Page 53 of Property of Anchor

I paused.“Of the victims.”

Her face went still.

“Mick Barber.His girl.The guy from yesterday.A guy we don’t know.And… one other.”

She paled.“Who?”

I didn’t speak.I didn’t have to.She knew.

She swallowed.“Me?”

I nodded once.

“Oh, God.”She stepped back until her knees hit the edge of the desk, then slowly sat on the edge.

“It was taken from outside your cabin.Three days ago, I think.That yellow shirt you were wearing.You remember?”

She nodded, looking down at her hands.“Yeah.I remember.”

I crouched in front of her and rested my hands on her thighs.“We don’t know who took it or why.But you’re in this now, Pearl.Really in it.I’m sorry, doll.”

Her breath shook.“They’re watching me.”

“They won’t get near you,” I swore.“Not while you’re on this island.Not while I’m breathing.”

She looked at me then, really looked.“You can’t promise that.”

“I can,” I said, firm.“And I just did.”

She blinked fast, trying not to cry.“So what do we do?”

“We find out who’s behind it.We lock this place down tighter than a drum.No one gets on or off this island without us knowing about it.We can shut the haunted house and boat tours down.And until we’ve got answers…” I cupped her face.“You don’t go anywhere without me.Understand?”

“You can’t shut down the haunted house,” she insisted.“Isn’t that how you guys make money?”

I nodded.“Yeah, but keeping you and the club alive is more important.At least for a couple of days, we’ll shut down.We have good surveillance, but there are spots around the island we don’t have eyes on.The guys can work on getting all of that buttoned up, and then we can open back up.”

She nodded.

A beat of silence passed between us.Then she asked, “Why me?”

I didn’t have a true answer for her.“I don’t know.I’m sure it has to do with me and the club.This person is watching, and must know that you mean something to me.”

Just then, there was a soft knock at the door.

“Yeah?”I barked, standing.

Skull opened the door slightly, his face grim.“I didn’t want to interrupt, but… we need to talk about the guy in the fourth photo.”

“Later,” I snapped.

He nodded and shut the door.

Pearl stood and came toward me.“You think I’m next, don’t you?”

I pulled her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her temple.“I think whoever’s behind this just made a massive mistake.”

“Why?”