Lib Novel Page 90
“Except when his protective training kicks in. We’ve both seen him pretty fierce then. Let’s go back to the cruiser.”
“Why?”
“I want to check things out.”
They reached their cruiser in a few minutes, and Lynch jumped aboard. He lifted her and Harley from the pier to the deck. “I’m going to look over the boat. Stay here with Harley.”
“Any particular reason for all this?”
“I want to make sure we’re not going to have any passengers hitching a ride.”
She stiffened. “You saw something in that alley?”
“No, but I’d swear Harley saw something or someone he didn’t like before I caught up with him. I thought I caught a glimpse of someone following us when I was walking him earlier. This time I was keeping an eye on Harley to make sure it wasn’t those seals that he wanted to go after and adopt.”
“You’re sure that it wasn’t?”
He shrugged. “Not positive. But whoever it was disappeared before I could get over to the next alley to check them out.”
“Could you recognize them again?”
“No, I only caught a flash of a white shirt and navy cap.”
“Nothing else?”
“Sorry, I was too busy corralling Harley to pay attention to high fashion.”
“I suppose it might have been a tourist?”
“It could be. But you know how suspicious I am. Will you stay here with Harley?”
She shook her head. “I’m not playing that game any longer. I’ll go with you.”
“I thought that was the way it would work. Do you also still want to go with me to interview our Darlene Gatwick? We could skip it.”
“No, we can’t. You’d end up by stashing me someplace ‘safe’ and going off and doing it alone. Where do we search first?”
“The galley.” He gestured that way. “If it pleases you.”
She pulled her handgun from her jacket pocket. “It pleases me.”
He grinned. “And that pleases me. So we’ll both be happy. I hope you keep that toy with you all the time we’re on the island.”
“It’s not a toy. I’m still a very good shot.” She met his eyes. “And I’ll never leave it behind again when there’s a chance you may need me. I’ll always remember crawling around on that blasted garage floor when I knew it was my fault you were there.” She started toward the galley. “May I go first this time?”
“Hell, no.”
She smiled. “You’re so predictable. By all means, show off for Harley and me. We both appreciate your amusement value.”
“You’re maligning me again. However, I’ll forgive you because you’ve promised to protect me.”
Lynch stopped and pulled a card-shaped object from his wallet. He propped it against a vase in the main cabin.
Kendra bent over to look at it. “What’s that?”
“It’s a Bluetooth-connected motion sensor. It’ll send a signal to my phone if this boat gets any unwelcome visitors. I didn’t think it was necessary before, but better safe than sorry.”
“Cool gadget.” She straightened up. “Boys and their toys.”