Page 95 of Thick as Thieves

His pants legs got soaked. More than once, he banged his shins on cypress knees. He walked into a clump of ghostly moss hanging from a low-lying branch, and smacked his forehead on another.

The discomforts did help to sober him up, however, and, eventually, he located the boat. It was a wonder he had, because vegetation had overtaken it, and it took some effort to pull it free.

Like everything else in his life, the craft had been neglected. As a family, they had taken it out on the lake frequently. “Nature excursions,” Marjorie had called them. They’d competed to see who could spot and name the most species of birds and wildlife. Whoever caught the first fish got the largest chocolate chip cookie from the picnic basket. Like that. How had his family deteriorated from that idyllic example of harmony to this?

Tonight, the boat looked as hopeless as regaining those happier days. He wasn’t even sure that it was still watertight. He wouldn’t trust it, except that going by car to the designated place would mean taking the long way around. Weaving through the intersecting bayous of the lake would take less time, but only for someone who had grown up doing it.

Joe had. Even in the dark, he would have no trouble navigating the swampy labyrinth. The future of his family depended on it.

He dragged the boat into the water and clambered aboard.

Chapter 26

Following her conversation with Lisa, Arden had determined that if she wanted to learn more about the ongoing feud between the smarmy district attorney and Ledge, a good place to start would be with the woman at the core of it.

Arden recalled Ledge telling her about his “friend” who owned the hair and nail salon where the errant squirrel had done damage in the attic. It hadn’t been difficult to link his Crystal with Crystal’s Salon on Main Street, a house that had been charmingly converted into a business. It was a white frame structure with pale blue shutters and purple petunias in window boxes.

Arden had planned to arrive just as the salon was closing for the day, and her timing was perfect. As she pulled into the shallow parking lot in front, a woman was locking the front door. Arden got out of her car.

The woman turned and smiled. “Hi.”

“Hello.” Arden continued up the walkway toward her.

“I’m sorry, the salon is closed,” she said. “But I’ll be happy to make you an appointment.”

“Are you Crystal?”

“Yes.”

It was easy to understand Ledge’s enduring attraction. She was stunning. Her long, dark hair was as sleek as a seal’s pelt. Her eyes were captivating, both in color and shape.

“I’m Arden Maxwell.”

“I thought you might be.”

“You’ve heard talk?”

“Around here, gossip is the number one pastime. I was hoping you would come into the salon one day so I could form my own opinion.”

“What’s your impression so far?”

Crystal smiled. “You’ve got great hair.”

“Thanks. The humidity makes any attempt at control futile.”

“I’ve got product that could help.”

“I’m sure.” Arden looked aside, then came back to her and said, “I was hoping I could talk to you about a private matter.”

“Ledge?” When Arden reacted with shock, she added, “He told me you had consulted him about doing some handiwork.”

“I did, but this isn’t about that. It’s about the bad blood between him and Rusty Dyle.”

Arden sensed the other woman’s subtle, cautionary withdrawal. “What do you know about that?”

“Not enough.”

Crystal considered it for several moments before seeming to come to a decision. “That discussion calls for at least one glass of wine. My house is directly behind the salon.” She pointed. “You can walk across the lawn with me, or drive around.”