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Desmond had to shake the notion out of his head. It didn’t matter. Until he found the inhabitants of Clindale, the only puzzle he wanted answered was what Gabriel had done with them. Until then, he couldn’t rock the boat. His objective was too finely balanced. Becoming further entangled with Haley could tip the balance in the other direction.

Seeing Haley was out of sight, he removed his sunglasses, uncaring that he looked like death warmed over.

Rubbing his brow, he put the discussion with Haley to the back of his mind. The woman was fucking with his resolve, and he needed to get back on track, and he would … right after making it clear to Rhone that his matrimonial prospects wouldn’t be including Haley.

Thirty

Desmond had searched through the lower floor and was about to go to reception to ask for Rhone to be paged when Desmond sighted him collecting a beach umbrella. He was barely able to see what he was doing as the last of the sun’s rays evaporated, leaving inky darkness behind.

As he walked closer to the beach, a light came on, and Desmond saw that Rhone had opened a door to an outbuilding and was storing the umbrellas inside.

Rhone spun around to face him when he entered the building.

“Jeez, Desmond. You know better than to walk up behind a man.”

“What were you going to do? Club me with one of the umbrellas?”

“More like shove it up your ass.” Rhone lifted the umbrella to place them in an upright container.

Desmond folded his arms over his chest. “What happened to the jolly, good-natured prick you were this morning?”

“It doesn’t benefit me to be nice to you. Where’s Haley?”

“At the pool. Why? You planning to try to steal her away from me again?”

Rhone gave a short laugh. “You still pissed about that? I was only doing what you wanted me to do. I made friends with her. You’re never happy.”

“Exactly when did I ask you to convince her to work for you? I must have missed that part.”

“That’s what getting old will do for you,” Rhone said, sliding the umbrellas to the side so he could walk down the narrow aisle toward him.

“I’m not finding you amusing, Rhone. I need Haley’s help to find the inhabitants of Clindale. Once I no longer need her assistance, you can flirt with her to your heart’s content.”

“Quit playing games with her. Why bring her here? You knew they weren’t here.”

“George is the only one Gabriel would trust with the knowledge.” Desmond ran his hand through his thick hair. “She has the power to make George talk. So far, she hasn’t.”

“I always knew you were a cold bastard, Desmond. I like Haley. She isn’t like us. She’s a good person, so just be upfront with her. I don’t want her hurt.”

“You think I like being in this position? Personally, I’d like to beat George to a pulp to find out what I need. Unfortunately, in this instance, I can’t. What if he doesn’t have the information and Amelia does? I might have low standards, but I refuse to kidnap and torture a woman. This way has the least damage.”

Stern-faced, Rhone looked over his shoulder. Desmond was about to turn around when Rhone reached to push a swim noodle back onto the shelf next to his arm.

“Personally, maneuvering Haley to be here under false pretenses to seduce her is pretty fucking damaging to her when she finds out you were just using her. Exactly what do you consider collateral damage you can live with?”

“I didn’t bring her here under false pretenses.”

“Bro, you been here three times. I’ve motherfucking told you the people you’re searching for aren’t here.”

“In the texts I found on the computer when I took over Sherguevil Island, Gabriel told you about Gillis Island. The inhabitants of Clindale disappeared after you negotiated a contract to build your hotel.”

“I’m not denying Gabriel put Gillis on my radar, but I used the locals to build the hotel. Hell, I wish like fuck they were here. At least I’d know they were living normal lives. Unlike you, my association with Gabriel was short-lived. When I saw who was visiting his island, I cut off any connection with him. Which I told you to do, and you refused.”

“I’ll tell you the same thing I did then … I had an agenda.”

Rhone released a breath of air. “Whatever,” he dismissed with a wave of his hand. “I’ve never asked why. Just don’t keep asking me to prove I’m not the one responsible for a whole population going missing.”

“Why are you out here, doing work you pay a staff to do? Every time I come here, you seem to be short-staffed.”

Rhone laughed in his face. “Jesus, is this why you won’t believe me?” Cutting his laugh short, Rhone gave a rueful look. “The people who live on this island like to celebrate a lot … and I mean a lot. When they do, it becomes a holiday. This weekend, they’re celebrating the birth of the mayor’s granddaughter.”