Dangerous Waters (8 page)

“Dammit,” Furlong swore and rose to his feet. “Did a doctor check him out before you interviewed him?” He was thinking about the big picture of an investigation—which made him a good administrator. But she didn’t like being treated like a rookie.

“He did, and Edgefield was quite happy to talk on tape and show me his prized sea slug collection too.”

Furlong grunted. “I want thorough background checks on both of them. Any other interviews turn up anything? Any missing person reports that might fit?”

“Nothing. But I started compiling a list of people who currently reside in the town,” Jeff offered. There were a lot of holiday homes in the area. A lot of empty properties. Fewer suspects, assuming it was a local who’d killed the guy.

Holly pulled up a map of the area. “The land around the cove is heavily wooded. There’s no road. This guy had to have traveled there by boat. What are the odds he just stumbled upon that shipwreck only days after Edgefield and Carver? He had to have heard about it from someone.”

“Maybe there was treasure down there…real treasure, gold and silver,” Chastain suggested. “And someone decided they didn’t want to share.”

Holly glanced at her watch. The first twenty-four hours of a murder investigation were crucial, and they were already well behind the curve ball. A headache ground at her temples. “Chastain, talk to the Coast Guard and see if you can figure out what that wreck is and what she might have been carrying. There’re more doors to knock on in the morning—that’s going to be Malone and Messenger’s job.”

Malone nodded. He was closemouthed and intense, but she’d heard good things about him.

“Jeff can keep the data compiled and talk to the local cops about any known criminal activity in the area.”

“What are we going to do, Sergeant Rudd?” Furlong asked.

She hoped to hell
he
was leaving. “Until we get a hit on the vic’s ID, I’m going to keep interviewing the locals. See what I can shake out of the tree.”

“I’m heading back to base in the morning,” Furlong said.
Yippee
. She kept her face straight. “I want progress reports every couple of hours. And immediate updates on any serious breaks in the case.” He had to report to senior management, including her father. The thought made the headache pound harder. “I want this case solved and off the books ASAP. Understood?” He was staring at her, and she stood to attention.

“Yes, sir,” she clipped out, feeling shame wedge under her skin. She’d slept with this guy, and while they hadn’t been working together then, they were working together now. She hated making mistakes and detested errors in judgment.

“Good.” He checked his Rolex. “Might be an idea to get a couple of hours’ rest—see if the pathologist can come up with an ID to help us in the meantime.”

Holly nodded and watched her team murmur and gather their stuff and head up the broad staircase. She was intensely aware of Jimmy Furlong watching her from the corner of his eye. The thought of him making a pass at her made her stomach twist. She hurried to her sparsely furnished room and quickly got changed. No way in hell was she going to rest. She slipped out the front door and headed down to the dock.

Ten minutes later, Holly walked into the local bar and snagged an empty stool. The place was rough as shark skin. Dark, dingy, the faint whiff of weed hanging in the air. Enough faded denim and scuffed leather to start a Hells Angels clubhouse.

“What’ll you have?” the barkeep asked.

“Bud Light.”

He passed her the open bottle, and she paid him, told him to keep the change. She kept trying to catch his eye, but he seemed determined not to chat. She sipped her beer, trying to blend in and absorb the conversation.

“You new around here?” A dark-eyed, dark-haired guy in his late twenties, worn jeans, red plaid shirt, squeezed between her and the next stool and ordered two beers. He smelled of expensive aftershave even though there was a shadow of a beard on his jaw.

A ladies’ man.

“It’s my first time in O’Malley’s.” Holly gave him her friendliest smile. She didn’t know how old she’d been when she’d figured out her smile was her greatest asset, but it had been before kindergarten.

His eyes lit up. “Studying at the marine lab?”

“I’m learning to dive.” That wasn’t a lie, and officially she was still on vacation. “Are you from around here?” she asked.

A dimple appeared in that shadowed jaw. “Born and bred in this little town.” His mouth tightened slightly. “Although to be honest, I can’t wait to get out of here.” He paid the barkeep and lifted two bottles off the bar.

“What’s stopping you?”

“Too many responsibilities.” He took a long swallow of beer, stuffed the other bottle under his arm, and reached out a hand to introduce himself. “Mike.”

“Holly.” She slipped her fingers into his grip, cold and damp from the beer bottle. “So do you dive?”

“Sometimes.” Mike shrugged and grinned, knowing exactly how handsome he was. “But I usually wait for the water to warm up.”

“Know any good wrecks in the area?”

Despite her smile, his eyes changed and he looked at her differently. Backed away almost imperceptibly. “That’s not really my thing.”

She felt a presence beside her and recognized a familiar deep voice. “I see you’ve met Sergeant Rudd. I’ve been driving myself crazy wondering what she looks like in her red dress uniform.”

Her new friend reared back as if she was a rattlesnake. “Seriously? You’re a cop?”

“You wanna shout that louder, because I don’t think they heard you over by the jukebox.” Pissed, she swung around on the stool, bumped her knees into the very solid thighs of Finn Carver. She didn’t know how long he’d been there or how he’d snuck up on her so easily. She’d hoped she’d seen the last of him for the evening. He unsettled her in ways that had nothing to do with the investigation.

“Catch you later.” The guy escaped back to his table.

Why had Carver sabotaged her little info gathering endeavor? She tilted her head and turned her attention to the man at her side. “I was hoping for a little time off, but I’m doomed not to get it.”

“Sure you were.” Blue eyes rolled, but there was humor in them.

“Maybe I’ll interrogate you instead.” She took a drink of her beer. “Or did they teach you how to resist my methods in Special Forces?”

“Pretty sure beautiful women have always been the downfall of weak, feeble men.”

She rolled her eyes. “Nice deflection, slick.”

He tipped his beer. “I aim to please.”

I just bet you do.

He smiled, and she struggled not to stare at the full mouth or vivid blue eyes fringed with the sort of lashes women tortured themselves to emulate. She shifted away from him. Wished she was indifferent.

“You said your dad was a cop too?” Finn asked.

“Family tradition.” Holly shook her head. “He’s almost sixty and he just learned to dive with me.”

“You’re never too old to take up diving.”

“When did you learn?”

A crease in his cheek told her he knew she’d switched the conversation back to him again, but he didn’t clam up. “Thom taught me when I went to live with him. Spent a lot of time drilling safety procedures into my young head and now has to suffer the consequences.”

“It must have been hard, losing your family like that, moving in with a stranger.”

His gaze locked on hers, and her breathing suddenly felt shallow and tight as warmth rose up to engulf her. His eyes were intense against lightly tanned skin, blond hair ruffled into untidy spikes that made her think of tangled sheets and bedrooms.

She could feel the flush creeping into her cheeks.

His lips twitched then settled into somber. “You really do look like her, you know.”

“Yeah.” She wiped her palms down the front of her jeans. “I know.”

“And you’re not even remotely curious?”

“About what?” Holly twisted to look up at him. At five feet ten inches she didn’t usually have to look up at anyone. He was closer than anticipated, and although he didn’t smell of expensive cologne, he did smell like hot, clean male with a tang of the ocean. She’d always loved the ocean.

“About whether you’re Thom Edgefield’s missing daughter?”

A flash of something hot surged through her. “I know who I am, and I’m not adopted.”

Two men came through the door as the guy she’d met, Mike, and another man headed out. One of them grabbed Mike by the arm and whispered heatedly in his ear. She thought there was going to be a bit of a scuffle, but Mike nodded and left.

Finn put his hand on her elbow and drew her attention back to him. She liked his touch a little too much, so she shook him off.

“You were looking for local color. Now you found it.”

Trouble
.

The new arrivals changed the atmosphere of the whole place. They wore black roll-neck sweaters and expensive-looking leather jackets. Both carried concealed weapons, and Holly would bet a month’s salary neither had a license, but she was after a murderer and the minor stuff could wait—for now. They stood beside a table full of people, who quickly gathered their stuff to leave. One guy didn’t move fast enough and earned a little push to speed him on his way.

“Nice.” Holly leaned back against the bar.

The barkeep walked quickly over to the table.
She twisted around to look at Finn. He sat on his stool, the expression on his face so impassive she knew it was an act.

“Who’s that?”

“Someone who doesn’t like cops.”

“Names?”

“Stop fishing, Holly.”

She lowered her voice. “I’m not fishing. I’m a cop, looking for a killer.”

“They aren’t your guys.” He took a swig of his beer.

“What makes you so sure?” She sipped her own drink, but she’d lost her taste for it.

“Well, for one, I don’t think they can swim, let alone dive.” His eyes flickered, and she spotted the taller of the two men approaching the bar. He stopped behind Finn.

“Mr. Dryzek would like a moment of your time, Mr. Carver. If you can tear yourself away from your pretty girlfriend.”

Holly’s brows climbed. Dryzek. She’d heard that name in police circles before.

She could tell Finn was going to tell the man to get lost, but then he paused and seemed to reconsider. His glance brushed her face. He nodded as if she’d answered a silent question. “Wait for me, baby. This won’t take long.” Then he kissed her on the mouth, hungry and hot.

Finn left Holly to choke on her beer while he went over to see Remy Dryzek. The kiss had been a risk. She’d tasted unpredictable and sexy, way too appealing for a guy like him. But hopefully it would keep this asshole thinking she was just a girlfriend enjoying a night out.

Why he felt the sudden need to protect her, he didn’t know. It was one of his many flaws.

Dryzek watched him out the corner of his eye. Finn got to the table and stood staring down at the other man. They were about the same age, but Remy was a few inches shorter, more flab than muscle. But the semiautomatic Remy carried gave the man balls he otherwise lacked. Finn ignored Remy’s hand that indicated for him to sit. He wasn’t a dog. He didn’t take orders from Dryzek, and Dryzek knew it.

They’d come to an understanding two years ago, but now it looked like the truce was over. Finn had the terrible suspicion it was all linked to that damned body in the wreck and wished he’d never set eyes on the damned thing. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

Dryzek’s eyes were narrowed as he picked at the label on his beer. “I seem to have misplaced something that belongs to me.”

“A conscience? I’m pretty sure sociopaths don’t need one.” Finn bared his teeth in a smile that wouldn’t fool anyone.

“If I find out you had anything to do with it I’ll be coming to pay you a visit.”

“Enjoy the fantasy, but I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” He was suddenly aware of Holly standing behind him. Dryzek’s eyes flickered over her the way a lizard watched a fly. Finn half waited for the explosion where she jumped all over the guy for possession of a firearm—easily visible when the guy’s jacket fell open. Instead, she hugged Finn’s arm like a barfly. Laying the bait. He refrained from rolling his eyes.

Dryzek had already dismissed her. Gordy Ferdinand, Remy’s right-hand man, was smiling at her in a way that made Finn’s skin crawl. They’d both underestimated her. A serious mistake.

She stroked cool fingers down his arm. “Going to introduce me to your friends,
baby
?”

“Yeah, introduce us to your girl, Carver. Want to sit with us, sweet cheeks?” Gordy patted the bare wooden seat beside him. She went to sit, but Finn snagged her wrist.

“We’re just leaving.” Finn slid his hand lower and their fingers intertwined painfully tight.

Dryzek shot him a narrow stare. “Remember what I said; otherwise, your pretty lady might not look quite so pretty.”

He probably wasn’t supposed to laugh. He turned and left, taking Holly with him. No way in hell was he leaving her in O’Malley’s drinking with a creep like Dryzek, even though he didn’t doubt she could take care of herself. But being a cop could work for or against her at any moment. Right now, without her gun or her uniform, he figured it worked against her.

Once outside she twisted out of his grip. “What was that about,
baby
?” she demanded.

“I have no idea. If you want to go back in there and chat up those paragons of virtue, feel free, but they don’t fight fair, and if they find out you’re a cop they won’t hesitate to make you bleed.”

Her chest heaved.
Hell
. He tried not to notice, but he was just a flesh-and-blood man whose body was rebelling against a self-imposed celibacy that had lasted way too long.

“I need answers, Carver. Why did you blow my cover with the locals but not with Dryzek?” She planted her hands on her hips and leaned forward. He got a glimpse of cleavage and it made him sweat.

How much of what she did was deliberate he didn’t know, but he didn’t appreciate being played any more than Dryzek did.

He couldn’t afford to want this woman. What he needed was to get rid of her before she stirred up more trouble for Thom or his brother, but he didn’t want her to get hurt. “The locals won’t talk to you no matter how hard you work them.”

“Interfering with a police investigation is a chargeable offense.”

Anger burned through his veins. She wasn’t
listening
to him. “I’m not saying Mike wouldn’t have been willing to go outside into the parking lot and bang you senseless.” He loomed over her, heat pouring in waves off his body. “But he wasn’t about to show you the sights or tell you where the bodies are buried.”

Her expression suddenly went stark white as blood drained from her cheeks. “I don’t turn tricks to get information.”

“I never said you did.” He frowned, then figured it out. She thought he was suggesting she was easy because he knew she’d slept with her boss. And though the sharp spur of jealousy that flicked through him was unexpected, that wasn’t what he’d meant. Mike was the easy one. The guy couldn’t sniff a woman without trying to score. But maybe this was what he needed to drive a wedge between them. He liked her too damned much for comfort.

“Does your team know you’re down here alone?” He started walking back to the marine station’s docks.

“That has nothing to do with you.”

“Yeah, that’s what I figured. Where are you staying? Do you need a ride across the inlet, because the water taxi closed up shop ten minutes ago?”

A flash of irritation made that lush mouth compress. But he was done hanging around, waiting for her to make a decision. She was a big girl and could make her own choices. He started along the boardwalk that hugged the inlet. The gentle wash of water drifted on the breeze. She was silently tallying the merits of going back into the bar, unarmed, or following him. Thankfully, she chose to follow him.

“Mr. Dryzek seemed a little bit wary of you, Mr. Carver. Why would that be?”

She was tenacious, that was for damn sure.

“Most people are wary of me. Would you have been happier if we were buddies?”

“I’d have been happier if you hadn’t been there at all.”

His lips curved despite himself. “Want me to wear a tracking device in the future?”

She snorted out a laugh. “I’ll see what I can dig up.” The night air was cool, and she drew the edges of her denim jacket tighter together. The stars were bright in the sky, illuminating their path. Frogs croaked in the woods behind them.

It was only a five-minute walk to the dock. He pointed to the rowboat. “Climb in.” She didn’t hesitate, and he tossed her a life vest, climbed in opposite, and untied the ropes. He pushed off from the side. “If you’re really quiet we might see a whale.”

“Trying to get me to shut up?”

She’d actually been pretty silent. He wasn’t sure this was a good thing. “I figured it was worth a shot.”

A peaceful hush settled over this spectacular part of the world, but he could almost hear thoughts rolling like tumblers inside her mind. The current tugged the oars as they sliced the water, and he concentrated on rowing rather than her. The trip took less than a minute, and Finn helped Holly climb out on the other side. He held onto her fingers for a moment too long, savoring the electricity that flicked over his skin whenever they touched.

She swallowed and pulled her hand away. “Thanks for the ride, Mr. Carver.”

“Finn,” he said.

“What?” Her eyes crinkled in confusion.

“Call me Finn. You did earlier.” He didn’t tell her he liked how it sounded on her lips. He wasn’t that pathetic.

He took a step closer, and her eyes flashed to his. Energy zinged across the distance between them, igniting an awareness and a desire he hadn’t felt in months.

He reached out and took hold of the fastener of the life vest she wore. Her lips parted, and he slowly lowered the zipper, wishing he didn’t have to stop there. But the barriers between them were thicker than cotton.

He dropped the vest back into the boat.

“Want me to walk you back to your hotel?” The memory of that kiss reminded him he was playing with fire. If she ever figured out he wasn’t immune, he was toast.

“This wasn’t a date,
Mr. Carver
. I think I can manage.” Her tone aimed for frosty but quavered too much to pull it off. They both looked around at the large wooden structure with the big salmon motif out front.

He had no doubt she could manage. “Sleep well, Sergeant Rudd.”

She had to be dog-tired from her long day, and yet there was something in her eyes that told him she wouldn’t be getting sleep anytime soon. Not his problem. He pushed off from the dock and started rowing back across the inlet. He wanted her gone. He wanted the cops far from here and far from the people he cared about. And if he felt a little pang at the thought of never seeing Holly Rudd again, he ignored it. At least he wouldn’t have to lie to her anymore.

Holly handed Jeff a fresh cup of coffee and waited for the next shot of caffeine to kick in. They’d spent the night running background checks on local residents and had turned up quite the colorful collection of misfits, ex-cons, and people searching for a little anonymity. Finn was probably right about them not talking to the cops, but you never knew when one piece of information could leverage another.

Jimmy Furlong walked in the room, freshly showered and shaved. Corporal Messenger walked in a moment later.

“Coroner get back to us yet?”

Holly checked her watch. “I doubt he’s even started the post yet.” It was only seven o’clock. She and Jeff had been up all night.

“What have you got?” Furlong asked.

“Jeff finished entering witness statements. I’ve been running names to see what might pop up.”

“Anything more on the guys who found the body?” Without an ID on the victim, Carver and Edgefield were still the most viable lines of inquiry.

“A lot of stuff on both of them.” The others filtered in. She snagged a muffin out of the box Freddy Chastain carried. “Edgefield started coming out here in 1978 to conduct fieldwork for his PhD. He got a job in Edmonton but still came out every summer to teach courses for the university and do his research. His wife, Bianca, was murdered in 1982, along with their infant son. The body of his young daughter was never found, but they did find her jacket. The assumption was her body was dragged off by a wild animal.” Chastain grimaced as he bit into his second muffin. “Ever since, he’s been on a crusade to find the killer.”

“Was he ever a suspect?”

She shook her head. “Not that I can tell. He was teaching the day she disappeared. He reported them missing when they weren’t home for dinner that night.”

She took a sip of coffee. It scorched her mouth. “He pretty much moved out here after that, teaching full-time at the marine lab and making the cops’ lives hell.”

“He’d just lost his entire family. I can understand him going off the deep end,” Corporal Malone spoke up.

Holly nodded. “Absolutely.” She was still trying to figure out Malone, to discover where his strengths lay. He was one of those enigmatic silent types who always seemed to think a damn sight more than they spoke—like Finn Carver.

She checked her notes. “Carver went to live with Edgefield in 1989 after his older brother killed their father.” It had been shocking to read the case files. Photographs had shown a boy severely beaten, with a broken right ulna and radius. Three broken bones in his left hand, where he’d probably tried to ward off the blows, and several fractured ribs. She’d felt an emotional tug on her heartstrings to think about the tall, rugged, capable man she’d met and imagine him as that vulnerable child.

Nothing about him seemed vulnerable now.

“This place is a right hotbed of family drama,” said Chastain. “Like
The Young and the Restless
on speed.”

“The guy was alcoholic, abusive. He should never have been allowed to raise two boys alone.” Reading those files had felt like an invasion of privacy, and she knew Finn would view it the same way. But this was her job.

“What happened to the mother?” asked Furlong.

“Finn—Carver—said she ran off when he was a toddler. I’m trying to trace her now.”

“And now these two guys who seem to be surrounded by a constant stream of victims suddenly find another one?” Her boss didn’t look convinced.

“There’s more.” She felt a little odd discussing this. She’d gotten personal with a suspect even though she hadn’t gone near any lines, let alone crossed them. Well, except for that kiss, which had caught her completely off guard and nearly knocked her off her stool. But that had been for effect, not pleasure. “Carver joined the army at eighteen and spent six years in JTF2.” Canadian Special Forces. “He left unexpectedly a couple of years ago. Didn’t give a reason, but it was around the same time a police report stated that Thomas Edgefield was in the hospital and almost died. He was severely beaten and lost a kidney. They never caught the attacker.” She didn’t mention what she’d witnessed in the bar last night. She didn’t want to admit she’d gone there alone without proper backup.