When this is over, you need to have the first of those parties you talked about. You need to have a blowout.”
“That is a better idea, but I’ll need help with it.”
“Fortunately I find myself not only free, but willing and able to help with it.”
He took her hand. “I think there’s a lot we need to talk about. After.”
“We have a long and I predict happy summer to talk about everything, anything.” She turned his wrist to check his watch. “It’s six on the dot.”
“Then we’d better get started.”
He carried down the overnights while Abra gathered what they’d packed for the dog. Downstairs, Eli contacted Sherrilyn.
“We’re leaving the house now.”
“You’re sure about this, Eli?”
“This is how I want to handle it. I’ll call again when we’re back in.”
“All right. I’ll move into position. Good luck.”
He switched the phone to vibrate, slipped it back into his pocket. “Here we go.”
Abra used two fingers to push up the corners of Eli’s mouth. “Happy face. Remember, you’re going out to dinner and a fancy hotel with a very hot woman, and odds are you’re going to get lucky several times.”
“Since we’re spending at least part of the evening in a dark passageway in a dark basement, and potentially the rest of it dealing with cops, will I still get lucky?”
“Guaranteed.”
“See my happy face?”
They walked outside.
“Do you know what I just love?” she asked him as she opened the back of the car for the dog, for the overnights. “I love that he’s watching us right now thinking he’s the one who’s getting lucky.”
Eli closed the door, pulled her into his arms. “Let’s give him a little show.”
“Happy to.” With enthusiasm, Abra wrapped around Eli, lifted her face for the kiss. “Teamwork,” she murmured against his mouth. “That’s how we do things in Whiskey Beach.”
He opened the passenger door. “Remember, once we get to Maureen’s we need to move fast. We don’t know how long he might wait.”
“Fast is my best speed.”
When they pulled up at Maureen’s, Eli grabbed the bag holding his change of clothes, Abra’s shoes.
Maureen had the door of the cottage open before they got to it. “Look, both of you, Mike and I have been talking, and—”
“Too late.” The instant she was inside, Abra yanked down the zipper of her dress. As she wiggled out of it, Eli pulled off his suit jacket, loosened his tie.
“If we just waited, watched, then called the police—”
“Something could spook him,” Eli said on his way to their powder room with jeans and a black T-shirt. “He could leave before they got there.”
“It’s more that”—Abra stepped out of her heels as Eli closed the door—“he needs to have a part in this. I need to help him. We’ve been over this.”
“I know that, but if he really killed someone—”
“He did.” To keep it simple, Abra sat on the floor to pull on sneakers. “It’s likely he killed two people. And tonight, we’re starting the chain holding the anchor that’s going to take him down for it.”
“You’re not crime fighters,” Mike began.
“We are tonight.” Abra hopped up as Eli stepped out. “We even look the part. Where are the kids?”
“Upstairs playing. They don’t know anything about this, and we didn’t want them to hear us talking you out of what they don’t know anything about.”
“They’ll have fun with Barbie.” She kissed Maureen, then Mike. “I’ll call you as soon as we’re done. Fast?” she said to Eli. “Out the back.”
“I’m right behind you.” He took one extra moment. “I won’t let anything happen to her. If there’s any chance of it, I’ll call it off.”
“Don’t let anything happen to either of you.” Hurrying after them, Maureen watched them cross the back of her cottage to the back of Abra’s. “Mike.” She reached back for his hand. “What should we do?”
“Get the kids, take the dog for a walk.”
“A walk?”
“On the beach, honey. We can see Bluff House, maybe keep an eye on things.”
Her hand squeezed his. “Good thinking.”
Eli unlocked the side door of Bluff House, quickly reset the alarm before turning to Abra. “Be sure.”
“Stop it.” With that, she led the way to the basement. “It’s barely ten after six. We were fast.”
Once the door shut behind them, Eli switched on his flashlight to lead the way down and through the passage. It could take minutes, he thought, or hours. But he went with the odds. “He’ll probably wait until dusk, maybe even dark, figuring he has all night.”