“Everyone.” Sylvia joined them, lowering her voice after her initial greeting. “We have an audience. I think we should head over to the Lodge. I can get Mr. . . .” She looked at the marshal.

He shot her a wide smile. “Williams, but call me Evan.”

Yeah, Connor didn’t like the guy at all.

Sylvia gestured for Evan to come with her. “We’ll get you settled in. I’m thinking we can all use some pie or liquor. Maybe liquor and pie.”

Sylvia had guided Evan toward the parked cars and the small crowd that had gathered there, eavesdropping with abandon. Not even pretending to hide they were listening in. Even Paul stood there with Mr. Higginbotham.

Evan and Sylvia only got a few steps before Evan turned around. “I get that we have a crowd issue but I need to talk with Maddie. Just a few minutes alone. We can get a lot of this straightened out and let the people on the island get back to their lives.”

Connor had to give the guy credit for knowing his target. He knew where to aim. He had to know she felt guilty about upsetting people on Whitaker and he drove right there. The asshole.

But if Maddie felt obliged to go with him, she didn’t show it. She waved off the concern. “We can do that at the Lodge. Get checked in and then we’ll run through what’s happened and some new information that might have come up while you were on your way here.”

Evan’s eyes narrowed. “Interesting.”

Connor enjoyed seeing her deny Evan’s order and ignore the emotional blackmail more than he wanted to admit. “Isn’t it?”

“Then we’re all agreed.” Sylvia had her hand under Evan’s elbow and got him moving back toward the parking lot again. “Let me show you the way.”

A wave of exhaustion hit Connor, but he welcomed the release of tension. Maddie’s outpouring about her past. Her breakdown right there in the grass. All that sharing took a toll. He’d spent two years blocking every emotion and keeping as far out of people’s private lives as possible. He’d been on Whitaker little more than a week and he’d been roped into investigations and protective details . . . and being with her.

“Isn’t it?” Maddie said, mimicking his tone. “Really?”

If she wanted to do this, they would do it. “Friend?”

She shook her head as she walked past him, following in Sylvia’s footsteps. “Behave yourself. He’s here to help.”

He thought about pointing out how she didn’t want the marshal here but he let the subject drop. No use getting into a battle he couldn’t win because she’d keep changing the rules anyway. “Yes, ma’am.”

He tried to remember where he’d put his keys. Before he could take a step, Ben shifted in front of him.