know anything. No one knew what her marriage had been like, because no one knew she·d even been married. And she intended to keep it that way.
Ńothing happened in San Francisco, Nick,µ she said uncomfortably, sliding her hand from beneath his and resuming eating a meal she suddenly didn·t want.
´Thanks for your concern. Real y.µ
Something must·ve shown on her face, because he suddenly asked, ´What about Dennis Ross?µ
His question caught her completely unaware and her jaw dropped. ´D ³How do you kn³
Who told you about Denny?µ
Ĺet·s put it this way. I know things. Sam mentioned you mo ved from there to Orange Beach in a hurry round about the time my dad died. He expressed concern. I looked into it.µ
She·d tried to make her voice less hysterical on the phone when Sam had cal ed her as she raced to the airport, to tel her Zane·s dad had died, and the funeral was the fol owing week.
´Does anyone else « Know things?µ she demanded, appal ed.
Ńot unless you choose to tel them.µ
Her bare toes curled. Í don·t.µ
´Fine.µ
Ít was a fairly amicable divorce.µ God, how to explain she·d been an idiot? If one considered fleeing in the middle of the night, shearing off waist -length hair and dying it black in a seedy hotel room, hiding in a multitude of smal and large towns, and p eeing her pants every time she·d heard a knock on the door amicable .
Í don·t want to pry. Just making sure you·re okay.µ
A lightbulb went on. ´You think Denny is responsible for the leak in the Decrepit ?µ
Nick shrugged. Ńot out of the realm of possibility. Especial y if he·s paying you a large chunk of change in alimony.µ
´He·s not even paying me a small chunk of change in alimony. Not a red cent.
And I·m fine with that. I didn·t want any paper trail. He doesn·t know where I am, Nick, and I·d like to keep it that way.µ Nick·s eyes, so much like Zane·s, were like powerful blue lasers.
´He knows where Sam is, however. Would you mind if I discreetly checked to see where Ross is and what he·s up to?µ
A cold chil prickled across her skin. Í don·t want h is cage rattled, Nick. He·s not a nice guy, to put it mildly, and I don·t want him coming back at me if you ³µ
Í know people who are discreet,µ he assured her. ´He won·t know. I promise.µ
How did Nick know ´peopleµ in San Francisco? Í think it·s a waste of time, but if it·l make you feel better knowing he has nothing to do with this, then go ahead.µ
And now she·d be looking over her shoulder waiting for Denny to show up. Teal sucked in a sigh. Just when she·d thought it was safe to get back in the water «
Cue ominous freaking music. The Jaws analogy fit perfectly.
Ánd talking about Sam,µ she said to change the subject. ´Did you see him before you left?
How is he?µ she asked casual y. Zane had spoken to him, but Sam was a master of understatement and reticence. Seeing how he was would give Teal a truer picture, if only he·d let her close.
She·d flown al the way from Alabama to Cutter Cay, and he hadn·t even worked up the interest to see her before she left with Zane.
Instead, he·d cal ed Zane to tel him he·d changed his mind and was going in for treatment.
Not his daughter. That stung.
The time she should have spent on Cutter Cay was supposed to have given her time to connect with him. Now she was a hundred miles away, and he was communicating with everyone but herself.
´He·s doing as okay as can be expected.µ Nick told her. And obviously hadn·t sent a message for Nick to pass along either. What the hel had she expected?
That he·d welcome her with open arms? He hadn·t before. Now that he was so sick, his daughter was obviously the last thing on his mind. She got it. It hurt a bit, but she got it.
´Good. He·s a strong guy, he might surprise us al .µ
Í didn·t have a great relationship with my father.µ Nick said casual y, leaving off the word éither,µ though it hung unspoken in the air between them.
Ńothing happened in San Francisco, Nick,µ she said uncomfortably, sliding her hand from beneath his and resuming eating a meal she suddenly didn·t want.
´Thanks for your concern. Real y.µ
Something must·ve shown on her face, because he suddenly asked, ´What about Dennis Ross?µ
His question caught her completely unaware and her jaw dropped. ´D ³How do you kn³
Who told you about Denny?µ
Ĺet·s put it this way. I know things. Sam mentioned you mo ved from there to Orange Beach in a hurry round about the time my dad died. He expressed concern. I looked into it.µ
She·d tried to make her voice less hysterical on the phone when Sam had cal ed her as she raced to the airport, to tel her Zane·s dad had died, and the funeral was the fol owing week.
´Does anyone else « Know things?µ she demanded, appal ed.
Ńot unless you choose to tel them.µ
Her bare toes curled. Í don·t.µ
´Fine.µ
Ít was a fairly amicable divorce.µ God, how to explain she·d been an idiot? If one considered fleeing in the middle of the night, shearing off waist -length hair and dying it black in a seedy hotel room, hiding in a multitude of smal and large towns, and p eeing her pants every time she·d heard a knock on the door amicable .
Í don·t want to pry. Just making sure you·re okay.µ
A lightbulb went on. ´You think Denny is responsible for the leak in the Decrepit ?µ
Nick shrugged. Ńot out of the realm of possibility. Especial y if he·s paying you a large chunk of change in alimony.µ
´He·s not even paying me a small chunk of change in alimony. Not a red cent.
And I·m fine with that. I didn·t want any paper trail. He doesn·t know where I am, Nick, and I·d like to keep it that way.µ Nick·s eyes, so much like Zane·s, were like powerful blue lasers.
´He knows where Sam is, however. Would you mind if I discreetly checked to see where Ross is and what he·s up to?µ
A cold chil prickled across her skin. Í don·t want h is cage rattled, Nick. He·s not a nice guy, to put it mildly, and I don·t want him coming back at me if you ³µ
Í know people who are discreet,µ he assured her. ´He won·t know. I promise.µ
How did Nick know ´peopleµ in San Francisco? Í think it·s a waste of time, but if it·l make you feel better knowing he has nothing to do with this, then go ahead.µ
And now she·d be looking over her shoulder waiting for Denny to show up. Teal sucked in a sigh. Just when she·d thought it was safe to get back in the water «
Cue ominous freaking music. The Jaws analogy fit perfectly.
Ánd talking about Sam,µ she said to change the subject. ´Did you see him before you left?
How is he?µ she asked casual y. Zane had spoken to him, but Sam was a master of understatement and reticence. Seeing how he was would give Teal a truer picture, if only he·d let her close.
She·d flown al the way from Alabama to Cutter Cay, and he hadn·t even worked up the interest to see her before she left with Zane.
Instead, he·d cal ed Zane to tel him he·d changed his mind and was going in for treatment.
Not his daughter. That stung.
The time she should have spent on Cutter Cay was supposed to have given her time to connect with him. Now she was a hundred miles away, and he was communicating with everyone but herself.
´He·s doing as okay as can be expected.µ Nick told her. And obviously hadn·t sent a message for Nick to pass along either. What the hel had she expected?
That he·d welcome her with open arms? He hadn·t before. Now that he was so sick, his daughter was obviously the last thing on his mind. She got it. It hurt a bit, but she got it.
´Good. He·s a strong guy, he might surprise us al .µ
Í didn·t have a great relationship with my father.µ Nick said casual y, leaving off the word éither,µ though it hung unspoken in the air between them.
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