Chapter 12

Luis's right foot washed ashore last week. The police think it belonged to a drowned fisherman or migrant, but they found it near where I dumped the body. Also, the foot was in a black cowboy boot, and I can still feel the leather of his boots as I dragged the body across the beach to his boat.

I shiver, but not from the cold.

A male silhouette appears in the light, hand on his gun. "Let me see your license." I can't see his face, but the voice sounds young.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Walking on the beach."

"At one in the morning?"

"I couldn't sleep. My job can be pretty stressful."

"Did you see anyone on the beach?"

"No, but I noticed a pickup parked on the side of the road about a half mile back."

He nodded. "We saw it. Mind if I search your car?"

My pulse starts to race again. I need to find out where the leak is and plug it fast. If I don't—

A tap at my window makes me jump. The young officer is smiling. "Sorry to startle you," he says as I roll down the window. He hands me my license. "You can go now. You shouldn't come down here during the night. It's not safe."

I nod. "Yes. Yes, I realize that now."

***

"You can look away when we eat them then. I'll be glad to have yours."

A corner of Beckett's lips lifted. "You with powdered sugar on your face would be way more tempting than the beignet."

Hez's posture went rigid at their friendly exchange, and her gaze swung back to him. Except for the tired lines around his eyes, she never would have guessed yesterday had been as tough for him as it had been for her. And maybe it hadn't. He'd always been a master at compartmentalizing his life. Once he got over the shock of Ella's death, the stacks of folders and his distraction with work had only grown.

And so had the mound of empty liquor bottles.

She blinked and refocused her attention on the problem facing them. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Hez pulled out his phone and glanced at it. "Andersen is a definite possibility. His reason for being there is flimsy. In my view a lie immediately takes a suspect to the top of the list."

"Well done," Savannah said. "Any hint of where the money is coming from?"

"Shouldn't the report show where the money came from and where it went?" Hez said.

"The reports I can access are general without the detail we need. We need more information."

Hez glanced at Savannah. "Who would have complete access? Jess?"

She saw where this was heading and nodded. "Jess is the CFO and can see everything."

Beckett chuckled, but Hez's eyes narrowed. He'd likely charge to her defense if he deemed it necessary. The thought of having him as a protector brought more comfort than it should.

And an hour later she was even less sure. There was no sign he'd been to Ella's grave at all.