Spending time with Kate was not a good idea.
With each encounter, her appeal grew. And that was scary. At least the ride home was short, Craig thought, as he drove his car through the pouring rain.
âItâs the next street on the right. Lighthouse Lane.â
Kate directed him to a small clapboard cottage tucked into the tiny dead-end street.
âThanks for the lift. I really appreciate it.â
âIt was my pleasure.â The rain continued to beat against the car, the water isolating them from the outside world.
As he looked at her, he suddenly had the urge to touch her hair. To smooth away the shadows under her eyes. To assure her she didnât have to face her problems alone.
Where that urge came from, he had no idea. All he knew was that it threatened to shatter the control heâd mastered as a rescue swimmer. He needed that control. Nothingâand no oneâhad ever managed to shake it as quickly as Kate. Worse, sheâd done it without even tryingâ¦.
who writes both romance and romantic suspense, is the author of more than twenty-five novels. Her books have been honored with both the coveted RITA>® Award from Romance Writers of America (the âOscarâ of romantic fiction) and the Reviewersâ Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. More than 1 million copies of her novels have been sold worldwide.
A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full-time. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, long walks, cooking, gardening and spending time with family. She and her husband make their home in Missouri.
For more information about her and her books, Irene invites you to visit her Web site at www.irenehannon.com.
Tides of Hope
Irene Hannon
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
âMatthew 5:4
To my mother, Dorothy Hannonâ
With loving memories of a very special birdâs nest that always graces my Christmas tree⦠and The Good Life
With special thanks to the following individuals
for their generous assistance:
BMC Terrill J. Malvesti, United States
Coast Guard; Julie & Karsten Reinemo, Topspin Sportfishing Charters; Erika Mooney, The âSconset Trust; Michael Galvin, Nantucket Chamber of Commerce.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
Discussion Questions
âSorry to interrupt, sir. But Iâve got a hot one for you.â
Swiveling his desk chair away from the foggy view of Nantucket Harbor, Lieutenant Craig Cole looked up from the boat-hours report heâd just started reading and gave his executive petty officer his full attention. âWhatâs up?â
âA complaint, sir. From the owner of one of the local charter fishing operations, who isnât too happy about a safety citation we issued this afternoon. The captain asked to speak with you, but you were at that special Conservation Commission meeting. Iâm not making any headway, so now that youâre back I thought you might want to take over.â
The subtle twitch of his aideâs lips put Craig on alert. Boatswainâs Mate First Class Ben Barlow had been stationed on Nantucket for two years, and heâd been an invaluableâif slightly irreverentâsource of information since Craigâs arrival four weeks ago, guiding him through several rocky passages. Another one seemed to be looming on the horizon.
âOkay, Barlow. Whatâs the story?â
The man walked into the office and handed over a copy of the citation. âItâs pretty straightforward. Expired flares.â
Craig scanned the document. The vessel was an older boat, a thirty-one-foot Wellcraft Suncruiser named the Lucy Sue. Although it was equipped with a sufficient number of flares, they were out-of-date. The inspection had been done by the stationâs newestâand youngestâcrew member, but Craig considered the man to be dependable and conscientious.
âThis looks in order. Whatâs the problem?â
His aideâs lip twitch gave way to a grin. âThe captain says weâre being hard-nosed. The flares are only a month out-of-date, and she says everyone knows theyâre good for at least six months longer than the expiration date. However, she claims she did intend to replace them before resuming operation this season.â
She. Craig checked the name on the citation. Katherine MacDonald. Was the captainâs gender the source of Barlowâs amusement?
Lowering the sheet of paper, Craig appraised his aide. âI donât care what she says. This is a clear violation of regulations.â
âI explained that to her, sir. But she isnât backing down.â The man tried to stifle his grin. Failed.
Craigâs eyes narrowed. âDo you know this woman?â
âNo, sir. But I know Chief Medart had a lot of respect for her.â
From what heâd heard about his predecessor, Senior Chief Sandra Medart was a solid officer. Heâd found no evidence of a lax operation during his brief tenure, though it was more laid-back than he was accustomed to, after his past three years at headquarters in Washington, where protocol and procedures reigned supreme.