CHAPTER THREE #2
“There really wasn’t much in Eddie’s life but fishing and family.” She paused. “He didn’t have a lot of time for hobbies or things like that. A fisherman’s life isn’t an easy one.”
“No, I don’t suppose it would be,” I said sympathetically.
“Eddie worked real hard, but even so, we just couldn’t always keep up, you know?
” She wiped at her eyes, her bottom lip trembling.
“Now with him dying, I’ll have money because of his life insurance.
” A tear dribbled down her cheek. “But I don’t have Eddie, and I’d much rather have him here than money. ”
“Of course,” I said hoarsely, my chest tight.
She’d been holding up pretty well, but she seemed to crack suddenly. “It’s not fair that Eddie is gone,” she wailed and began sobbing. “It’s just not fair. Why would this happen? I don’t understand.”
The red-haired woman from the kitchen came bustling in. “I think you should go,” she said brusquely, giving me a dirty look. “You’ve got her all upset again.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” I stood and shut off the recorder on my phone. Then, feeling like a jerk, I left Rosa’s home.
On the drive back to my place, I turned over everything Rosa had said. She’d confirmed that Gil and Eddie had been at odds with each other before his death, but since she didn’t know why they’d been fighting, it didn’t clear anything up.
But Margot didn’t want me digging into anything anyway, so I decided to punch out for the day. I went home, showered, changed into clean clothes, and slapped on some cologne. Then I headed to the Rusty Anchor for dinner. I was in desperate need of fried fish and a nice cold beer.
* * *
The Rusty Anchor wasn’t a slick establishment, but the locals loved it because it had good food, good drinks, and good prices.
The dated nautical décor wouldn’t win any decorating awards, but it told you exactly what you were in for when you stepped inside.
Dark wood paneling, big booths with red vinyl upholstery, a pool table, neon beer signs in the windows, and a jukebox loaded with classic rock.
Tonight, the place was only half-full, with fishermen sitting at the bar and several couples in the booths.
I took a stool at the bar where I could see the room and ordered a beer.
I’d been coming here two or three nights a week since I moved to Coral Cove, and the two bartenders, Dom and Tess, knew my order by heart.
Tonight Dom was on shift. I liked Dom. He was a stocky guy who didn’t try to make conversation unless I started it.
In my book, that was the mark of a good bartender.
I was nearly through my first beer and thinking about having a second when I saw Declan Hale seated in a booth near the back.
I hadn’t noticed him when I’d come in and wasn’t sure who had arrived first. He was wearing a dark henley that clung to his chest and biceps nicely.
And he wasn’t alone. Across from him sat a blonde woman, pretty, maybe early thirties, laughing at something he’d said.
She had her hand on the table near his, and she was leaning in the way people lean when they’re interested. He was smiling. I hadn’t seen him smile before. It changed his whole face, softened the hard angles, and made him look younger and less world-weary.
Seeing him with a woman was mildly disappointing.
I wasn’t sure why, really. It wasn’t like I thought I was his type.
Even if he had been gay, and I had no reason to think he was, I’d only had one conversation with the guy, and it had been adversarial at best. Still, with the depressingly limited supply of gay men in Coral Cove, I couldn’t deny the small twist of disappointment he wasn’t playing for my team.
I knew it was simply that I was lonely. Or perhaps not lonely so much as in need of physical release.
It had been a while since I’d bothered to seek out the company of another man.
I wasn’t a fan of the apps. They tended to attract either guys who were complete alpha assholes or super needy men looking for true love.
I wanted something in between. Casual, but regular.
That wasn’t easy to find in a little town like Coral Cove.
I turned back to my beer and focused on the TV above the bar, which was showing a Phoenix Suns game that nobody seemed to be watching.
I pulled the trigger on a second beer and thought about Rosa and how lonely she must be tonight.
Better to have loved and lost, my ass. If the love of your life was ripped away from you, how was it better to know the pain of that loss?
“Well, if it isn’t the illustrious Spencer Cross,” a deep, droll voice said from beside me.
I recognized Hale’s husky voice instantly.
I slowly turned my head and found him standing at the bar, two feet away, holding his wallet.
His date was gone from the booth. Restroom break, probably.
Up close and out of the CCPD windbreaker, he looked different.
More human. Less chief-of-police. The henley sleeves were pushed up, revealing muscular forearms dusted with silky auburn hairs.
His cheeks had a slight flush that suggested he was a beer or two into the evening himself.
“Well, I don’t know that I’m illustrious.” I smirked. “But I like to think I might be memorable.”
His lips twitched. “I certainly found you memorable.”
My pulse sped up. “Oh really? Tell me more.”
He laughed and looked away. “No, I think I’ve said enough.”
Is he flirting with me?
I was so stunned at the difference from how he’d been yesterday with me, I wasn’t sure how to respond. So I went with something safe. “I’m surprised to see you in here. I don’t think I have before.” I took a sip of my beer, happy when my hand didn’t shake.
“I come here all the time. We probably don’t have the same hours.”
“True.” I nodded. “You’re an important man about town, and I’m just a lowly reporter.”
He chuffed. “I’m hardly important.”
I laughed. “But I am lowly?”
He winced. “No. That’s not what I was saying.”
I shook my head. “Okay, Hale, I get it. I’m the dirt beneath your shoes.” I gave an exaggerated sigh. “When I’d hoped to be the wind beneath your wings.”
He actually laughed, and I felt like I’d won an Olympic gold medal. I couldn’t help laughing along with him, and we held each other’s gazes. I was surprised and confused by why we were suddenly getting along, but I wasn’t mad about it.
He leaned against the bar, looking surprisingly relaxed. There was still a current beneath the surface, but the edges were softer tonight. Yesterday at the harbor, he’d looked like he’d have enjoyed knocking me into the water.
I glanced around. “What happened to your date?”
His eyes flickered. “She went to powder her nose.”
“Got it,” I said drolly. “Well, if she’s hanging out with a big shot like you, she has to stay camera-ready.”
He rolled his eyes. “I thought you’d be better with words, seeing as you write for a living.”
I groaned. “Do I, though? My last big scoop, no pun intended, was about how destructive the seagulls’ crap is to the roof of the ice house. Seems to me a monkey could do my job. Probably better.”
He wrinkled his brow. “Hey, that’s bullshit. You’re good at your job.”
“How would you know?”
He wrinkled his brow. “I told you, I’m familiar with your work.”
I squinted at him. “Are you saying you’ve actually read my stuff?”
He avoided my gaze. “Of course I have. Some of it. You wrote about some of my friends on the force back in Portland.”
I scowled. “I didn’t publish anything that wasn’t true,” I said gruffly, preparing for him to launch into me in defense of his friends.
I was surprised when instead, he shrugged. “Bad cops should be exposed. Don’t worry, you didn’t write about anyone I was actually close to. I shouldn’t have said you wrote about my friends. They were really just guys I knew. As far as I know, none of my actual friends were dirty.”
I met his gaze. “You know, I wrote about a lot of things, not just dirty cops.”
“I know.”
I pulled my gaze from his. “Some people wanted to make up stories about how I hate cops. That’s bullshit. I went after all types of corruption, and I’d do it all again exactly the same way.”
He laughed suddenly. “Calm down, Cross. You’re not on trial here.”
I gave a grudging smile. “You sure about that?”
He hesitated and then leaned closer. His citrusy cologne was nice, and his brown eyes were much warmer than I remembered. “I don’t have a problem with you.”
My heartbeat kicked up. “No?”
“So long as you’re not fucking up my scene, we can get along fine.” He straightened. “We’re both just trying to do our jobs, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” I grinned. “So does that mean you’ll share what you know about Eddie’s death with me?”
He narrowed his eyes. “No.”
I sighed. “Then I guess I’ll just have to keep digging all by my little lonesome.”
“Or maybe, instead, you could do a follow-up story about the new ice house roof.” His lips twitched.
I laughed. “Asshole.”
Hale grinned. “I can be, yeah.” Dom set two beers on the bar, and Hale picked them up. “Anyway, I’ll see you around, I’m sure.”
“Whether you want to or not,” I murmured.
He chuckled and walked back to the booth. The blonde was back, smiling at him as he sat down. He handed her a beer and murmured something that made her giggle.
I turned back to the bar and finished my drink.
I’d enjoyed talking to that version of Declan.
He’d been warm and funny. Neither of those things had been evident the day of Eddie’s death.
I wasn’t sure why he’d been nicer to me tonight.
He really had seemed almost flirtatious.
But that couldn’t be right, could it? He was on a date with a woman.
Maybe he’s bisexual?
Or was I simply misreading our interaction tonight? My money was on that. It seemed more believable than the possibility that Declan had been flirting with me.
When my food came, I dug in, and halfway through my meal, Declan and the woman left the restaurant.
I glanced around at the thin crowd of diners, feeling oddly let down.
I’d have loved to have a warm body in my bed tonight too.
Judging by the slim pickings in the Rusty Anchor this evening, that wasn’t gonna happen.
Once I’d eaten, I closed my tab and left the bar, stepping out into the cool night.
I inhaled the salty breeze, listening to a foghorn somewhere out past the harbor.
I rented a one-bedroom cottage on Tideline Road, just up the hill from downtown.
It was small and drafty, but it had an amazing view of the ocean from the kitchen window.
It wasn’t very far, but tonight, with a full belly and a few beers in me, the walk felt longer than usual.
Starting tomorrow, I wanted to talk to more people in town who’d known Eddie.
I didn’t see the harm in it so long as I was discreet.
Margot never even needed to know I was poking around, not unless I dug up something interesting.
The fact that Declan was still being cagey about Eddie’s death had to mean something.
The first thing I wanted to figure out was why Gil and Eddie had been fighting. What could have come between the longtime friends and business partners? I’d start there and see what I could find out.