Read Online Whisper Beach by Shelley Noble - Free Book Online Page B

tell ’em to quit. It’s not doing any good, far as I can see.”
    â€œDoesn’t look like it.” Jerry agreed. “Sure hate to see what’shappening to Dana, though. If she had any sense, she’d dump his ass and find a decent guy.”
    â€œWhen pigs fly.” Hal slid off the stool. “Well, I gotta get going. Promised Mary Kate I’d take the kids to Six Flags tomorrow. Hello crowds and junk food, good-bye paycheck.” He plunked some bills down on the bar and looked at Joe. “So are you going to see Van while she’s here?”
    Joe shrugged. “Don’t know that she’s still here.”
    â€œOh yeah, she is. Mary Kate was at the funeral. Van and that other girl, remember the rich sorority one who hung out with them?”
    â€œSuze?”
    â€œYeah, her. Well, Mary Kate says they came to the funeral and then to the pub afterward. And that someone heard they were gonna stay with Dorie for a few days while they try to shore up Gigi.”
    â€œGood luck with that,” said Jerry. “Gigi would do better just to cut bait and start over.”
    Hal nodded and headed for the door.
    Jerry leaned on the bar. “Not for nothin’ but you oughta watch it with those diggers. I know they aren’t doing any harm. Water’s fine . . . at least enough for eating shellfish, just not for selling shellfish.”
    â€œLike I told Bud—”
    â€œYeah, I know. Not your responsibility. And it’s not like the Shellfish Commission is policing the waters. But if you see them, you might want to warn them that Bud’s out to get them. He’s been on his good behavior, but it won’t last. It’s just a matter of time until he takes it out on somebody besides Dana. I wouldn’t want it to be any of those poor suckers. And I wouldn’t want it to be you.”
    He stood. “I gotta get going. I have the early shift tomorrow. Then three night shifts in a row. I need my rest.”
    After Jerry left, Joe finished his dinner, paid, and went out to his truck. Maybe he could catch up on some z ’s himself.
    And he almost made it home. He was approaching the bridge that would take him to the marina when the light turned red. As he sat there waiting for the light to turn again, something just shifted inside him. When the light changed to green, he made a sharp turn toward the shore, leaving the bridge behind.
    He drove a block, two blocks, telling himself he was a fool. Three blocks. A real fool. And an idiot. Four blocks. But what harm would it do? It wasn’t like anyone would ever know.
    He’d just cruise past, see if there was a light on. Dorie would have closed the restaurant by now. She’d be at home, but it was late; she’d probably be in bed. He wouldn’t stop. Just drive by.
    Luckily for his self-esteem, he would never be able to get a parking place on the street, especially on a Saturday night.
    A car pulled out of a space just ahead of him. He slowed even further. A parking place. No yellow paint that he could tell. No fire hydrant. There was nothing stopping him from parking and getting out.
    He drove past. Saw headlights in his rearview mirror. He slammed on the brakes; backed up and into the space. He only made it halfway. But he waited until the car passed by before he pulled out again, aligned the truck properly, and parked.
    And sat. Ten hours ago he’d been doing the same thing. Sitting in the bar. Waiting. And for what? Why was he even doing this? It’s not like they would have anything in common now. But hell, after all these years, he just wanted to know.
    Dorie’s house was dark. The Caddy was gone, but there was a car he didn’t recognize parked on the grass. Van’s? Suze’s?Someone else who’d come from out of town to the funeral and needed a place to stay?
    He drummed a tattoo on the steering wheel, watched the door. But for what? Who did he expect to walk out in