Unfortunately for it, the seagulls noticed its escape. Four gulls swooped down, but the little crustacean waved its claws again, giving the tough guy act all he had.
One seagull grabbed for him. The crab squatted, dug, and the next wave covered him up. When the wave pulled away, the crab was gone.
“Nice getaway,” Jean noted. “That was just a crab right? Not something…” She wiggled her fingers.
“Looked like a crab to me. Myra?”
She frowned. “All the windows were rolled up.”
“Yeah,” I said.
“The trunk?” she asked Jean.
“Empty. No holes under it I could see. But maybe under the seats?”
“So,” Ryder said wrapping his arm behind my back, his fingers catching the belt loop on my hip. “We’re thinking the car landed on top of the crab and it crawled up into it through a hole in the floor? That sounds likely.”
None of us said anything because it did not sound likely.
“So…we go after it?” Jean asked.
“It’s gone,” Myra said, echoing my thoughts.
“Okay,” she said. “What’s our story?”
I leaned my head on Ryder’s shoulder for just a minute, then leaned away from him.
His hand dragged across my low back, a gesture of such casual familiarity, my heart jumped.
“We’re going with microburst,” I said. “Myra, you’re on phones and community outreach. Get Hatter and Shoe to explain things in person if anyone saw it and needs convincing.”
She started up the beach. “Got it.”
“Jean…”
“Already ahead of you. Tow the vehicle so we can go over it for evidence.” She lifted her phone to her ear. “Hey, Frigg. You got a truck that can tow a muscle car stuck on the beach before high tide?”
She turned north, laughing at something the goddess said in reply.
“You want me to check in with the kite people down the beach or the houses up on the hill?” Ryder asked.
“You’re not on duty today.”
“I know.” The wind tossed his hair, stirring amber and gold into it.
“Then, no, we’ve got this. Are you working your regular job?”
“I’ll probably stop by the office. We have a couple projects on the hook. See if we can reel them in.”
“You keep up this pace and every remodel and new build in town is going to be a Bailey special.”
“That’s the plan. Think of all that sweet cash. We’re going to need it. For the wedding.” He moved in, closing the gap between us. “And the honeymoon.”
His fingers pressed the side of my chin, moving my face up toward his so he could kiss me.
And kiss me, he did.
He tasted of coffee and burnt toast and sweet blackberry honey. He tasted like love.
