Part 8 (2/2)
”Thanks,” Dar replied. ”What's your consortium salvaging? I didn't think there was anything around here worth going after.”
Juan looked at Christen. ”It's a private commission,” Christen said. ”We can't really discuss it.” She took Juan's elbow. ”We'll drop by later to set a date for dinner. Let's go, Juan.” Christen and Juan turned and jumped off the boat, then strolled down the dock together.
Dar and Kerry watched them go, and then looked at each other.
”What the heck was that all about?” Kerry asked.
”I don't know.” Dar sat up and rested her elbows on her knees, studying Kerry. She gave a half grin. ”What was that name change all about?”
Kerry nibbled her lower lip.
”I'm not objecting,” Dar said. ”Just a little surprised.”
Kerry crossed one ankle over her knee and rubbed a bit of sand off her skin. ”You know,” she finally said, ”I'm not really sure why I did that.” Her head tilted to one side, and she peered at Dar with sheepish honesty. ”Let me think about it for a while.”
”Sure.” Dar nodded. ”As for our visitors... I don't know what their game is, but now I'm wis.h.i.+ng we'd brought the laptops with us.”
”To find out who they are?”
”Yeah.”
Kerry drummed her fingers on arm of the chair. ”Well, I guess we'll just have to ferret that out the old fas.h.i.+oned way,” she said.
”You don't think they're going to be a problem, do you?”
”Nah.” Dar shook her head. ”Just some gold diggers. We might*57 not hear from them again, now that they know we're not after whatever they're looking for.” Dar put her gla.s.ses back on and resumed her comfortable position.
”That's true.” Kerry tucked her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms around them, gazing out at the sea thoughtfully.
”They were a little weird, though.”
”Mm.”
”Preppy,” Kerry added. ”I don't know, Dar. They just didn't seem like sea types. You know what I mean.”
Dar opened one eye. ”Maybe they're the business end,” she suggested. ”The money people.”
Kerry pursed her lips. ”I just didn't like them.”
”Well,” Dar captured her hand and squeezed it, ”I've always trusted your people judgment,” she said. ”Why don't we-”
”Hey, Dar!”
Dar sat up as they heard footsteps approaching rapidly. Rufus was running down the docks toward them. ”Hey,” Dar greeted.
He stopped short of the boat. ”C'n I come on board?”
Dar waved him over. ”Sure.”
The boy grinned and scrambled onto the boat, looking around wide-eyed as he walked across the stern deck. ”Wow.”
”Nice, huh?” Dar stood up. ”Want to see inside?”
”Sure!” Rufus followed her eagerly as she opened the door, looking up at her in awe as he walked under her arm. ”Boy, Dar, you got a lot of muscles!”
Kerry m.u.f.fled a giggle as she caught the look of bemused consternation on her partner's face.
”Yeah, I sure do,” Dar replied. ”That's kinda weird for a girl, huh?”
”Yeah.” Rufus nodded solemnly. ”But it's really cool. Can you wra.s.sle a gator?”
Dar chuckled. ”C'mon.”
They disappeared inside, leaving Kerry to resume her quiet pondering. She leaned back in her chair and exhaled. ”What the h.e.l.l is going on with you, Kerrison?” She rested her head against her fist and looked inside herself for an answer.
Finally, she lifted her eyes and exhaled, nodding a few times.
Had her family had so enraged and disgusted her, Kerry mused, that a part of her wanted to just leave them behind? Maybe that same part thought that using Dar's last name instead of her own would rid her of the nightmares.
Is that good or bad? Kerry wasn't sure. It hadn't seemed to bother Dar, though. In fact, Kerry suspected Dar kinda liked the theft of her surname. With a thoughtful frown, she picked up the strong golden chain on her neck and regarded the ring through which it was threaded. She and Dar both wore their commitment 58*
rings the same way, and now she studied the inscription on hers carefully.
Forever.
Kerry smiled and pushed herself to her feet, shaking her head as she walked toward the cabin. A motion caught her eye and she turned to watch a much smaller boat, just a motored skiff, pull up to the dock and tie on.
The motor died, and a tall, grizzle-haired man with a husky build got out. He was dressed in faded, patched fatigues and a black tank top, and he adjusted a blue cap as he paused on the dock.
His eyes fell on their boat, and he turned and examined it carefully from bow to stern. Then he pivoted on his heel and headed up toward the buildings, walking with a determined, powerful stride.
”You know,” Kerry leaned on the edge of the cabin door, ”if I were the gambling type, I'd bet that guy's name is Bud.” She watched as the man pa.s.sed Christen and Juan coming back the other way, brus.h.i.+ng by them without a word. The two continued back to their boat, but not without a look in Kerry's direction. ”This is starting to look squicky.”
”Did you say something, Ker?” Dar appeared at her elbow.
”I'm just going to kick the engines on and give Rufus the ride I promised him.”
”Sounds like a great idea.” Kerry patted her on the side. ”I'll untie us.” She jumped onto the dock and set them free, aware of being watched from across the way.
Something is definitely going on. Kerry suspected that sooner or later they'd be finding out what it was.
Chapter.
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