AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Frustrated, Kit had joined Baz’s search for the victim. They’d hoped that the high school class ring the girl had worn on the chain around her neck would allow for a quick ID, but that hadn’t panned out. No young women had disappeared from that high school, and they’d have to wait until morning to trace the ring itself, so they’d printed up the missing-person reports for young women—blond, petite—who’d gone missing between one and two years ago.
It had been a tragically big stack. Most had been labeled as runaways. Which, of course, brought back memories of Wren. The cops had initially said she’d run away, too, because she’d had a “history” of it.
A history of one fucking time. Wren and Kit had run from their foster home when they’d been twelve years old. Before Kit had arrived in the home, Wren had been too scared to run alone. Then they’d landed in McKittrick House, and there had been no reason for either of them to run ever again.
After reviewing the missing-person reports, she and Baz had ID’d the victim in the grave in the park by the Ariana Grande T-shirt she’d been wearing when last seen. Jaelyn Watts, age sixteen. Her family had been frantic when she’d disappeared. But she’d recently snuck off to Los Angeles with her friends to try out for a sitcom in an open casting call and had, therefore, been labeled a runaway, the investigation going cold. Kit would make sure to call the officer who’d taken the report to tell him that she’d been found in an unmarked grave. She hoped it would make him think twice in the future about dismissing a missing child as a runaway.
Sighing, she gathered her things and locked her Subaru. Parking wasn’t cheap in the marina, but it was one of the few expenses she had, so she’d paid extra for a spot close to her boat. It helped when she got called to a crime scene in the middle of the night.
She frowned as she approached her boat. There was a light burning in the portlight window. Akiko must have left it on when she picked up Snickerdoodle that afternoon.
Kit couldn’t complain about the wasted electricity, though. Not when Akiko was nice enough to take care of her dog.
She did a visual check of the deck as she boarded, making sure everything was where it was supposed to be. The marina had excellent security, but this was her older brother Arthur’s sailboat and she would be a good tenant.
She heard the music as soon as she opened the cabin door. Faint at first, the sound of twanging guitars grew louder as she descended. Country music.
Akiko was here. Which meant Snickerdoodle was, too.
Kit felt instantly calmer.
One thing about living on a thirty-eight-foot boat was that everything was within sight. Akiko was sitting on the bed, reading a book. She gave Kit a wave as Snickerdoodle bounded off the bed, coming to meet her with tail-wagging joy, just as she did every day.
Kit knelt on one knee to hug her, absorbing the welcome. “What are you guys doing here?” she asked, giving Snick a scratch behind the ears where she liked it best.
Akiko followed Snickerdoodle into the main cabin. “I had a cancellation tomorrow, so I figured I’d bring Snick back and wait for you.”
Kit rose, frowning. Tomorrow’s trip was an all-day charter. “How rude to cancel on you last minute like that. I hope they don’t get their money back.” Because Akiko had too many expenses to lose so much cash.
“They won’t, and they didn’t fight me over it. It was a bachelor party, but the groom caught the bride in bed with her ex and...” She shrugged. “The best man is taking care of canceling everything because the groom is in shock. I told the best man that when the groom feels better, they can rebook at a discount.”
Her sister had a soft heart. “It’s a wonder you make a profit at all,” Kit grumbled.
“Being kind gets me return customers. The best man’s already booked a spot on one of my regular fishing cruises.”
“Okay.” Kit inhaled and her stomach growled loudly. Something smelled good. “Did you cook?”
“I did. I grilled up some of yesterday’s catch at my place and brought it over. You want me to zap it for you?”
“Do you mind?”
“Of course not. Sit down, Kit. You look tired.”
“I am.” She sank onto the sofa, patting her lap. Snickerdoodle jumped up and cuddled, instantly making her feel a little better.
Within minutes, she had a plate filled with bluefin tuna, buttery potatoes, and fresh snap peas. The potatoes and peas had come from Harlan and Betsy’s farm, so they’d be delicious.
Akiko curled up on the sofa beside her, cradling a cup of tea. She waited silently as Kit ate, knowing it wasn’t worth asking questions until the plate was clean.
Kit swallowed the last bite and sighed. “Thank you. I was so hungry and dreading a microwave meal.” The microwave oven had been one of the few appliances she’d added since moving onto the boat two years before. It worked well here in the marina with the electrical hookup. It was harder to power when she took the boat out on the open water, so those days she ate sandwiches.
Arthur had taken most of his meals at the naval base when he’d lived here, as had Kit when she’d been with the Coast Guard. Unfortunately, her schedule as a detective didn’t always mesh with take-out places, so she depended on that microwave at the end of a long day.
“I told you that I’d cook for you,” Akiko said mildly. “I’m cooking for myself anyway, and I don’t mind doubling up for you.”
Kit got up to wash her dishes. It was an old argument. Akiko always offered, but Kit never wanted to put her out. “I hate to put you to the trouble.”
Akiko shook her head. “I like to cook, unlike you. I don’t mind, Kitty-Cat. I really don’t. In fact, I think I’m going to take the decision out of your hands. From here on out, I will double whatever dinners I make and just bring them out to you. I’ll send you a bill for your share of the groceries at the end of the month.”
