled an arm snugly around Emily’s shoulders as they walked.

  On a clear night, stars twinkled across the sky in a heavenly show, but on this night the thick layer of clouds were blocking their light.

  They stopped and admired a display of unique Christmas ornaments in the window of one of the local shops. Bright autumn-colored leaves, encased in a sparkling resin, had been strategically hung by narrow silk ribbons on an expansive, bare, white birch branch.

  In the reflection of the glass, for just an instant, Emily could have sworn she saw Evan passing behind her. She whirled around, almost knocking into a couple of teenagers walking by.

  “Sorry,” she gasped, thrusting out her hands to steady them.

  “What’s the matter, Babe?” Colin asked, concern coloring his voice.

  How could she answer that? There was no way she was going to tell him that visions of her dead husband were haunting her, that she was seeing him everywhere, especially with their wedding right around the corner. “See the shop across the street? I saw its reflection in the glass. Come on, let’s go check it out and pick up some souvenirs.” She grabbed Colin by the hand and dragged him across the street, dodging moving vehicles.

  “What are you, nuts?” He laughed as they reached the sidewalk on the other side.

  Maybe a little, she was beginning to think, but she didn’t dare say it out loud.

  After buying a stack of postcards with photos of the area, they headed back to the inn to meet up with their friends for dinner. In the privacy of the long, dimly-lit driveway that led from Main Street to the charming inn, they paused and took in the stunning view of the bay.

  A few of the boats docked in the marina were lit, casting a faint glow over the dark water. The large boats—the whale watchers and touring sailboats—were moored in relative darkness behind the restaurants that perched along the shoreline. The silvery moonlight that had shown on the water the night before was now diffused behind the brooding clouds.

  The cool night air was laced with the smells of the sea, mingled with the delicious scent of food being prepared at various restaurants nearby.

  “I love you, Emily.” Colin drew her into his arms and she felt the warmth of his body pressed against hers.

  It was an intimate and romantic moment, just the two of them. There hadn’t been many of them lately—thanks to the unfortunate turn of events—but standing alone, enveloped in each other’s arms, they were shrouded in near darkness as they looked out over the twinkling lights on the water. It was almost as if they were shut away in a world all their own.

  She raised her face to him and he kissed her. His mouth was warm and moist on hers, sending a tingling heat flooding through every part of her body.

  “I can’t wait to marry you, Babe.” His voice was low and deep, little more than a whisper. He rested his cheek against her temple as he held her close.

  “Only two more days.” She tipped her head back a little to gaze up into his eyes, then she snuggled once more against his strong chest, surrounded by the safety of his arms. “Then we’re off to the bright lights of New York City. Think of all the exciting things we’ll do.”

  “If we ever leave our hotel room.”

  The romantic comment drew her gaze up to meet his. He raised his brows to her and a playfully naughty grin curled on his lips. “That can be pretty exciting too,” he said.

  He pulled her tight against him and kissed her thoroughly. She began to melt from the heat of it.

  Honeymooning in New York City was her idea. Colin had wanted to go somewhere warm, preferably Hawaii. But she had spent her honeymoon with Ev
an in Hawaii, and this time around, she wanted to go somewhere totally different. Although she didn’t tell Colin that was why. How could she?

  Instead, she had sold him on the idea of seeing the Statue of Liberty, taking in a show or two on Broadway, enjoying a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park, and a whole host of other fun and exciting things to do. Of course, he let her have her way. That’s how Colin was—strong, chivalrous, and loving, not to mention honest to a fault—the one thing Evan was not.

  Evan had lied to her the entire time they had dated, and all the years they were married. It wasn’t until after he was killed that she had begun to learn the truth of who he actually was, and what he really did for a living.

  With a crisp breeze swirling around them, Colin and Emily clung to each other, staring out over the dazzling marina and shoreline, listening to the water lap against them. However, as much as she enjoyed nestling in Colin’s warm embrace, it hadn’t been sufficient to keep her mind from floating back to thoughts of Evan, and all the lies he’d harbored.

  That’s enough! Emily gave her mind a mental shake. She had spent far too much time on this trip thinking about that man. She tightened her hold around Colin’s torso, enjoying his well-defined muscles and the strength of his body. She could only imagine the feeling of him against her soft curves.

  Her heart belonged to this solid man, and there was nowhere else she would rather be than here with him. Simply close your eyes and enjoy snuggling in his arms. That was a nice thought, but she knew it wasn’t possible, for, soon, their friends would be phoning them to find out where they were.

  At least they were able to steal a few nuggets of time together, here and there, to enjoy these days in Rock Harbor. Before long, they would find themselves standing under the wedding arch, reciting their marriage vows, surrounded by the people they cared about the most, trying not to notice the passersby watching them as they wandered about.

  The thought of their impending wedding warmed her heart and she gave Colin a little extra squeeze, laying her head against his chest, hearing his heart beat rhythmically, strong and steady, just like him.

  She relaxed and her mind drifted back to the case. As much as she tried to block it out and enjoy the few precious moments with Colin, it kept floating back into her head.

  Sure, the investigation was getting in the way of their enjoying all the area had to offer, but they couldn’t lose sight of the fact that it wasn’t their case, it belonged to Chief Taylor and the town of Rock Harbor. They would do what they could to assist him, but when it came time for their wedding and the ensuing honeymoon, if the case wasn’t solved, then the chief was on his own.

  With any luck, they could get the investigation far enough toward a conclusion that he and his staff could finish it when they were gone, but Colin and Emily couldn’t let themselves get so involved that they couldn’t walk away.

  However, Emily had not expected to feel such a kinship to Whitley—a young woman grieving the loss of the man she loved, who’d turned out not to be the person she thought he was. It seemed to keep Emily emotionally tied to this case, pushing her to continue digging for the truth.

  And then there was Colin, with his strong ex-Marine sense of justice and honor. Once he began pursuing a murderer, he would have a hard time dropping the case before it was solved. But what choice did they have? They were quickly running out of time.

  Wrapped in Colin’s embrace, Emily silently renewed her resolve—case or no case, come hell or high water, they were getting married this Saturday.

  ~*~

  Colin held the door for Emily as they entered the inn. Maggie and Camille were seated on one of the cushy sofas, chatting away. The girls turned when they saw their friends come in.

  “There y’all are!” Maggie called out from across the room, jumping up off the sofa. “Oh my gosh, Emily! We were about to send out a search party for y’all.”

  “No need to shout, Maggie.” Emily was a little embarrassed by her boisterous display.

  The hotel manager strode over to them from the check-in desk. “Is everything all right?”

  “Yes, fine.” Camille said, shooting Maggie a sideways glance. “Just a little excessive exuberance, I’m afraid.”

  Maggie blushed. “Sorry.”

  “I hope you’re enjoying your stay.” The manager’s gaze bounced around to each of them, a polite smile spread on his face. “If there’s anything you need, just let us know.”

  He sounded sincere, and his expression seemed to match his voice. Was he as on-the-level as he appeared? Wearing a handsomely tailored black suit with a rich, burgundy tie, and his wavy brown hair neatly combed, he didn’t look like any drug runner Emily had seen before. Could Whitley have misunderstood?

  “Oh, we sure will.” Maggie returned his smile. Her eyes followed him as he walked back to the counter.

  “Now, who wants to go for dinner?” Camille asked, tugging on Maggie’s arm to draw her attention back in.

  “Me.” Emily waved her hand around. “I’m starved.”

  Colin chuckled. “We just need to round up Alex and Isabel.”

  “I’ll call them,” Maggie offered, pulling out her cellphone.

  “Okay,” Colin agreed. “Then why don’t you girls ask the manager for a recommendation. Emily and I need to go and change our clothes.” He checked his watched. “We’ll meet back here in about ten minutes.”

  Camille and Maggie made a beeline to the front desk and Colin and Emily wandered off down the hallway toward their rooms.

  Susan had made reservations for Colin to have a room down the hall from Emily’s. “No hanky-panky until the wedding night,” she had jokingly warned him.

  “I don’t really need to change,” Colin said as they stopped at Emily’s door. “I just figured you’d like to.”

  She unlocked the door and turned back to him. Slowly, she slid a hand around his neck and pulled him down to her. “That was thoughtful of you.” She kissed him, enjoying the feel of his lips against hers.

  Colin snaked a hand around her waist, pushing the door open with his other one. His lips were still on hers as he backed her into her room.

  “I would like to change out of this sweater,” she told him between kisses.

  “Need help taking it off?” He grinned down at her.

  A couple of loud knocks sounded from the door and they froze momentarily. Emily’s surprised gaze was reflected in Colin’s eyes.

  “Emily, it’s Isabel,” came the slightly muffled voice through the door. “Are you ready for dinner?”

  She shrugged at Colin. “Coming.”

  His mischievous expression fell to resignation.

  Emily hurried to the door and pulled it open. “Almost ready.” There stood Isabel, with Alex waiting behind her.

  Colin peeked playfully over Emily’s shoulder and grinned. “I’m ready.”

  “She meant for dinner,” Emily whispered over her shoulder.

  “Sorry,” Isabel said, her brows raising a bit, “did we interrupt something?” A rosiness bloomed in her cheeks.

  “Oh, Isabel,” Alex murmured, “they’re about to be married. I remember when we ran off and got married, we could hardly keep our—”

  Isabel jabbed her elbow into her husband’s gut.

  After an uncomfortable moment of silence, Colin spoke up. “Why don’t I let you change, Babe, and I’ll wait for you in the lobby.” He squeezed past her, toward the open door. “I need to talk to Alex about the fishing trip tomorrow anyway.”

  “Wait.” Emily longed to be with Colin as much as he desired her, and she didn’t want him to walk away without knowing it. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt while he was still within her reach. She ran her hands up his firm chest and laced them behind his neck. Pushing up on her tiptoes, she planted a long, wet kiss on him. She didn’t care who was watching, she needed to show him that he was all she wanted.

  Alex cleared his throat. “We’ll wait for you in the lobby, Colin.�
�

  When Isabel and Alex were gone, having left the door hanging wide open, Emily and Colin broke into laughter.

  “You showed them.” Colin gave her a wink and a satisfied grin, and left her to change.

  After a quick wardrobe transformation, a fluff of her hair, and a dab of lip gloss, Emily joined him and their friends in the lobby.

  They were seated on the various plump chairs and sofas, strategically placed to face the roaring fire blazing in the ornate fireplace. A pleasant warmth swirled in her chest as she watched them chatting and laughing with each other as she approached, happy to be part of this close-knit crowd.

  “I thought you guys were hungry.” Emily skirted Colin’s chair and relaxed into his lap.

  “Ravenous,” Isabel responded, rising to her feet. “The restaurant is only about a block or so away. Let’s roll.”

  ~*~

  The group decided to walk, since it was such a short distance to the eatery. The hotel manager had suggested The Lobster Shack, perched on pilings down on the water. “The best lobster in town,” Eric Malone had said.

  Emily zipped up her jacket as a chilly breeze whipped by them. She linked her hand through Colin’s elbow and strolled with him, alongside their friends, down the long driveway.

  Maggie sidled up to her on the other side. “I meant to ask, how are the final weddin’ plans comin’?”

  “Great, according to Susan.” Emily smiled. “The rest of the guests should be arriving by tomorrow night, and then we have the wedding rehearsal—although, I don’t know what there is to rehearse. The music starts, I walk down the aisle, then meet Colin and the minister under the arch. We exchange our vows and, voila, we’re married. I have nothing to worry about—my sister keeps telling me—she has everything under control.”

  Maggie grinned and her blue eyes twinkled as they approached the glow of the streetlamp marking the roadway. “It’ll be so nice to have Peter here, finally.”

  “And my folks too,” Colin added.

  Emily nodded. “Now, if only Susan has found someone else to marry us, since the murder victim turned out to be the minister.”