Eclipse Bay

“He’s carrying on with Hannah Harte.”
    Bev’s brows rose in surprise. “Carrying on, as in having an affair with her?”
    “That too. It’s Isabel’s fault. If she hadn’t left that damn house to both of ’em none of this would have happened.”
    “What exactly has happened?”
    “I just told you—they’re sleeping together.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Hell, everyone in town knows it.”
    “Hmm.” Bev tilted her head slightly to the side as she contemplated that information. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much if I were you. Isabel was a very, very smart woman. She probably knew what she was doing when she drew up that will.”
    Mitchell grunted. “Maybe yes, maybe no. Either way, it all comes down to the same thing. Rafe’s carrying on with Hannah, and her family hasn’t got a clue. When Sullivan Harte finds out, he’s gonna shit…uh, he’s gonna blow his top.”
    “Rafe and Hannah aren’t kids anymore. They’re full-grown adults. They’ll make their own decisions.”
    “Huh. Far as I’m concerned, Rafe’s already made his, and he’s by God gonna follow through if I have anything to say about it. Hannah’s a nice young woman, even if she is a Harte. If he thinks he can fool around with her and then walk away, he’s got another thing coming.”
    Bev peered at him with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “Are you saying you feel Rafe ought to marry Hannah?”
    Mitchell balanced the cup and saucer on the broad leather arm of the big chair. “Yep. That’s exactly what I think.”
    “Since when did you become such a zealous believer in old-fashioned morality?”
    “Since I started watching the two of ’em together. You ought to see the way he looks at her, Bev. Damn near painful.”
    “What about Hannah?”
    “She looks at him the same way. Thing is, they’re scared to death of each other.”
    “You think you can play Cupid?”
    “Figure it’s my responsibility to straighten things out.” Mitchell looked at the river. “I put my son, Sinclair, through hell when he was a boy. Set a real bad example. Sure enough, he turned right around and did the same thing to Rafe and Gabe. I figure it’s up to me to stop this cycle before it goes on to another generation.”
    “And you’re going to do it by marrying Rafe off to Hannah?”
    “If I can.” Mitchell paused to take another swallow of coffee. “But before I can see about getting Rafe to the altar, I’ve got to help him and Hannah fix another little problem that’s come up.”
    “What’s that?”
    Mitchell looked at her. “Rafe has convinced himself that someone may have tried to kill Hannah and her dog a couple of nights ago.”
    Bev’s shock left her mouth hanging open for a few seconds.
    “Are you serious?” she finally managed.
    “On the surface, it looks like some bastard tried to drown her dog, but Rafe thinks it may have been an attempt to get Hannah, too. He’s sure it’s got some tie back to what happened to Kaitlin Sadler.”
    “But that’s ridiculous,” Bev sputtered. “Kaitlin’s death was an accident. Everyone knows that. And if it had been something worse, heaven forbid, why would the killer make a move against Hannah now?”
    “Ever since Rafe and Hannah returned to Eclipse Bay to sort out the business with Dreamscape, there’s been talk. Some of it is about the fact that they’re carrying on together, naturally. But some of it is about the past. Rafe and Hannah have started asking questions themselves, and now, what with the incident involving the mutt, they’re beginning to dig a little deeper.” Mitchell met her gaze. “To tell you the truth, I’m afraid they just might uncover some old bones that would probably be better off left buried.”
    “But Rafe, being Rafe, won’t listen to your advice to leave well enough alone, is that it?”
    Mitchell shrugged. “He never did listen.”
    “So you’ve decided to help him look into the matter?”
    “That’s about the size of it.”
    Bev studied him for a long moment. Then she gave him a knowing smile. “You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you? I think you like the idea of playing Dr. Watson to Rafe’s Sherlock Holmes.”
    “Be the first thing Rafe and I have done together since he was a kid.” Mitchell was aware of an oddly wistful feeling. “We got along pretty good for a few years after he and Gabe came to live with me. But from the day Rafe hit his mid-teens, he and I locked horns. It’s been a little better in the