gotten a good look at him when she’d pulled up his mask during their struggle in the swamp, but if she had, either she didn’t recognize him or she was still unconscious and hadn’t been able to tell the police. Either way, the clock was ticking, and with more people getting involved, the risks were higher.
He shook his head. All those years, a veritable fortune had lain somewhere in the swamp. If it hadn’t been for Anna, he would never have known about the lifetime of financial security waiting to be plucked.
The nurse was a problem. It looked as if she had no intention of leaving the situation alone, and unless she did, the man would probably stay involved, as well. The police wouldn’t have the time, inclination or knowledge needed to find the village or track anything back to him, but if the woman and man kept looking, they might be able to do so.
He took a sip of coffee and thought about all the dangers that could befall someone in the swamp. If the man and woman went back there, he would make sure they didn’t return.
* * *
I T TOOK THREE LONG HOURS for Max and Colette to provide their statements and fingerprints to the police, collect the boat Max rented and get on the highway to Pirate’s Cove. Colette was frustrated all over again by the bureaucracy of paperwork and apologies about staffing shortages. Once more, she found herself grateful that she’d saved more than spent and had the means to hire someone dedicated to the case.
Alex and Holt were good people, and they’d been right in assigning Max to work with her. Despite his initial apprehension about Anna’s character, he’d launched himself one hundred percent into the job and had found her protégé on the first day. She couldn’t have asked more of him, but yet, here he was, still by her side, willing to ride it out until the end.
He was an admirable man, which only made her wish she could get to know him better. Unfortunately, he seemed to guard his feelings as much as he did his pistol. When he’d kissed her, she’d thought for just a moment that he was finally going to let her take a peek inside. But then he’d broken it off and closed up even more than before.
She sighed and stared down the empty highway that stretched in front of them.
“Are you okay?” Max asked.
She glanced over at him, just realizing her sigh had been loud enough to hear. “Yes. I’m frustrated and tired, but neither of those is going to keep me from pressing forward.”
“You’re an accomplished woman. I wouldn’t expect any less.”
She stared at him, a bit surprised at his words. “I guess so. I’ve never really thought about it.”
“I don’t know why not. Alex says the job you do is one of the toughest and most demanding at the hospital.”
She felt a blush creep up her neck. “That’s nice of her to say.”
“She wasn’t being nice. You know Alex. If she didn’t mean it, she wouldn’t say it.”
“Yes, that’s true enough.”
“Is that what you always wanted to do—work in the emergency room?”
“Heavens, no. I sorta fell into it.”
Max looked over at her, one eyebrow raised. “How exactly does one ‘fall into’ being a trauma nurse?”
“My first year out of school, I was working a night shift in the pediatric ward. There was a chemical fire at a warehouse nearby. It exploded and ten firefighters were injured in the blast. There was a huge thunderstorm going at the time and the on-call staff couldn’t get here as fast as usual, so they asked me to assist.”
“And you did a terrific job.”
“I guess. We were far too busy for anyone to stop and hand out compliments, but two days later, the hospital administrator called me in and offered me a lead position in the E.R., at double my current salary.”
“Wow. I guess that was compliment enough. You’re cool under pressure, even with this investigation, and that’s far outside of your norm. They were smart to promote you.”
Her cheeks burned as the blush
He shook his head. All those years, a veritable fortune had lain somewhere in the swamp. If it hadn’t been for Anna, he would never have known about the lifetime of financial security waiting to be plucked.
The nurse was a problem. It looked as if she had no intention of leaving the situation alone, and unless she did, the man would probably stay involved, as well. The police wouldn’t have the time, inclination or knowledge needed to find the village or track anything back to him, but if the woman and man kept looking, they might be able to do so.
He took a sip of coffee and thought about all the dangers that could befall someone in the swamp. If the man and woman went back there, he would make sure they didn’t return.
* * *
I T TOOK THREE LONG HOURS for Max and Colette to provide their statements and fingerprints to the police, collect the boat Max rented and get on the highway to Pirate’s Cove. Colette was frustrated all over again by the bureaucracy of paperwork and apologies about staffing shortages. Once more, she found herself grateful that she’d saved more than spent and had the means to hire someone dedicated to the case.
Alex and Holt were good people, and they’d been right in assigning Max to work with her. Despite his initial apprehension about Anna’s character, he’d launched himself one hundred percent into the job and had found her protégé on the first day. She couldn’t have asked more of him, but yet, here he was, still by her side, willing to ride it out until the end.
He was an admirable man, which only made her wish she could get to know him better. Unfortunately, he seemed to guard his feelings as much as he did his pistol. When he’d kissed her, she’d thought for just a moment that he was finally going to let her take a peek inside. But then he’d broken it off and closed up even more than before.
She sighed and stared down the empty highway that stretched in front of them.
“Are you okay?” Max asked.
She glanced over at him, just realizing her sigh had been loud enough to hear. “Yes. I’m frustrated and tired, but neither of those is going to keep me from pressing forward.”
“You’re an accomplished woman. I wouldn’t expect any less.”
She stared at him, a bit surprised at his words. “I guess so. I’ve never really thought about it.”
“I don’t know why not. Alex says the job you do is one of the toughest and most demanding at the hospital.”
She felt a blush creep up her neck. “That’s nice of her to say.”
“She wasn’t being nice. You know Alex. If she didn’t mean it, she wouldn’t say it.”
“Yes, that’s true enough.”
“Is that what you always wanted to do—work in the emergency room?”
“Heavens, no. I sorta fell into it.”
Max looked over at her, one eyebrow raised. “How exactly does one ‘fall into’ being a trauma nurse?”
“My first year out of school, I was working a night shift in the pediatric ward. There was a chemical fire at a warehouse nearby. It exploded and ten firefighters were injured in the blast. There was a huge thunderstorm going at the time and the on-call staff couldn’t get here as fast as usual, so they asked me to assist.”
“And you did a terrific job.”
“I guess. We were far too busy for anyone to stop and hand out compliments, but two days later, the hospital administrator called me in and offered me a lead position in the E.R., at double my current salary.”
“Wow. I guess that was compliment enough. You’re cool under pressure, even with this investigation, and that’s far outside of your norm. They were smart to promote you.”
Her cheeks burned as the blush
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