for him. I don’t think he has anywhere to go. Wherever he’s hiding… he’s stuck there for now.”
“Maybe he did drown.”
Mat shook his head. “He’s alive. And I’m going to bring him in.”
Thirty
Niall
As he drove past the sheriff’s office in Hidden Harbor on his way to the ferry terminal, Niall winced. Mat would be expecting him this morning. Mat was back at work on light duty—and thank fuck, because… well, Niall knew what an ass he was, but Mat was giving him a run for his money. They’d fallen into a habit of Niall stopping by the station with fresh coffee and a pastry for his… partner—there, he’d allowed the thought to spill into his head—and checking in to make sure he wasn’t overdoing things, but today he had an errand.
Niall would see Mat, but only after he’d sorted out the yurt. He rolled his eyes. He felt like an old-fashioned suitor needing to be completely prepared before he knocked at Mat’s door asking him if he wanted to go on a date.
Lopez Island was mostly flat, or at most rolling hills, a favorite place for bicyclists and sheep farmers. Now that spring had finally arrived, the landscape was dotted with community-planted daffodils and the grasses had turned from brown to green. He’d forgotten how different Lopez was from Piedras, though just as beautiful.
Island Yurt was located in Lopez Village alongside what Niall knew to be an incredible bakery. Even midweek, people were packed inside, waiting to order their favorite pastries. On weekends there would be a line out the door. Maybe he’d stop on the way home and pick up a few things. Niall didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but Mat did. It gave him a little thrill to be thinking about getting Mat a damn doughnut.
Ian Dennis seemed legitimately excited to meet Niall and talk yurts. He looked a lot like his grandfather. They had the same eyes, which sparkled a bit wickedly when Ian and Stu were excited.
Since it was a slow time of year, Ian was certain they could get Niall situated relatively quickly provided Niall didn’t pick out a complicated design. They kept some stock of their yurt kits on hand, and Ian had a crew he could call. If Niall was willing to pay a little extra for labor, the yurt would only take a few days, maybe a week to build.
“At the worst it will take us two weeks. Between-island transportation is much easier,” Ian said. “Less traffic, and it’s locals getting the work early in the season. A win-win situation.”
Niall pulled out his wallet and handed over his credit card.
The yurt took the check from the insurance company as well as a chunk of his savings, though he hoped to beef up the latter again when the condo sold. After looking at several models on the lot, he’d chosen a fancier one with a wraparound porch, four windows, and more floor space. He would be able to customize the inside as he wanted, even install a kitchen and bath. After the past winter’s weather, he also went for the extra wind and snow options.
Ian grinned, handing Niall a copy of the signed contract. It was clear he loved what he did and was good at it. “If you decide to make it permanent, we can do that too. Give me a day or so to round everyone up. I’ll be in touch. I’ll need to come and see the space to get a good idea of the land. This one may take a day or two longer, but soon enough you’ll be sleeping in your own yurt.”
Niall left Island Yurt feeling as hopeful as he had in days and even managed to catch the eleven o’clock interisland ferry run back to Hidden Harbor. He’d be back on Piedras by noon at the latest, and he hoped his string of good luck would keep going. The yurt was a surprise, somewhere they could be alone sooner rather than later. As much as Niall enjoyed Mat’s family, he needed alone time, time to stare out at the water.
Niall recognized the buzzing feeling in his gut as excitement. Anticipation. It used to be something he felt only when he was close to solving a case, when he’d just put his finger on the key piece of evidence or testimony. The yurt was the right choice. As much as he loved Alyson, Riley, and Ella, he wanted to visit them, not be in the