Kerry chuckled a little herself and donned her underwear. She looked up to find Dar holding her bra, and obligingly put her arms through and turned to allow her partner to fasten it. She felt Dar's knuckles warm against the skin of her back, then a much more intense warmth sent gooseb.u.mps over her as Dar nibbled at her neck. "Mm."

Dar released her and picked up Kerry's cotton shirt, holding it for her to don. She adjusted the collar and returned to her nibbling as Kerry attempted to b.u.t.ton it, then reached around to help her when the holes seemed to elude her fingers.

"Dar?"

"Mm?"

"If you keep that up, this is a pointless exercise."

"What's pointless?"

"Dressing."

Dar relented and just finished her b.u.t.toning, giving Kerry a pat on the behind as she released her again. She put on her shorts and buckled the belt, then pulled a polo shirt over her head and tucked it in.

Kerry regarded her, then plucked at the rich, royal blue polo.

"Black and blue. Are you sending a message, honey?"

Dar ran her fingers through her hair and settled her wraparound sungla.s.ses on her nose. "Do I look mysterious and intimidating?"

"Until I look down at your Dilbert socks, sure," Kerry snickered. "Nerd."

Dar stuck out her tongue and went in search of her sneakers.

Kerry finished b.u.t.toning her denim shorts and followed, shaking her head.

THEY FOUND THE captain waiting for them at the front entrance to the hotel. As he spotted them, he smiled and inclined his head, then indicated the outside garden area. "Our power is still off, and the inside is quite stuffy."

"I can imagine." Kerry glanced up at the sun, out in its full glory. Despite the breeze, she could feel a little sweat gathering under her clothing, and she was unapologetically looking forward to taking them off again. She followed the captain into the garden, and they took a seat at one of the only two open tables, the wooden chairs warm from the sun.

Dar settled next to her, watching the captain warily from behind her sungla.s.ses. "So," she said, "what can we do for you?"

354*

The policeman motioned over a harried looking waiter. "Some iced tea, if you please."

The man gave him an apologetic look. "We have no ice, sir."

"How about some lukewarm tea?" Kerry suggested. "And a couple of whatever sandwiches you probably have available."

The waiter glanced at the policeman.

"As the lady says." The captain smiled. "Since we have little choice, I gather."

"Yes, sir." The waiter scribbled, then ducked away.

The captain sat back and clasped his hands around one khaki- covered knee. He regarded them both in silence for a moment, then spoke. "Many things have occurred over the past several days."

Now, that was a true mouthful. Kerry propped her chin up on her fist. "Sure have."

"We were not able to locate the intruder into your rooms," he stated. "And it appears as if the reputed employer of that person has also left the islands." His eyes studied them intently. "We found that quite curious, since the marina tells us he had prepaid his engagement for some time"

"Really?" Kerry murmured. "Hm."

"We heard that he left the marina last night and was going to meet someone. Would you know anything about that?" The policeman's sharp eyes watched them intently. "He seemed so very interested in you."

"Ah."

"And then, I also hear that his boat was having some trouble in our storm last night," the captain went on. "Not so surprising, yes?

It was a terrible storm."

Dar studied him, aware of Kerry's now tense form next to her.

"It was pretty bad," she agreed. "We got caught out in it too."

"So I understand," the policeman said. "Do you, perhaps, have any information on any...mishap that may have befallen this gentleman? Out on the sea?"

Dar evaluated her options. She pulled down her gla.s.ses and met his eyes squarely. "If we knew why he wasn't here, would you want us to tell you?" She heard Kerry's indrawn breath, and considered the possibility that she'd just gone too far. "Captain?"

The captain's face twitched a bit and his head c.o.c.ked to one side. "I have heard some interesting things about this man, and about yourself, Ms. Roberts," he commented. "If I investigate your statement, perhaps I will learn more interesting things."

"You might," Dar agreed.

"However, I might also learn some things that would require me to work very, very hard." The captain gave her a charming smile. "And it is too beautiful a day to be working so hard. So, Ms.

Roberts, I will regretfully decline your so generous offer of*355 information."

Dar gave him a mental point and removed a moral one. "Good choice," she said. "Because, frankly, Captain, nice as your island is, we're looking forward to seeing it behind us."

"That is excellent to hear, Ms. Roberts." The man turned as the waiter put down a plate of sandwiches and a flask of tea. "May I a.s.sume, then, that you have no interest in pursuing your complaint concerning the break-in here in the hotel?" he asked. "Or the disagreeable encounter you had at sea?"

Dar leaned forward. "I've settled with DeSalliers, and no, your friends the pirates are safe." She enunciated the words carefully, but lowered her voice. "I've had enough trouble the last few days to last me the entire next year, thanks."

"My friends?" the policeman replied. "Ah, but you have such friends as well, do you not?"

Dar inclined her head in affirmation. She picked up a half sandwich and inspected it, then grinned. "Oh, I bet this is popular with the rest of the tourists." She showed Kerry the contents.

"Peanut b.u.t.ter."

"It does not spoil so quickly." The policeman graciously accepted the change of subject and selected his own square of white bread. "Other than these unfortunate incidents, you have enjoyed our hospitality, I hope?"

Kerry paused in the act of pouring some tea. "The islands are beautiful," she said. "I can guarantee we won't forget our visit any time soon."

The captain took a bite of his peanut b.u.t.ter sandwich, set the remainder back on the table, and smiled. "Excellent." He got up, giving them a sketchy salute with his free hand. "Do have a good day, won't you?"

They watched him leave, his slim, uniformed figure gliding through the crowd with ease. Kerry waited until he disappeared, then she sighed and leaned back. "Wow."

"Mm." Dar took a sip of her lukewarm tea. "So, that's that, I guess."

Kerry nudged her sandwich with one finger. "Does that mean...he's just going to ignore the fact that a whole boat and its crew has disappeared?"

Dar bit the edge of the gla.s.s as she looked at Kerry through it.

"I guess he figures it's just one more boat gone missing in a long list of them," she said. "I don't know."

"Wow. So much for the law." Kerry frowned.

Dar folded her hands around one knee. "Yeah," she said. "Well, maybe it's for the best."

"What?" Kerry said. "After what happened to Bud? And the map? And DeSalliers' goons and his gun and-"

356*

Dar looked at her. "And me choking him as we went overboard?" she interrupted in a low tone. "And what happened with that guy spotting the raft with the searchlight, and Dad shooting holes in the boat?" She leaned over nearer to Kerry.

"They were trying to kill us!" Kerry hissed, in a mere whisper.

"What were we supposed to do, let them? Call the police?" she added with a touch of sarcasm. "Call CNN?"

Dar touched her fingertips to Kerry's lips. "All I'm saying is, it's over."

Kerry stared at her for a long moment, then she let out a breath.

"What about the pirates?" She took another tack. "We can't just leave that alone. Even if Bud and Charlie are involved, d.a.m.n it, Dar."

"No," Dar conceded. "But we're not going to get any help from the cops here." She glanced around, but the tables near them were quite empty. "On the other hand, nothing's stopping us from contacting those insurance companies when we get back to Miami.

Kerry relaxed a little. "That's true," she agreed. "If we take away their gains, maybe it'll stop."

"Exactly."

"Think they'll believe us?" the blonde woman asked wryly. "It all sounds so melodramatic." She rubbed her temples. "How do we get ourselves into this stuff, anyway?"

"Natural talent." Dar stood and offered Kerry a hand up. "Let's go. I think we've overstayed our welcome."

Kerry joined her, and they started off back toward the Dixie.

"This place's overstayed my need to be here," she muttered, dodging a flock of pigeons. "Next time, we hike Yosemite."

"We'll end up being chased by a bear."

"That's Yellowstone."

"Whatever."

"ARE YOU SURE this is a good idea?" Kerry whispered, as they relieved the grateful grocers of some of their perishables. "I don't think those guys get along, Dar."

Dar reviewed the choices in the rapidly melting ice. "They'll be fine." She pointed at a fish. "Get that one. Dad likes them."

Kerry motioned to the man behind the counter. A call to the hospital had revealed that Bud was refusing to remain in its care, and he and Charlie were more than ready to leave the place behind.

Dar had immediately offered them a ride back to their island, and casually invited them to join her, Kerry, and Andrew for dinner on board their boat.

There was, everyone had realized, no real way for them to refuse, given the circ.u.mstances, and now Kerry was gathering*357 enough food to feed them, while hoping the evening didn't turn out to be a disaster. "I don't know, sweetie," she sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Dar added several loaves of local bread to Kerry's basket, and sent the grocer into raptures by taking some endangered ice cream off his hands. "Dad agreed to it, so don't worry." She tossed in a jar of hot fudge. "Time to put all that c.r.a.p behind them. Besides, whatever you make's gonna be a lot better than anything we'd find out here tonight."

Kerry accepted the compliment with a grin. "Only because we've got power," she reminded Dar. "We're going to have to run the engines to charge the batteries if you want anything more than half cooked."

"No problem," Dar murmured. "They've got hand pressured pumps. I was able to get them to fill the tanks this morning." She eyed the rather pitiful looking vegetables. "Those look nasty."

Kerry snorted. "Dar, if they were perfect examples of their species, presented in the best refrigerated case Publix could offer, you'd still think they were nasty."

"Mm."

"However, I'll need some of them, so close your eyes or go look at the cupcakes."

Dar chuckled. "I'll go get something for us to drink," she said.

"Meet you at the register."

KERRY WAS JUST finishing the folds on the aluminum foil she'd wrapped around the filets when she felt the boat rock and looked up to see Andrew poking his head inside the cabin. "Hi, Dad."

"'Lo there, k.u.mquat." Andrew entered and wandered over to where she was working, observing her creation curiously. "Making us some fancy dinner?"

"It's not fancy." Kerry dusted the fish with some finely chopped herbs, then poured a capful of cider over it before she sealed the packets. "It just a different way of cooking it."

Andy leaned on the counter. "Seems a lot of trouble for a bunch of old sea dogs."

Kerry turned her head and smiled at him. "Nah." She put the packet with the others on top of the steamer grill insert in the big pot on the stove, and then set a layer of vegetables on top of it.

Another pot held water for pasta, and she put a lid on it before she wiped her hands on a towel and leaned back. "Okay, we're ready,"

she said. "Coffee just finished. Want some?"

"Surely," Andrew replied, taking hold of her sleeve. "Go sit yourself down and relax. Ah'll grab it." He tugged. "G'wan."

358*

Kerry decided to humor him. She eased out from the galley and walked over to one of the chairs, dropping into it and leaning back.

She watched her father-in-law setting the cups on the counter and fixing the coffee, his motions measured and precise as always. She saw Dar in that. Her partner had the same unconsciously methodical way of doing things. "Hey, Dad?"

Andrew glanced at her and raised one grizzled eyebrow.

"Are you okay with our dinner plans, or are you just humoring your daughter?"