Landon paused, then responded evasively, “Hard to say at this point. It could be an accident or something else… Why don’t we wait and see what the fire marshal says—”
She could tell that he was dodging the issue and wouldn’t let him off the hook, considering what had happened. “Eddie told me to talk to you—after leaving me a voicemail, telling me he was in trouble… He seemed to fear for his life—”
Landon ran a hand across his mouth musingly before meeting her gaze. “He had a reason for that… We can discuss it later. For now, I’d rather focus on your brother’s current plight and go from there.”
Or, in other words, wait to confirm that Eddie is dead before elaborating on the details, Raquelle told herself, reading between the lines. She wasn’t really in a position to argue the point, aware of just how obstinate her ex-husband could be at times. Even when acting as an FBI special agent. But she needed to know what was going on that brought him and Eddie together, apparently putting her brother in harm’s way.
“All right,” she acquiesced.
Landon nodded and went into contemplative mode,which told Raquelle he was clearly troubled about their being reunited under such scary circumstances. So was she. More than once, she had considered taking the first step in reopening the lines of communication. At the very least, she wanted to come to some better understanding about why things fell apart between them. But as always, it never seemed like the right time. And for his part, as he made no serious effort in this regard, it seemed pointless.
Raquelle’s reverie was broken when they were approached by the South Carolina State Fire Marshal Joseph Lieberstein. He was in his fifties and thickset, with graying hair in a short comb-over style and bushy brows. Looking grim, he took a breath as he gazed at her and asked knowingly, “Your brother owned the boat?”
“Yes,” Raquelle told him, nerves rattled. “Eddie Jernigan.”
Lieberstein nodded and said with a catch to his tone, “The boat was totally destroyed by the fire.” A pause. “We didn’t find any human remains on the boat,” he said flatly.
Raising a brow in disbelief, Raquelle asked him hopefully, “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” the fire marshal responded. “If anyone was on board beforehand, they were able to escape before the explosion.”
Thank goodness for that, she thought, breathing a huge sigh of relief that her brother might still be alive.
Landon stepped toward him and, after flashing his credentials while identifying himself, asked the fire marshal deliberately, “Do you have any idea how the fire started?”
Lieberstein pinched his long nose. “Still in the early stages of the investigation, but it appears as though an explosive device went off on the boat. Whether this wasmeant more to destroy whatever was on it or targeting the owner in specific, remains to be seen. We’ve called in the Falona County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad.”
“Okay.” Landon frowned. “Someone was definitely sending a message of sorts,” he contended. “The sooner we can get to the bottom of it, the better for everyone.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Lieberstein said and then eyed Raquelle. “Hope you can locate your brother alive and well.”
“Me too,” she told him. The notion of a bomb detonating on Eddie’s boat—likely intended to go off with him on it—frazzled Raquelle’s emotions. She watched the fire marshal walk away, then she turned to Landon. “I saw a man wearing a hoodie, running away from the boats,” she recalled. “Could he have been responsible for the explosion—believing that Eddie was on his boat…?”
“It’s possible,” Landon conceded. He regarded her thoughtfully. “Could it have been Eddie that you saw leaving the scene of the crime?”
“Eddie?” Raquelle batted her lashes. “No! I’m sure I would recognize my own brother—thank you.” She understood that he was asking the question in more of an official capacity than as a former brother-in-law. Or ex-spouse. Still, the mere suggestion that Eddie might have blown up his own cherished boat was way off base.
“Had to ask.” Landon’s voice softened guiltily. “We’ll see what investigators and surveillance cameras come up with. In the meantime, if Eddie is still alive, we need to find him.”
“You’re right—we do.” Raquelle was glad that he wasn’t shutting her out. At least in this instance, in which she had to know that her brother was okay. Shestill needed Landon to be upfront with her on whatever information he had on this situation.
“We can start off by seeing if Eddie’s at his apartment.” Landon brushed against her shoulder, causing an immediate ripple effect throughout Raquelle’s body. “I’ll follow you there. And keep trying to see if you can reach him by phone. Or if he tries to contact you in any way, let me know.”
“I will,” she promised and headed with him to the parking area while managing to keep her emotions in check for now.
* * *
LANDON WAITED FORher to get inside her vehicle. He started to say something but held up, not believing it was the time to say more about Eddie and his possible fate. “See you in a bit,” he said instead and stood mute till she drove off.
Heading to his own SUV, Landon took out his cell phone and called Katie Kitagawa to share the disquieting news about Eddie.
She picked up with a teasing, “Hey. Miss me already, Briscoe?”
Normally, he might have found an appropriately amusing comeback, knowing that she was happily dating Tony Razo, the US marshal for the District of South Carolina. Instead, Landon got right to the point as he said tersely, “My CI’s boat just exploded.”
“Seriously?” Katie asked shockingly.
“Yeah. Went up in flames at the Knotter Marina. The fire marshal thinks it was a bomb.”
