“Isn’t what he’s doing illegal?”
“He’s smart enough to know I can’t bring the police in. It would be terrible press, and he could use that against me, too. There are going to be people in the family who won’t believe it no matter what proof I give them. This is what I have to deal with. This is the line I have to walk.”
Sylvie seemed to think about that for a moment. “So he’s working with another firm? Is it always the same firm that underbids you?”
“It’s been the same so far. I have to wonder if he’s got a backup plan in case he doesn’t get the votes. Becoming our competitor’s legal counsel would make me look bad and cause a lot of talk.”
“They would probably be angry with him if he gave them the wrong information,” Sylvie said, a sly tone coming into her voice. “They wouldn’t like that at all.”
He looked to his wife, who was far sneakier than he gave her credit for. “You want to switch this for a higher bid?”
She nodded. “Because our friend was wearing those headphones and you smartly hid our boat, he has no idea anyone was here this morning.”
He smiled her way. The problems that had seemed huge before suddenly weren’t unbearable. “Is that spin you’re putting on our situation, Madam Mayor?”
She nodded. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s how to turn a negative into a positive. Yes, we don’t have a boat, but that means no one’s seen it tied to the dock. We could be on any of the islands. Depending on who comes to find us, we can control this narrative.”
He liked it when she was plotting. She was awfully sexy in her big fluffy robe, plotting how to outmaneuver his cousin. “So we put out the word that we rode out the storm anywhere but here, and then at some point before Charles comes to the cabin, we come back and replace the bid.”
“You could even ask Charles to send you a report on the cabin since he’ll be the first one out here,” Sylvie mused.
He knew exactly how to get to his cousin. “I’ll ask him if he wants me to check on the condition of the place before he comes out this weekend. See what he says.”
He would say no. Charles would say he didn’t need any help, and didn’t Rene realize it had been his grandfather’s cabin, too? He would point out he spent far more time here than Rene did.
And then he wouldn’t think for a second that Rene knew anything.
He could use Charles’s arrogance against him in this case.
If he could get them off the island.
“Do you have letterhead back at the house?” Sylvie asked. “We should get it done as soon as possible. I’ll make the switch since I’ll have to come back later this afternoon and check on the families out here. You need to be seen back at the office as soon as possible. Call him from there so he knows exactly where you are.”
“I would rather come with you.”
She shook her head. “I’ll have one of the deputies with me. I do this after every big storm. It’s part of being the mayor, and it would be odd if you were with me. Now let’s get our stories straight about where we’ve been.”
“Have I told you how sexy you are when you’re being ruthless?” His leg wasn’t aching now. It was an entirely different part of his body that wanted attention.
“Am I? You know I love a good plan,” she said, her voice going low.
That was when he heard the sound of an outboard motor approaching. He wasn’t going to have time to play.
Sylvie frowned. “Can you see who it is?”
Rene stood up as the sheriff’s boat docked. “It’s Armie.”
Armie LaVigne was in his khakis, his hat on his head. “Hey, Rene, are you okay? Your boat’s floating about half a mile back. Almost gave me a heart attack. Do you think I want to go and tell Marcelle Martine her daughter is missing?”
Sylvie moved beside him and waved. “You don’t have to tell her a thing, Sheriff. I’ll handle my momma. Now, who all knows you came out here?”
Armie started to walk up the dock as Sylvie laid out her plans.
* * *
* * *
Sylvie was still thinking about the situation two hours later as they were making their way home.
When she thought about it, it wasn’t that different than that time when she had to figure out which of the senator’s team members was leaking information to the opposing party. The trouble this time was she didn’t want to scare the spy off. She needed to control the narrative. She needed everyone to believe the story they’d concocted, and she could see a weak link in their chain. She hoped she didn’t offend her husband.