Page 2 of Pirates in Calusa Cove (Everglades Overwatch #2)

She’d struggled to believe it, though she’d wanted to, and it was why she’d gone for a late-night boat ride when she hadn’t planned on it.

Keaton pressed his hand on the small of her back.

Her body responded, and that annoyed her on more than one level. “I have a boyfriend.” She wasn’t sure if that was for her benefit or Keaton’s.

“I’m well aware. His name is Fenton. He drives a flashy Range Rover.” Keaton did not remove his hand. “ Only he doesn’t deserve you, and he doesn’t come around much.”

“He works a lot.” She glanced over her shoulder. Silas turned and headed toward the parking lot. The gathering of people had dissipated, but not without muttering a few nasty little whispers. This town always had to have something to gossip about.

Lately, it was her.

The hum of car engines filled the air as vehicles pulled out into the street.

“While it was mighty nice of you to try to help whoever was out there, you should’ve just radioed and come in.” Keaton nudged her closer to the main building. “I heard they fired a few shots at you.”

The front door opened, and Baily stood in the entrance, holding a tall mug of something.

“Not sure it was at me,” she mumbled. “And I didn’t even see the pirate boat at first. Once I did, I had no intention of staying out there. Once I got hold of the Coast Guard, and they were on the way, I turned around and came home.”

“It’s the part where you stayed until you saw the Coast Guard, even though you were in danger, that concerns me.” He stepped aside, letting her enter the marina first.

“Oh my God. You do not listen. I didn’t know I was in danger at first. Once I did, I turned around. I’m not stupid.” She took the mug of steaming coffee that Baily offered and smiled. “Thanks. I really need this.”

“I put a shot of something else in, too,” Baily said with a sweet smile, which quickly turned into a frown as she suspiciously eyed Keaton.

Trinity knew the history. They’d spoken of it, though not at great lengths, and while she more than understood why Baily felt the way she did about Fletcher, his friends, and what that meant, she didn’t agree.

“I wouldn’t mind a cup of that,” Keaton said. “Especially when chatting with this one is like talking to a brick wall.” He lowered his chin. “You were in danger the second those storms collided.”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a bully?” Trinity asked.

“You. Every time we find ourselves in a discussion.” He pointed toward the far counter. “Coffee?” he asked Baily.

“You can help yourself.” Baily glared. “Feel free to donate to the coffee fund.”

“As if I’d take a free one.” Keaton shook out his coat, stomped his muddy boots, and strode past.

When it came to the Baily and the guys, Trinity bit her tongue. This wasn’t her battle. She had her own problems—not that she’d shared them with anyone. Not even Baily. It wasn’t about the shame. Not anymore. It was about taking back control and being in charge of her own destiny.

The radio behind the counter crackled to life.

She and Baily raced to it, staring at it as if it yielded great power.

Dawson had only been chief for a few weeks, but he’d been one of Ken’s best friends. It didn’t matter if she wanted to blame Ken’s military brothers for his death—she did have a heart, and no one wanted to see a storm take one of Calusa Cove’s finest.

“Lost visual of pirate ship. No visual of wreckage at sea, halting search,” a male voice boomed over the radio. “Heading back to port.”

“This is heartbreaking,” Trinity whispered. “I feel so bad for whoever was out there.”

A strong hand came down on her shoulder.

She flinched.

“That could’ve been you.” Keaton’s hot breath tickled her neck. “Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again.”

She whipped her head around. “Excuse me?”

He stared deep into her eyes. A hint of anger was etched into his dark brown irises. “Dawson went out there with the Coast Guard to look for you. We were all worried that something had happened to you .” Keaton exhaled through his nose, and a second later, he inhaled sharply. She hadn’t known him all that long, but she didn’t have to. From the moment they’d met, they’d been like oil drizzled on top of water with a lit match dropped on top.

The instant heat—instant attraction—had been palpable, and she knew it hadn’t been one-sided. No. He’d looked her over like a tongue licking a Popsicle on a hot summer day. They had stared each other down like a couple of sex-starved teenagers. Then one of them had opened their mouth, and the next thing she knew, they were fighting.

Every day it was the same. She did something he found offensive or reckless, and he was overbearing and opinionated .

It didn’t matter that he was sexy as hell. He drove her crazy.

Besides, she had a boyfriend, something she constantly forgot about whenever she was in Keaton’s presence.

She pursed her lips. “If I needed help, I would have radioed. I’m not stupid.”

He cocked his head. “But you didn’t think to radio anyone to tell them you were safe or what you were doing. Or that you were helping someone or even heading in until after you’d been in that storm for a good forty minutes to an hour.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Do you think those people were standing out there to watch you back your pretty toy into the dock? No. They were worried that something bad had happened to you. We all were. I would’ve hated to have to call that boyfriend of yours to tell him you’d been lost at sea.” He turned on his heel and marched his sexy ass right out the door.

“Jeez, that was totally unnecessary,” she mumbled.

“I can’t believe I’m going to side with him, but no, it wasn’t.” Baily sighed and leaned across the counter, taking Trinity’s hand. “I tried to radio you, but you never answered.”

“Crap. I switched to channel sixteen when the storm hit, and the reception was spotty anyway with all that rain and wind. Why didn’t you try me on?—”

“That’s for emergencies. Two is what we use for marina chatter. You know that.”

“You’re right. You’re right. I’m sorry, Baily. It won’t ever happen again. I swear.” The old Trinity would have gotten her panties in a twist and huffed out. But not the new and improved Trinity. No, this version valued and respected her friends and their feelings.

She could admit when she was wrong.

And this time, she could have been dead wrong.

The following morning, Trinity raced out her front door and flew down the porch steps, flinging herself at Mallary Shaw. She pulled her friend into her arms and hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Mallary.” Tears poured out of her eyes. “If I had known that Jared was on the boat that sank last night, I would have…” A guttural sob filled her throat, choking off the rest of her…what? Words? There were no words to express the horrible guilt and the terrible sadness that swirled around in Trinity’s heart.

“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Mallary whispered. Her shoulders bobbed up and down. Her body grew heavy as she collapsed onto the steps.

Trinity sank with her friend, clinging to her, wishing she could take away all the pain, but not even time would do that. She cradled Mallary in her arms, stroking her hair, letting her friend purge all the emotions. No amount of caring and kind words would ever make this okay.

She stared out over the ocean. Barely a ripple showed on the water as the calm sea gently lapped against the shore. Not a single cloud in the sky intercepted the bright sunrays as they stretched long fingers, warming her skin. She blinked. So many questions might never be answered.

But Trinity knew what she’d seen… a boat lost to the sea.

She was told that Keaton, Dawson, Hayes, and Fletcher had volunteered to scuba dive in the area where the vessel may have gone down, but no one was sure of the exact location. They were trained Navy SEALs. If anyone could find the boat—and Jared—it would be those four men. She glanced at her watch. They would already be a hundred feet down by now.

But Trinity, a certified deep scuba diver herself, knew how hard that would be. She knew how deep those waters could be, how the currents and the wind from the storm could have taken Jared’s body farther out to sea. It might be a futile attempt. Even the boat could have twisted, turned, and landed in a very different location. However, she was grateful they were good enough men to go out there and try.

That included Keaton.

No matter how much they clashed, she couldn’t rid herself of the attraction. And she tried.

“I don’t understand why my brother was out there alone. He said he was taking his new friends with him. I hate those guys. Especially that Ralph idiot. He’s bad news.” Mallary pushed from Trinity’s embrace.

Trinity had never met Ralph or his friends. But she’d heard all about them from Mallary, and how Mallary had believed they were a bad influence on her little brother, how they’d been using Jared and his kindness. His generosity and his desire to be liked and accepted by his peers were things Trinity understood all too well.

“I know taking a gap year isn’t a bad thing,” Mallary said, swiping her cheeks. “Jared wanted to stay and work with our dad. He loved fishing. They talked about taking over Daddy’s business all the time. He thought he should spend a year seeing how things were done in all facets of the charter business before spending four years in business school. I supported that idea. I mean, I took a gap year, and it was the best decision I ever made.” Mallary spoke so fast it was amazing she managed to choke up a few sobs. “His mother hated everything about that idea. She bragged about how she finished her four-year degree in three and a half years and had just turned twenty-one. Of course, I reminded her that she ended up pregnant by a man twice her age. I know my dad loves her, though I can’t fathom why. She’s a brainless twit and not half the woman my mother was. I’m not bitter, but I miss my mother so much right now. Her death was so pointless, and I still don’t understand it. She had so much to live for.”

“I know. I know.” Trinity had met Mallary years after her mother had died by suicide. She had swallowed a bunch of pills that no one had known she’d been taking for anxiety and depression. Not even Mallary’s father had known. It had all been a shock, and Mallary had been so close to her mom. She had shared pictures of them going to get their hair and nails done—always with big, bright smiles.

“I wanted to like my stepmom, but she tried too hard to be my mother. It was gross.” Mallary sniffled. She tilted her head and smiled. “I did, however, adore my half-brother. He was sweet and pure and didn’t deserve to be lost at sea. Do you think he might still be alive?”

What a loaded question. There was always the possibility. Stranger things had happened. But she didn’t want to give her friend false hope, especially since that storm had rumbled on until four in the morning, twisting and turning the ocean with waves uncharacteristic for this time of year.

Trinity looped her arm around one of the few true friends she’d managed to make—and maintain—from her years at university. She held Mallary’s gaze. “I know it’s crazy to hope for a miracle, but I reached out to an old charter buddy of my dad’s, and he said he heard of people being found days after their boat went under. So, no, it’s not crazy. If I had a brother, I’d be doing the same thing. Plus, Jared was a good captain. He would’ve done all the right things.”

“You watched his boat capsize.” Mallary sighed.

“We don’t know it was his vessel,” Trinity said. “There are two other missing boats from nearby coastal towns. It could’ve been one of them.”

“But you told me you witnessed a boat go down. One that looked similar in size. You also said there was a possible pirate ship in the area.” Mallary hiccupped. “You heard gunshots. The Coast Guard said all the same things, and my brother never came home. Why? Why my brother?” Mallary shot her hand up. “That was a rhetorical question. I’m not expecting an answer.”

“Do you have any idea what he was doing or why his friends didn’t go with him? ”

“All I know is my dad said Jared asked if he could use one of the charter boats to go fishing with his friends. My dad reminded him that a storm was brewing off the coast and to be mindful of the weather. He never worried about Jared on the water.” Mallary shook her head. “He trained us both to handle ourselves out there. The lessons were sometimes tough, but Jared really knew what he was doing. He loved the ocean so much—more than I ever did. I could take it or leave it. Growing up, we used to call Jared Baby Aquaman. If there was rough weather coming, Jared would’ve come in. He didn’t take chances. He knew how devastating the sea could be.”

“I can tell you it was bad out there, and Jared’s little fishing boat could’ve easily capsized.”

“You’re not helping.” Mallary glared, blowing out a puff of air. “Bethany babied that poor kid. She wanted him to be an overachieving pencil-pushing nerd. Sometimes, I swear she wanted him to take over that flower shop, as if that were a place for Jared.”

“Maybe not, but flowers could have gotten him laid,” Trinity said, desperately needing to lighten the mood. She pushed down her aversion to the concept of receiving such a thoughtful gift, reminding herself that, somewhere, there was a man who presented a woman with flowers for no other reason than that he cared.

Mallary dropped her head back and burst out laughing. “At least I can be happy he got to experience sex before he died.”

“No. Seriously?” Trinity jerked her head. “Little Jared? With whom? ”

“This marina babe. A girl by the name of Valerie. A real looker, too.” Mallary heaved in a breath and let it with a big swoosh. “I miss him so much already. When I was his age and my friends would all complain about their pain-in-the-ass little siblings, I didn’t understand. He was just a baby back then, and I couldn’t get enough of him.”

“I remember when we met in college. I first thought you were a teenage mom.”

“I thought of myself that way with him,” Mallary whispered. “What am I going to do? My dad is dealing with so much because Bethany has completely lost her shit. The worst part is she’s blaming me—and my dad—for what happened as if we told him to go out there alone. Now, everyone believes he might’ve had something to do with the jewels stolen from Ralph’s parents.”

“I heard that.” Trinity nodded. “Dawson, you met him, the new chief of police of Calusa Cove. I overheard him telling his buddies that they believe either pirates heard Jared must’ve had the jewels from the Flying Victoria or that he was meeting pirates out there to sell them.”

“That’s utter crap. My little brother would never do something like that.” Mallary’s face hardened. She stared at Trinity with daggers shooting from her unwavering gaze. “I bet it was Ralph who stole that jewelry. That kid is a no-good little twit. But it still doesn’t explain why Jared went out there alone, and my ugly stepmother will never forgive either me or my dad.”

“Oh my God. That’s so unfair. Neither of you were even out there. ”

“Doesn’t matter. My dad handed him the keys, and once again, I took my dad’s side. She’s always feeling ganged up on by us. It’s my fault he deferred college for a year, and now she’s going to blame his death on me for as long as she has breath in her lungs.”

Trinity understood a little something about blame. Totally different situations, and she wouldn’t compare—not out loud anyway. But her mother blamed her very existence for her misery. If Trinity hadn’t been born, her father might never have moved back to Calusa Cove to show her something other than the station to which she was born. And her mother would have never blamed her for all the pain she suffered.

“Right now, all you can do is allow yourself to grieve,” Trinity said softly. “You have to do that. You have to let the emotions in—and out. Don’t fight it. Plus, your dad is going to need you. His heart is breaking just like yours. So is Bethany’s, even if she doesn’t empathize with anyone other than herself. Remember, I’ll be here every step of the way. Whatever you need.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Of course I do.”

“My dad wants to have a memorial service. I think it’s too soon, but I won’t argue with him. He asked me to help him plan the memorial. You know how much I hate things like that.”

Oh boy, did Trinity know that. When they’d been in college, a friend—not a close one, but someone who had lived in their dorm—had died in a horrible accident. They had all been drinking that night at a party, but Amber had been a hot mess and remained behind when the rest headed back to their dorm. They’d all drawn straws to decide who would pick her up, and Mallary had gotten the short one. But when she’d gone to collect Amber, she’d disappeared. They’d all searched for her for over an hour. No one could find her. The next day, the police found her body. She’d stumbled into someone’s backyard and fallen into their pool. They’d all been utterly heartbroken.

“My dad also wants me to speak at this…thing. He believes Jared would’ve wanted me to, but I haven’t a clue as to what to say.”

Trinity squeezed her friend’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out together.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Ditto.” Trinity’s phone vibrated. Quickly, she pulled it from her pocket and glanced at the text. She’d ignored Fenton since their fight yesterday, other than to let him know she’d made it in safely. She’d neglected to tell him anything about her adventure at sea. He’d learn about it soon enough.

Although it appeared from his worried text, he might have already been told.

She frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Mallary asked.

“Nothing.” Trinity tucked her cell back in her pocket. She’d deal with Fenton later.

“Come on. I need something to distract me from what’s happening. My brain can’t stop going back out there.” Mallary pointed to the open ocean.

Trinity sighed. While Mallary could be high maintenance as friends went, and she wasn’t always there when Trinity needed her most, she was a good person. She was kind and decent, and if she needed a distraction, Trinity could give her that. “It’s Fenton. We got into a fight yesterday. It’s why I went out on the boat instead of going out with him.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that.” Mallary brushed her hair from her face. “What happened?”

“I saw a text. He says it was from some dude, but the words on the screen screamed some girl he was sexting with—not some random old buddy sending him sex jokes. I’m not stupid. It was dirty talk, and I can’t do another cheating man again.”

“Seriously?” Mallary jerked her head back. “Fenton? No way. That man adores you. He worships the ground you walk on. I can’t believe he’d be chatting with another chick. He wouldn’t do that. No way. You totally misinterpreted that text.”

Trinity wanted to believe that. She really liked Fenton. He was normal, if there was such a thing. He wasn’t needy. He didn’t demand all her time. The only thing he did was occasionally get jealous.

Of Keaton.

Granted, she did find Keaton sexy as hell—in the looks department. But his personality was sometimes a little too rough around the edges—at least toward her.

“I don’t think I misinterpreted it,” Trinity admitted. “And this isn’t the first red flag.” However, this was the first time she was talking about it with anyone.

“What do you mean?” Mallary crinkled her nose.

“I found an earring in his car a week ago. ”

“What did he say about it?” Mallary’s eyes went wide. She swiped at her cheeks.

“He told me he let one of the girls in the office take his car to get lunch.”

“Well, there you have it.” Mallary lowered her chin. “I get you’re wounded. I know you have some trust issues. I would, too. But come on. Fenton is a keeper. He’s super sweet. He’s kind, and generous—and he’s good to you. He wouldn’t cheat. He’s so not the type.”

He was a man. He had a dick. That made him “the type” in Trinity’s book. But she wasn’t about to argue with Mallary. That woman thought Fenton was the perfect man for Trinity.

For a hot minute, so had Trinity, but she wasn’t so sure now.

“Call him back.” Mallary nudged her. “Make up with him. Life is too short.”

Trinity sighed. She understood shock, and that was the only explanation for what was happening here because the only thing that mattered was Jared.