Amber Beach (2 page)

“Smart of them.”

“That’s a matter of opinion.”

“Your brother didn’t go missing in Disneyland.”

Honor’s mouth flattened.

The phone rang. She reached for it with a sense of relief. If another reporter was calling, she would enjoy slamming the receiver down in his ear.

“Donovan residence.”

“Hi, Honor. How’s it going?”

Her oldest brother’s deep, impatient voice came through the receiver as though pushed through wet sand.

“You sound like you’re on another planet”, she said.

“Petropavlosk/Koryak. Autonomous Region.”

“Say again?”

“Eastern Russia to folks who don’t live here. The Kamchatka Peninsula.”

Honor’s hand tightened as she tried to keep hope or dread from thickening her voice. “Have you found Kyle?” she asked starkly.

“No.”

“Neither have the police.”

“The police! Did you call them after I told you not…”

“I didn’t have to call anyone”, she interrupted. “For the last three days cops have been all over Kyle’s cottage like a bad smell. What’s going on?”

Static filled the line. She could almost hear Archer thinking fast and hard.

“What did they want?” he asked.

“Like you, they don’t answer questions, just ask them.”

“What questions?”

“Who am I, what am I doing here, when was the last time I saw Kyle, when was the last time I heard from him, have I received any packages…”

Very carefully, Jake put the piece of amber back in the box and set it on the desk.

“… do I know a man with two fingers missing on his left hand and Third World dental work…” Honor said as though reciting a lesson.

Jake wished he could swear aloud. Every word she said told him more than he wanted to know about Kyle and Honor and amber… and not nearly enough. Either she was a hell of an actress hiding knowledge of where Kyle had stashed the amber or she was an innocent sucked into a game only pros should play.

He hoped she was an actress. But whether innocent or as guilty as her brother, Honor still was Jake’s only chance of finding the missing amber.

“… am I sure I haven’t seen or heard from Kyle”, she continued in a monotone, “when did he come back, why didn’t he contact me when he landed in Seattle…”

“What?” Archer demanded. “When did Kyle…?”

“Ask the cops”, she interrupted curtly. “It’s their story, not mine. I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Kyle. Reading between the lines, his passport came through SeaTac. Presumably with him.”

Her brother let out his breath in a string of Afghani curses.

“I’m sure I would agree if I spoke the language”, she said. “What’s going on?”

“Have you checked Kyle’s post office box?”

Her fingers clenched around the phone. “I repeat. What
is going on?”

“What about his answering machine?”

Silence and static gathered.

As always, Archer outwaited his younger sister.

“Yes and yes”, she said through her teeth.

“And?”

“No and no.”

“Keep trying.”

“It would help if I knew what I was looking for.”

“Your brother. You remember him, don’t you? Kyle of the charming smile and strange eyes.”

“Don’t forget the stolen amber”, she retorted.

“What?”

“Stolen. Amber. Am I ringing any bells?”

“I’d ring your bell if I could get my hands on you. What kind of amber?”

“Ask the cops.”

“That was all they said?” Archer asked. “Stolen amber?”

“Yes.”

“Raw or worked?”

“They didn’t say. What was in the shipment that disappeared along with Kyle?”

“Who said anything about a shipment of amber disappearing?”

“The cops.”

Archer grunted. “Not good. Someone is telling tales out of school.”

“Don’t look at me. You haven’t told me anything except to come here and wait. Is it true?”

“What?”

“Did Kyle disappear along with a fortune in stolen Baltic amber?”

“I don’t know. Is that what the cops are saying?”

“Implying”, she said distinctly. “There’s a difference. The difference between being questioned and being charged. What about Lawe? Where is he?”

“Last I heard, he was still in Lithuania.”

“What about Justin?”

“Kaliningrad”, Archer said. “Is Faith with you?”

“No. She’s on her way back to San Francisco from Tokyo. She’s going to spend a few weeks in Hawaii along the way.”

“For these small things, Lord, I am grateful.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that you and your dear twin get into more trouble together than apart.”

“The same could be said of Lawe and Justin”, she pointed out. “But look on the bright side.”

“Show it to me.”

“Mom could have had three girls. Faith, Honor, and Chastity. Can you imagine being saddled with a sister called Chastity?”

Her brother laughed, surprising both of them. “Thanks, I needed that.”

“What?”

“A laugh.”

Honor’s smile was as sad as her eyes. “Archer?”

“Yeah?”

“You think he’s still alive, don’t you?”

The static had never sounded more unnerving. She held her breath, waiting.

“Until I see the body…” Archer’s voice faded.

“Yes.” She took a harsh breath. “Kyle isn’t a thief or a
murderer!”

Silence stretched. A chill went over Honor.

“Archer?”

“Kyle was thinking with his hormones.”

“What does that mean?”

“Some little prick tease had him tied up in knots.”

“Are you saying that Kyle wanted this woman enough to steal for her?” Honor asked.

Eyes closed, breath held, she waited for Archer’s answer. All that came was silence followed by static. After too long her brother swore wearily, drowning out the static. In her mind she saw him raking his fingers though his dark hair in a gesture of frustration that all of the Donovan men shared.

“We don’t know what happened”, he said. “The evidence against Kyle looks good. Too damned good. Almost like…”

Again, Archer’s voice faded into static.

“Keep talking”, she said. “Tell me you don’t think what the cops think about Kyle.”

“That he’s guilty of theft?”

“And murder.”

“Whatever happened, I think that the explanations I’m hearing are too tidy.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Too long and involved. Just take my word for it.”

“But…”

“Have you checked the boat?” Archer interrupted.

“For something smaller than my six-feet, two-inch brother?” she asked sweetly.

“Never mind. I’m sending you back home.”

“What? I just got here.”

“You’re leaving.”

“What about Kyle’s boat?”

“Stay off it. Even tied at the dock, the
Tomorrow
is way
out of your league. Pack up, Hornet. Go on back home and design gemmy little knickknacks for Faith.”

Honor hated that particular nickname. She also hated being treated like she was addicted to all-day suckers.

“Archer, you…”

“If the cops bother you before you leave”, he said, talking over her, “sic one of Donovan International’s lawyers on them.”

“What about reporters?” she asked tightly.

“No comment.”

“No problem. I don’t know anything.”

“That’s the whole idea. Start packing.”

“But…”

She was talking into a dead phone. With a disgusted word she dropped the receiver back into the cradle. It would be a cold day in hell before she tamely packed her bags and left. She wasn’t some schoolgirl to be ordered around.

“Trouble?” Jake asked.

Honor jumped. She had forgotten she wasn’t alone. She spun around. Jake was standing a few feet away with a local newspaper in his hand. She wondered if he had read the mixture of half-truths and breathless speculation about Kyle Donovan, a mysterious corpse, and missing amber that passed for news in the morning edition of the
Fidalgo Island Patriot.

“Family”, she said tersely. “Can’t live with them and they won’t let you live without them.”

Jake made a sound that could have been understanding, but it was hard to tell with a growl. She chose to believe the rumble offered sympathy.

She needed it. Her oldest brother could have taught tight lips to a clam, the cops thought her favorite brother was a murderous crook, said favorite brother had vanished… and she had just signed up to learn how to fish.

A complete disaster all around.

“Ready to go look at the boat?” Jake asked.

“Why not? Everything else has gone wrong.”

“Your enthusiasm bubbles over like a plugged toilet.”

“Understandable. I’m sooo excited.”

Black eyebrows climbed. “You did advertise for a fishing
guide, correct?”

She took a deep breath. “Yes. Sorry. I’m a bit worn out.”

“You look like you could use a cup of coffee”, he agreed. “Does the galley work on your boat?”

“I think so.”

“You think so.” He shook his head. “Have you owned the
boat long?”

“No. My brother… left it to me.”

The explanation sounded lame even to Honor. She was terrified of small boats and hated fishing, both of which Jake would soon find out. Then he would wonder why she wanted to learn how to run a small boat and go fishing. Maybe he would accept masochism as an excuse.

“I…” She swallowed and tried again. “It’s still painful. I’d rather not talk about it.”

Jake wasn’t surprised. No matter how innocent Honor looked, she was hiding a lot. But then, so was he.

“C’mon”, he said. “Let’s check out your boat.”

Off to the southwest, a bank of clouds lay like a feather comforter on the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula. Overhead, the sun temporarily ruled the sky. The water was like fine blue satin, still and glistening. Only the secret, powerful flow of tidal currents disturbed the calm surface of the strait.

Honor hesitated at the head of the gravel path leading down the rocky bluff to the beach fifteen feet below. The air was cool, clean, scented with fir. The silence was a balm to her unsettled thoughts. She really didn’t want to ruin the small peace she felt by going fishing. On the other hand, anything was better than sitting around and worrying about Kyle. She started toward the dock with a determined stride.

Jake didn’t notice Honor’s hesitation. He went down the path, onto the dock, and stepped into the open stern of the
Tomorrow.
Barely pausing in his stride, he popped open a small compartment on the stern gunwale and cranked the dial around to the on position for both batteries.

When he straightened, he realized that he was still alone on the boat. He turned to see what had happened to his reluctant fishersan.

Honor stood on the dock eyeing the
Tomorrow
the way a suspicious cat eyes a full bathtub.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

“It’s moving.”

He glanced quickly around. Both the bow and stern lines were securely tied to the fore and aft dock cleats.

“What do you
mean?”
he asked. “It’s tied off at both ends.”

“Then why is it bouncing around?”

Jake looked at the deck of the
Tomorrow.
The boat was swaying slightly as it adjusted to his weight and the gentle slapping of salt water disturbed by a breeze.

“Bouncing around”, he said neutrally. “Honor, have you ever been on a boat before?”

“Of course.”

“When?”

“The last time I took a ferry to Vancouver Island.”

“Doesn’t count. Those ferries are almost as big as aircraft carriers.”

“That’s why I like them. They don’t bounce.”

“You’d be surprised what they’ll do in a good wind.”

She ignored him.

“Have you ever been on a
small
boat before?” he asked.

“Once.”

The look on her face said that she hadn’t enjoyed the
experience.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Lawe and Justin – two of my four brothers – took me fishing. A wind came up and the boat bucked like a rodeo bull. I had to lie in the bottom with the fish to keep from going overboard.”