Jack Beale 00 - Dangerous Shoals

well-worn notebook in one hand. Her craggy face was well tanned but plain, yet a vibrancy shined through.
    She looked up at him, smiling. Holding out her hand she said, “Hi, my name is Gladys.” Then she repeated her original question, “Did you see anything interesting today?”
    Ignoring her hand, Kurt looked at her and said in slow, measured tones, “No. Not really.”
    She withdrew her hand and continued to look deeply at him, her smile slowly fading, only to be replaced with a more curious look. “I’ve seen you around. I’m always out looking at my birds, you never know what you could miss. They’re so small.”
    She was making him nervous and she wouldn’t shut up. Before he could respond, she continued, “Those are pretty slick binoculars you have. What kind are they?” She reached out as if to touch them. He pulled back ever so slightly, but it was enough for her to notice and she withdrew her hand again. Before he could answer her question, she went on, “I don’t remember what kind mine are. I got them from my father when he died. He was a birdwatcher too. He used to go out every day and he taught me. He always said that these were his lucky binoculars, but the name plate fell off years ago so I don’t know what kind they are.”
    “That’s nice, but I really have to get going,” he said in a dismissive tone. He turned away from her and walked off toward his car.
    Gladys was silenced by his abrupt departure, her mouth open as if in mid-sentence. “Well, isn’t he the odd one,” she said to herself in a voice not much higher than a whisper. Then, without thinking, she slowly raised her binoculars to her eyes and looked in the direction that he had been looking. She didn’t see any birds, only two people leaving a boat, hand in hand. She lowered her binoculars and turned her head in the direction to which Kurt had walked off. He was nowhere to be seen. “Strange,” she murmured, and despite the warmth of the sun, a chill went down her spine.

CHAPTER 56
    AS JACK AND MAX walked up the ramp toward Ben’s, they had no idea of the small drama that had just played out across the harbor. “Hungry?” asked Max.
    “Now that you mention it, yes.”
    “Let’s stop at the bar. You can get something to eat and I need to see Patti.”
    “Sounds like a plan.” The rest of the short walk was made in silence.
    Since it was mid afternoon and the lunch rush had subsided, Jack had the bar to himself. Max wandered off to find Patti and he ordered an ESB draft and a burger. As he sat there, sipping his beer, many thoughts went through his mind, most of them very dark. “Did Daniel hide whatever it was he had on Irrepressible? If he did, then when―and more important, where?” He knew his boat inside and out. He had searched it several times now and found nothing. Then, the questions continued. “Did whoever wanted it get it? If he did, is he now gone and out of our lives? If he didn’t …” This last thought made Jack shudder. Before he could dwell on it further, Max returned with his burger in hand. “Here. I was in the kitchen when your lunch came up so I grabbed it for you.”
    “Thanks,” said Jack, masking his concerns with a smile.
    “Patti asked if we wanted to do something with her and Dave tonight. I’d like to, but I told her I’d check with you before giving her an answer.”
    “That sounds like fun. Sure. But I’d like to take a short power nap and then go for a run.”
    “That’s fine. We probably won’t meet until eight or so. You’ll have plenty of time.”
    While Jack finished his lunch, Max went in search of Patti to make plans. As he swallowed his last bite, she returned, “Okay, we’re all set. We’ll meet at eight-thirty in Market Square in Portsmouth. Listen, why don’t you go on ahead, I’m going to stay here for a while and that way you can nap in peace.”
    Goodbyes were said and Jack walked home.
    As he walked up the drive, Cat looked up from her perch on one of the rocking chairs on Courtney’s porch, got up, stretched, and joined him for the final walk to his door. “Hey Cat. It looks like you’re having a rough afternoon,” said Jack as he bent down to rub her head. She mrowed loudly and began purring. “You are such a slut,” he said softly. Then he straightened and she followed him to the door. The door was barely open when she raced in and bounded up the stairs. By the time Jack reached the top of the stairs, she was doing her dance of