Left in the Sand, Found by the Sea novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: No Body, No Grave

Carmine Sarno walked down the pier alone.

The lean man from the SUVs stayed at the gate with two others and did not follow.

Nobody had told them to.

Carmine took his time, one hand in his coat pocket, and the fishermen who had left the pier came back to stand along the rail.

Winnie came down the slip beside him with her skillet.

She did not hold it up.

She carried it where he could see it.

"Dario," Carmine said, when he was ten feet away.

"Papa."

It was the first time I heard Eli say it.

He said it flat and gave nothing with it.

Carmine looked at his older son for a long moment, and something went across his heavy face and was put away.

"You look like your mother," he said.

"Don't."

"Fine." He turned. "Rocco. You will come home with me now."

"No," Rocco said.

He was standing very straight with his wet jacket hanging off one shoulder.

"I wasn't asking."

"You told me he was dead."

"We will discuss it in the car."

"We'll discuss it here."

Carmine's eyes went past his son, and over the harbor rail, and across the fishermen.

I watched him count them.

Then they landed on me.

"Miss Colby," he said. "You've had a difficult week."

"I've had a good week, mostly."

"You are a bright girl and you have been hurt by my son. He will make that right."

"He already apologized."

"Then you will want to go home." He took an envelope out of his coat with two fingers. "There is a check in here for more than you would earn in ten years. It is yours whether or not you ever speak to Rocco again. A condition: you leave Gannet Cove today."

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