Emerald Fire. Monica McCabe

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СКАЧАТЬ It was a seductive picture, especially if he added something low-cut and provocative rather than the neatly tailored slacks and pearl-buttoned blouse she currently wore.

      She was going to be trouble.

      “There’s no we,” he stated emphatically. “In fact, you should get on a plane and go back home.”

      “I’m not going anywhere until I find Uncle Jon or the Emerald Fire.”

      Finn recognized stubborn when he saw it. He came from a long line of Irish stock well versed in the art of digging in.

      “You haven’t told me why you’re here,” he said. “And don’t expect me to believe concern for your uncle had you instantly hopping a plane. What’s your stake in this?”

      “You think I’m after something?” Chloe put both hands on the table in front of her and leaned slightly forward. “My uncle is missing, Mr. Kane. Do you really need more of a reason than that?”

      Aye, he did. Things were never as they seemed on the surface. “Call me Finn. And I hate to break this to you, but the odds of your uncle being alive are pretty slim.”

      Her eyes widened a bit at that piece of brutal honesty. “That’s harsh,” she said quietly. “Your bedside manner could use a little softening.”

      A sting of remorse nailed him. Especially when another gust of wind blew past them and Chloe reached to tuck away the loose strands of hair. The move was gentle, almost vulnerable, and for some reason, highly alluring. And she was right, his words were callous. Statistics didn’t lie, though, and he shouldn’t either. False hopes never helped anyone.

      “Let’s face facts,” he said. “Unless the Emerald Fire came well-armed and equipped to fight piracy, it usually doesn’t end well.”

      “Pirates?” She laughed in disbelief. “Argh, and I left my cutlass at home. Perhaps I could borrow yours?”

      “I’m serious, Chloe. Boats disappear out of these waters all the time, never to be heard of again.” He eyed her small frame and prim outfit. “No offense, but you look like a school teacher. What possible defense could you bring against men using satellite phones and rocket-propelled grenades?”

      “For the record, I’m a historian, not a school teacher.”

      By the saints. It was worse than he’d thought.

      “And we aren’t dealing with pirates here,” she continued, “unless you call Lisa Banks a pirate, which might be a pretty apt description, come to think of it. Uncle Jon’s trophy wife loves money over anything else. I’m beginning to wonder how far she’ll go to get it.”

      “You don’t like her much, do you?”

      Chloe shrugged. “It’s a long story.”

      “What makes you think she’s involved?”

      “Several reasons.” Chloe’s fingers massaged her temples as though she had a headache. “Uncle Jon and Aunt Sarah were married over thirty years when Sarah died of cancer. Lisa weaseled her way into Uncle Jon’s life immediately afterward. Six weeks later, they married. Since then she’s spent money like crazy. Clothes, jewelry, lavish trips, you name it. For some unexplainable reason, Uncle Jon doesn’t see the gold digger beneath the pretty exterior.”

      “And you do?”

      “It’s rather obvious. Lisa isn’t much older than me, plus she never misses a chance to cut me down with innuendo. Just never in front of Uncle Jon. She’s sweetness itself when he’s around.”

      “So she’s jealous of you. It wouldn’t be the first time a pretty young wife resented attention given to someone she considers a rival.”

      “I’m his niece!”

      It was his turn to shrug. “Sometimes it doesn’t matter.”

      “Well that pretty young wife is seeing someone on the side.”

      “You’re sure of this?”

      “Positive.” Her fingers began tapping on the table. “The woman is beyond crafty. She knows how to cover her tracks, and she knows how to play Uncle Jon. I’ve caught her in a few questionable situations, but she always has an excuse.”

      “That doesn’t mean she’s involved in the Fire’s disappearance.”

      “There’s more.” She turned her attention out to the bay, her expression troubled. “This whole trip was her idea. She’d found a source for rare black pearls in Trinidad and pushed my uncle to take her to get them. When the day came to go, she backed out at the last minute.”

      “Your uncle left without her?” Finn said, surprised.

      “Not unusual,” Chloe said and again tucked loose hair behind her ear. “Uncle Jon owns several upscale jewelry stores. He’s passionate about acquiring unique or outstanding gems and minerals. Black pearls would be irresistible. Plus she promised to fly down and join him for the sail back home.”

      “So…what?” He was still skeptical. “You think she set up an ambush in St. Lucia? Hired thugs to hit her husband?”

      “I spoke to the St. Lucian police this morning. They told me Lisa Banks is the one who called them to report the yacht missing. Then she wasted no time calling Boston Marine to file an insurance claim. What do you think?”

      He thought it didn’t sound good. The kind of money at stake here was more than enough motive for murder. It was all too common a story.

      “Well, your aunt did one thing right,” he said. “Her enthusiastic call to Boston Marine got me here early enough for a fighting chance at finding your uncle’s boat.”

      A ghost of a smile traced her lips. For some reason that made him nervous.

      “I might be able to up your odds.”

      “Oh? You know which direction the Fire sailed away in?”

      “Maybe.” She pulled a folded piece of paper out of her bag. “Team up with me, and you can have this.”

      He eyed the paper in her hand with a bad sense of inevitability. “What’s that?”

      She unfolded the document and dangled it in front of him. “Last night’s GPS coordinates for the Emerald Fire. So, do we have a deal?”

      Chapter 2

      “Where’d you get that?” Finn snapped.

      The brusque question meant he was interested. She probably wasn’t the only one to hit a brick wall with local authorities.

      “Uncle Jon pays for maritime security services.” She handed over the paper. She was smart enough to know when she needed help, and he had a stake in the outcome. A fact that could work in her favor, if she was careful.

      “SafeSail is a high level company.” He pointed to the fax header. “Advanced boat tracking, satellite security systems, hired guns. СКАЧАТЬ