Page 60 of The Sunken Truth

“What?” Lily asked, desperate for information.

“I shouldn’t really say.”

“Since when do you have an issue with gossiping?”

Seren rolled her eyes. “It’s not just idle gossip. Sometimes the pub owners on the islands talk… pass on information about anyone to look out for. They give each other a heads up about who might cause trouble, that sort of thing.”

“And?”

“And my uncle was chatting to Calvin, who owns the Seven Stones Inn, over on St. Martin’s. Apparently, Nat has been spending a lot of time there recently. Calvin had to cut her off because she hadn’t paid the bar bill for six weeks.”

“That sheds some light on what I overheard,” Lily said, chewing on her lower lip. “It sounded as though she recently found a way to ease their financial situation.”

“You think she took the artefact from Ryan?”

“Maybe.”

“Have you asked Eustace if anyone has given him anything?”

“No, but Flynn spoke to him this morning and it didn’t seem as though he had anything. Or at least not that he mentioned… but if it was something he wanted to keep hold of, I guess he wouldn’t tell anyone.”

“You really need to find that box.”

“That’s what I’m thinking.” Her eyes flicked to the window as Flynn strode past on the promenade. “I have to go,” she told Seren with an apologetic frown.

At the speed Flynn was walking, he was already outside the ice cream shop when Lily caught up with him.

“Hey,” he said, turning when she called out to him. “I was coming to find you.” He twisted his lips andshifted his weight. “I’m sorry about earlier. On the phone. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“It’s fine. I was being stupid. Of course you can’t go snooping around private property. Did you speak to Kurt?”

“Yes. He thinks he saw Harry and Nat swimming towards the wreck right before the sand got stirred up. He also says that Harry has a gambling addiction. Online poker, according to him.”

“That makes sense,” Lily said. “I overheard Harry and Nat arguing about their financial situation. Harry was angry that Nat had done something to get them out of it. Something he wouldn’t approve of.”

“Like cut Ryan’s hose and steal the artefact?”

Lily shrugged. “I don’t know. But Seren told me Nat has a drinking problem. Apparently she racked up a bar bill at the Seven Stones Inn that she was having problems paying off.”

A crease appeared between Flynn’s eyebrows. Eventually, his gaze snapped back to Lily. “When did you overhear them arguing?”

She grimaced. “I may have gone and snooped around a bit.”

“When?”

“Just now.”

“After we spoke on the phone about how I couldn’t go trespassing, looking for clues?”

“Yes.” She held up her hands and spoke fast. “And I realise that technically I was trespassing…” She caught the slight twitch of his eyebrow. “Okay, not just technically… I was trespassing, but you sounded so stressed and I thought I could help.”

His intense stare was unnerving.

“I’m sorry, okay. Don’t be angry with me.”

“I’m not angry.” His features softened. “I’m surprised, that’s all.”

“Really?” She drew her chin in. “Is me snooping around boats really a shock?”