“Want to know how I know this? Because I do a ton of research for my show. I know a lot about criminal enterprises. They all work the same. If you’re at the top, you can get away with just about anything. If you’re at the bottom, you’re fucked. There’s only one way out.”
He waited, making sure he had their attention. Acting was storytelling, after all, and that was what he loved the most. Storytelling connected people, transported people. It required all kinds of skills that kept coming in handy. He decided to never dismiss his choice of career again.
“What?” Jimmy finally asked. “Turn ourselves in like fucking pussies? No one’s going to believe us. We all have records.”
“I’ll vouch for you. Other people on this island will too. We know you aren’t bad guys. But if you let that drug into the community, well, you will be bad guys. No one’s going to forget or forgive that.”
He knew the island community was important to the Clydes, even though they might chafe against it. They were distantly related to many of the other longtime island families. Those roots went deep; would they really want to cause harm to Sea Smoke Island?
Clyde spoke for the first time. He’d been quiet up to now, watching and listening. “They said it would just pass through here. It’s going other places.”
“Like where?”
They exchanged glances, as if they knew, but didn’t want to say. Jack did a mental fist pump—they could probably expose the entire operation, if they agreed to.
“What do you say? You guys can still be heroes here. Let me go, help me find Jessie, and finish what Benny started. Save the girl, save the island,” he added.
“Tick-tock.” They all startled as a cool female voice interrupted them. “Anyone who wants to be a hero better speak up now.” Tina stood in the door of the fish house, a gun trained on the Clyde crew, a flashlight tucked under one armpit.
The sight of her felt like a jolt of electricity reorienting the entire world. She had smudges of dirt on her face and her hair was more tangled than he’d ever seen it, but he could have kissed every inch of her.
Then he caught sight of Jessie hovering behind her, sweating profusely. “Tina, watch out?—”
“It’s okay. I know what Jessie’s going through. We’re good.” She shot a glance at Jessie, who confirmed with a nod.
Jessie shifted her body so he could see her hands tied behind her back with a trailing vine. “I told her to do this,” Jessie said, her voice shaking. “I trust her, but I don’t trust myself.”
His heart broke all over again, but a glance at Tina sent reassurance rushing through him. It was her sheer competence that got him. He could trust her with Jessie.
“Okay, guys, time to wrap it up,” she said briskly. “I will be taking statements, and the best deals go to the early birds. Jack, your phone?”
He gestured toward his pocket. She had to walk past the Clyde cousins to reach him, which she did without a trace of fear or intimidation.
The Clydes watched her every move.
“You’re a cop?” Pete asked incredulously.
“Harbortown PD. It’s not my first time out here dealing with miscreants.” She reached Jack and fished his phone from his pocket.
“Wait, are you the one that arrested those Carmichaels?” asked Brendan.
Tina sketched a little bow. “That would be me.”
“If you went after the Carmichaels, you’re all right with us.” Clyde spoke as if that was the final say on the matter. “We’ll talk to you. Pete, untie our old buddy Jack.”
Jack kept his chuckle to himself. So he was suddenly an old buddy? Fine, so be it. As soon as he was free, he jumped to his feet and hurried toward Jessie.
She shrank away from him, as if she was too embarrassed to look at him. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“It’s okay. It’s okay.” He put his arms around her and rocked her. As she sobbed against his chest, he kept a careful eye on the Clydes.
Despite Clyde’s declaration, Tina was still being cautious, training her gun on them while she tried to dial with her other hand.
He let Jessie go and strode to Tina’s side. “Give me that gun. I’ll hold it while you dial.”
She laughed a little. “You know, I’ve watched every episode of Dark of Night and I noticed that you never actually fire a gun.”
“That’s because Denver Black relies on his clever mind instead of firepower. But I can hold it very realistically.”
