what brings you to Raven’s Cliff, Ryan Burton?”
Ryan couldn’t very well tell him he was in town undercover to find an important material witness who had gone missing. The last thing they wanted was any kind of publicity. “I’ve heard the fishing is good in these parts.”
He wasn’t sure yet how to handle things with the authorities here in Raven’s Cliff. He’d had to tell Hazel that he’d come to look for Britta because Britta had gone missing from the inn. He was banking on the hope that Hazel wouldn’t want anyone to know that a woman had disappeared from the inn under strange circumstances. It wasn’t good for publicity.
“The locals are pulling in record breakers lately. I’ve never seen fish so big,” Patrick replied.
Ryan nodded absently and gazed around at the group, wondering who among the guests might know something about the woman he sought. Again a fist knotted in the pit of his stomach. To the FBI Britta was a material witness, but to him, she had once been far more.
He focused back on Patrick, who was pointing out the town notables to him. There was Mayor Perry Wells and his wife, Beatrice, and standing nearby was Rick Simpson, the mayoral aide.
The prospective groom, Grant Bridges, was also the assistant district attorney and stood impatiently at the altar that had been set up precariously close to the edge of the bluff.
“I’m going to see if I can find out what’s holding up the ceremony,” Patrick said. With a nod he left Ryan standing alone.
This was probably a waste of time, Ryan thought. He’d tried to question several people immediately upon arriving in town, but the one thing he’d discovered fairly quickly was that despite the fact that part of the town’s revenue came from tourism, the people of Raven’s Cliff didn’t appear to take too kindly to strangers.
What he hoped was that following the wedding there would be a surplus of champagne served and that would loosen lips. Somebody had to have seen Britta. A pretty blond woman like her drew attention. Somebody had to have seen or heard something that would give him a clue as to what had happened to her.
His gaze fell on the mayor, who worked the crowd with ease. Tall, with salt-and-pepper hair, the man had the polish and style of power. As Ryan watched, Mayor Wells shook a man’s hand and Ryan saw a wad of money being exchanged.
He frowned. He wouldn’t have found it odd if it had been the mayor passing some bills to somebody involved in the wedding, but it had been the mayor receiving the bills, not handing them out. The minute the money hit the mayor’s hand, it disappeared into his pocket.
At that moment Hazel stepped up beside him. “Isn’t this exciting?” she asked. Her bright yellow and orange dress threatened to balloon up, but she held it down with slightly chubby hands. “Have you found anyone who has seen Valerie?” she asked.
Britta had come to Raven’s Cliff four days ago under the name of Valerie King. “Not yet, but I’m still hopeful.”
“A woman as pretty as her might have caught the eye of one of our local fishermen. Maybe he reeled her right into a love nest,” Hazel exclaimed, her eyes softening with a streak of obvious romanticism.
The idea of Britta in love with anyone sent a stab of pain through him. But he knew he had no right to her, and he certainly preferred she be holed up in a love nest than all the other grim possibilities that marched through his head.
“Have you talked to Captain Swanson? He’s the chief of police and maybe he could help.” Her plump features turned into a frown. “Maybe I should have contacted him when she didn’t show up for work the morning after she checked in.”
“I’m sure that’s not necessary. If I know Valerie, it’s just as you said, she’s probably found some guy and thinks she’s in love,” he replied. The last thing he wanted was the local authorities involved in the case.
“She do that a lot?”
“Often enough,” Ryan replied. Of course, it was a lie. Britta wasn’t the type to just take off with a man or for any other reason, which was why a feeling of disquiet swept through him.
He didn’t understand why Agent Kelly had chosen this particular place to relocate Britta. Strangers stuck out in small towns, even places that catered to tourists. A beautiful woman moving to town was noted.
“Oh, they’re finally getting started,” Hazel exclaimed as music began to swell in the air and a hush of expectancy fell over the crowd. “You know Grant sold his house and is staying at the inn right now. The mayor is giving his daughter and Grant a huge house as a wedding gift.”
Hazel said no more as the mayor appeared with his daughter and began the traditional walk toward the altar. “Doesn’t she look beautiful?”
Ryan murmured in agreement. The bride did look pretty in her silk and pearl gown. Burnished gold corkscrew curls fell to her shoulders and a soft smile curved the corners of her lips as she looked at Grant, waiting at the altar.
Yes, she was pretty, but Ryan’s head was filled with the vision of a tall, long-legged blonde with ice-blue eyes. Where are you, Britta? She hadn’t just disappeared into thin air.
It was a good thing the wedding was getting underway, for the weather seemed to be contemplating a turn for the worse. The skies had darkened into an ominous color of gray, and the thundering of the waves against the rocky bluffs grew louder.
It was obvious a storm was approaching. They’d have to hurry to get the vows in before nature released all its fury. The beautiful bride and her father approached the altar, and Mayor Wells did the traditional handing over of the bride to her groom.
Grant Bridges reached for Camille’s hand, but at that moment a gale-force wind tore across the top of the bluff. It moved Ryan forward a step, and the bride reached up to grab her veil.
Everything appeared to happen in slow motion. As Camille reached a slender hand up to hold on to her veil she took a step backward and stumbled. Her mouth opened in surprise as her feet found no purchase.
Grant lunged out for her and desperately grabbed at the sleeve of her dress. For an instant Ryan thought he had her, but then the sleeve tore in Grant’s hand, and with a small cry she tumbled off the bluff and disappeared from sight.
Stunned silence lasted only a minute, and then the crowd erupted with screams and shouts. “It’s the curse,” Hazel wailed. “Captain Raven’s curse has struck again.”
Ryan ignored her and raced to the altar, along with the mayor, Captain Swanson and half a dozen other men. Ryan lay on his stomach and eased up to the edge of the bluffs, looking over to the treacherous rocks below.
He’d expected to see the broken body of Camille. But he saw nothing. Carefully he slid backward from the treacherous edge and stood with feet braced wide apart for balance, unwilling to become another victim to the wind.
Lightning slashed the black sky, and thunder boomed overhead. Bedlam reigned. Grant had collapsed and was weeping like a baby, women screamed and held on to their husbands.
“Do something,” Mayor Wells said, grabbing Patrick Swanson by the arm. “We have to find her.” Perry Wells’s eyes were as turbulent as the sea below.
Patrick shrugged off the mayor’s desperate grasp as he
