Page 51 of The Library on Plum Island
“Maybe one of our circle accidentally tipped them off?” Harriet suggested.
Alex held up his hand and started to sign.Or maybe my house has been bugged. Maybe when they broke in here, it wasn’t to take anything but to install something?
Dawn’s eyes widened, and she leaned over to whisper what Alex had told her to Harriet.
Let’s act natural and talk about something else while I message Harley,Alex signed, and Dawn whispered to Harriet, who nodded.
“So, how about this weather?” Harriet said, grinning at the rolled eyes from Dawn and Alex. “It looks like it’s at least shining on you, and we should make the most of it outside while we still can and before reporters are swarming all over your house.”
Alex nodded, realizing what she was doing. “Let me just finish messaging Daniella to ask her what the heck is going on.”
Dawn added to the fake conversation, “Do you think Harley was lying about her whereabouts to cover for her?”
“I don’t know,” Alex sighed. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s lied to protect a loved one.”
He finished messaging Harley.
“I think a walk along the beach will help clear all our heads,” Harriet said.
A few minutes later, Alex, Harriet, and Dawn were perched on the rocks, waiting for Harley, who said he was on his way.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Alex said, soaking up the sun and staring out across the ocean. “My house break-in happened days before I was kidnapped by Carly’s crazed ex-husband.” He shook his head in confusion. “Long before anyone knew about Daniella and Doctor Jackson, or how I felt about her.”
“Stanley Wells has been on the island for over six months,” Dawn reminded him. “Maybe he put it all together. I mean, you do gravitate toward Daniella at your dinner parties.”
“That’s true,” Harriet agreed. “Daniella is theonlywoman you dance with at the parties.”
“Yes, but I’m not the only single guy on the island,” Alex pointed out.
“Yes, but you’re the only single guy withyourreputation on the island,“ Harriet exclaimed.
“So you think that Stanley Wells was behind the break-in?” Alex’s brows drew together. “Didn’t Paul and Shaun take responsibility for it?”
“Did they?” Harriet asked. “I don’t recall it coming up.”
“Neither do I,” Dawn said.
“It wasn’t just my properties on Plum Island either,” Alex’s brows knit tighter together. “As far as I’m aware, nothing was taken.”
“If you’re going to plant bugs in someone’s home, why ransacked the place?” Dawn asked.
“To draw the attention away from something that may seem out of place, maybe?” Harley’s voice came from behind them, startling them. “Uncle Sam’s in the house now scanning for bugs. But I doubt someone who was planting bugs would have done as much damage to your house and boat as whoever broke into your properties did.”
“Maybe it was the paparazzi,” Harriet offered. “You have been causing a stir by not being in the limelight this past year and a bit.”
“That’s true,” Alex noted. “Especially when I kept my relationship with Monica out of the press out of respect for her and her family.”
“Well, she didn’t keep your breakup out of it,” Dawn harrumphed.
“No, she was rather vocal about how you dumped her at your engagement party,” Harriet reminded him of an earlier conversation.
“We weren’t engaged!” Alex spluttered irritably. “I’ve only ever asked two women to marry me, and like I said before, Monica Spiers wasn’t one of them.”
“Alex, why would you even go out with her in the first place?” Harriet asked with disbelief. “We all knew what a little drama queen she was growing up and how jealous she always was.”
“Yeah, even of her own sister,” Dawn said. “Poor Mel. It’s no wonder she never contacts her sister.”
Harley’s brows drew together as he glanced at his phone. “My Uncle found a few bugs already.”
