Page 156 of Capturing You

“Fair enough. But he doesn’t know where I am, and maybe he could shed some light on Leo. Maybe he could…I don’t know, either confirm what we believe or turn us in a different direction. He’s smart, and he’s been in Shadow Cove all his life—well, except for college, I guess.”

“He’s the mayor, right? You said he’s ambitious.”

“Ambitious, yeah. But also savvy and…” She shrugged. “Ian likes me.”

Forbes would bet he did.

Brooklynn smiled. “Not like that. He’s married with children. But he thinks I’m talented, and he’s always asking my opinion about things—visual stuff, like artwork for the town offices and landscape layouts, as if I have any clue. He’s the one who roped me into managing the Old Home Days booths. He thinks I’m more competent than I am.”

“I suspect you’re the only one who doubts your competency.”

Her lips twisted to the side as if she didn’t agree. “Well, anyway. It was just an idea. I don’t know what else to try.”

“It’s ten o’clock.”

“It’s literally a matter of life and death.”

Forbes didn’t like it. It was possible the smugglers already suspected Brooklynn was researching what had happened to Forbes’s family twenty-five years earlier. If she called Prescott and he was involved, then she’d confirm it.

On the other hand, she was already their target. And Forbes didn’t know what else to do.

“Don’t tell him where you are or who you’re with.”

She rolled her eyes. “You think?” She found the number, muttering a low “sheesh.” The phone rang, then went to voicemail. She tapped a text at top speed.

Seconds later, her phone rang. She connected the call, putting it on speaker so Forbes could listen. “I’m sorry to bother you so late.”

“Not a problem, Brooklynn. I assume it’s not about Old Home Days.”

“It’s about what happened at the Haunted Inlet a few days ago.”

“I’m sorry they haven’t gotten you home yet. I know Taggart’s working on it.”

Brooklynn shot Forbes a sardonic look.

“I don’t want to get into all the details tonight, but I wanted to ask you a question about the charter company you and Chief Taggart used to own.”

“That?” He sounded purely surprised. “What about it?”

“Was it very successful?”

He laughed. “No, unfortunately. I think Leo was trying to supplement his income—he was still a uniformed cop back then—but we couldn’t get enough business to keep it afloat. Pun intended.”

She smiled as if he could see her through the phone. “How involved were you in the day-to-day?”

“Not much. I was just getting my law practice up and running. I invested and managed the legalities. He managed the tours and paid the employees.”

“How long was the business open?”

After a pause, Ian asked, “What does this have to do with anything?”

“It’s kind of a long story, and I promise I’ll fill you in one of these days.” She didn’t add more, just waited.

Finally, he said, “A few years. The money was good at first, but then it petered out. I think he just got too busy with work and family to manage it. When his father died, he got a decent inheritance.”

For some reason, that information had Brooklynn’s eyes popping wide.

“He decided the business wasn’t worth all the time it was taking,” Ian continued. “Between the money his father left him and the proceeds we received for the boat—he’d repaired it and fixed it up—he had a nice nest egg. Bought that big house, and as far as I know, must’ve invested smartly. He’s lived well since then.”