Wet(20)

“We’ve got them under control,” Brody assured him. “We can’t keep them off the streets but we can keep them out of the shops and restaurants.” He grunted something under his breath and added, “I also can’t keep tourists, or anyone else for that matter, from being interviewed. So far it appears the town’s protecting her privacy.”

Trent clenched his jaw, happy the townsfolk had her back and unhappy about the fact that he couldn’t spend time with her without their every movement captured and splashed across the TV.

After hanging up, he talked to Adam then loaded his truck with tools and made his way to the beachside cottage. Waves sounded in the distance and a few blocks away Trent could hear the vendors vying for the tourist dollar as he walked the perimeter and examined the exterior. He stepped onto the cedar deck and shooed away the seagulls that had taken up perch on the railing.

Despite the white paint chips gathering on the rose bushes like dander, and a few broken cedar boards hanging by rusty nails and oxidized from the salty sea water, the place was in pretty good shape. By rights, Alex Sutherland, the owner, should be fixing it up, but something compelled Trent to do it himself. Maybe because he liked doing things for Katy. Wanted to do things for her.

He grabbed his ladder and went to work, fixing the loose boards and even doing a few extra repairs on the roof. As he stood back and brushed the moisture from his face, he nodded, pleased with the outcome. Truthfully, he was used to doing such repairs. His own place was old and once belonged to a sea captain.

He could update, buy a newer, more modern home, but he kind of liked the old place, and since he was good with his hands, he could do most of the general repairs himself. As a teen he remembered how much Katy had liked the house with its towering widow’s walk and how they’d drive around and point out the houses they’d like to live in.

Disregarding the fact that the house was meant for a big family and he didn’t even have furniture for over half the rooms, he had bought it anyway. Maybe on some unconscious level he’d hoped it would help Katy find her way back to him, and together they could fill it with children.

He’d gotten very little sleep last night and now exhaustion pulled at him. He threw the supplies back into his truck and made his way to the station. He exchanged a few words with Adam then hit the sack. When he woke a few hours later, he spotted a couple of the other guys catching up on their sleep. Quietly climbing out of his cot, he made his way to the kitchen, only to find Adam and Errol playing cards at the table.

Errol? What the hell was Errol doing there?

“Errol,” he said, greeting him with a nod and smoothing his mussed hair off his face.

Errol offered him a snarl and pointed his cane. “’Bout time you got your sorry ass out of bed.”

“Errol,” Trent began, and pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off an impending headache, but Errol cut him off.

“I think there’s trouble out on the strrreets.”

Trent made his way to the coffeepot, certain he’d need caffeine before he heard the rest of Errol’s story. The guy was not known as an alarmist, but of late Trent was beginning to wonder. He poured himself a mug and when Adam held up his empty cup, Trent refreshed his before replacing the carafe.

He leaned against the sink, took a long drink and asked, “What kind of trouble?”

“A ruckus of sorts. That’s why I’m here. I need your help.”

Trent pushed off the counter and made his way to the table. “That’s Brody’s department. Not mine.”

Errol gave a dismissive shake of his hand. “You know I don’t trust the police.”

“Yeah, probably because you were on the wrong side of the law more than enough when you were a kid,” Adam piped in, laughing.

“Never mind that. I’m worried about my Katy.”

That stopped Trent in his tracks, and he took in the deep lines on Errol’s face. “What about Katy?”

“Them damn paparazzi won’t leave her alone. She hasn’t even left the restaurant. I think she’s still there cuz she don’t want to face them.”

Trent knew the real reason she was working late. But he’d promised her he wouldn’t say anything to anyone so he didn’t.

“Why don’t ya just do a walk by,” Errol said, and Trent didn’t miss the glint in his eye. “Make an ole fella feel better.”

“I’ll cover for you,” Adam said. “Just keep your cell on. I’ll call if we need you.”

Trent couldn’t help but think the two were up to something. It all seemed a little fishy, but he also couldn’t help thinking how much he’d like to see Katy again, even if only through the restaurant window.