Wilmington, NC 05 - Murder On The ICW

Nick was gone. Even though he had been sleeping in the guest room, the house -- and my life -- felt empty without him.
    Now it was time for me to tell Melanie that Nick had left me. I watched her sip her wine, could see the wheels in her active brain spinning. I stroked Spunky and he purred. They say that petting an animal lowers the blood pressure. I hoped they were right because my life style was setting me up for hypertension.
    "Mel, Nick is gone. He left yesterday afternoon. Gone for good," I said mournfully.
    She gave me a speculative look, drained her glass, then said, "Good riddance. He never did deserve you."
    I told her about the conversation I'd overheard him having with a woman he called Carol, about his admission that there was someone else, about his joining Blackwater Security.
    "They are a private army," she said, "and that scares me. They are better equipped and trained than our military. Who can control them? It doesn't really surprise me that Nick would go for that sort of association. He was always rather hawkish."
    "Oh, Melanie, but I loved him," I wailed.
    "I know you did. But do you now?"
    "I don't know anymore."
    "I vote for Jon," she said. "He will make you happy. Nick never really made you happy, only needy."
    "Maybe you're right but when I was happy with him, I was very, very happy. And I don't like it that he rejected me."
    "No one wants to be the one who gets left," Melanie said. "Mark my words, he'll do the same to this Carol person. Nick answers to the call of a different master."
    "What do you mean?" I asked.
    "He's an adventurer. He serves the call of adventure. Hearth and home, love, family and kin are not his priorities," she said wisely. "He's a wanderer, likes danger and being on the cutting edge. In ancient days, he'd probably have been an explorer."
    "I think I always knew that, Mel. But oh Mel, I also lost my baby. And I don't even know if it was a girl or boy," I cried.
    Melanie gave me a level look. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Didn't you ever wonder why there's an eight year age gap between us?"
    "No," I responded.
    "Mama had two miscarriages before you were born. That's why she thought of you as her miracle baby. So none of this is your fault, Ashley Wilkes, and knowing you I suspect you are blaming yourself for losing your baby."
    I dropped my head. I had been wondering if I'd done something risky, but censor myself as I had, I couldn't think of a thing. I didn't smoke. I didn't drink caffeinated coffee. I'd given up wine just as soon as I knew I was pregnant and prior to that I'd been drinking only one glass at a time.
    Melanie opened her arms to me and I moved into her embrace. "We've got to stick together, little sis. We're the only ones we have. The men will come and go but sisters are forever."
    She seemed to brighten, sounded like her old self. "I know what. You and Jon should come out on Cam's yacht with us tomorrow. Give him a call."

8

    The first Saturday in November was as warm as June. The sky was clear, the air was balmy, the sea calm. A perfect day for sailing.
    Cam's yacht, Hot Momma, which he'd purchased last summer when he and Melanie were dating and had named for her, was sleek and trim.
    I was so happy to see Cam. He's over six feet tall, lean and rangy, with a boyish face and unruly sandy hair, everybody's favorite big brother. I gave him a hug and whispered conspiratorially that I hoped he was back in Melanie's life for good. He replied that he hoped so too.
    Jon presented him with two bottles of champagne. "Hey, Cam, good to see you again," he said and clapped Cam on the back. With his golden blonde good looks, Jon looked spiffy and nautical in white shorts and a navy polo shirt.
    We followed Cam onto the fly bridge where he settled into one of a pair of brown leather helm chairs.
    The view from the fly bridge was breathtaking with lush green live oak trees lining the mainland shore on the starboard side and the blue waters of Greenville Sound off the port side.
    "Sit over here, Jon," Cam invited, indicating the second helm chair. "Now watch this." Cam slid the throttle forward. "Feel that? No drag. These new boats have a passive tunnel air induction system that virtually eliminates stress. Remember, we're moving 100,000 pounds of fiberglass and iron through the water."
    "How does that work?" Jon asked eagerly. "The old boats used to vibrate like mad during acceleration. This one takes off as smooth as silk."
    Cam and Jon went on to