I pushed myself into a sitting position. “I hired a private investigator. Someone who has done some incredibly sensitive work for Carson. I trust him implicitly. And I’m having him look into Michael. Keep an eye on things.”

“You should’ve asked me first. This could lead him straight to you if he figures out someone’s watching him.”

I took Shay’s hand in mine, tracing circles on her palm with my finger. “I probably should’ve. But you were so locked up. I didn’t want to push, and I needed to know you were safe. That Michael was where he was supposed to be.”

“Is he? Where he’s supposed to be, I mean?”

“Dante ran surveillance last week. So far, everything adds up, but he had to leave for another job. I’m going to get him to do a deeper dive when he’s finished.”

“Brody,” Shay cut in.

I squeezed her hand. “I need it. I’ll have him check out Michael, and then I’m going to have him look into things on Anchor.”

Concern filled Shay’s expression. “You’re worried this person is going to kill again.”

My jaw worked back and forth. We hadn’t learned much about the murder that had taken place a few weeks ago, but the man that was killed didn’t have a shortage of enemies. Parker had filled us in that he was an avid gambler and a heavy drinker. He owed a fair number of people significant money. Parker’s working theory was that someone who wanted to kill the man had seen news coverage of my case back east and used it to cover up a revenge killing.

It was a fair theory, but something still had me on edge. Maybe it was simply because I’d been down this road before, and it had wrecked my life—and that of so many others. “I want to be sure. Having Dante look into things will give me peace of mind. And maybe it’ll give the same to you.”

Shay tugged her hand free of mine and framed my face. “How did this happen?”

“What do you mean?”

“What were the chances that you would decide to move here of all the places in the world? That you would buy the island that I was working on? That I would find you. And that you would be just what I need?”

A burn started low in my gut. “Shay—”

She put a finger over my mouth and pressed her lips to my temple. “Thank you.”