Hurricane Bay (38 page)

“Every second. But I know that you want every second, too. You're trying to figure out a way to kill us without getting caught. But you've blown it this time. Your prints are all over the gun. The cops aren't idiots.”

“I can wipe off prints.”

“They'll trace it.”

“Don't be ridiculous. I bought this gun from Izzy Garcia. It can't be traced back to anyone. Let's go outside.”

“Come on, Kelsey, let's walk outside,” Dane said.

He prodded Kelsey before him. He followed her, and Larry followed him. Nervously.

“You know, Larry,” Dane said, “you always were jealous of my beach. My property. My home. And, of course, my friendship with Sheila.”

“Fuck you,” Larry said angrily.

And in that moment he followed too closely.

Dane balked at the steps, slamming his body backward. Larry staggered. Dane turned, grasping him. He pinched his fingers into Larry's wrist, knowing the pain would cause Larry to lose his hold on the gun.

But it went off anyway, and Dane knew he'd been hit. In the leg. He could only pray that it had missed the artery.

Still, he forced his weight down on top of Larry's. He heard something crack. A bone. Larry's, thank God, not his.

But Larry was still struggling, reaching for the gun.

He didn't make it.

Kelsey dived in like a hawk. Suddenly the gun was in her hands, pointing down at Larry.

“One move and I shoot you dead! No, first I'll go for your kneecaps. For Sheila. But trust me, I
will
shoot,” she said, and she meant it.

Dane knew he was losing blood. A lot of it.

“911, Kels, 911,” he managed to say.

He was trying to remain conscious. He thought he must be insane. He could hear a siren. And then someone running.

Jesse. Jesse had followed him back to Hurricane Bay.

“I've got Larry covered, Kelsey,” Jesse said. “Hurry up—call an ambulance. Fast.”

Things hazed in and out. An ambulance came…and then a helicopter. Dane was being taken to the trauma center at Jackson Memorial in Miami.

He knew he was going in for surgery, knew he was being given blood.

And he knew when Kelsey was beside him, whispering to him.

“Don't you die on me, Dane. I love you. I need you. Oh God, Dane, we've both failed in many ways. But you never failed me. Don't you see? You never failed me.”

He managed to open his eyes, though the sedation was stealing away what remained of his consciousness.

“I never will, Kelsey,” he promised. Big words.

His eyes closed, and he was wheeled into surgery.

T
he wedding was at Hurricane Bay in November, when summer's edge had cooled but the days were still gloriously warm and the night blissfully touched with the soft breezes of fall.

The groom still limped.

The bride was beautiful, and, despite the limp, the groom was incredibly handsome.

Nate was best man; Cindy was maid of honor.

Kelsey's father gave her away with the greatest pleasure.

After the ceremony, the bride spent her time moving between her guests and her mother—and her new baby brother. Joshua Michael Cunningham was just a month old, but big and beautiful, and the bride's mother was so flushed and happy, she might have been the bride herself.

The partying afterward went on and on. It was midnight when the guests at last dispersed. Most of them. Kelsey's parents were staying. They had at last gone up to the master bedroom, where both Kelsey and Dane had insisted they stay with their newborn.

Kelsey and Dane planned to stay in his old room, down on the first floor.

Dane slipped his arms around Kelsey as she disposed of the finery she was wearing.

“This may be weird,” he said.

“What?”

“Having your folks in the house. And we don't leave for the north and our honeymoon until tomorrow.”

She turned to him. “But it's our wedding night.”

He sighed. “I'm not as good when I have to be really quiet.”

She laughed. “It seems like tonight, of all nights, you should get a chance to be really, really good.”

“All right,” he said. “I've got it.”

“Oh?”

“There's a really beautiful boat docked out there.”

Kelsey smiled. “I knew you wouldn't fail me,” she said softly.

“As long as we live,” he said softly. “I'll do my best to never fail you—in any way.”

She stood on her toes and kissed him.

And whispered her reply.

Hand in hand they walked toward the boat. Then ran.

It was a calm night at Hurricane Bay. Even so, the old boat rocked beneath the moonlight.