Devil and the Deep (The Ceruleans Book 4) - Julie Ann Walker Page 0,113

the young park ranger said, indicating his Styrofoam cup as he sidled by Bran. Bran waited until Rick disappeared down the hall before stepping fully into the room.

“They haven’t located the trawler yet,” he told Maddy, trying not to drown in the disappointment that filled her liquid-mercury eyes. “But they have planes in the air searching. And they’ve put the word out.”

She blew out a breath. “Well, I guess…I guess that’s somethin’.”

Something. But not everything. They both knew this wouldn’t be over until every last one of the men involved had been brought to justice.

And on the topic of the men involved…

“They ran the prints on the two bodies we brought with us from Garden Key,” he told her. “Both men were Army.” No surprise there. “Both in the gun-for-hire business with their former CO, a guy named Rory Gellman. From what the suits told me, Rory and Tony went to school together.”

“My daddy always says it’s all about who you know,” Maddy said with a disgusted twist of her lips that momentarily distracted Bran with the urge to kiss the expression away.

He had to look at the file cabinet standing in the corner to beat back the impulse. After a second, he managed, “Now, about the yacht…”

The tone of his voice must have told her the news he was poised to impart wasn’t good, because she placed a hand on his forearm. Despite the fact that her fingers were icy cold, a hot streak of awareness shot through him. “What is it?” she asked.

And he wished he could save her from this final calamity, the last nightmare, but he respected her too much, loved her too much, to withhold the truth.

“It was burned, Maddy.” She gasped. And when her lips trembled, he almost looked away again. But he forced himself to hold her horrified gaze. “All that’s left are a few bits of charred debris. The Coasties are gonna try some recovery dives later this afternoon, but…” He shook his head, not needing to go on. Not needing to tell her they’d probably never find the remains of her uncle, and her family would be left with nothing and no one to bury.

Maddy nodded her understanding, fresh tears pooling in her eyes. Tears she blinked back and refused to let fall.

So damned brave. So strong. So…everything.

For a second there while he’d been giving his statement to the feds, he’d allowed himself to think that maybe he could make it work with Maddy. That maybe there was a chance for them. A chance for him. That maybe he wasn’t so much like his father after all.

And then he’d walked into the room to see her with Rick…

You were wrong, Mom. You were so wrong when you said I only got the good in you both.

Maddy searched his face. “Bran, I—”

But before she could finish her thought, the girls filed into the room. They were followed by one of the agents. Maddy stepped away from Bran to give hugs and ask the girls how they were doing. When her hand slipped from his arm, it felt like a vital part of him went with it.

“The plane is fueled and ready to taxi,” the agent said. “And I think these girls are as anxious to see their parents as their parents are anxious to see them. So whenever you’re ready, Miss Powers.”

Maddy turned back to Bran. “I…have to go.”

“I know.” If he gritted his jaw any harder, he’d likely break a bone. “Me too. I have a flight waiting to take me to Virginia.”

Her brows formed a delicate vee. “What’s in Virginia?”

“The family of one of the Coasties,” he told her, sick to his stomach at what lay in store for him upon landing, nauseous too from the thought of walking away from Maddy for the last time. It’s for the best. You know it’s for the best. “I made a promise. Now I have to see it through.”

“Oh, Bran,” she said, not needing him to elaborate. She was a smart cookie. She could guess what his mission must be. “I wish I could go with you.”

He didn’t say anything to that. What could he say?

For a couple of seconds she searched his eyes, looking for something she obviously didn’t find. Then she went up on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He tried to just stand there and take it. Tried to make himself give her a friendly pat on the back. But in the end, he couldn’t manage it