Mystery in the Moonlight (3 page)

But as she walked back to the bungalow to change her clothes, listening to Babs go on and on about the subtle art of romance, Caitlin couldn’t help thinking about the handsome, rather brooding man in the bar. At the moment she could hardly remember the details of Jean’s kiss.

If the stranger had kissed her in a like manner, would she ever forget?

Chapter Two

Slouched over his beer, Bryce Winslow carefully eyed Jean Moreau and his “little dove,” nonchalantly turning to watch as they strolled down the walkway.

How charmingly intimate, he thought sourly.

His piercing gaze didn’t miss a nuance of movement when the Frenchman drew closer, his wiry arm encircling the fragile woman. The landlord of Hibiscus murmured something into her ear, and the woman’s answer was accompanied by what looked like a practiced smile.

Eyes sliding away from her, Bryce gulped down his beer. It was nearly warm from the heat of the late afternoon sun, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth that reminded him of why he was there. Looking back at the couple, he narrowed his eyes and watched Moreau wrap his arms around his companion before very thoroughly kissing her.

So the rumors that the Frenchman had a young American mistress who sometimes sailed with him must be true.

This slender young woman with long, light brown hair and large, pale blue eyes perfectly fit the description Anselm had given him last night. What did it matter that she had the air of an innocent about her? Or that he had thought her charmingly shy before Moreau had shown up? When Bryce’s mate had checked out Hibiscus Island the day before, Anselm had seen her with the Frenchman and had learned that her name was Caitlin O’Connor.

Caitlin. An Irish name that meant pure. Ironic, for if she were hooked up with Moreau, this one was anything but pure, he thought sardonically as the kiss ended with the woman laughing. Then, turning his way, Caitlin smiled directly at Bryce, and something in him stirred.

Don’t be a fool, he chastised himself. Just look at her now, flirting with him over the shoulder of the man she’d just kissed. The rumors must be true, Bryce thought as she shifted her attention back to the Frenchman.

Bryce turned away and signaled the bartender to settle his bill, all the while wondering if the “little dove” could be of any use to him. Paying the islander and giving him a generous tip, Bryce headed out toward a stand of palms where he could mull things over without distractions.

How much would she know? Plenty, if she was as close to Moreau as he thought. But was she attached? Loyal? The way she’d been looking at Bryce right after Moreau had kissed her indicated otherwise.

Bryce hadn’t intended to stay on the island after dark, but some inside information might come in handy…

“Are you ready yet?” Babs asked, coming back into their bungalow after having taken a walk while Caitlin showered and changed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving from all that exercise today.”

Caitlin tried not to laugh at her friend’s exaggeration about her activity level. “I’m ready,” she said with a grin.

“You’re going to go like that?”

Checking in the mirror to see if some disaster had struck her magenta-flowered indigo sundress, Caitlin didn’t see any rips or stains. Frowning at Babs, she said, “All right. What’s wrong with me now?”

“Nothin’s wrong with
you
, honey. It’s your hair. If you’re going to turn down my generous offer to fix it with my curling iron, the least you could do is fancy it up a bit.” A determined gleam in her violet-blue eyes, Babs grabbed for a brush, a small hair comb, and a fragrant magenta blossom from the vase on the dressing table. “This flower will add the perfect romantic touch,” Babs assured her, separating and twisting a lock of Caitlin’s hair back from her forehead, then securing it and the hibiscus with the comb. “What do you think?”

Caitlin gazed into the mirror again and was pleased at the way the magenta flower seemed to make her eyes sparkle and her cheeks glow with color. “Perfect. Can we go now? Or is something else wrong with me?”

“You’ll do,” Babs teased. “Just remember who made you look so glamorous when all those men come rushing after you tonight.” She picked up a light shawl that was the same lemon yellow as her gauzy dress, then slipped it around her shoulders before opening the door. “Throw one or two gorgeous hunks my way, will you? If I go without a new beau much longer, I swear I’ll plumb forget what the species looks like.”

Babs exited with a dramatic swirl of her full skirts. Deciding she didn’t need a wrap herself, Caitlin immediately followed her friend out the door.

“You should learn to appreciate your surroundings as much as you bemoan the lack of men, Barbara Lee Gordon. This place is so lovely and exotic, I still can’t believe I’m here.” She stayed Babs with a firm hand and pointed to the sky. “Look at those stars and that moon. Listen to the ocean as it caresses the shore. Smell the fragrance of exotic blooms laced with the salty tang of the Caribbean.”

“How poetic. I guess you’re right. It is a beautiful setting. If only we had someone to share it with,” Babs said wistfully.

“I don’t know. It’s like having our own private paradise. Our own treasure island, like in the movie.”

“Caitlin, honey,
we’re
the treasures on this here island, but unfortunately there isn’t a single gorgeous pirate to captivate us!”

“Babs, honey, I do declare, you’re gettin’ to be near impossible!” Caitlin said, trying to imitate her friend’s drawl.

“Oo-ee! That was hideous. Am I goin’ to be required to teach you to speak Southern too?”

“I didn’t know I was tryin’ to speak a foreign tongue,” Caitlin murmured, her accent even worse.

They laughed together as they headed down the path toward the dining room. That was one of the things Caitlin liked best about her friend. Babs was able to laugh at anything, even herself. Barbara Lee Gordon was as refreshing as her home state.

Caitlin liked North Carolina too. She might be a Northerner by birth, but she didn’t miss Gary, Indiana, with its steel mills and smokestacks lining the sky. She did miss her family, however, all of whom still lived there.

A smile continued to curve Caitlin’s lips as she thought about her rough-and-tumble youth, spent tagging along after her two older brothers. They’d played at cowboys and Indians, swords and sorcery, pirates and hostages.

She’d been the personification of a tomboy, the exasperation of her blue-collar parents. And when she’d become a teenager, they’d sworn she’d never find a husband if she weren’t more feminine. But a husband hadn’t been the goal she’d had in mind as Caitlin had finally begun to work at becoming the lady they wanted her to be. The promise of an interesting white-collar career and a better life-style in a cleaner environment had seemed reward enough.

And if she’d longed for more excitement—well, there’d been books to read and movies to see.

And now that she had a good job as a university counselor and lived in a beautiful one-bedroom apartment in a modern singles complex complete with health spa, she should feel like she had it all. And she had…for a few years.

But lately she’d begun wondering what had happened to the romantic, adventurous dreams of her youth. Would she really mind having all kinds of handsome heroes dashing into and out of her life? Not wanting to live vicariously through books and movies forever, Caitlin recently decided to start making positive changes in her life.

Coming to Hibiscus Island had been the first step.

And it had been a terrific one, Caitlin thought with satisfaction as she and Babs entered the Caribbee Longhouse.

Bryce slipped behind a palm tree and waited. About to head for Caitlin O’Connor’s bungalow, he’d spotted the bartender coming up the walk toward that very same structure. Now the man was hovering at the door.

What the hell was Basil doing? Bryce wondered, anxious to get to his task.

He planned to search the bungalow, to see if he could find proof that Caitlin was indeed Moreau’s mistress. He’d had a moment of doubt when he’d realized that she wasn’t staying at the great house. Of course, that might only mean she was discreet. Bryce intended to find out what he could. When the bartender finally moved away from the bungalow, something white pinned to the door caught his attention.

A message?

He waited until the other man was out of sight. Then, looking around carefully, Bryce made sure the coast was clear before making his way to the stone-and-wood building. Unpinning the envelope from the door, he went inside and turned on the room light. The envelope was only sealed at the tip, so no one would be able to guess it had been opened and reglued, Bryce thought.

He slit it open carefully and read the note Moreau had written to Caitlin.

My
petite
dove:

How I long to hold you in my arms once more, your sweet lips under mine. But, alas, it’s not to be tonight. I must leave the island because of business. I’m sure you’ll understand and forgive. I’d like to take you with me, but it’s impossible this time. Besides, you did say you wanted to spend time with your friend. We must be content with thinking of each other. I promise I will make it up to you when I return in a few days. I will buy you something very pretty to make it up to you.

Jean

Here was the proof, then, Bryce thought, carefully folding the missive and putting it back in the envelope. There was no doubt that Caitlin was the man’s mistress, he decided with a slight sense of disappointment.

She’d probably been staying in the great house until her friend had come to visit. Perhaps she hadn’t wanted the other woman to know the exact nature of her relationship with Moreau. Or perhaps Caitlin had merely wanted to spend as much time with her friend as possible, even if it meant neglecting her lover.

After resealing the envelope and turning off the room light, Bryce slipped outside and left the message pinned to the bungalow door the way he’d found it. Then, full of purpose, he strode toward the Caribbee Longhouse.

Remembering how she’d flirted with him earlier, Bryce doubted it would be difficult to seduce Caitlin O’Connor into revealing the information he sought.

“What’s this delicious stuff called again?” Babs asked Caitlin as she took another bite of her succulent grilled fish. “I don’t remember trying it before.”

“Mahi-mahi, isn’t it?” Caitlin asked, looking for confirmation from the waitress, who’d just arrived with their second round of drinks.

“That’s right, miss.” The exotic-looking black woman, set the piña coladas down in front of them. “Mahi-mahi, or dolphin fish.”

“Dolphin? You mean I’m eatin’ Flipper?” Babs squealed, dropping her fork back onto her plate. “Lordy, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

“You’re thinking of the wrong kind of dolphin, miss. That’s not the same as porpoise, which is a mammal,” the amused waitress assured Babs. “You’re eating dolphin
fish
, a different creature altogether.”

Caitlin was about to tell the waitress to give the chef her compliments when a familiar, deep male voice intruded.

“Don’t be embarrassed about your mistake, sweet lady. Many tourists confuse the two.” Quickly looking around to see the man who spoke to Babs, Caitlin practically fell off her chair when she recognized the man from the bar. He was staring directly at her when he asked, “Mind if I join the two loveliest women on the island for dinner?”

Not to mention that they were the only two available women, Caitlin thought.

It was Babs who answered, however, her Southern drawl as thick as molasses. “Why, of course you may. You jest set your gorgeous self down right there.” Pointing to the chair next to herself, Babs batted her eyelashes outrageously. “The two loveliest women on the island deserve to have the most handsome man on the island dine with them. Don’t they, Caitlin?”

Though she was aware that Babs had asked for her confirmation, Caitlin merely gaped at the incredibly sexy man whose mere smile heated her insides, But at a sharp kick from her friend she found her voice. “Ah, sure.”

“And here I thought dinner was goin’ to be borin’, silly ole me.”

“I’ll do my best to keep you amused,” the man told Babs as he made himself comfortable. He turned to scrutinize Caitlin. “Though your friend here seems to do quite well at amusing herself.”

Caitlin gasped as she remembered the incident at the Beach Bar when she’d imagined him to be a pirate. Immediately looking away from his penetrating gaze, she grabbed her drink and took a large gulp, hoping to cool her flaming face.

His voice was low and intimate when he said, “Keep drinking like that and I might have to carry you back to your cottage.”

Before Caitlin could reply, the waitress asked the man for his order. During the few minutes he was occupied, she tried to gather her scattered thoughts.

Would he really carry her if she got herself drunk? she wondered, her pulse surging crazily at the thought.

Caitlin could almost feel his strong arms around her as he lifted her and carried her out into the moonlight. She could hear the sound of the ocean lapping against the shore, intermingled with the romantic phrases he’d whisper into her ear. The tropical wind fluttered the palm trees as he dipped his head closer, his beard gently chafing the soft skin of her cheek. And then…