Charlotte nodded. “I know. Though—”
Hunter looked at her expectantly.
She’s wondering if she should share her ideas with me.
“Why don’t we work together?” Hunter blurted.
Why did I say that?
She looked at the hotel again.
That’s why. She’s my key to the Loggerhead. My inside man.
Hunter released a sigh. Just once she wished she could have a little patience instead of pushing for information as fast as she decided she wanted it.
Charlotte shook her head. “I don’t want to step on your toes.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t be. My, uh, assistant is sick and I could use the help.”
“Really? That’s a shame. Nothing serious, I hope?”
Hunter was still staring at the Loggerhead and said the first thing that came to mind. “Shingles.”
“Yikes. I hear that’s painful.”
Hunter blinked at her. She had no idea what shingles was exactly, she’d just been staring at the side of the hotel when Charlotte asked. Something to do with chickenpox? She decided to nod her head grimly.
“Right. So I’ll split the money with you, since you’re a full-blown detective already.”
“Really? You don’t have to—”
“No, it’s fine.”
Half of nothing is nothing.
Hunter continued, feeling better about her decision. Her plan to bring Charlotte into her fake employ would also keep the girl from meddling in her case. “So what were you thinking about the doctors?”
“Oh, I was thinking I could maybe work the nurses. One of them might cough up information about tragic diagnoses without realizing—”
“Especially if they heard it was about this case.”
Charlotte perked and pointed at her. “Right. It’s all over the news.”
“But where would you start? There are multiple hospitals and private practices—assuming the kidnapper even lives in this area.”
“I think she does. It didn’t seem planned. I think she did it on a whim.”
Hunter nodded. Agreed. “I think I can narrow things down a little.”
“Yeah?”
“Mason was wearing a Burberry jumper. The swapped baby returned wearing a brand much more affordable.”
“So they didn’t even try to sell the new baby by putting him in the original’s clothes? They kept the expensive jumper.”
“Yep. I don’t think our baby-napper has much money.”
“No. So maybe not a private practice. A hospital. Maybe even an emergency room.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. I’m also thinking she might be regretting the kidnapping by now.”
Charlotte nodded. “You’d think so. Unless this is some kind of messed up adoption scam.”
Hunter nodded. “Maybe one of us could stake out the home to see if the napper drives by mulling a swap-back. The other can try the doctor idea.”
Charlotte smiled. “I’m game.”
“Great.” Hunter fished her phone from the waterproof case strapped on her arm and then shook her head. “Give me your phone. I’ll put in my number.”
Charlotte hesitated and then handed Hunter her phone. Hunter pretended to be fascinated by something on her own phone while she sent a request to Charlotte’s phone to allow herself access to find location. Then she shifted to Charlotte’s phone, accepted the request, and saved herself as a contact.
“Here you go. I’m a contact now. I’ll give you a call tomorrow morning?”
Charlotte took the phone and shrugged. “Sure. Great.”
Hunter picked a splinter from the piling and dropped it into the water. “So, you just met Angelina? Is she still dating that guy at the hotel?”
Charlotte scowled. “I don’t know. Who?”
Hunter shrugged. “I don’t remember his name.”
Shea. Mick. Dad.
Charlotte shook her head. “I don’t know. Like I said, I just met her.”
“Right. No biggie.”
Aaaand…subject change.
“So you’re a local detective?” asked Hunter.
Charlotte shook her head. “No. Other side of the state.”
“But you love working on kidnapped baby cases so much you came over here?”
Charlotte laughed. “No. It was a family thing. Long story. Turns out my grandfather owns the hotel.” Charlotte hooked a thumb back at the building.
Hunter felt her face grow tingly.
What?
“Last I heard, Mick McQueen still owned this place,” she said, her words barely audible to herself.
Charlotte heard. “Yep. That’s him.”
Hunter swallowed. “Mick’s your grandfather?”
“As it turns out.”
“You’re Maddie’s kid?”
Charlotte perked. “Yes. Did you know her?”
Hunter shook her head and pushed off the piling. “Not really. Well, I better get going.”
Charlotte stood and brushed off her posterior. “Do you want to come in and say hi to Angelina?”
“Hm?”
No. I want to run away. Now. Too much to think about.
“No. I don’t even know if she’d remember me. I better get back to work.” She paused a moment before her paddle broke the water and lifted it to point it at the Loggerhead. “Is Mick there?”
Charlotte nodded and pointed a finger at the top of the hotel. “Yep. He’s up there.”
Hunter looked at the penthouse windows.
He’s there.
“Okay. Text me your number.”
“Will do.”
Hunter paddled as hard as she could without looking like a crazy person.
How did Maddie’s kid find out about this place?
She paddled to the waterfront home from where she’d stolen the paddleboard and dragged it onto the dock. A landscaper trimming the hedges of the multi-million dollar waterfront home glanced at her as she walked up the dock and headed for her car. He smiled and looked away. She wasn’t worried about him. He wouldn’t alert the owners to her presence, especially if she looked as if she belonged there, which she did. It helped she was older now. If she were twenty, he might think she was a kid up to no good, but no one thinks a woman in her forties is running around appropriating paddleboards. She could let herself in the backdoor and have a muffin and no one would think it was odd, even though they’d never seen her at the house before.
Of course, when she was twenty, she had other assets with which to distract people.
It
