Twilight at Blueberry Barrens Page 3

  Claire’s eyes widened. “That’s a great idea! You don’t have a mortgage, so it would at least provide you with a little money to live on. I could give you the money to fix it up.”

  “Only if it’s a loan. I can pay you back after harvest next year. It won’t take much, maybe two thousand or so. I can do a lot of the work myself.” Her thoughts raced through what needed to be done: fresh paint, new hardware on the cabinets, fresh bedding, and some decent used furniture. “There are never enough rentals for tourists this time of year with the blueberry festivals coming.”

  “Luke and I will help.” Claire shaded her eyes with her hand and looked toward the road as her fiancé’s new black truck rumbled to a stop. “He’s right on time.” She waved as Luke Rocco climbed out of a big Dodge four-by-four. “I’ll see you later. Lunch tomorrow at the hotel?”

  “You bet.” Kate hugged her and waved at Luke, a dark-haired, handsome man in his early thirties.

  He draped his arm around Claire and gave her a lingering kiss before escorting her to the passenger side of his truck. A wistful pang struck Kate. She was unlikely to ever have a man look at her the way Luke looked at Claire. Kate could never have a child, and what man would want a wife as barren as these fields?

  She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. That didn’t mean she couldn’t have a full life though. She was alive, and two years ago she’d thought she was facing the end. She’d found her twin sister, a sister she’d only dimly remembered as a “secret” friend during her childhood. Kate had nothing to complain about.

  The sun fell fast, plunging the landscape into darkness. The lights of her house beckoned, and foliage snapped under her sneakers as she picked up her pace. A cup of coffee and a square of dark chocolate would raise her spirits. She’d put on a CD and belt out her favorite songs along with Adele while she fixed dinner. After dinner she’d play an old movie and cuddle up with Jackson, her new twelve-week-old furball.

  She whistled for her golden retriever and smiled when he shot around the side of the house toward her. She knelt to rub his fuzzy pelt. “Good boy. Did you miss me? I bet you’re hungry.”

  He yapped at her and raced for the back door. She started to follow, then paused at the front of the yard to pick up an empty Coke bottle someone had tossed out. Flatlanders, most likely. She went to the side of the house and squinted in the dark until she made out the vague shape of the trash can. Hadn’t she left on the porch light?

  She tossed the bottle in the trash, then saw a hoe she’d left leaning against the house. She grabbed it and carried it toward the gardening shed. There was always something to do around here.

  A strangled scream rang out from down the vacant road. Kate turned to investigate but saw nothing but an owl flap its wings as it soared into the sky. Maybe it had been a luckless rabbit caught by the bird. Why was she so jumpy this evening?

  She examined her mood and realized she’d been on edge for weeks. It was little things she’d noticed, like an unlocked door when she’d been sure she’d locked it and sounds outside the window. Chemo brain was not for the weak. Shaking her head, she turned toward the back door.

  A figure ran around the edge of the house and tried to dart around her to get away. Kate acted on instinct and brought the hoe up like a baseball bat. She swung the sharp edge at his head. He rolled away, but the hoe still connected with his left bicep. Jackson’s ears came up, and he barked.

  The man let out a howl and managed to jump to his feet as she swung the hoe at him again. The blade hit him in the back as he disappeared into the looming darkness.

  Kate’s legs were like pudding as she ran for the back door. Once inside, she locked the door and leaned against it with her hands shaking. This intruder hadn’t been her imagination. She pulled out her cell phone and called 911.

  * * *

  Claire stood with Luke in Kate’s kitchen. The clock in the living room chimed eleven times as the teakettle began to shriek. In spite of the late hour, she was wide awake from worry. She pulled the kettle from the heat, then turned to Luke and lowered her voice. “I don’t want her staying here by herself. Who knows why that guy was hanging around here.”

  Luke was the best man she’d ever met. Loyal, caring, and strong. She still couldn’t believe she was going to be lucky enough to marry him. Living here near her sister was a dream come true. This was the spot she’d longed for all her life even though she hadn’t realized it.

  His thick black hair was damp and uncombed since he’d come here straight out of the shower after she called. His warm brown eyes met hers. “We’re here for her, honey. You think she’d move in with you if you insisted?”

  “She’s so independent.” Claire heaved a sigh and poured steaming water into the teapot. “I suppose she’s had to be without any real support. Back me up when I ask her, okay?”

  He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned in to brush his lips across hers. “I always back you up.”

  His touch never failed to speed up her pulse. She cupped his cheek. “I know you do. Let’s go interrupt the party. I’m sure she’s told Danny over and over what happened. She probably needs the break by now. Grab those, would you?” She indicated the plate of brownies by the sink. She’d found them in a container on the counter, and they looked freshly baked.

  Danny and his deputy looked up when she and Luke entered. Jonas Kissner knew Kate well from school and would be sympathetic, as would the sheriff, who treated Kate like a daughter. They both must have been off duty because they were in jeans and T-shirts. They’d probably been called from a relaxing evening at their homes.

  Claire set the tray she carried on the coffee table. “I thought a little break would be good. Kate has been through a lot the last few weeks. You’re probably about done questioning her, right?”

  “We are.” Jonas reached for the teapot and poured out a cup, then sat back with it in his hand. His burnished-red hair gleamed in the lights. “It’s after eleven. We checked all through the house, and everything seems to be untouched. There were footprints in the mud out back. I think maybe it was probably just a flatlander who got lost and cut through your yard on his way back to his truck, and you scared the tar out of him, Kate.”

  “I hope you’re right.” But Claire’s heart sank when she saw how calm Kate was. If she thought there was no danger, she wouldn’t budge from this house, and Claire wasn’t at all sure the deputy was right. She offered him the tray of brownies, and he took two.

  “You found the brownies,” Kate said. “They’re made from okra, eggs, and sugar-free chocolate chips. Healthier, you know.”

  The men exchanged dismayed glances, and Jonas took a cautious bite. His pale-green eyes widened. “Pretty good for being healthy.”

  Kate had been on a health kick ever since she’d begun recovering from the aplastic anemia that had nearly killed her, and while most people rolled their eyes and humored her, Claire wanted her to do anything that gave her comfort and courage. It had to be hard never to know if that disease might rear its wretched head again.

  Claire handed her sister a cup of chamomile tea. “I think you should move in with me for a while.”

  Kate’s blue eyes crinkled in a smile as she took the tea. “You’re getting married soon, and I’d just have to move back out again. I’m not living with newlyweds. Besides, you heard Jonas. It was likely a lost tourist. Once I really thought about it, I realized he wasn’t really attacking me, just trying to get past me.” She looked at Danny. “I’m sorry I bothered you two. I’m a little skittish since finding the two on the cliff, and I overreacted.”

  “Better safe than sorry.” Sheriff Colton’s red handlebar mustache quivered as he nibbled the edge of a brownie. He smiled and took a bigger bite. “But I think it’s fine to stay home, Kate. Be vigilant of course. But I don’t think the guy was trying to get in your house. There are no muddy footprints by the door, and the prints we found came from the woods. If a flatlander comes by the station to say he was attacked by a cra
zy woman with a hoe, I’ll just point out he was trespassing and any woman would defend herself.”

  Claire pressed her lips together and met Luke’s sympathetic gaze. He shrugged and grinned. He liked Kate, but what man would want his new sister-in-law living with them right after they got married? Not even Luke, the symbol of male perfection in Claire’s eyes. But she couldn’t quell her uneasiness. This road held no other residents with the other cottage empty, and some maniac could break in without a soul nearby to hear her scream.

  She suppressed a shudder and took a sip of her tea. “Kate is thinking about renting out the cottage down the road.”

  “Is it worth renting out?” Danny mumbled past his mouthful of brownie.

  “It’s a good, solid cottage,” Kate said. “It just needs a little TLC. I could probably rent it for a decent amount to a tourist.”

  “At least you wouldn’t be alone out here,” Luke said. “If you got scared, you could run to the neighbor’s. Or call. It would put your sister’s mind at rest. Mine too.”

  “Good idea.” Jonas rose and grabbed his hat. “I’d better be heading home so you can all get some rest. Sorry you had such a scare, Kate.”

  She rose to walk him to the door, and Claire followed with Luke and the sheriff. Kate opened the door. “Thanks for coming so fast. I promise not to cry wolf again. Next time I’ll think it through.”

  “You didn’t cry wolf. We want to know if there’s a problem.” Jonas smiled down at her. “And anytime I get to see my old friend is a good day.”

  “Call us if you need us.” Danny put his Boston Celtics baseball cap on his head and went out the door behind Jonas.

  Kate stepped onto the porch behind Claire and Luke. “I feel pretty foolish about now. I’m sorry I kept you up so late.”

  Claire hugged her until the stiffness left her sister’s shoulders. “Don’t you dare apologize. You’re supposed to call me for anything. Get some rest, since it’s clear I can’t coax you into coming home with me.”

  But walking to her car, Claire still felt a deep sense of unease at leaving her in the dark night. She turned with her hand on Luke’s truck. “I’m going to send out a security guy tomorrow. If you’re going to live out here, you will have a security system. Don’t even try to argue me out of it.”

  Standing in the wash of the light spilling through the doorway, Kate looked small and vulnerable. “I won’t try to talk you out of it. See you tomorrow.”

  Claire climbed into Luke’s truck, and he shut the door behind her, then got behind the wheel. “She’ll be okay, honey. I asked Danny to send a patrol out this way on occasion, and he said he would.”

  She reached over and patted his hand. “You’re a good man, Luke Rocco. I’m glad you’re mine.”

  FOUR

  Drake stopped in Ogunquit for ice cream for the girls. They’d all needed a break, and he needed a chance to get out of the car and away from their squabbling. No amount of placating seemed to settle them down, and he didn’t want to come off as the big bad uncle when they needed love and understanding right now. Though he’d kept an eye on the rearview mirror, he hadn’t spotted any sign they were being followed.

  They sat at a table overlooking the water. The wind whipped the waves into whitecaps, and the girls squealed as ducks waddled closer for a bit of bread. He grinned as they tossed the birds a bit of their cones. It felt like just another summer day, a bit of normalcy in a world gone crazy. He tossed away his napkin and empty cup, then called Rod Sisson, Heath’s partner in the law office.

  Rod answered on the first ring. “Drake, I was about to call you. Listen, I’ve found a great private investigator to dig into what happened. I’ll text you the number.”

  “That’s good, really good. I’m on my way to Folly Shoals myself.”

  There was a pause, and Rod’s voice grew louder. “That’s the best news I’ve heard since the sheriff called. Someone has to take charge. I’ve gotten nowhere with the sheriff. He’s still clinging to that cockamamie idea of it being a murder/suicide.”

  Rod had been Drake’s strong right arm through all this. Everyone else had urged him to let it go and let the authorities up in Maine handle it, but Rod had been doing everything in his power to find out what happened too.

  Drake’s phone dinged with a text message. “I got your text now. I’ll give the guy a call. Thanks for finding someone.” He watched the girls walk to the edge of the water and take off their sandals. They waded into the lapping waves a few inches. He moved closer to them but stayed far enough away so they couldn’t overhear him.

  “Good. Sloan is a great guy. I’ve known him a long time. He told me it’s crazy how often the law gets focused on a rabbit trail and misses the real clues. I think he’ll be a great asset. Are you doing okay with the girls?”

  “They’re a handful.” Drake grinned when a bigger wave made the girls squeal. “I’m trying to pitch them a break because of all they’ve gone through. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them when we get to Folly Shoals. I need to be able to investigate on my own.”

  “You should have left them with Brylee and me. They would have fit right in with my three.”

  “And you would have been dealing with five girls all under the age of ten.” Drake laughed and shook his head. “I couldn’t do that to you. Besides, they really need to be with me.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it. You could hire a nanny.”

  “A nanny.” The idea took hold. “I’d thought to have my aunt Dixie help out, but she’s getting up there in years, and two girls this young would wear her out fast. But she’s lived there for ages, and she’s the postmistress. She’ll know everyone and then some. I’m sure she’ll have a good recommendation for me. I’ll only need someone for six weeks.”

  “Glad I could offer something helpful. It feels wrong to be sitting down the hall from Heath’s office and know that he’s never coming back. And that there’s not a thing I can do to change it.” Rod’s voice broke, and he cleared his throat. “I want to hang that murderer from the highest tower.”

  “Me too. And I’ll find out who did this. Nothing is going to get in my way. The trail is getting cold, and I want to light a fire under the sheriff and insist he consider some other theories.”

  “Let me know if there’s anything you need, anything at all. I’ll pay for the private investigator. The business can afford it, and Heath would have done the same for me.”

  “You don’t have to do that. I can afford it too.”

  “You have to let me help.” Rod’s voice broke again. “Heath was the best friend I ever had. It’s the least I can do.”

  “All right. Thanks, Rod. I’ll contact the guy and I’ll be in touch.” Drake ended the call and immediately dialed the texted number.

  “Sloan Investigations.” The man sounded young.

  “This is Drake Newham. Rod Sisson recommended I contact you.”

  “Oh yes, Rod’s a good friend. We went to college together.”

  The man’s self-satisfied tone struck Drake as odd. Did the guy think he automatically had the job because of his connection to Rod? “Can you tell me about your experience in investigation?”

  “Um, well, I’m really just getting started. I worked as a dispatcher for the police for a while, but I got tired of the hours.” He named a small town in South Carolina.

  Drake frowned and watched the girls as they licked their ice cream cones. “I really need someone with a lot of experience. This could be dangerous. We could be going up against a major criminal.”

  “I’m sure I can handle it.” Sloan’s voice took on a defensive tone. “This could be a big break for me.”

  “I’ll have to think about it.” Drake ended the call and motioned for the girls. Time to track down a killer. He didn’t need the help of a self-serving rookie. This was too important.

  * * *

  It was only the third time he’d used the housekeeping key card, stolen over two years ago from his mother when she worked here.
He wiped sweaty palms on his jeans and stared at the door. He’d seen her walking on the beach, and when he found she was staying at the hotel, he’d been unable to resist the temptation. He had plenty of time too. This time of year the seedy hotel had low occupancy, and the staff was down to bare bones for another week.

  He glanced down the hall and saw no one. His hands were steady as he quickly unlocked the door and turned the handle. Holding his breath, he eased open the door, then smiled. She hadn’t flipped the security lock. Hanging on to the door, he let it slide back into place with only a slight click.

  The sound of a shower running beckoned him across the plush carpet and past the unmade bed. A bracelet lay curled on the bedside table, and he took it before following the sound of running water.

  Her jeans and T-shirt were in a puddle on the floor outside the open bathroom door, and he stood with his feet on either side of them to peer through it. His reflection in the steamy mirror was fuzzy. He brought up his cell phone and snapped off four quick pictures of her in the shower. Her head was back and her eyes were closed as she rinsed her blonde hair. The fogged glass door irritated him with the way it obscured his view.

  Back at his house, he’d be able to enhance the pictures and enjoy them in private. He eased a few inches more into the room, and his sneaker squeaked on the tile floor. She gasped and opened her eyes. He leaped back and ran as she let out a shriek.

  His chest tightened as he raced for the door. She was screaming like his grandmother’s teakettle as he let himself out and sprinted down the hall for the elevator. She couldn’t have seen his face—not with the steamed-up glass—could she?

  As the elevator door shut behind him, he realized he was grinning from ear to ear. The rush of voyeurism always left him higher than a line of cocaine. And it was just as addicting. No matter how many times he swore he wouldn’t do it again, he couldn’t help himself.