Chapter 7
C hloe perched on the bow of the boat, Hayes’s tablet balanced in her hands, her gaze fixed on the document Dawson had uploaded before racing off to wrangle yet another local emergency—this one involving a snake handler and a questionable life choice only Dawson could handle.
She liked the man, respected him more, but sometimes wondered how he managed to survive as police chief in a town that seemed determined to test his patience at every turn.
He never seemed to get a real day off. Then again, neither did she.
The difference was that her office didn’t hound her every time she tried to step away.
Except for Buddy, her team knew how to respect boundaries.
And while she wasn’t exactly great at relaxing, she tried.
She forced herself to read at least six fiction books a year—small victories.
Behind her, Hayes manned the helm with Fletcher at his side.
Of the four men in their tightly knit circle, Fletcher was the one she knew least. His role as head of Parks and Rec wasn’t as consuming as Dawson’s job or as unpredictable as Hayes’s, but he spent most of his free time down at the marina, hovering around Baily like it was his full-time gig—even when she didn’t want the help.
Chloe tugged absently at her ponytail as the boat slowed, weaving through the winding arteries of the Everglades.
Hayes had brought her out here a few times before, and every time the quiet, tangled beauty of the place left her breathless.
The cypress trees reached out like ancient sentinels, mangroves clung to the water’s edge, and wildlife lurked in every shaded bend.
She still couldn’t figure out how anyone navigated it without getting hopelessly lost.
“What else did Dewey say?” Fletcher asked, stretching his legs to the side. He was still in his dark green Parks and Rec uniform, which had to be stifling under the midday sun, even in winter.
“Nothing I haven’t already told you,” Hayes replied. “Have you asked Baily if Decker’s mentioned bidding on the Crab Shack property?”
Fletcher exhaled, clearly frustrated. “If I so much as say Decker’s name, she jumps down my throat.
I keep trying to explain that I’m no longer jealous.
I don’t think the guy’s here just to get in her pants.
If that happens, it’s probably a power play—just a way to grease the wheels to buy the marina.
But bringing that up only pisses her off more. ”
Chloe hesitated for half a second before jumping in. She probably didn’t have the right to butt into his personal business, and it might put her on Baily’s bad side—but she couldn’t let that comment slide.
She turned and raised a brow. “Did you actually say it like that? Because if you did, and I were Baily, I would’ve shoved you overboard into the nearest gator nest.”
Hayes snorted a laugh.
Fletcher elbowed him lightly. “It’s not that funny.”
“Yeah, it is,” Hayes said, lifting his milkshake for a slurp. “She took the words right out of my mouth.”
“This coming from a guy who knows jack about relationships,” Fletcher muttered. “Much less women.” Fletcher held Chloe’s gaze. “I mean no offense to you.”
“None taken,” she said.
Hayes shrugged. “Maybe. But I’m not clueless enough to say something that makes me sound like a total dipshit—especially to the object of my affection.”
“He’s got a point,” Chloe added, shifting so she could face them more directly. “I might be the outsider here, but I’ve done my homework on Decker Brown.”
“Excuse me?” Hayes glared at her. “Why would you be checking into him?”
Shit. Her and her big freaking mouth. She waved her finger between the two men. “You two have to promise me you won’t say a flipping word.”
“I won’t make that promise until after I know what you’re going to say,” Fletcher said with a narrowed stare.
“Am I going to be mad about you being a secret keeper?” Hayes cocked his head, but he had a bit of a playful grin.
“No, but Baily asked me to look into him a while back.” Chloe raised her hand. “She didn’t want either of you, Dawson, or Keaton to know because you all sometimes act like Neanderthals, and while I know you all care deeply for her, I have to admit that she’s right in this case.”
“Even I take exception to that statement.” Hayes shook his cup, lifted the lid, and peered inside before tossing it in the garbage bin on the side of the console.
“Baily has been pressured before to sell that marina. She’s barely hanging on by a thread, even with our business being run out of there. ”
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Fletcher said.
“Her dad left her buried in debt. She’s been clawing her way out ever since, and we found out her brother, who had almost nothing to do with the marina, was feeding her dad investment advice.
Bad advice. But it’s one specific loan that really has me on edge. ”
“What about it makes you uneasy?” Chloe asked.
She’d shared drinks with Baily a few times, and the marina had come up in casual conversation.
She knew Baily was struggling, but never once had she mentioned loans or bad investments.
Then again, Baily wasn’t one to complain.
She was proud—and stubborn—and she’d fight tooth and nail before letting go of her family’s legacy.
“I knew her dad had taken out loans to keep things afloat,” Fletcher said.
“I even offered to help financially, but he wouldn’t take it.
Baily won’t either—aside from what Everglades Overwatch brings in.
” He held up a hand, acknowledging the boundary.
“I get it. I wouldn’t take money from my parents either—not that they had any to give.
But I respect her pride. She wants to do this on her own.
” He paused. “However, when she finally let me look at the books, I found one loan that has a lien on the deed. It’s buried in the fine print—if she misses a certain number of payments, the lender can seize the marina. She didn’t even know.”
“Jesus, that’s a predatory loan,” Chloe muttered.
“It gets worse.” Fletcher ran a hand through his hair.
“If the principal and interest aren’t fully paid off in seven years, the lender can demand full repayment—and she doesn’t have the money.
” He leaned forward. “The scariest part? I’m unable to determine who owns the loan.
It’s hidden behind a parent company and a tangle of LLCs.
I’ve got people digging, but it looks like someone went out of their way to stay anonymous. ”
“That’s shady,” Chloe said, tugging on her ponytail. “How much notice do they have to give before calling the loan?”
“Four months,” Fletcher replied.
“What about Decker Brown?” Hayes asked. “You thought he might be behind it, but we haven’t found anything that links him to the loan or the bad investments. What have you found, Chloe?”
Chloe set the tablet aside. “So far, Decker’s record is spotless.
Model student through high school and college, no criminal history—not even sealed records or parking tickets.
Everything he’s told Baily checks out.” She paused.
“The only red flag is from his second construction job. The company accused him of stealing designs, but they were unable to prove it. Still, it hurt his reputation. He struggled for a while until a backer stepped in and helped him get his company off the ground.”
“Who backed him?” Hayes asked.
“Some rich socialite from Miami named Tessa Gilbert,” Chloe said.
“My understanding is that they were in a relationship up until last year, but they haven’t been seen out together in some time.
No big breakup. He’s considered the go-to guy for certain types of projects.
He’s not ruthless, but he does have a reputation for going after what he wants, and he can play hardball. ”
“Why didn’t we know about this Tessa person?” Fletcher muttered. “That should have come up in our research.”
“Her grandparents started an investment brokerage called Sea Glass Under the Stars,” Chloe said. “She’s never worked there. It’s owned and operated by her mother.”
“Weird name for an investment firm.” Fletcher shifted his gaze toward the water as they passed a large gator.
Chloe had lived in Florida all her life, except for the time she’d spent at Quantico and her first year as an agent. Alligators, snakes, hogs, and other wildlife didn’t generally faze her. However, out in the Everglades, they tended to make her shiver.
“What was the name of the investment company that Ken used?” Fletcher asked.
“I think it was Loggerhead Investments.” Hayes shrugged.
“As I recall, he was introduced to the firm by Julie’s family, and he was always giving us tips on where to invest and what to invest in, but he never made any introduction to his broker, which was kind of weird.
” Hayes palmed the steering wheel, turning the boat toward a small island.
“Did you see an investment firm name in any of the paperwork Baily gave you?” he asked Fletcher.
“No, but it bothers me how much pressure Ken put on her to sell and how little we all knew about that. I get why Baily didn’t tell me, but I don’t understand why Ken never mentioned how hard he came down on her to sell.
Even her father didn’t tell me, and he told me a lot.
” Fletcher shook his head. “I don’t know if any of this is connected, but our fallen buddy seems to have more secrets. ”
“Why would wanting his sister out from under a failing business be some kind of dark secret?” Chloe asked, lifting a hand. “I’m not saying he had the right to interfere—it’s Baily’s decision, not her brother’s, or yours for that matter, but I just don’t see what makes it so suspicious.”