Page 87 of The Romance Adventure

My sister flips the sign at Beans & Books to Closed and locks the door. Nutmeg prowls by the window as if keeping watch.

We sit down on the loveseat with an assortment of chocolates nearby, but my appetite is shot.

“So what happened?”

“I was deciding what to do about the mural, I found something by the fountain at the Driftwood. I called Royal to tell him the good news. Then everything went dark when Dax attacked.”

“He tried to kidnap you?”

“He did kidnap me. Royal ran him down. There was a fight and CJ took off in the van with the three guys.” I recount what happened, my pulse still catching up to me.

“Should we contact the police?”

“I have a feeling they’ll be contacting me after Gavin’s death and Dax’s disappearance.”

My sister’s eyes are wide. “Sounds like something straight out of a thriller novel.”

“And we have a mystery on our hands—” But before I can tell her what I found at the resort, someone raps on the door.

I stiffen, heart racing and on alert. Nutmeg arches her back.

Bean peers out the window. “It’s our knight in shining armor.”

Eyes heavy, I sigh. “I need a minute or ten to recover. Can you let him know I’m okay while I sneak over to the guest cottage?”

“Are you sure?”

I nod, still gathering my scattered emotions.

“Lock the door behind you and text me when you’re safely inside.”

I give my sister a little salute, then she grips me in a hug before I sneak out the back.

My heart trips over the deep tone of Royal’s voice. I hesitate, but things just got complicated. I don’t want to involve him in my mess. I let the door close behind my back.

Scanning to make sure no one is tailing me, I hurry down the street and through the gate to the guest cottage. I make a beeline for the door when I spot someone sitting on the bench in the side garden. I startle, but the man is stooped and leans heavily on a cane.

He has a full head of white hair and tired eyes under the bushiest eyebrows I’ve ever seen.

“Mr. Edmonton?” I ask.

The corner of his lip lifts. “You must be Robyn’s sister.”

It takes me a moment to answer because I’m not used to anyone calling her by her full name. “That’s right. I’m Isla.”

“Ah, yes, Isla. Named such for this very island. Your mother visited her aunt here long ago.”

My lips tug down. “How do you know that?”

“I know most of the secrets this Key keeps. Your mother met a local during her visit. He went out to sea. Didn’t return after you were born.”

Emotion ripples through me. “I didn’t know that.” I only once saw a photo of my dad and that’s now merely a memory after the fire.

“I’m an open book. Ask me anything. Well, I don’t know Carlos’s secrets. He kept those under lock and key.”

Confused, I ask, “By Carlos, do you mean Chip Almeida?”

He nods. “He loved this island. I do too. We were good friends.”