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different than holding back with Celia for Captain Lucky’s sake. I felt bad for the captain, since everyone would know his dirty laundry and he’d have no chance to explain or make it right, but this was a murder investigation and I was the granddaughter of the former sheriff.
    By the time I’d finished my story, Sheriff Tuck Riley was there listening too, his hand resting on the holstered gun at his side. Officer Scott Randall was also there to help Tim round up and question the crew of the ship. Chris Slayton, Duck’s town manager, had come to offer his services as a part-time officer. With him was Cailey Fargo, the fire chief.
    Duck might be small in size, but our residents all had big hearts.
    When I was done, I wiped the tears from my eyes and asked Chief Michaels if I could leave. “Gramps is holding down the fort at Missing Pieces. I need to get back.”
    “Sure,” he said. “Send him over here instead. We’ll probably need his help too.”
    “Wait one minute, Dae,” Sheriff Riley said.
    The sheriff was a large, tall man with suspicious brown eyes and blond hair cut in a flat top. He had broad shoulders and a wide chest. I noticed that he’d lost a few pounds recently—probably because he was dating police Chief Heidi Palo from Corolla and wanted to look better. I was glad for both of them.
    He walked with me away from the stateroom to a secluded corner of the deck.
    “Anything you want to tell me?”
    “I told Chief Michaels everything already,” I answered. “Why are you here?”
    “I’m the county sheriff, and there’s been a death. I thought Ronnie could use my help.”
    “I see.” Chalk that up for he wanted to know what was happening, and a death on the gambling ship was bound to be in the news. Tuck loved publicity. “I don’t know anything more than what I told Chief Michaels.”
    That wasn’t strictly true, as I had left out the part about the coral horn. But I didn’t see how that could impact the murder investigation, and I didn’t want it taken away. They might do something with it that could make this even worse.
    “You know what I’m looking for.” His eyebrows went up and down and his hands wiggled in the air near his face. “The spooky stuff. Woo-woo. The stuff Ronnie doesn’t like to hear about.”
    I was surprised at the request since usually Sheriff Riley didn’t want to hear anything related to my gift either.
    “There wasn’t anything, unless you count the death itself.”
    “Really? You got some vibe off it?”
    “I don’t know what you’re looking for, but step inside the stateroom. I think you’ll see what I mean.”
    He nodded. “Okay. If I have any questions, I’ll contact you. Heidi and I have been watching all kinds of supernatural shows on TV to get a feel for what you do after everything that happened with the horses last year. I’d certainly appreciate anything you could do to help us solve this homicide.”
    It was such an abrupt change of attitude for him that it was hard to take in. Sheriff Riley was never a fan of my gift, and suddenly he wanted to know all about it.
    “I’ll be sure to let you know.”
    “Thanks.” He enthusiastically shook my hand.
    All I could think of as I went down the boarding ramp was that Heidi had made a huge difference in him.
    I spoke to several other Duck residents who were waiting to get on the ship and do their duty as part-time police officers. I was glad there were so many there that I didn’t have to feel guilty about leaving.
    There was no transport going from the ship to the waiting area at the end of the pier. I started walking, thinking about Captain Lucky and wondering what had happened to him. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught something large jumping in the water, close to the ship. I thought it might be a dolphin.
    On the edge of the pier, the bright sunlight illuminated blue and orange scales, like the ones I’d seen in Captain Lucky’s quarters. I started to pick one up with my bare hand