a defective rail. It’s been investigated and the cause determined as just that.’
‘And the huge wound he has on his head? The one that looked like he’d been hit with something, rather than the other way around? There was no blood on the gangplank thing—you told me that.’ He’d mentioned it in passing, then looked like he wished he hadn’t.
‘Gangplank?’
‘The thing he fell off.’
‘Why do pirates not visit strip clubs?’
‘What?’ The mention of strip clubs barely registers. A second later, my stomach fills with dread. ‘Pirates? Why are you talking about pirates?
‘Pirates don’t go to strip clubs because they already have all the booty.’ There’s an air of resignation in the shake of his head. ‘A gangplank is for pirates, love. It’s a gang walk or a passerelle to those in the know.’ His eyebrows ride high, his attitude infuriating. ‘Also, Le Loup is in water. Water and blood are both liquids, and seeing as water was the larger source, it would’ve washed any blood away.’
‘Why are you being such a dick?’
‘Why are you playing Miss Marple?’
‘Because if it was what you think it was, that means someone tried to kill him.’ I throw my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of Remy sitting in the passenger seat. ‘And I want to know who it was.’ So I can replay the favour.
‘It feels like you’re shouting. You’re not shouting at me, are you?’
‘This is called whisper shouting. You must never have had a girlfriend.’
He laughs; I assume it’s some lame-ass inside joke. ‘I didn’t say it wasn’t an accident., but we can’t really know either way. Not unless Remy remembers something.’
‘Who was it, do you think?’ Because no way I’m buying that, even if he is folding his arms and doing that whole big boy swinging my dick thing. ‘Was it Amélie?’
His expression twists. ‘What would she stand to gain from murdering him? She’s not the one named in his will.’
‘Don’t look at me like that, and don’t say shit like that to me.’ Not unless you want me to have a coronary. ‘It totally could have been her. A woman scorned and all that.’
‘All right, Velma. Keep your hair on.’
‘Velma? Like as in jinkies?’ My incredulity, or maybe my anger, makes him smirk. ‘What in the Sam Hill is wrong with you?’
‘Look, she wasn’t in the country when this happened,’ he asserts, beginning to tap off the points using the fingers of one hand. ‘She hasn’t got the kind of upper body strength to inflict that kind of damage.’
‘Ah, so you do think his wound isn’t consistent with a fall.’
‘Like a rabid poodle with a bone,’ he mutters. ‘Look, she has nothing to gain from killing him.’
‘But she has motive. Jealousy. And she could’ve hired an accomplice.’
‘You know who else has motive, and means, and all the other shit? Ben.’
My shoulders slump. He could have a point. ‘Except Ben was the one who explained the whole Amélie situation to me.’
‘So?’
‘So, if he wanted to hurt Remy, he could’ve helped drive me away. Okay, so not physical pain, but the emotional stuff.’
‘Look, the fact of the matter is, Ben is at the end of a very long list of people who’d like nothing more than to see Remy at the bottom of the marina.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Shit above my pay grade,’ he snarks. ‘That’s business out here. It’s dog eat dog, and well, wolf eats everything.’
‘You’re saying Remy has enemies?’
‘I’m saying get in the car.’
‘Sure, dad,’ I snark folding my arms across my chest and not going anywhere. Ass.
‘Look, you leave the investigating to the big boys and just get him well.’
‘Do I look like a nurse to you?’
‘I’m not the one looking forward to a sponge bath. By the way,’ he adds, his eyes dropping to my feet. ‘Your knickers are showing.’
My gaze drops to my waist. Nothing. But then a flash of yellow at my feet causes panic to flare as I take in the cotton and lace of yesterday’s panties, which appear to be peeking from the ankle of my jeans. Jeans that were both taken off and shoved back on in a hurry.
Rhett’s chuckle follows him to the driver’s side of the car.
‘You think you’re so hardcore,’ I whisper-shout after him, whipping the offending panties out from my ankle before shoving them in my pocket. ‘You’re not even apple core.’
Urgh!
‘How about a bath?’
Rhett brought us to the house, my house, as Remy called it. The honeysuckle house. It’d seemed like a good idea at