“They’re here,” Cliff’s ghost whispered to Kody.
She looked up, finding the way she felt a little alarming—so incredibly glad that a man had arrived. But then, nothing to do with Brodie had been anything that might be considered “usual” for her. She was still amazed that she had all but attacked him. But there was something between them.
He walked in with Liam. There was something about both of them, really. They never entered a room without being noticed. She’d known and loved Liam all her life—he was close to being the big brother she’d never had. They’d even squabbled upon occasion—though he had been older, more mature—in his mind, at least.
With Brodie...
Was it special just because he also saw the dead?
No. She’d been attracted to him before she’d even known.
They stopped by to see Rosy, as had everyone, offering her their sympathy again. Watching Brodie, she frowned. He seemed to be looking at those around Rosy’s table intently.
Focusing on Bill.
But he didn’t seem to be engaging in a heavy conversation with him.
Kelsey got up to greet her husband as Liam and Brodie came to the table. Frank quickly rose to greet the newcomers and Kody stood as well—suddenly a bit awkward, not knowing if she should be quite so obvious. But they bustled about, drawing in chairs.
Cliff Bullard, who had anxiously joined the group, asked, “What’s happened? What’s going on?”
Neither Brodie nor Liam gave him notice, but in his way, Liam answered him. “A woman from Marathon was found on the beach. A drowning. We’re investigating, of course. She wasn’t reported missing and we don’t know exactly when she washed up on the beach—or where she’d been before she washed up on the beach.”
“Do you know her name?” Kody asked anxiously.
“Mathilda Sumner,” he said, and Kody knew that he was hoping that the dead woman hadn’t been a friend of hers.
“I recognize the name... I think I’ve seen ads around,” Kody told him. “She was a performer somewhere?”
“She was a grocery store clerk who worked a few nights a week playing guitar and singing,” Brodie told her.
“Like Cliff,” Colleen said. “That’s frightening. That’s...well, tragic.”
“How very, very odd,” Sally said.
She realized that everyone at the table was looking at her. “Well, three strange deaths in one week.” She shook her head and looked at Liam sadly. “You couldn’t even make it through the day when you had to say goodbye to a dear friend.”
“It is strange, for our island,” Colleen said. “But...sad, mainly. We are surrounded by water. I guess... I guess people drown.”
“You can’t be careless around the ocean,” Sally said.
Liam looked at Kelsey. “We came by to see Rosy and pay our last official respects,” Liam said. “And to let you know what happened.”
“Of course,” Kelsey said. She smiled at her husband. “I’ll hang with these guys...for a while, and then, if you’re looking for me, I’ll probably head home.”
“You can hang with me as long as you like,” Kody said.
“See, there you go. I’ll be with Kody.”
No one said anything, and Kody realized that it was already assumed that Brodie—although he had no real authority at all—would be going with Liam.
She looked at Brodie.
“We’re headed to see Adelaide Firestone,” he said.
“Who?” Sally asked.
“The mother of Arnold Ferrer’s child, and his very good friend,” Liam told her. He pushed his chair back. Brodie did the same.
“We’ll be in touch,” Liam said.
And then they were gone.
So now, Kody thought, they knew. A woman had drowned; her body had washed up on the beach. She hadn’t been from Key West, but from Marathon—a whole fifty or so miles north. She couldn’t have washed all the way from Marathon down to Key West, could she? Kody really had no idea. But it was more likely that she had come down, or that she had been on a boat just off of Key West, or...
“Well, I think it’s time,” Frank said, looking at Sally. Kody realized that many people had already left.
Sally turned to Kody. “Sweetheart, I can stay. I mean, we aren’t leaving until tomorrow morning, but we need to pack. And I really don’t have to go—”
“Mom. Yes, you do.”
“Kody and I will stay,” Kelsey said.
“And...I’m here,” Colleen told them.
“Yes, of course,” Sally said. She seemed so concerned when she looked at Kody. Kody rose and went to her mother, hugging her where she sat.
“I love you so much. But I’m okay—I swear to you, I’m okay. And, hey... I have friends all around.”
“And Mr. McFadden,” Sally said.
“And Brodie, yes. Mom, he’s a good guy.”
“I believe that. And I’m glad that he’s with you. It was just so...sudden.”
“When something is right, it’s just right,” Kelsey said.
“And really, Kody has done nothing but work on that museum for the longest time,” Colleen said. “She accuses me of not getting out!”
“Trying to find a murderer is not my idea of getting out,” Sally said. She looked up at Kody. “You are worried about what happened to Cliff, aren’t you? I know you. You’re worried that...”
“Mom!”
Her mother lowered her voice. “Dakota McCoy, you be careful. Stay with that new man of yours...please!”
“What a blessing,” Cliff piped up. “A blessing—from your own mom. Okay, I like the guy, too. And he will find out who gave me the damned nuts.”
“Mother, you’re not heading out to Alaska. You’re going to be an hour away, still in the lower Keys. I can reach you in no time, and you can reach me. All is well.”
“Not really,” Cliff said. “I am dead. And someone made me this way.”
Kody ignored him. Kelsey looked as if she’d kick him—if she could.
Kody hugged Sally fiercely. She drew back and looked at Frank.
“Take care of her for me, please?”
“That I will do,” Frank vowed, setting his hands on his wife’s shoulders.
“It’s just that...” Sally paused, glancing back at Frank apologetically. “Cliff and your dad, they were such good friends. I know that Cliff meant so much to you back when we lost Michael. Kody, I’m just worried about...”
“Please, Mom, go pack. Go. You can’t help Cliff or me by staring at me, okay?”
“Okay, one last hug!”
Sally hugged her tightly again. Then she turned with a little sob and started out, Frank casting Kody a quick smile and then hurrying after her. They paused to say goodbye to Rosy. The women were emotional.
Cliff watched them. “Such magnificent women in my life,” he said. He sank his ghostly body into the chair Sally had just vacated. “In my life,” he repeated. He looked from Kelsey to Kody. “I have to know the truth.”