Silent Witness by Patricia H. Rushford Page B

came up for air.”
    â€œNow, why doesn’t that surprise me?” Debbie slung an arm around Gram. “Must be a McGrady trait. Jason was the same way. Half the time he’d be late for our dates, and the other half I’d be lucky if he showed up at all.”
    â€œDates? You dated my father?”
    â€œFor almost a year.” Debbie shifted her glance from Jennie to Scott. “But we can talk about all that later.” She extended a hand. “You must be Scott. Welcome.”
    â€œThanks.” He dropped his hand from Jennie’s shoulder and shook Debbie’s hand.
    â€œI don’t know if Helen told you or not,” Debbie said, “but you are a lifesaver. David, one of our trainers, came down with strep throat and pneumonia a couple of days ago. He won’t be able to come back to us for at least two weeks. We were shorthanded to begin with, so how about stepping in?”
    â€œSure,” Scott replied, surprise showing on his face at the quick job offer.
    Debbie introduced them to her husband, Ken, who, in his white T-shirt and khaki shorts, looked so much like his wife they could have been twins. They were both tall, thin, and tanned, and Ken wore glasses with round wire frames. His sun-bleached hair was longer than hers, and he wore it pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. He had an easy smile and hazel eyes that twinkled, making Jennie feel like an old friend.
    Ken escorted Scott into the office to fill out employment papers. Debbie registered Jennie and Gram and gave them keys to their cabin. “We have five guest cabins on the compound,” Debbie explained as she led Jennie and Gram along one of the many paths that led from the office. “The two on this end are being renovated.” Debbie pointed to two rustic cabins that looked as though they’d been battered by a hurricane.
    As they continued on the path, they passed two more cabins, a small A-frame and a cottage, both built on stilts, which Debbie explained was to keep them above flood levels in a storm. As they walked by, Debbie lowered her voice. “These are both reserved by a family from Portland.”
    Sarah and Maggie
. It has to be them. Jennie glanced in the direction of the cottage, hoping to get a glimpse of the pair.
    â€œYou’ll get a chance to meet them at dinner tonight. Oh, that reminds me. We serve rather simple meals here, family-style in the main lodge. Ken and I are vegetarians, but three times a week we try to provide our carnivorous guests and employees with chicken, fish, or meat dishes. You’re welcome to join us, or, if you prefer, there are a number of excellent restaurants on Captiva and Sanibel.”
    â€œCarnivorous?” Jennie couldn’t help but be amused at the term. It made them sound like monsters.
    â€œMeat-eaters,” Gram said. “I think she’s hoping to convert us.”
    Debbie didn’t deny it; she just smiled. The trail ended at the last cabin, and through a scattering of palms, Jennie could see another expanse of beach. Debbie turned toward Gram like an excited child showing off a new toy. “I saved this one for you and Jennie. It’s a little more isolated, so you can hole away and write. It has a clear view of the water, and since it faces west, you can experience our spectacular sunsets every night.”
    â€œIt’s wonderful, but are you sure?” Gram said. “I didn’t expect anything so glamorous.”
    â€œWell, it isn’t exactly the Ritz,” Debbie said. “It’s really pretty basic.” She unlocked the door and ushered them in. Light peeked in through the wooden shutters. When Debbie opened them, the afternoon sun poured itself all over the room. Jennie wasn’t sure what she had expected, and it took her a few seconds to adjust. Basic. Debbie had that right. In the living room, directly in front of the door, a beige-pink sofa sat parallel to the window to