Salt Kiss novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: The Letter

Morning on Sable Key came up pink and clean, with the storm gone out over the Atlantic and the marsh steaming.

The causeway was dry again by seven.

Nolan stood on the dock with his shirt open and his stitched arm in the sun.

He had a borrowed phone in his hand, because his own had drowned in the shallows.

Behind him, in the shack, Skye was making coffee and singing under her breath.

The phone rang twice.

"Drayton," said Ford.

His voice was low and awake, and Nolan realized he had probably not slept.

"She's alive," Nolan said.

"I know.

"She texted me at midnight.

"She said, and I quote, that you were too polite and she was fixing it."

Nolan shut his eyes.

"Ford..."

"Is she coming home?"

"No."

A pause.

"Did you ask her?"

"She told me about the letter."

The silence on the line changed shape.

"I see," said Ford.

"Cliff's men came here last night.

"Three of them.

"I took a knife to the arm."

"How bad?"

"Stitched."

"By her?"

"Yes."

"Then it's well done."

Ford breathed out slowly.

"I want to say I'm sorry, and I want to say I'd do it again, and I can't say both."

"You were going to give up the members."

"I was going to give up a lease, a ledger, and myself.

"To keep her."

"She didn't want to be kept that way."

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