Jack Beale 00 - Dangerous Shoals

friggin’ stupid, they should just be shot.”
    “I know what you mean,” Max whispered back and Jack nodded in agreement.
    “Do you know what you’d like?”
    “Yes, I’ll have one egg, over easy, with bacon and whole wheat toast,” said Max.
    Beverly looked at Jack for his order. He just smiled and said, “I’ll have the usual.”
    “Jack Beale, don’t you go messing with me. What usual? You order something different every time you come in here.”
    By her tone he could tell that his attempt at humor was falling flat. “I’ll have French toast with sausage. Real syrup. Thanks.”
    She nodded, spun, and passed the order on to the cook, and as she did, she muttered, “You are such a jerk.”
    His reply was to pick up one of the tourist papers and begin thumbing through it.
    “Jack, do you think that whoever killed Daniel got what he was after?”
    “What?” he said. He snapped his paper to fold it back on itself, creased it, folded it in half from top to bottom, placed it on the counter next to him, and looked at Max. “Where did that come from?” he thought.
    “I don’t know, Patti and I were talking last night in the ladies room, and it got me to wondering. We haven’t really talked much about it, especially after you and Tom got back with the boat. I mean, it was torn up and all. I’m just wondering.”
    “ Why do girls always do this?” Jack thought to himself. “When they want to talk about something they always wait until you are trapped and then force you to talk.”
    “Max, this really isn’t the time or place to talk about this.”
    “No. I think it’s perfect. So what do you think?”
    He surrendered. “Honestly, I don’t know. Part of me hopes so. If he did, then maybe he’s gone and we don’t have to worry. But, if he didn’t, that worries me. Daniel’s dead and we don’t know who killed him, although it was probably Kurt. We don’t know what, if anything, Daniel told him before he died. If Kurt didn’t get what he wanted, then he may still be around and that can’t be good”
    “Here we go. One French toast and sausage and one egg over easy with bacon.” Beverly’s voice saved him for the moment as she put their plates down in front of them. “More coffee?”
    “Thanks,” said Jack, while Max just shook her head.
    Beverly went to get the coffee.
    “We’ll finish this after we eat,” said Max as she began to mash her egg up with her fork.
    Beverly returned with the coffee and poured his cup. As she finished she stopped, put the pot down on the counter, pointed at the paper Jack had been browsing through, and then picked it up. “Hey look, I made the paper,” she said holding the page for Jack and Max to see. “My girlfriend and I were down at the beach last week and some guy stopped and took our picture for the paper. We thought he was kidding, but look, there we are.”
    Jack glanced at Beverley’s face smiling out at him from the page, but it was the photo beside it that really caught his attention. “Can I see that?” asked Jack.
    Flattered by his interest, Beverly handed it to him. Then, picking up her coffee pot, she said, “I hope there are more copies still in the rack,” and she headed in that direction.
    “Can I see?” asked Max.
    Jack was staring intently at the second photo. “Uh, sure,” he replied, lost in thought.
    Max reached over and took hold of the paper. “Where is she?”
    “There,” said Jack pointing at the picture that Beverly was in, all the while still looking at the other picture.
    “It can’t be,” he thought to himself, but the more he studied the picture, the more he was convinced. According to the caption, it was Tim and Jane from Duluth, Minnesota, waiting in line in front of the Casino one night last week for a show. Tim and Jane didn’t interest Jack, but the tall, thin man in the background did. He was sure that it was Kurt and that scared him.
    “That is so cool,” gushed Max. “Beverly caught by the beach paparazzi.”
    Jack agreed, hoping that his distraction wasn’t too obvious. That picture answered Max’s question and he had to see Tom.
    Breakfast over, Beverly cleared away the dishes while they congratulated her on her newfound fame.
    “Max, how about I drop you home? I’ve got some errands to run.”
    “Fine, but we aren’t finished talking, yet.”

CHAPTER 62
    JACK WALKED INTO Tom’s office with the paper in hand.
    “Hey, Jack.”
    “Hey, Tom. Look at this,” said Jack as he put