Children of the Sea 01 - Sea Witch

hooked his thumbs into his front pockets. “Nice view,” he commented.
     
    “I like it.”
     
    “Unless it’s raining.”
     
    “What are you talking about?”
     
    “Your blinds are down.” Caleb touched the blind cord, raising one eyebrow. “May I?”
     
    Caleb opened the blinds on a clearing silver sky. From where he stood, he could see trees and rocks give way to a curve of sand and shale.
     
    113
    Tumbling gray waves rolled into shore. The rain had beaten out all trace of his activity on the beach that morning. The fire debris was gone, along with the yellow crime scene tape.
     
    But a blackened smudge still stained the sand where the fire had burned last night.
     
    He turned from the window. “Seems a shame to block this out.”
     
    “I have—had—a bit of a headache this morning. The light bothers my eyes.”
     
    “Sorry to hear that. Your head hurt last night, too?”
     
    “As a matter of fact, it did. What’s this about, Chief? I hardly think you dropped by to inquire after my health.”
     
    “I was wondering if you noticed any unusual activity on the beach last night.”
     
    “Three weeks ago, you told me dealing with kids and tourists was your job. Or have you changed your mind?”
     
    Public relations, Caleb reminded himself. “Why don’t we sit down?”
     
    Whittaker shrugged. “Be my guest.”
     
    He led the way to the room’s two massive leather sofas.
     
    Caleb sank down with a sigh of relief, stretching his leg in front of him. The cushions of the couch released a pleasant tang of wood smoke and whiskey. “So you didn’t see the fire?”
     
    “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
     
    “Maybe you could just talk me through your evening. Do you mind if I take notes?”
     
    “I can’t imagine why you need a record of our conversation, but if it will help . . . I fixed dinner around six, six thirty. Grilled fish and polenta, if you’re interested. I washed up and then settled down with a book and a drink until I went to bed.”
     
    114
    Both the answer—and the attitude—were pretty much what Caleb was expecting. “Alone?”
     
    “Unfortunately.”
     
    “And what time was that?”
     
    “I really didn’t notice. Early. I told you, I had a headache. Now, if you’re finished—”
     
    “You didn’t look out the window? Take out the garbage? Check the locks before you turned in?”
     
    Whittaker’s face pinched. “I may have done.”
     
    “Which?”
     
    “I probably checked the door.”
     
    “Front door?”
     
    “Yes. Is there some reason you are questioning me like a common criminal?”
     
    “A woman was attacked on the beach last night. It’s possible you saw or heard something that could help me identify her attacker.”
     
    “Not with a migraine. And not in the dark.”
     
    Right . Like you needed daylight to spot a bonfire.
     
    “Do you remember turning on a porch light?” Caleb asked.
     
    “I told you, I was alone. I don’t turn on the outside lights unless I’m expecting company.” Whittaker stood. “Look, Chief Hunter, I appreciate your diligence, but it’s too late. If you hadn’t let those kids go a few weeks ago, perhaps last night’s incident would never have happened.”
     
    Asshole .
     
    “There’s a big leap between underage drinking and assault, ” Caleb said, keeping his tone even. “Unless there are some steps in the middle you can share with me.”
     
    115
    “You’re the one who mentioned fire. I naturally assumed —”
     
    Caleb’s cell vibrated. He checked the caller ID. Lucy . Again.
     
    “I have to take this,” he said to Whittaker.
     
    The lawyer shrugged. “Go right ahead. As far as I’m concerned, our conversation is finished.”
     
    “Could be,” Caleb said. He turned, facing the clearing sky beyond the windows. “Lucy. What’s up?”
     
    “Caleb, I’m so sorry .”
     
    Tension gripped the base of his neck. “What’s wrong? How’s Maggie?”
     
    “She— I . . . I was only gone a little while, fifteen minutes, I swear, I—”
     
    “Take a deep breath,” he advised, though his own pulse was pounding in his ears. “Tell me what happened.”
     
    Lucy gulped. “I had to go out. Just for a few minutes. Maggie said she’d be fine. But when I got back, she was...”
     
    His heart lurched. Oh, Christ . She was what?
     
    Dizzy ?
     
    Unconscious ?
     
    Dead ?
     
    “Gone,” Lucy finished miserably.
     
    “Gone where?” Caleb snapped.
     
    “I