Page 11 of The Sunken Truth
“Not yet,” Flynn said.
“I’m giving the superintendent a tour of the islands,” he said. “I’ll see you back at the station later.”
Flynn barely breathed as the boat moved away again,slowly at first, then picking up speed when they were away from the dive site.
“Who was that?” Kit asked, while Lily’s questioning gaze held the same question.
“Superintendent Brand. He’s visiting the islands for a few days.”
“How come?” Seren asked.
Flynn shrugged. “Just checking in, I guess.”
“He’s not very friendly,” Lily said, concern in her eyes that hit him deep at his core. The last thing he needed was her sympathy.
“He’s kind of hot, though,” Keira quipped. “He’s got the broody and smouldering expression perfected.”
Seren chuckled. “He’s like fifty or something!”
“Yeah, but he looks good for it. He clearly works out.”
Forcing a smile, Flynn moved to the edge of the boat, closer to Kit and Seren. “I reckon it’s a bit pathetic that none of you found gold.”
“Maybe we did,” Seren said, leaning in to whisper. “But anyone with an ounce of sense wouldn’t bring it up here. Maybe we just moved it so we can come back for it when no one’s looking.”
“I see.” Flynn forced himself to concentrate on the banter. “So you’ll bring the treasure chest up later and stick it on eBay?”
Seren’s eyes widened in a comical show of offence. “No chance. We’ll keep it at home. Make a secret treasure room where we sit and examine our treasure from time to time.”
“That sounds pointless,” Keira said. “I want to sell my share. I’ll be putting it on eBay like Flynn says. He clearly knows a bit about shifting ancient gold.”
“Absolutely,” he joked. “It’s an area of expertise for me.” Grinning widely, he turned back to Lily.
The look she gave him made his chest ache. Because while he might have fooled the others with his light-hearted chatter, the intensity of her gaze told him she could see straight through it.
Chapter Six
Lily had beenwrong to think that nothing could dampen her good mood. The pretentious superintendent had riled her right up. Or the way he’d spoken to Flynn had.
And the way Flynn seemed so distracted for the rest of the day. Actually, he’d been in a weird mood even before the superintendent had turned up. She had a suspicion it had been about him all along.
It played on her mind for their second dive, making it significantly less enjoyable. When she tried asking Flynn more about it on the ride home, he was dismissive.
But that was indicative, too. If the superintendent really was no one of interest, Flynn wouldn’t have been so keen to change the subject.
She wondered if it had something to do with the reason Flynn was on the Scillies. All she knew was that he’d got on the bad side of someone high up in the police force.
Maybe it had been Superintendent Brand.
When Kit dropped her and Flynn off at Porthcressa Beach, she still couldn’t get anything out of him andhe bid her a curt goodbye at the top of the beach, claiming he needed to get back to the station.
It didn’t sit well with her that Flynn was out of sorts, and it niggled at her while she closed the shop with Jessica.
They were clearing away the outside tables and chairs when she spotted PC Hill chatting with an elderly couple outside of the cafe further along the promenade. Lily waved and was about to head back inside when he gestured for her to wait and broke away from his conversation.
“Have you heard from Flynn today?” he asked, drawing up in front of her.
“I spent all afternoon out at the dive site with him.”
