Zoe laughed. "She would, wouldn't she?"

"I wish you could have known her, J.B.," Christina said. "She was a lot like Zoe, except Zoe never wanted to stay in Goose Harbor and Aunt Olivia couldn't imagine moving. That's where she and I were alike. When I was at the New England Culinary Institute, all I wanted to do was come home and get on with my life."

"It's true," Zoe said. "It's not that I didn't like Goose Harbor, but I couldn't be a police officer in my hometown, not with my father as the chief of police. But Chris-it's like that café was meant for you."

"It's been fun. That's how I decide I'm doing what I should be doing-when it's fun. But I guess that's probably not the case with law enforcement. I mean, it can't be fun in the way making a good haddock chowder is fun."

Zoe smiled. "Satisfying would be a better word."

J.B. just listened. As different as they were, the two sisters seemed to get along. He'd had no siblings. Forever, it'd just been him and his father. They'd got along fine. His father had never said a word when J.B. took off, never asked him to stay. When he came back for visits, they enjoyed each other's company. J.B. had never felt the lure of going back to stay-he loved Montana but it wasn't where he belonged. He knew that.

Through dinner, whenever something reminded her that Kyle Castellane had stood her up, Christina either sank into her seat, looking hurt and defeated, or slammed something on the table as if she'd chop his balls off when she caught up with him.

J.B. took a stab at teasing her. "What about Bruce

Young? I think he likes you."

Zoe and Christina both almost choked on their Chianti.

"Hey, he's a decent guy," J.B. said.

Zoe nodded. "He's a great guy, but-J.B., the reason you've been able to beat Bruce at darts as many times as you have is because if he's not on the water or at the lobster pound, he's at Perry's."

"That's because he doesn't have a good woman in his life." Both sisters groaned. "Bruce likes lobstering and boating," Christina said. "Women for him are an after thought. He's one of those guys who'll suddenly fall for someone and get married within a month."

J.B. got up and started clearing the table. "If Brucecouldn't make it for dinner, he'd call."

He'd pushed his luck. Christina snatched a plate out of his hand. "I'll clean up. You and Zoe run along. It's a nice night. Enjoy it. Go play darts."

"Christina, I apologize." Never good at apologies,

J.B. sounded stiff and awkward even to himself. "That was supposed to be funny, but it was out of line."

Zoe snorted. "It was way the hell out of line."

"Just go, both of you," Christina said, and fled inside.

"Real nice, McGrath," Zoe muttered under her breath. She started after her sister, but J.B. grabbed her by the elbow. She glared at him. "What?"

"Let's do as she asked and get out of here."

"We can't leave her with this mess-"

"Zoe."

"Okay." She pulled her arm free. "Maybe you did Chris a favor in ticking her off. She was looking for an excuse to let off some steam. She'll bang around in the kitchen, and Kyle'll show up-" She broke off with a shudder. "Yeah, let's get out of here." She called to her sister, "Dinner was great, Chris! I'll see you tomorrow."

There was no answer from the house. Zoe, still clearly reluctant to abandon her sister in this mood, led the way back to the driveway. The sun had gone down, darkness coming fast. She slid into the passenger seat of J.B.'s Jeep. "Lesson learned? No teasing about the boyfriend."

J.B. climbed in next to her. "You had it right, Zoe. That guy's going to break your sister's heart." But she was staring at him. "Damn. That's a 9 mm you're packing, McGrath. What for?"

"Zoe, I can carry a firearm on or off duty."

"I know. But you're on vacation."

He didn't answer and instead checked his cell phone. Luckily, he had a message. A reprieve from explaining to Zoe West, who'd been fired for not carrying her firearm on duty, why he'd decided to carry his off duty.

In a brief message, Sally instructed him to call her back. He did so, and wasn't surprised to have her pick up. "Working late?" he said.

"I have my cot set up in case I had to wait all night for you to call."

He smiled. "Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Sal."

"Did you know that Zoe West was accepted into the academy and dropped out before her first day?"

"I did know that."

"I thought you might. And Patrick West was the chief of police in Goose Harbor until last year, when he was shot and killed? You knew that?"

"I did."

"Am I aiding and abetting your insubordination?"

"No, ma'am."

"Luke Castellane's father committed suicide. He tells people it was a heart attack."

"Interesting. Anything else?"

"Steven Stickney Monroe sentenced Teddy Shelton to seven years in federal prison."

Christ. The local cops either knew and hadn't said or didn't know because they hadn't gotten the break J.B. had. Or they'd checked out the connection and it was nothing. "Anything else?"

"I love Victor Castellane's films," she said, and hung up.

"What was that all about?" Zoe asked.

J.B.'s undercover training and experience kept him from registering any reaction to Sally Meintz's information. Or maybe it didn't.

"J.B.?"

"Nothing. I don't scare anybody anymore."

"Sure." She sat back, dubious. "I believe that. If it's any consolation, you scared the hell out of me."

She wasn't serious. He appreciated that. "Was it the kiss or showing up armed?"

"Take your pick."

Zoe couldn't remember the last time she'd actually been inside Perry's. She wasn't much of a drinker or dart-player, and its fare of fried fish and thick slabs of meat, although popular, wasn't what her diet needed. An evening on Olivia's porch suited her more. One reason, as J.B. would no doubt inform her, that she'd never really had her heart broken.

Bruce Young was tossing darts and nursing an ale the color of mud. He waved a hand at J.B. "You want a game?" Then he saw her and grinned, her personal nemesis since high school. "Hey, Zoe. Nice dive this morning. Water cold?"

"About the same as the air temperature," she said.

"That's not saying much in October. Come on, you can play a game, too." He walked over to the dartboard and, holding his beer, used his free hand to pull out the darts. "Beer?"

"No, thanks. We just had dinner at Christina's."

"How's her new door?"

Zoe had to smile at his infectious good humor. "Her new door's just fine. She had the one at the café fixed- it didn't need to be replaced."

"Have you seen Kyle Castellane around?" J.B. asked.

Bruce handed J.B. one set of darts, thrust another set at Zoe. "Nope."

Zoe winced at J.B.'s diplomatic skills. Since Bruce had a crush on Christina, why not ask him out of the blue about her current boyfriend? She singled out one of the darts, its tip slightly bent. "He didn't show up for dinner."

"He's been filming around town. He was out at the lobster pound." Bruce set down his beer and fired a dart, hitting an outside score. "I heard you had a chat with Teddy Shelton while you were kayaking."

"I didn't know you were renting him your cottage," Zoe said. "Hell, Bruce, I hope you're not charging him much. As handy as you are, you'd think you'd at least fix the steps so the guy doesn't break his neck."

"Teddy? He doesn't care. No point putting time and money into the place. I'll just wait and tear it down when I have the money together to build something new."

J.B. suddenly threw a dart and hit the bull's-eye. Zoe tried not to look impressed. Without looking at Bruce, he asked, "How well do you know Shelton?"