Page 40 of Dead in the Water (Lily Larkin Mysteries #4)

Chapter Forty

Seven weeks was less than fifty days. No time at all really.

Lily felt sick every time she thought about Flynn leaving. Considering she hadn’t known him very long, it was strange that she struggled to imagine her life without him in it. As much as she wanted to bury her head in the sand, she also wanted to prepare herself for his leaving.

Not that she had any clue how to do that. They’d cleared the air at least, but it might have been easier if he’d just told her he didn’t feel the same way about her. She supposed all she could do was make the most of having him around while he was still there.

The bell rang as she was setting up the shop the following morning and she inhaled a calming breath. Surely, if she ignored the way her stomach fluttered at the sight of him it would eventually go away.

Bracing for the physical reaction to him, she wasn’t sure if it was relief or disappointment when it wasn’t Flynn arriving.

Mostly what she felt was surprised.

“Sorry to disturb you,” Russell said, lugging his suitcase over the threshold and abandoning it just inside the door.

“No problem.” She deposited the tub of ice cream into the display case and smiled at him. “How are you?”

“Great question,” he said. “I have no idea how to answer it.”

She glanced at his luggage. “Are you going home?”

“Yes. I’m on my way to the airport, but I wanted to stop by and say farewell, and thank you.”

“Thank you for what?”

He slipped his hands casually into his trouser pockets. “Joseph and I were never the greatest of friends, but he was a decent guy. He didn’t deserve what Vic did.”

“No. He didn’t.”

“Have you ever thought about becoming a private investigator?”

“It’s crossed my mind once or twice,” she said with a small smile. “Are your friends going home too?”

“I think friends is entirely the wrong word. Vic’s on his way to the mainland with a police escort.

As far as I can gather, he’ll be held until trial.

I’m hoping he goes to jail for a very long time.

” He folded his arms across his chest. “Joyce is at the hotel, crying into Keith’s shirt, and I imagine Kerry is frantically trying to find someone to skipper the boat back to St Ives.

They’ll have to sell it now. Or she’ll need to find some other mug to seduce. ”

“You won’t work things out with her?”

“She was using me all along. Honestly, we weren’t even well suited but I was lonely and liked the attention. I can’t believe I fell for her flattery.” He shook his head. “I’ve never had any luck with relationships. Lesson learned – apparently I’m destined to be alone.”

“I’m sorry if this is blunt, but why wouldn’t you pay Joseph the price he wanted for the yacht? James said you offered him more in the end…”

“I was being generous with the offer I made James because I felt bad for him.”

“But if you could afford it, why wouldn’t you offer Joseph the same?”

“Because he wanted to get out the same as he’d paid in.

Boats lose value, so in my opinion it wasn’t worth that and what I offered him was fair.

Especially considering the issues that come from owning a yacht with other people.

” He pulled his shoulders back. “There are times when I’m happy to throw money around, but in business I’m ruthless.

I was looking at it as a business transaction I guess. ”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Lily said. “Couldn’t you have just bought your own boat?”

“Yes, but I don’t like being alone. I enjoyed being part of their group. Seems stupid now.”

“I reckon you just picked the wrong group,” Lily said, feeling sorry for him, and also feeling bad that she’d used him too.

“Any chance of a scoop of your cherry chocolate ice cream to see me on my way?”

“Of course.” She loaded up a cone and passed it over. “On the house.”

“Thank you,” he said, winking. “If I’m ever back here, I’ll call in for an ice cream.”

“I’d be happy to see you,” she said and wished him safe travels.

The door had barely closed behind him when it opened again. Flynn was in uniform and his smile was full of mirth as he wandered in with a coffee for her.

“You’re the talk of the town again this morning. I suspect ice cream sales will be up today. People will be coming in just to hear about your latest adventure.”

“Lovely,” she said sarcastically.

“You should be proud. Vic might have got away with it if it weren’t for you.”

“I don’t think so. You weren’t far behind with the investigation. You’d have figured it out.”

“Not as quickly as you.”

She shrugged. “I heard Vic is on his way to the mainland.”

“Yes. PC Hill is escorting him.” He passed her takeaway mug over the counter. “Who’ve you been fluttering your eyelashes at?”

“What?”

“The obscene amount of tips.” He pointed at the jar on the counter which was currently serving as a paper weight to a pile of crisp twenty-pound notes.

Lily put her coffee aside and reached for the money, flicking through the notes. “There’s five hundred quid here! He must have only asked for ice cream to distract me.”

“Who?”

“Russell. He just called in on his way to the airport. He complimented me on my investigative skills.”

“That’s a very generous compliment,” Flynn said, eyes on the money.

“Flipping heck.” Lily shook her head. “I’ll give half to Jessica as a thanks for all her efforts.”

“I guess he wanted you to have the money.”

Lily shrugged. “Jessica will appreciate the bonus.”

“I’m sure she will.”

Lily shoved the money into her pocket as the bell sounded.

“Morning,” Lily said as Glynis walked in.

“Hello.” She had a healthy glow back in her cheeks. “I hear you’ve been up to your usual tricks?”

“Yes,” Lily said flatly.

Glynis cocked her head. “You’re still annoyed with me, aren’t you?”

“I’m not annoyed with you. Mostly, I’m just tired. And I’m annoyed because I don’t think Maria was honest with me.”

“About knowing your parents?” Glynis asked.

Lily chewed her bottom lip. “I think she’s hiding something. I don’t know what.”

“Maybe you could help with that,” Flynn said, cocking his head.

Glynis looked at Lily, but she was just as puzzled by the comment.

“Tell her everything you know about Maria,” Flynn went on. “You knew her when she first opened the shop, didn’t you? Tell Lily everything you can remember about her. Maybe you know something that could help.” His gaze fell to Lily and he winced. “Sorry…”

She shook her head, eyes locked with his. “You’re right. I do want to find out everything I can.”