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When they were done, they had a good portrait of her, too.
“It’s strange,” Beth said. “They weren’t…unattractive people. In fact, they were both…strangely wholesome looking. But I just realized something about them in these sketches.”
“What?”
“They’re…not remarkable in any way. Like his wasn’t the chiseled face of a powerful man you’d recognize anywhere. She wasn’t a raving beauty, she was…cute. I guess that would be the word. They were…”
“Nondescript,” Ashley offered.
“Exactly,” Beth said. “They were the kind of couple who could…well, blend in, disappear almost anywhere.”
“Which is what it seems they’ve done,” Ashley said. “Who knows where they’ve gone.”
“I take it you know for a fact that they aren’t on or near the island anymore?” Beth said dryly.
“I’m with Metro-Dade,” Ashley reminded her. “But from what I’ve heard, no. The nameplate was found, but they were already gone. And the Coast Guard looked for them.”
“How far could they get in their boat?” Beth mused.
Ashley shrugged.
“Maybe they found another vessel to steal and ditched the one they were on.”
“Possibly. But I still don’t think they’re stealing boats and tooling around the seas on them.”
“Then what the hell would they be doing with them?” Beth asked.
“Bringing them in to a boatyard, disguising them and selling them. It’s just like a car theft,” Ashley said. “You know, the way cars are stolen here, then sold down in South America.”
“Ashley, a million people have a Ford or a Chevy. A luxury yacht is far more noticeable.”
“Bigger risk, harder to really camouflage—but the rewards are worth it.”
“I see,” Beth murmured, then realized that Ashley was staring over her shoulder, looking uncomfortable.
“What?” Beth said.
“Nothing.”
Beth let out a sigh of aggravation and turned around.
She started.
There was Keith Henson. He certainly had a talent for showing up unexpectedly.
At least he was no longer with Amanda. And with that thought, she couldn’t help but wonder if it had been…fast. Had Amanda gotten him out on her father’s or cousin’s boat?
She gritted her teeth, angry that she couldn’t seem to get such thoughts out of her head.
Keith was standing on the dock, talking with the man who was cleaning his catch. When she looked farther down the same dock, she saw that Lee Gomez was there, as well, shirtless, in cutoffs, laughing as he spoke to a couple on a handsome catamaran.
Her eyes were drawn back to Keith, and she realized that she had only seen him because Ashley had been staring at him.
“You know him!” Beth accused Ashley, spinning back to stare at her.
“Who?” Ashley demanded innocently.
“That’s Keith Henson you’re staring at. You know it, and you know him.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Beth stared at Ashley, convinced that for some reason, undoubtedly connected to police business, she simply wasn’t being truthful.
“You’ve seen his face on an APB?” Beth demanded a little harshly.
“No,” Ashley protested.
Beth frowned, watching her friend. “Ashley…”
“I don’t know him,” Ashley insisted. “But if he’s your friend, you’re more than welcome to ask him to come over and join us.”
“You’re lying.”
“Beth, if you want to talk to him alone, go ahead.”
“Ashley, what the hell is going on?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re an incredible artist, but you’re a lousy liar,” Beth said, trying to control her temper. “Is he a cop?”
“Who?”
“Ashley, stop it! Is he a cop?”
“Not that I know of.”
“So you have seen his face on an APB!”
“Beth, stop worrying. I was looking at the guy because he’s so damn good-looking. He’d be great to sketch.”
“You are such a liar.”
“You’re obviously startled to see him. So go talk to him.”
“I intend to,” Beth said. She rose and headed straight for the docks. Despite the sunglasses, she knew he saw her coming.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Hey there.” The fisherman who was cleaning his catch looked up, thinking she was talking to him.
She smiled, then turned to look expectantly at Keith.
“Friend of yours?” the man asked Keith.
“Beth Anderson, meet Barney. Barney, Beth. Barney here sails out early and sails back in early,” Keith said pleasantly.
“Kind of the way you do?” she asked, still smiling and feeling as if her face would crack.
“So you’re an early bird, too, huh?” Barney asked.
“He’s a busy man, out at the crack of dawn, places to go—people to see,” Beth told Barney.
“Sounds like a good life,” Barney said approvingly. Keith was staring at her, thoughts and emotions hidden by the glasses, his expression just as friendly as her own.
“The best of everything,” Beth suggested. “I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something here?”
“We were just talking about boats,” Barney said. “Fine ladies, some of them around here. My own Sheba is just a rustic old girl, but I catch all the fish I want.” He grinned nearly a toothless grin. “Sell ’em to old Nick up there.”
“Good for you. Nick likes to make sure his fish is fresh. Would you like to try the catch of the day, Keith?” she suggested.
“Sometime. I’ve eaten,” Keith said.
“Oh, yes. I did see you digging right into that buffet.”
“I know.”
“Well, excuse me, then,” Beth said, her voice tightening. “You gentlemen go on and enjoy your conversation. Have a nice day.”
With that she turned around and walked away. She was suddenly so angry—with him and herself—that she completely forgot Ashley. She walked straight to her car, got in and drove away.
KEITH WATCHED BETH LEAVE, frowning. No matter how cool her tone, how casual her words, she was angry, and he knew it.
And he was sorry.
Glancing at the tables, he saw Ashley watching as her friend left.
Then he saw that the couple who had been sitting near the wall of the restaurant in the shade had risen, as well.
They, too, were headed for the parking lot.
He frowned. He’d never seen them before. The guy was bald; the woman had really long dark hair.
He’d never seen them before, he thought again. They were just out for brunch. They’d eaten, and now they were leaving. Odd. He still felt there was something familiar about the pair.
Disturbed, he hesitated. Lee was going to wonder what the hell was going on, but that was just the way it was going to have to be.
Keith headed for the parking lot himself. BETH DIDN’T KNOW EXACTLY where she was going as she drove out of the lot. Perhaps it was simple habit, but in a few minutes she was heading toward the club.
Once she was there, she wondered what she was doing, but since she’d already waved to the guard and parked in her space, she went in. She regretted the fact that she’d walked out on Ashley. What she’d done was incredibly rude, but then again, Ashley wasn’t being honest with her, and she knew it. Ashley knew Keith Henson. Or knew about him. Knew something she wasn’t telling.
She was about to go straight up to her office, when she heard her name called. Manny.
“Hey, gorgeous. You’re not working today, are you?”
“I’m…just working on the Summer Sizzler,” she told him. “Commodore Berry wants it to be so good, so…”
“You’ve eaten?” he asked her.
“I’m not particularly hungry.”
Manny frowned, studying her a little intently. “You look upset.”
“No…a few things rushing around in my mind, that’s all.”
“You should get out on the water,” he suggested.
She laughed. “Being out on the water doesn’t solve everything,” she told him.
He shrugged. “Out on my boat, the world is a better place. I can smoke my cigars and sip my brandy…watch the sea and sky roll by. What’s better? Lots of space. It puts everything into perspective!”
“I’m sure.”
“You come out with me sometime,” he told her gravely. “I promise, you’ll feel much better.”
“Okay,” she told him. “It’s a date. But I work all week, remember.”
“Start work early, then leave early. We’ll cast off around four, four-thirty.”
“All right,” she said.
“Sometime soon.”
“Sure, soon.” She smiled, gave him a wave and started up to her office.
As she climbed the stairs, she wondered again what the hell she was doing there. But she had arrived, and if nothing else, her office was a nice haven.
She had left it locked for the weekend. She dug in her purse for the keys, opened the door, walked in and tossed her handbag on a chair.
She closed the door thoughtfully as she reached for the light switch, then turned toward her desk.
Then she saw it.
Her heart seemed to stop in her chest.
Dead center on her desk.
A skull.
