Dawn in Eclipse Bay
these guys aren’t known for neatness. They usually leave the place in a mess. Maybe he got scared off before he could get inside. A car coming down the drive would have done it. Or someone taking a walk along the bluff with a dog.”
Gabe considered that. “Think that after he got nervous here, he went looking for another, more isolated house to break into? A.Z.’s place?”
“And got surprised again. Hit Arizona and took off with her fancy camera.” Sean nodded. “Makes sense.” He flipped the notebook closed. “I’ve been interviewing people all day. So far no one has noticed any strangers acting suspiciously. But that still leaves a bunch of college kids and unknown transients. The camera is my best hope. If someone turns up with it, I’ll have a lead.”
“Otherwise, zip, right?” Lillian asked morosely. “I’ve heard that these kinds of burglaries often go unsolved.”
“That’s true in big cities but not so true in a small town where you’ve got a more limited group of suspects.” Sean stuffed the notebook into the pocket of his jacket and started toward the door. “I’ll let you know if I come up with anything useful. Meanwhile, get that back door fixed.”
Lillian nodded. “I’ll ask the Willis brothers to come over here tomorrow and take care of it.”
Sean paused at the door. “Folks are usually a little nervous after a break-in.” He angled a brief, meaningful glance at Gabe. “Nice for you that you won’t be here alone tonight.”
Lillian gave him a basilisk stare from her perch on the stool. She did not say a word.
Sean did not move. But, then, that was only to be expected, Gabe thought. A basilisk could turn a man to stone with the power of her gaze.
“I mean, you’ll be a lot more comfortable with Madison here,” Sean muttered. “Not nervous or anything.”
Lillian continued to glare.
“Right, she won’t be alone.” Gabe pushed himself away from the counter. “I’ll walk outside with you.”
He did not know why he felt obliged to rescue Sean. A guy thing, maybe. Or maybe he just didn’t like the way Lillian had reacted to Sean’s assumption that she was sleeping with him. She looked ticked. For some reason that irritated him.
Sean cleared his throat. “Sure. Got to get going. Things to do.”
Gabe crossed the kitchen in a few long strides. He had the front door open for Sean by the time the police chief reached it.
He moved out onto the porch after Sean and closed the door behind them. They stood in the yellow light and looked at the cars parked in the drive.
“Guess I stepped in it back there,” Sean said.
“Yeah.”
“Sorry about that.”
Gabe braced a hand on the porch railing. “Not like it’s a big secret.”
“Secrets like that are a little hard to keep here in Eclipse Bay. Especially when a Harte and a Madison are involved.”
“I know,” Gabe said.
Sean looked thoughtful. “Folks in town are sort of assuming that you’re planning to marry her in order to get your hands on a piece of Harte Investments.”
“Dangerous things, assumptions.”
“You can say that again. I generally try to avoid them in my work, but once in a while I slip up.” Sean zipped his jacket and went down the steps. “I’ll be in touch.”
A long time later Gabe awoke to the sound of rain on the roof. He knew at once that Lillian was not asleep.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I was afraid of this.” He levered himself up on one elbow and reached for her. “Are you upset because Sean Valentine guessed that we’re sleeping together? Honey, this is a small town and we haven’t exactly tried to hide.”
“It’s not that.” She locked her hands behind her head and stared up into the shadows. “I mean, I’m not real thrilled with the fact that Sean and everyone else in town thinks you’re trying to sucker me into marriage so that you can get your hands on a third of Harte Investments—”
“Valentine didn’t say that. He just sort of observed that you and I are having an affair.”
“It’s what he was thinking. But, to tell you the truth, I’m getting used to people thinking that.”
He wondered if that was a good thing. Did he want her thinking that their affair was fine just as it stood? “So, the gossip isn’t what’s keeping you awake?”
“No.”
“All right, why can’t you sleep? The break-in?”
“Yes.”
He flattened his hand on her soft, warm belly.
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