Page 55 of Dead in the Water

“Sure,” she said to his retreating form.

“Who was that?” Flynn asked, but his gaze was on Russell, who appeared to have stopped on the promenade.

“Sean. He works in the hotel. I asked him to escort me home, because I’m not as stupid as you seem to think I am.”

“I didn’t say you were stupid.” He released a loud exhale. “I’m sorry if I implied it, but I was worried about you. You’ve been ignoring me.”

“Yeah.” There didn’t seem to be any point in denying it. Not that Flynn was listening to her. His attention was on Russell, whose dark outline was only just visible as he stumbled along again.

“I really want to talk to you,” Flynn said. “But I need to follow him and make sure he makes it back to the hotel. The guy is wasted.”

“Yeah he is,” Lily agreed, going after Flynn when he began to walk away.

“Are you coming with me?”

She shrugged. “I don’t like to think of you on a covert mission without me.”

He chuckled quietly. “I thought you’d be happy with the excuse to get rid of me and avoid talking to me.”

“We have to be quiet for covert missions,” she said.

“We’ll talk on the way back then.”

Lily trained her gaze on Russell. “If we must.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lightsaround the castle bathed the stonework in an orange glow. The stone steps of the entranceway were especially well lit and the female figure standing at the top of them was visible from a good distance away.

Exchanging a look with Flynn, Lily moved to the side of the steep path and continued walking along the grassy verge. From the way Russell continued his swaying walk with his head bent, Lily guessed he wasn’t aware of the woman watching him from the steps, even as he reached the foot of them.

“Who’s that?” Lily whispered, slowing her pace to match Flynn’s. The moonlight caught his blue irises and cast shadows over his face.

“No idea,” he replied. “I don’t think we can get much closer without them spotting us.” He tugged on her elbow, drawing her behind a small shrub. Instinctively, she crouched behind it, reasonably certain they weren’t visible to the person on the steps.

Lily winced when the woman spoke. The distinctive cadence of Kerry’s voice carried on the breeze, though she couldn’t catch the words.

“That’s weird.” Lily couldn’t take her eyes from them as Russell and Kerry launched into what sounded like a heated exchange. “I wish I could hear what they’re saying.” Glancing around, she decided that trying to get closer would risk being spotted.

“They don’t sound happy,” Flynn commented.

“No. They don’t.” Except, the situation seemed to change quickly.

Kerry’s demeanour was anything but angry as she lifted a hand to Russell’s face.

He stepped closer, closing the space between them, and Lily’s jaw slackened in shock right before they kissed.

“That’s not his wife.” Lily’s eyes shot to Flynn. “She’s married to the other guy. What’s going on?”

“Shh!”

“Sorry,” she whispered, while Kerry and Russell retreated into the hotel. “What on earth just happened?”

“At a guess, I’d say they’re having an affair.” He waited a moment before moving from their hiding place.

“He wasn’t really flirting with me,” Lily muttered as things fell into place.

“What?”

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