Of course she’d known Clancy Flynn was an island boy. But in her rush to get Christina to safety, it had never even occurred to her that he might still live here or that he would even remember her, let alone be chief of police! After all, it had been eighteen years. He’d never even written her back, so she couldn’t have meant anything special to him.
He smiled at Christina. “I am Police Chief Clancy Flynn, at your service. And who are you?”
Evelyn stiffened, afraid that Christina would answer that question truthfully. How stupid of her to stand there in a fog like that, preoccupied with memories! She couldn’t afford to lose her focus. “This is—”
“I’m a pirate boy!” Christina called out, wiggling to be let down. She stood on the boardwalk and looked up at him with big eyes. “I am Pirate Jellybean! Are you a policemans?”
Clancy leaned toward Christina, grinning. “I am.” Kindness softened his dark blue gaze, and gentleness warmed his voice.
“Good, ’cause at school they say if I need help I can go see a policemans and he would help me. I want to be one of the policemans when I grow up.”
Clancy glanced briefly at Evelyn, his expression bright with amusement. “You know, that sounds like an excellent plan. Maybe you could come visit the police station while you’re on Bayberry Island.”
Evelyn couldn’t help but think that invitation was as much for her as it was Christina. “Thanks!” She hated how nervous she sounded, but she had to get out of there. “We should probably let you get back to work. Thank you very much, Officer.”
She propped Christina on her hip once more, adjusted the bag’s shoulder strap, and walked away. One foot in front of the other. Four blocks to go. Evelyn kept moving, not looking back, not glancing around, not giving Clancy Flynn another second to try to put the puzzle together.
Thank God she was wearing the sunglasses and hat.
Evelyn told herself she could do this. Everything would be all right. She would find a way.
Eighteen years ago . . .
“Would you hurry up? Everybody’s waiting!”
Evie resisted, digging heels into the sand and trying to yank her arm free from her sister’s grip. Amanda might have been two years younger and four inches shorter, but she was strong. And stubborn. “I still don’t think we should go. Mom said—”
“Mom said that Evelyn McGuinness needs to loosen up and not be such a pansy-ass. Mom said you only live once so you’d better have all the fun you possibly can while you’re on vacation because you may never get back here again!”
Evie was shocked. “She didn’t say that, did she?”
“Oh, my God. You’re completely clueless.” Amanda grabbed her by the crook of the elbow and started running. Evie jogged along, still not convinced.
“You know that ‘no swimming’ areas exist for a reason, right? Sometimes there’s a strong undertow or a rip current, and other times there are rocks you can’t see and if the waves throw you against them—”
“But those boys were so cute! C’mon! If we don’t hurry we won’t know where everybody went!”
“So, wait. Where did you meet these kids? We just got here about an hour ago.”
“You are so out of it, Evie. Didn’t you see that group hanging out on the boardwalk when we waited for our taxi?”
She tried to remember. “No.”
“Okay, well, that’s because you’re a complete airhead and boys don’t matter to you. I think something’s wrong with your hormones.”