Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [57]
The kitchen phone began to ring, a reminder that she had responsibilities and people in her life who needed her to do the right thing. "I better get that." She moved past Tyler and into the house, reaching for the telephone on the kitchen wall. "Hello?"
"It's Caroline, Kate. You need to come down to the marina right away."
She didn't like the tense note in her sister's voice. "Why? What's wrong? Is it Dad?"
"It's the Moon Dancer. She's back."
Kate hung up the phone with a shaky hand. She'd known the boat was coming back, hadn't she? So why was she so shocked?
Tyler stood in the doorway, staring at her. "Does your father need another ride home?"
"What? Oh, no." She grabbed her keys off the counter. "I have to go." She urged him down the hall and onto the front porch. "Don't follow me this time," she said as she ran across the yard to her car.
"You know I will," he called back.
"It's none of your business."
She slammed the car door and pealed out of the driveway. With any luck she could lose him on the way to town.
*
"It's none of our business," Ashley whispered as Caroline dragged her down the sidewalk leading to the marina. "We should stay out of it."
"None of our business?" Caroline asked in amazement. "K.C. Wales bought our boat and brought it back here to sail right in front of us. I think we're supposed to be involved in this. That's why he's sticking it in our faces."
"We should wait for Kate." Ashley stopped walking. It was the only way to slow Caroline down. "What exactly are we going to do? What are we going to say?"
Caroline tapped her foot impatiently. "I don't know yet."
"Let's think about it for a minute."
"I want to know why K.C. brought the boat back here. I'll just ask him."
"That's not a good plan."
"What's wrong with it?"
That was the problem with Caroline, Ashley thought. She never thought before she acted. "K.C. knows things, remember? There's a reporter in town, remember? We have to be careful. Let's wait for Kate."
"Fine. But if K.C. comes down this path before Kate gets here, I'm asking him what's up. I'm not afraid, even if you are."
It wasn't fear Ashley was feeling right now but uneasiness and maybe a hint of ... longing? Was it possible that she wanted to see the Moon Dancer again?
No, that was crazy. That boat had been the site of her worst nightmare. Their home at sea had turned into a living hell. She couldn't possibly want to see it again, so why was she craning her neck, hoping to catch another glimpse?
"I'm calling Dad," Caroline said, taking out her cell phone. "He needs to know. We can't let him be blindsided."
"Maybe he already knows. Kate was going to tell him."
"I don't think she did. She's been so caught up with that reporter."
"Let's wait and ask her."
"It's ringing," Caroline said. "Damn. No answer."
"Would you just take a breath, Caroline? We don't have to talk to Dad yet."
Ashley wasn't up to dealing with her father on top of everything else. Her relationship with Duncan had always been awkward. She didn't have Caroline's faith in her father or Kate's unending loyalty. In fact, sometimes she didn't care for him at all.
Ashley was relieved to see Kate's car pull up in a nearby space.
"You didn't talk to K.C. yet, did you?" Kate asked breathlessly as she stopped in front of them.
"Not yet," Ashley replied.
"Good." Kate cast a quick look over her shoulder. "Tyler is probably on his way here right now. I tried to ditch him, but I don't think I succeeded. He drives very fast."
"Did you tell Dad