Page 102 of Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

I told her what Gino had said to me driving back to the resort yesterday and the veiled threat.

“That’s so totally messed up,” Brie said.

“Your dad’s right. You can’t be in the middle of this, and he doesn’t even know what we’re doing. Unless you told him?” I was relieved when Brie shook her head, though in some ways I wanted a neutral third party to assess what we knew.

“Nope. My dad is a great guy, but he’s very much law and order. Let the authorities handle it, he’d say, and then totally side with Gino because he’s in charge.”

“What do you think of Tristan?” I asked.

Brie shrugged. “He’s fine. I don’t reallyknowhim. You’d think he was fake, always asking is everything good, are you happy, please come back, can we get you anything else to make your visit perfect. Total kiss-ass. But he’s also nice when he doesn’t have to be. Like last night, he drove me back, and he seemed genuinely interested in me, not in a creepy way.” She paused. “After Ethan Valentine bought the island and renovated everything, and it was our first time back, Kalise told my dad that she and Tristan had a lot of autonomy to make the resort work, but if it failed, there would be no second chance. I think you falling in the hole really shook him up.”

I understood Valentine’s thoughts on the matter. He was an entrepreneur and would expect success; he wasn’t in hospitality, so he would keep on or hire the best people to run the business. If it failed, you cut your losses. You don’t pour good money after bad. You don’t factor in sunk costs when making a business decision. It was a rule of thumb I followed when I gave advice to my clients.

“It’s a lot of pressure, but this year Kalise seems more at ease,so I think things are going well. And the resort is sold out for the next year.”

“How do you know?”

Brie grinned. “People say a lot of shit around me when they don’t know I’m listening.”

“Was the resort thriving before Valentine bought it?”

She shrugged. “It was old. A bunch of rooms couldn’t be rented because of plumbing issues, and the cottages were crappy. But the beach is gorgeous, and the pool has always been nice, and it’s private. We came because Dad and I have a lot of memories here. Now, in addition to the resort getting a total facelift, they also have more stuff to do—the Sky Bar is new, they put in more trails, completely redid the cottages, have the sunset cruises, the luau, fishing trips, better food, expanded the spa. Tomorrow we’re going to an uninhabited island and snorkeling. I did it last year, and it was awesome. You should come.”

I hesitated, thinking about how her father might not approve.

Brie seemed to know what I was thinking and said, “My dad and Sherry are coming. And—” She bit her lip and looked at her mug.

“And?” I prompted when she didn’t finish her sentence.

“I need to find out what Sherry is up to. Like, Tristan acts fake but he isn’t? She acts authentic, but it’s a lie. She doesn’t love my dad, but he doesn’t see it. He’s lonely because I’m leaving, and that’s why he proposed. She says what he wants to hear.”

“She seduced him.”

“Yes! He’s not that old—only forty-two. I’m not opposed to him remarrying, just nother.”

I wondered if I believed that. Brie might not think any woman was good enough for her dad. It had just been the two of them since she was five. Still, Sherry’s background and behaviorweresuspicious.

“Maybe you should talk to your dad about how you feel,” I said.

Brie snorted. “Yeah, nope.Awkward.”

“It doesn’t have to be. Maybe something along the lines of, ‘Dad, I want you to be happy, but I don’t think Sherry’s the woman who can do that for you.’”

She blanched. “Oh, God, no.” She shivered as if imagining the conversation. “Anyway, maybe you can help.”

“Me? How?”

“Break them up.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “That’s not me.”

“I don’t mean throw yourself at him,” Brie said with an eye roll, “but find something on her.”

“We already did.”

“But heknowsall that. I mean, she made it sound totally normal that she’s divorced from one rich guy and that her second rich husband is dead from ‘natural causes,’” she said with air quotes. “But it’ssonot normal. I think she blew through all her money, so she’s hunting the Next Rich Guy to support her. I can’t let that be my dad.”

“You think Diana knew something about Sherry that she didn’t want your dad to know?” I asked.