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“Jane Smith. They were friendly.”

“Were they?”

“Perhaps? I don’t know,” Dylan said wearily. “I couldn’t understand at first why no one, none of my friends seemed to like her.” His red-rimmed gaze met Ellery’s guilty one.

Ellery didn’t bother to protest. Hehadn’tlike September. He couldn’t think of anyone who had. But he also couldn’t think of anyone who’d disliked her enough to want to end her existence.

Dylan scrubbed his face with his hands. “When am I going to learn? I knew it was a mistake. I knew she was too young. I knew she was simply using me.” He lowered his hands and gave Ellery a sad smile, “But I was using her too.”

A fair exchange of goods and services?

“Why did September move to Pirate’s Cove? It doesn’t seem like her kind of place.”

“She said she was taking a break from acting to rest.”

Ellery managed not to snort at the idea September had such a busy acting career she’d have needed to take a rest break. “Did she have family here? Did she have a history on the island?”

“I don’t think so. She never said so.”

“I feel like I never got to know her.” That wasn’t regret. Ellery had no interest in getting to know September. He was thinking aloud.

“I feel the same.”

“Do you know if shehasfamily? On the mainland, I mean.”

“No. I realize now she was rather reticent about her past. That should have been the first red flag.”

“Not necessarily.” But in this case, yes. “What were her finances like?”

“Nonexistent.” Dylan shrugged. “I was paying her rent. I didn’t care about that. I was happy to help her out at first.”

At first. Ellery suspected there was awealth—no pun intended—of insight into Dylan and September’s relationship concealed behind those two small words.

Dylan’s head snapped up. He drew in a sharp breath and stared at the large arched window.

“What’s wrong?” Ellery asked as Dylan jumped up from the sofa and went to the window.

“It’s Jack!” Dylan gulped. His face had lost whatever color it had.

Ellery rose too. “Okay. Don’t panic. It’s not SWAT. Jack’s not going to—”

“He’s going to arrest me!”

Was he? Would Jack come on his own if he was planning to arrest Dylan? That wasn’t protocol and Jack was quite the guy for protocol. But Jack was also kind and Dylan was a friend.

Ellery moved beside Dylan to gaze out the window.

Yep. It was Jack.

He had parked next to Ellery’s VW. As Ellery and Dylan watched, the SUV’s door opened and Jack got out. He gave Ellery’s car a look that should have flattened all four of its tires, and then headed up the staggered granite pavers.

Dylan gave another of those backrow gasps and backed away from the window.

“Just…chill,” Ellery ordered. “I’ll answer the door. You—”

“No!”

“Dylan, he knows you’re here. He knowsI’mhere. He’s parked right next to my car.”