Read Chaos in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Series) for Free Online

handle.”
    “You did a great job,” Jadyn said. “I didn’t realize how much of the bottom had broken off until we searched it.”
    Marty nodded, but Jadyn could tell he was only half listening. His gaze was focused on the back part of the boat where the siding that would have contained the boat name had been ripped off. He narrowed his eyes on it and frowned.
    “Is something wrong?” Jadyn asked.
    “What?” Marty swung around to face her. “No. I don’t think so. I mean…I don’t want to tell you something wrong.”
    “If you see something off here,” Jadyn said, “I’d love to know, even if it’s just a feeling. Usually those bad feelings are our subconscious mind locking onto something that our conscious mind hasn’t processed yet.”
    Marty scratched his head. “I don’t know about all that. I was just thinking that the damage on the back of the boat looked funny.”
    “Funny how?”
    “Well, if we assume the boat got caught in the storm and tossed about, then the back end must have slammed into something to break out those planks.”
    “That’s what we’re thinking,” Jadyn agreed.
    “But the thing is, the splintering on the back looks like the back was broken from the inside out.” He studied the back of the boat once more and ran his finger across one of the broken planks. “Never mind. The more I think about it, the dumber it sounds. That couldn’t possibly happen in a storm.”
    He looked back at them. “I’m going to lock up for lunch in about twenty minutes. If you need to stay longer, I’ll give you a key.”
    “I think we’re done,” Jadyn said, “but thank you for everything. And remember to send me an invoice for the tow.”
    Marty waved a hand in dismissal. “I’d rather wait and bill the tow and storage all at one time. Hate doing paperwork. No sense doing it twice.” He headed across the shop toward the office.
    Jadyn looked over at Colt, who was studying the back of the boat and frowning. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked.
    Colt nodded, his expression grim. “If someone deliberately tried to sink this boat, it doesn’t look good for our boat captain.”
    “We need to find out who he was. We may never find a body, but until we know who he was, then we have no way of knowing who would have wanted to harm him.”
    She pulled out her cell phone and snapped some pictures of the boat, then sent them to Colt. “If you can give me a list of the villages in the order you think they should be covered, I’ll get started now.”
    “You kicking me off the job?”
    “No! I mean, if you have the time to help, I would definitely appreciate it, but I don’t want to presume anything.”
    “I’ve got some time, and I’d rather get a handle on this before tongues start wagging.”
    Jadyn instantly recalled her conversation with Maryse about the security of Colt’s sheriff position, and she understood exactly why he wanted to get to the bottom of things. If this turned out to be a crime, people wouldn’t be happy waiting for answers, especially if it meant a killer was on the loose.
    “That would be great. Unless you see any advantage to covering them together, we can split them and cover twice as many. If that’s all right with you.”
    “That’s fine. I need to know if this man is sitting at home somewhere, bitching about his boat, or if he’s gator bait. I’ll go get started on that list. Drop by in twenty minutes or so and I’ll have that and a good map for you.”
    He headed across the garage toward the exit. Jadyn stared at the boat a couple seconds more before heading after him. Finding out the identity of the missing boat captain was definitely the priority. But if he was gator bait, the job was just starting.  
    Was the wreck a horrible accident or an intentional act?
    That was the one question Jadyn hoped she wouldn’t have to answer.
    ###
    Downtown was so crowded with antiques shoppers that Jadyn had to park a block down from the