Deep Waters

seemed different back here. He leaned closer and prodded a stack of small boxes containing miniature wind-up insects.
    "Elias? Elias, where are you?"
    He turned at the sound of Charity's excited voice. For a moment he did not respond. He just stood there in the shadows and savored the sight of her hurrying toward him between two long aisles. Memories of the night flooded through him. Just the thought of her hot, wet mouth on him was enough to give him an erection.
    The good news was that he would no longer have to waste a lot of time every day working on ways to ensure that she spent every night with him, he thought.
    "Good morning, Otis." Charity came to a halt at the counter. "Where's Elias?"
    "Heh, heh, heh."
    "Helpful, as always, I see." She glanced around. "Elias?"
    "Back here, Charity. In the imitation food and insect section."
    She turned quickly and peered into the hazy rear portion of the shop. "Oh, there you are. You'll never guess what I just found out down at Radiance's place."
    "Did she identify that nail chip for you?" He strolled toward the counter.
    "She did." Her face glowed with triumph. "It's Crimson Jennifer."
    "Translate, please."
    "It's the color of red nail polish that Radiance blended especially for Jennifer Pitt. Do you see what this means?"
    "Jennifer Pitt was fooling around out there at the old Rossiter place?" Elias reached the cash register counter and crouched down behind it to find the flashlight he had stored there. "We already knew that. She used to meet Leighton there, remember? She could have chipped that nail during one of those little trysts."
    "Know what I think? I think she met Rick Swinton there, too. It makes sense that she might have chipped a nail while playing Swinton's rough games."
    "So? Judging from what we've learned about Swinton, any number of the fine, upstanding ladies of Whispering Waters Cove may have played cops and robbers with Swinton and his handcuffs out there. And we already know that the second Pitt marriage was on the rocks. Leighton told us he thought she was seeing someone, remember?"
    "Elias, you're missing the point here. That nail chip may tie Jennifer to Rick Swinton."
    "It indicates they may have been lovers, but that's about it." Elias found the flashlight, retrieved it, and got to his feet. "Phyllis Dartmoor can also be tied to Rick Swinton that way. So can some of the female Voyagers. And God knows how many other women may have slept with him. But Leighton Pitt is the only person who had a motive to kill both Swinton and Gwen Pitt."
    "The bankruptcy, you mean."
    "It usually comes down to money in the end." Elias pressed the switch on the flashlight. Nothing happened. "Needs batteries. I think I've got a bunch stashed around here someplace. Saw them the other day."
    Charity crossed her arms under her breasts. Her brows came together in challenge. "What would you say if I were to inform you that Jennifer Pitt was seen packing her car this very morning. She appears to be on her way out of town."
    Elias unscrewed the flashlight base. "Maybe she's decided that what with the pending bankruptcy and Leighton's arrest there's nothing left for her here."
    Charity smiled cheerfully as she slipped the receipt into a paper sack together with a new novel by Stella Cameron. "You're going to enjoy that one, Mrs. Fisher. I just finished reading it myself."
    "She writes such exciting stories, doesn't she?" Mrs. Fisher said with enthusiasm. "Real page-turners."
    "That they are," Charity agreed.
    Mrs. Fisher hurried off with her package.
    "Almost time to close," Newlin said as he walked out of the back room with an armload of books.
    Charity raised her brows. "You seem anxious to get out of here today. Got something planned?"
    "Arlene wants to go out to Delter's Nursery to see about ordering some nice flowers for the wedding."
    "Great. How did things go during your first session with Elias this morning?"
    Newlin's face lit up. "Really interesting, y'know? He told me the name of that special belt he wears. He says he and I are probably the only two people left in the whole world who know exactly what Tal Kek Chara means. Weird, huh?"
    "I thought it meant the Way of Water or something."
    "Not quite. It's a lot more complicated."
    "Well? What exactly does it mean?
    Newlin opened his mouth and then closed it. "Uh, no offense, but I'm not sure I'm supposed to tell you. Maybe you better ask Elias, yourself."
    "Ah, it's one of those secret guy things."
    "It's not that. At