Deep Harbor

  As the two of them stood together awaiting their cue, a voice from behind whispered in her ear, “Hello, my dear.” Shivers went up CJ’s spine, and her knees almost buckled under her. That voice. She knew that voice. She turned abruptly, almost knocking Colin over. Forty pounds lighter, heavily tanned, and sporting a finely groomed beard and mustache, the man was still immediately recognizable.

  In a hushed, harsh whisper, she said, “Snapper Lewis? What the hell are you doing here? You’re dead. How? Now? Why?” CJ was starting to shake uncontrollably.

  “Well, someone has to walk you down the aisle.” He took her arm in his, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and said, “I’ll explain it all later, but for now, I’m your Uncle Leo.” He winked and guided her to the waiting groom. CJ gave Donna a “what the?” kind of look, but Donna only returned a “get going” motion with her hand.

  Colin fell in step behind the two, as confused as everyone else. Derek looked like he had just stepped out of GQ magazine, but he also had a very perplexed expression on his face. As CJ and Snapper reached the end of the red carpet, she whispered to Derek, “Explanation to follow.”

  When the minister asked, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” Snapper answered, “I do, her Uncle Leo.” CJ had to stifle a laugh.

  The ceremony was short and sweet. CJ was trying very hard to concentrate on her vows. “Uncle Leo” had certainly unraveled her sense of calm, but she got through the ceremony, and before she could blink, Derek was kissing her.

  As the two moved quickly past the rows of guests, Derek blurted, “Seriously? Who in the hell is Uncle Leo? And why have I never heard you mention him before?” This hardly seemed like a good way to start a marriage.

  “Shush. I’ll tell you in a minute. Please don’t be upset. I’m just as surprised as you are.” They plastered smiles on their faces as they shook hands with the exiting guests. As soon as the last one passed them, Derek grabbed CJ and Uncle Leo, dragged them into the adjacent building, and pushed them into a small restroom. The three of them could barely fit. CJ had to grab the hem of her dress and wrap it around her arm.

  “What in the hell is going on?” Derek demanded.

  “I’d like to know, too, Otto Lewis!” CJ was thrilled to see Snapper but stunned at the same time. “You’re supposed to be dead!”

  “On paper, yes, I am dead. So we need to be very careful. I turned state’s evidence in return for Witness Protection.”

  There was a rap on the door. “It’s me, Donna. Let me in!”

  The three of them wiggled in order for Derek to open the door. Donna squeezed herself in with the trio. “I didn’t know this was part of the wedding ceremony—spending time in the bathroom with the bride, groom, and her ‘Uncle Leo.’ ”

  “Donna, would you please explain,” Otto asked calmly.

  “You knew?” CJ turned to Donna.

  “Well, yeah. I work for WITSEC, remember. Snapper is still in witness protection. He was always inquiring about your well-being. When I told him you were getting married, he asked if there was any way he could be here. We made the arrangements for an overnight, but he has to leave first thing in the morning.”

  “Reno?” CJ remembered her other option. “You have a tan and it’s spring.”

  “Can’t say. Heck, aren’t you glad to see me? And that I’m not dead?” Snapper looked hurt.

  “Oh, of course! I never believed that story about suicide.”

  Another knock on the door. This time it was Colin. “Someone is going to have to stand on the toilet if we let him in.” Derek was becoming impatient. “Listen, this is supposed to be our wedding. I don’t mind the reunion part, but can we take it out of the lavatory, please?” He seemed to have forgotten that it was he who had dragged CJ and “Uncle Leo” into the restroom in the first place.

  It finally dawned on all of them at the same time how ridiculous it must look and how glad they were that this scene was not going to be in the photo album.

  They piled out in a way that resembled a clown car at a circus. Colin was doubled over in laughter, and while Matt looked on, Colin told him, “This is the family you’re getting into, so you’ve been warned.”

  Some of the guests had lingered and were very puzzled by this strange ritual of the wedding party convening in a restroom, but it was Boothbay Harbor, after all. Lots of unusual, unexpected, and delightful things happened there.

  Epilogue

  During a rare quiet moment at the reception, Snapper and Donna explained to CJ, Derek, Colin, and Matt how he had faked his own death.

  CJ insisted she had combed the security cameras and was certain he had been murdered by Leonard Franklin.

  Snapper explained that one night, after too many altercations with Franklin, he decided he was out. Done. He had enough money for several years of care for George stashed away, and he knew he had to stop. When he called a friend at the FBI, he was informed that he was under investigation and if he wanted to turn himself in and tell them what he knew, he could go into WITSEC.

  The staged suicide was well planned. The cameras had been modified slightly to be able to get only a limited view of the car. Everyone on the Hill wore similar Burberry raincoats. It was, in fact, Snapper who made it look like he had hooked up a hose to the exhaust pipe. He slithered past the car, which accounted for the shadow CJ had spotted. Donna had interjected how concerned the FBI was getting with CJ’s nosing around, so they sent someone to the cabin to spook her into WITSEC.

  That almost sent her into a tailspin as she remembered how she had had to sneak out of Ruby Tuesday through the back door wearing a black rat’s-nest wig. But she realized that they had to make all of it seem real. She would not have gone into WITSEC willingly otherwise.

  Snapper gave his deposition to the FBI and was sent to parts unknown—but where he could get some sunshine. Being inside the House Office Building for most of his life had turned him ashen. And the stress was turning him red. Now the only red was from playing a lot of golf.

  Shortly after the wedding, when the spring foliage was in full bloom, CJ decided it was time for her to take another big step. For the first time in almost five years, she set foot on Derek’s new boat—her wedding present to him—a fifty-foot cabin cruiser christened Lucky.