Page 28 of Murder in Calusa Cove
“My buddies and I are ex-Navy SEALs,” Fletcher said.
“I knew that.” Cole gave him a weak smile. “You seem to have gotten out unscathed.”
“Not really.” Hayes lifted his shirt, revealing his numerous scars. “Our team was captured right before we all decided we’d had enough.” He tapped one of the circular deformities. “We were all tortured. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how that goes. I don’t know what’s worse—the fact that the four of us got out alive, or that our buddy Ken died.”
A few tears fell from Cole’s eyes and landed on his muddy cheek. He swiped the back of his hand across his face. “Sometimes, I think death might be better than what I’m doing.”
Hayes dug into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He handed Cole a wad of cash and his business card.
“I can’t take this.” Cole’s eyes turned to fire, and he shook his head. “I don’t want your charity.”
“Then pay me back when you get on your feet.” Hayes arched a brow. “There’s a VA not far from here. I’d like it if you’d come with me to one of the support groups. I find it helps.”
“You go?” Cole questioned with a harsh tone.
Chloe took the opportunity to step up on the old, half-rotted porch and peer into the grimy window. She couldn’t see anything inside the tiny one-room hut.
“We’ve all gone,” Fletcher added, eyeing her suspiciously, as if to say, Stop that, you’re going to set him off. “It’s the only way to survive out here. No one knows what we’ve been through, what we’ve seen, what we’ve had to bring back and bury so deep inside ourselves and pretend that it doesn’t exist. That beast is in all of us.” Fletcher rested his hand on Cole’s shoulder. “You’re not alone.”
“Ha.” Cole laughed. “I’ve heard that bullshit before.” He shoved the cash back at Hayes. “I won’t take pity money.”
“How about an advance on a paycheck?” Hayes pushed Cole’s hand away.
Chloe continued to explore, not that there was much to look at, but she peered around the other side of the hut. There was a table with maps, a couple of large knives, two large pieces of wood that resembled owls, and a folder containing a photograph of something protruding from it.
She wanted to look at that photograph and inside that folder. She also wanted to know what kind of knives those were, because one of them didn’t seem like it was used for woodworking.
“What do you mean by an advance?” Cole asked, his voice still carrying an angry edge. “What kind of work?”
“Two different projects, but the same kind of work,” Hayes said. “We’re looking at clearing debris and stuff off a property. Construction work. Stuff like that.”
“You’re being real with me?” Cole asked.
“I am.” Hayes nodded.
While Chole appreciated the kindness that Hayes offered, which also gave her the time to snoop, she worried they were extending softness where it wasn’t deserved. This man could be a cold-blooded killer, and that was something she couldn’t get past. Not when a photograph of…something…peeked out from a folder next to maps and knives. This could all be a ruse. She took a step—a wrong step—and the wood crackled and swayed under her feet.
“What are you doing?” Cole rushed forward, shoving her to the side.
She slammed into the house, her shoulder taking the brunt of the blow.
Hayes was at her side in seconds, wrapping his arm around her in a protective gesture.
“Leave my things alone.” Cole adjusted the folder, tucking it under the maps.
Chloe found that odd. “I’m sorry,” Chloe said softly. “I thought those wood carvings looked beautiful, and I wanted to get a closer look.”
Fletcher stood at the edge of the porch, glancing between her and Cole.
“Are you carving owls? Because if you are, I’d love to buy one,” she said.
Fletcher narrowed his stare, giving her a perplexed glare.
“My friend used to get teased all the time as a little girl about being a Stigini, but as an adult, she’s embraced the whole owl-witch thing. She’d love one of those.” Chloe smiled.
“Oh. I see.” Cole lifted the wood into his hands, running his long fingers over the edges. “Nahele has me making all sorts of swamp creatures.” Cole let out a quick chuckle. “I could have one ready in a couple of days. I’ll be heading into town for a few supplies then. I could drop it off at the marina.”
“How much?” Chloe asked.
