Chapter 28

K ate stared up at the blue sky. The sun was hot, but it was December, where it could be chilly at night, especially when out on Simon's boat on the water. She had on a hoodie, atop her long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, and she was stretched out on the deck, with a tumbler of coffee beside her.

Simon was stretched out beside her, her back to his chest, as they gently floated in the ocean. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm okay, just a very strange case."

"Power and money corrupt. We know that."

"People who can have whatever they want?" She gave a headshake. "They just feel as if they're entitled, even when they're hurting other people."

He nodded. "That's quite true. There is that sense of entitlement always."

"It's sad and it sucks," she muttered.

"I can't argue with you on that," he said. "I just want to ensure that, at the end of the day, you can walk away from it and know that you did a good job."

"I did do a good job, and hopefully now maybe the survivors will have a chance to settle into something better," she suggested, "but it'll be a pretty long haul to get the Feldspar case to trial. "

"Do you think Darrian will plead guilty?"

"At this point in time, I think he will, unless his attorney talks him out of it. Darrian seems pretty disgusted with life at the moment."

"What about Doug and Rosemary?"

"Honestly, I think together they may begin to heal and to be a lot better for it. What would also be good is if Daisy could meet them and could find some peace for herself too."

"Daisy Mahoney, the first wife of Jet, right? So, what about Doug's biological mother?"

"Now that she has legit medical care, the best money can buy, she has hopefully more possibilities available to her.… It's a beautiful day out here, warmer than I expected."

"It is," he replied.

She sat up, took off her hoodie, and stripped off her T-shirt. In seconds she was down to the buff.

He gasped, sat up, looked around for nearby boats, and whispered, "I didn't think it was that warm."

"Oh, the cold is not so bad," she shared with a knowing look. "I figured I can warm you up, at the same time I warm myself up." And she started stripping him down, while he laughed—not exactly fighting her off but definitely making her work for it. By the time she rolled down onto the cool deck beside him, he was more than ready for her. He pulled her arms up over her head, slid down her body, showering her with deep, passionate kisses. Then he murmured, "If this is makeup sex after closing a case, I'm all for it."

She pulled him down and whispered, "Less talk, more action." That was the last coherent word she managed to get out, as they made love outside in the sunlight.

When he finally collapsed beside her, she groaned and whispered, "And, no, it's definitely not makeup sex.… It's I'm so happy to be alive sex."

He rolled over, kissed her gently, pulled her up against his chest, and whispered, "That's okay too."

She smiled. "I'm glad to hear it."

"You cold? Do I need to grab a blanket?" With her nod, Simon stood and grabbed a couple blankets off the nearby deck chairs. He quickly covered her, then spooned with her, covering them both with the second blanket. "Now what is on your plate?"

"I get a couple days off to relax, and then you know what will happen. It'll be back to work on the next case. That's just how the system works."

He laughed. "With time off to sail and to have happy to be alive sex, you seem to handle things just fine."