Page 47 of Artifice

Simon kept his eyes forward, navigating by the lights of the town ahead. “It’s like I told you. I’m a consultant.”

“We both know there’s more to the story than that.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Let’s just say we share a similar interest in Lighthouse Harbor—but from different angles.”

The lights of the town grew larger as Simon guided the boat toward a small, secluded cove well away from the main harbor.

“Those blueprints in the warehouse,” Olive pressed. “What were they showing?”

Simon gave her a sidelong glance. “How much did you see?”

“Not enough. But I know those weren’t renovation plans. And I know Principal Denarau wasn’t meeting Mr. Thorne for a friendly chat about keeping the school’s grounds green and tidy.”

He cut the engine as they drifted into the sheltered cove. The sudden silence felt jarring.

“The official blueprint of Lighthouse Harbor shows a solid foundation built directly into the cliff,” Simon said carefully. “The reality is more complicated. There’s a series of reinforced chambers beneath the east wing. Tunnels, if you will.”

Her eyes widened with surprise. “For what purpose?”

“That,” Simon said grimly, “is something I don’t know.”

“Where do they lead?”

“I don’t know that either.”

Olive’s thoughts raced.

Did those tunnels have anything to do with Colin’s disappearance? There had to be a way to access and explore them. But how?

What exactly was Principal Denarau using those tunnels for? And why did he need blueprints?

Simon rattled off a set of numbers.

A phone number, she realized.

“Call me if you ever need anything.”

Olive blinked as she stared at him. His face was shadowed, but his strong form was illuminated by the moon reflecting off the ocean.

The man was formidable.

He could have tried to hurt her, but he didn’t.

“Why would you help me?” she finally asked.

The boat bumped gently against a small, private dock. Simon secured it quickly.

“Because you’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong—for a reason I’m not sure about yet—and I don’t want to seeanything happen to you.” He looked directly into her eyes, his expression deadly serious. “People who get nosy around here tend to disappear.”

“Is that what happened to the missing students at Lighthouse Harbor?”

His eye twitched, but he didn’t answer. But he knew about those missing students, didn’t he? He’d tried to play it off when she mentioned it earlier. But it had all been an act. His surprise had been because Olive knew about the students.

Instead, he helped her onto the dock, then pointed toward a narrow path winding up the bluff. “That trail will take you to Mariner Street. Your B&B is about half a mile east from there.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“And I’m not going to. The deeper you dig yourself into this, the harder it’s going to be for you to get out unscathed. If I were you, I’d leave, and I wouldn’t look back.”