Mary exhaled smoke, letting the wind steal it away. “I always remember what I’m owed.”
Cass had her legs tucked beneath her and scrolled through photos of the beach they were heading to. She felt tension in the air and decided to change it.
“Parsons Beach has sand that sparkles with bits of amethyst. Plus, you can find large gemstones. It’s the island’s hidden treasure.” She turned her phone toward Harmony.
“The island tends to hide everything important,” Mary murmured. “Treasure is just one of the prettier lies.”
Harmony felt the wordliesland between them like a stone dropped into water—ripples unseen but inevitable.
“Sounds poetic,” Tosh said from the passenger seat. His hand rested casually on Torie’s thigh. She didn’t move it away. “You should sell that line to a greeting card company.”
Mary’s smile was faint. “I don’t write lies for a living. I live with them.”
Harmony caught Mary’s reflection in the rearview mirror—a shadow of a smile, the kind that never reached her eyes.
Behind them, Zach’s old truck rattled along the road. He’d offered to follow in case Mary’s vehicle got tired of the climb. Joe rode with him, sunglasses perched on his forehead, his grin easy and open—the kind of man who always looked happy, even if the world burned around him.
The road climbed higher. A shadow slid across the canyon below—just a passing cloud, but something about it sent a quick jolt through Harmony’s chest. For a moment, she swore the island was watching them weave their way through its inner sanctuary . . . and it clearly didn’t approve.
She glanced back once, half expecting to see another vehicle rounding the bend behind Zach’s truck, some unseen follower keeping their distance. The road was empty. The feeling wasn’t.
The SUV bumped around a bend, and Harmony let her gaze sweep across the hills. Golden grass swayed in slow ripples. Wild sage brushed the edges of the cliffs. The sea below glittered with indifferent light.
“It’s beautiful,” Cass murmured.
“Some places only reveal themselves at dawn,” Mary said, her voice distant. “Some secrets want to be found. Others want to stay buried. Deputy Ciscel once told me they sometimes lose people out here. Currents, cliffs, bad choices. By the time anyone notices, the island’s already decided what it wants to keep.”
“That’s not comforting,” Cass muttered as she shivered.
Tosh shot Mary a sideways grin. “Other people want to chase you back down the mountain, not drown you.”
“I hope someone chases you,” Torie said. She didn’t mean it in a good way—more like aFriday the 13thsort of chase, where Tosh trips.
Harmony leaned her head back, letting the hum beneath her ribs settle. She wasn’t sure anymore whether it was fear, anticipation, or something else entirely.
When they reached the beach, the view silenced all of them. The water below gleamed like cut glass—lavender and turquoise beneath the sun. A gull cried above the surf, and the island stretched away in a sprawl of cliffs and palms.
“This,” Cass whispered, “is unfairly beautiful. It’s amazing that we get to see it when so few do.”
“Yep, gotta have a special permit to drive the inner island roads,” Mary said.
“Takes thirty years on a waiting list to get one,” Tosh pointed out.
“That’s insane,” Harmony said.
“It keeps the island safe,” Torie said.
“I feel humbled being here,” Harmony said. “It really is spectacular.”
Mary turned off the ignition and smirked. “Do you really think beauty is fair?”
“Probably not,” Harmony admitted.
Mary gave a nod of approval. “Was this worth the early start?”
“More than worth it,” Harmony said. Beauty hurt, though. It always had. Harmony didn’t trust anything this perfect. She’d learned that perfection was usually the final breath before something shattered.
They climbed from the vehicle, leaving their shoes behind. Tosh carried the cooler. Torie carried her resentment, disguised as charm. Zach handed out beers and rum while Cass shrieked as the cold surf grabbed her toes.
