“I know.”
“The worst thing is knowing those bastards just threw Carla’s body overboard.”
“I’m just glad it wasn’t you!” he said.
We were both quiet a moment. I still didn’t know why I hadn’t drowned. Klaire claimed the mermaid had rushed me to the surface. The coast guard said it might have been a dolphin, but they didn’t know. Who could explain these things?
“What about Jade?” Will asked.
“Sophie Paulson and her husband want to adopt her. Jade seems to like the idea.” I felt energy in Will’s steady gaze “But I plan to spend time with her,” I said. “No matter what.”
He placed a hand lightly on my arm. “What about us. Are we okay now?”
“Yeah.” We’d talked about it the night before. After everything that had happened, my anger had evaporated.
He grinned. “So what are you doing tonight?”
“You’re getting a little ahead of me, Will,” I said. We had a flight back to Fort Lauderdale that evening, but I wasn’t finished in Baltimore. “I’ve got something I have to do this afternoon.”
He held his palms out. “Okay.”
“I’d like it if you came with me.”
* * * *
The cemetery wasn’t far from the home in Pikesville. Will and I stood over a small memorial stone marking the spot where Carla’s ashes had been buried earlier.
I stared at the ground a moment. “Will, the girl that died the first night I came to Hallandale? Her name was Dana. She had a family, too. Bailey told me they buried her in Boca after they identified her body.” I paused and breathed in to steady myself. After the Coast Guard found Carla’s body, Bailey had taken me to the morgue to identify her. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
Get a grip, Nikki.
I sighed. “They abducted Dana, like Jade. Currito kept them together for a while, but Jade said they took Dana away. That night, she died on the street.”
Will put an arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry you saw that.”
“I’m okay,” I said. “At least I know her name.”
“You need to think about good stuff, too,” he said. “Like you get to keep Diablo.”
I felt my spirits lift. “At least until they settle Currito’s estate.” But that could take a long, long time.
I knelt on the soil and took a garden trowel from my tote bag.
“Let me help you,” Will said.
“No. I need to do this.”
I dug a hole about eight inches deep, then pulled the sea horse box from my bag. I removed the little mermaid carving, lay her in the ground next to Carla’s urn, and carefully covered her with dirt.
Will took my hand, and we left the cemetery. It was time to get back to the horses.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A huge thanks to the individuals who took their time to answer endless questions regarding law enforcement procedure: Detective Travis Mandell, Media Relations Coordinator, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Anthony Maniglia, Community Service Aide, Hallandale Beach Police Department, J. Todd Scott, Special Agent, DEA.
Contents
DEDICATION
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
CHAPTER 46
CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 48
CHAPTER 49
CHAPTER 50
CHAPTER 51
CHAPTER 52
CHAPTER 53
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS