A Watery Death (A Missing Pieces Mystery Book 7) by Joyce Lavene, Jim Lavene Page A

to tell me about a problem that wasn’t being handled. I picked up my file and smiled.
    “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be out here. I’m late for the town meeting. Maybe we could walk to town hall together and talk about your problem.”
    I didn’t recognize the man. He was medium height and build with longish black hair that brushed his shoulders. It was getting darker. The large trees in the front yard kept the headlights on the road from identifying my caller.
    “I’m sure we know each other, but this light is so bad. Have you lived in Duck long?”
    “I don’t live here at all,” he said in halting words, but his voice was light and beautiful.
     “You must be a visitor.” I held out my hand. “I’m sure you know I’m Mayor Dae O’Donnell. Someone must have pointed out my house. Everyone knows I live here, small town and everything. What’s your name?”
    Not wanting to waste any more time—it was six forty-five on my watch—I started resolutely back down the hill to the street, leaving him to answer as he followed me.
    He paused as we walked together down the side of the road. He was jumpier than me or Mary Catherine, but not everyone was comfortable walking so close to traffic.
    “Visitor,” he finally said and held out his hand. “Tovi. I know who you are.”
    “Good. It’s nice to meet you, Tovi.” I flashed one of my biggest mayoral smiles at him, even though it was doubtful he got the full effect in the dusky light. “What can I do for you?”
    We had just reached the far end of the Duck Shoppes’ parking lot where the thick trees mostly obscured the building. It was darker here, even though there were streetlights in the parking lot.
    The last buildings that had been put in had made the area darker than it was before. I hadn’t been able to get the real estate company that owned the shops to add new lights.
    Not yet anyway.
    “What I can do for you,” he said.
    I could see him more clearly now, though the light didn’t reach beyond his head and neck. His features were odd—aquiline nose and high cheek bones but almost no chin. He was very pale. His lips were thin and wide, almost giving him the appearance of having too many teeth in his mouth.
    It bothered me looking at him. He was pretty, in the feminine sense of the word, but something about him—and the touch of his cool hand on mine—made me shiver.
    “You want to do something for me?” I asked.
    “Yes. I want to help you.”
    “What do you have in mind?” I was growing more uncomfortable by the moment.
    “Your friend—the one who talks to the fish—they say you can stop bad things from happening.”
    We were finally in the full light of the parking lot. He was completely naked.
    My voice failed for a moment as I took in his appearance. Most people would have been astonished by that since I was never at a loss for words.
    I looked into his eyes. They were multi-colored. Pale blue ran with green and brown, flecks of gold in their depths. It was hard to explain, but the colors seemed to be moving, swimming.
     “Who are you?” I forgot that he was naked for a moment as my heart beat fast. “How do you know Mary Catherine?”
    “Come with me.” He took my arm. “Let me show you.”
    “That’s not happening.” I wrenched my arm from him and started running across the crowded parking lot in a fit of panic.
    I was almost run down by a fast-moving Corvette and swerved just in time to collide with another woman.
    Both of us were knocked to the pavement. I got up right away to check on my victim. She was a middle-aged lady with red hair that was mostly going white. She was holding on tightly to the leash of one of the biggest dogs I’d ever seen.
    “I’m so sorry.” I started to help her to her feet.
    But a tall man with brown hair and nice smile lines got to her first. “Are you okay, Peggy?”
     “I’m fine,” she said as she looked at me. “Are you all right, young lady?”
    My white dress was dirty,