Castro Directive (41 page)

She'd told the guardsmen about the others in the water, but they'd only found Pierce and Carver. Pierce was more than a quarter of a mile from where she'd been picked up, and oddly enough, he'd been clinging to the back cushion of Andrews's captain's chair. Carver was found floating on an airtight container that held a collection of Andrews's videotapes.

Marisol and Simms were lost. Simms probably would've died, anyhow, from the bullet wound. But why Marisol? Why did she have to die? He felt a twinge of pain every time he thought about her. After all, she'd been safe from Andrews, until he'd found her.

Tomorrow, Elise would leave for Edinburgh, where she would spent a couple of
 
weeks attending to her father's affairs. Who knows what would happen between them when she returned, but right now everything was in balance. He just hoped she would no longer be driven by vendetta. It was over. Over for now, he thought.

As for himself, his life had suddenly changed in an unexpected way. Yesterday, just a few hours after returning home from the Coast Guard cutter, Gibby had called and excitedly told him that his multimillion-dollar settlement came through. He went on to say that he was keeping his word and was writing Pierce a check for $185,000. His bonus, and well deserved, Gibby had said.

The relationship with Elise had blossomed in the last twenty-four hours, and everything was taking on new meaning. "Aren't you going to take some pictures of the crowd here?" she asked as they neared Ocean Drive. He gazed at the crowd, then past the crowd out into the blueness, which was like their future, vast and awaiting their discovery.

"It's just another crowd of people. At least, that's how it would look. I still can't help thinking that Andrew got away."

She slipped her hands around his waist. "Look on the bright side," she said. "You've got your life, a big bonus from another case, and—for better or worse—me."

Pierce pulled her close, smiling as his camera bag slipped from his shoulder to the sand. She was right. He had gotten the girl and the money. Just like in the movies.