Donovans 01 - Amber Beach

“Then you would still trust me. But I didn’t and you don’t and we’re stuck with it. Shit. ”
    Honor started to say something, then simply shook her head. He ran his fingertips over her cheek in a gentle caress and released her.
    “Did Marju say anything useful?” he asked.
    “How do you define useful ?”
    “Helping us find Kyle, the amber, or both.”
    “No. She wanted to move in with me.”
    Jake turned back suddenly. “And?”
    Honor’s mouth turned down. “I gave her all my spare cash and said there wasn’t room here for a third person to live. That makes me an unfeeling bitch, but I’m carrying all the chain I can swim with right now. I can’t carry her, too.”
    He let out a hidden breath. He had been wondering how he would get rid of Marju without looking like an insensitive American male.
    “Marju is a big girl,” Jake said. “She’s been through wars you can’t even imagine. She’ll do fine on her own.”
    “She seemed awfully upset.”
    “It’s a cultural thing. Lithuanians are kind of the Italians of the Baltic, famous for emoting all over the place. Believe me, you’re more upset than Marju is.”
    “I hope so.”
    “I know so. How much of that salmon salad did you make?” he asked, turning away again.
    “A quart or so. There’s enough plain salmon left for an omelet tomorrow and pasta tomorrow night.”
    Mentally Jake went over the supplies in his truck, her kitchen, and already on board the Tomorrow . The food probably would last longer than the gas, even in weather like this.
    He looked out at the water beyond Amber Beach’s protected shore. Whitecaps leaped on most waves. Streaks of foam had formed. Long, wind-driven swells were humping up in the dark blue water. Small craft warnings would be going out soon, if they weren’t already posted.
    He had planned to pull a switch and take his own boat to the last place Kyle had entered into his chart plotter, but the Better Days wasn’t as big as the Tomorrow . Even though his boat was seaworthy enough to take on near-gale winds, as long as small craft warnings were out the Coast Guard had the right to decide what small craft should be on the ocean and what should stay in port.
    The Tomorrow was twenty-seven feet long, technically above the size limit of “small craft.” None of the boats following him were that big, except perhaps the elusive Olympic that Conroy had seen. If the rest of the folks kept on following him with their little Tupperware navy, they would be in for a hair-raising ride.
    With hidden impatience, Jake reviewed what had to be done before he took to the water again. It would be hours until it was dark enough for him to sneak out, put on his diving gear, and go over the hull of the Tomorrow for any little presents left behind by Whidbey Island’s navy SEALs. He would rather have spent the time until dark naked with Honor in a bed the size of Texas instead of standing on one foot and then the other. But getting his hands on her sweet body wasn’t real likely right now. Or any time soon.
    “To hell with sneaking around,” he muttered. “It’s not like it will come as a big surprise to anyone. They’re probably wondering why I haven’t done it before now.”
    “Hello?” Honor said. “Are you talking to me?”
    “I’m going diving.”
    She looked out the window. Something cold and unpleasant slid down her spine at the thought of being out on the water. Even the little beach was feeling the impact of the wind now. Instead of lapping at the rocky shore, the waves were smacking against stone and exploding into foam that was whipped quickly ashore. Spindrift was sticking to tall rocks. Tall, powerful fir trees were swaying like dancers in the wind.
    “You’re diving in that?” Honor asked.
    “No. Below that.”
    “You’re nuts.”
    “Blame yourself. You vetoed a much better idea.”
    “What are you talking about? I didn’t veto—”
    “Sure you did,” he interrupted. “Remember? Us, in bed, naked?” He smiled at her expression. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ve got a different kind of skin diving in mind at the moment. But hold the good thought.”
    “I’d feel better if you smiled with your eyes, too.”
    “So would I. But life’s a bitch and—”
    “—then you die,” she finished with a catch in her voice. “Jake, don’t go diving. It’s too dangerous.”
    Honor knew it was stupid to let him see her worry for him, yet she couldn’t do anything about it. Even though her