Despite my tirade Ami remained unruffled. “It’s a long story,” she said impassively.
“Well, I’d like to hear it,” I retorted. “I mean, Ami, why would you tell my agent—tell Julian, for God’s sake—that I was in danger?”
“You are in danger!” she exclaimed. “Look at what happened yesterday to that kid in Harbourtown.”
OK, so Ami had heard about Jimmy. In such a small community, the news was probably all over the place by now.
Ami was still rambling, “I mean, what if it had been you, Maddy? What if you were the intended target?”
Now she had my attention. “Do you know something?”—silence—“If you know anything at all, Ami, you have to go to the police. Do you realize they think I killed Jimmy?”
Ami remained quiet but then said in a soft voice, “Actually I may be able to help you. But it’s too dangerous to talk over the phone. We should meet in person.”
“Fine, when?”
“I can make it over to the island in an hour. Meet me at the dock at one o’clock.”
After I agreed, we ended the call. I didn’t have much time. I wanted to tell Adam what was going on, so I tried his cell. But it went straight to voicemail. I thought about leaving a message, but there was too much to tell, so I just disconnected.
How could Ami possibly help? What did she know? These were the thoughts that occupied my mind as I finished my coffee, rinsed out the cup, grabbed my jacket. Shit! I suddenly remembered my Lexus was down at the dock. Since we’d taken Adam’s speedboat and docked on the northern end of the island, I hadn’t even considered my car. But when I opened the front door, resigned that I’d have to walk all the way down to the dock, I got quite the surprise. The Lexus was in the driveway. Adam must have had Nate or Max return it to the cottage sometime within the past twenty-four hours. In any case I was just thankful it was there, so I hurried out, hopped into the car, and turned the key that was still in the ignition.
The drive down to the dock took no time at all. I passed the café, but it was still closed. It was Tuesday, the day Helena was supposed to return to the island. She should be back by now, I thought, opening the café for business. Maybe she’d gotten tied up in Harbour Falls. I hated that I’d lied to her about my real reason for having been in Harbourtown, but I wondered if my remorse would really matter to her.
Detective Mitchell had informed me that the young officer had indeed found Helena waiting for me at the restaurant. But he hadn’t divulged what her reaction had been when she’d been told why I wouldn’t be meeting her for lunch. Had she been angry with me for lying? Or mad that I’d involved her in my mess? Surely she had to be wondering why I’d been at Billy’s. All the players in the Harbour Falls Mystery knew the significance of that place, so it was a certainty she’d put two and two together. Writing a book about the mystery had fallen off my priority list, but solving it was still at the top. Yeah, Helena was no fool, and she’d soon realize why I’d come to Fade Island. I just hoped she could forgive me when she did.
It was after one when I pulled into the parking lot down by the dock. The ferry was just coming in—fifteen minutes late—when I got out of the Lexus. Odd, since the ferries were quite punctual despite the motley crew that operated them.
I squinted into the glare from the sun to see if Ami was on board. But I frowned when I caught sight of the pilot instead. J.T. O’Brien. Ugh, why did it have to be him? I’d been hoping for Brody to be the one piloting the one o’clock ferry.
The possibility of a connection between Jimmy’s demise and J.T. made my blood run cold. He was about the last person I cared to see today. Hell, I still had no idea what he’d been up to over on the east side of the island. Digging around, burying something, reburying something, who knew?
I shuddered as I approached the dock. J.T. glanced up as he secured the ferry to the dock. “Maddy Fitch,” he said, expression grim. “What brings you down to the dock?” He