Roche Harbor Rogue

by D. W. Ulsterman

  Adele took her eyes off the raven to look at Fin. “The crystal?”

  Fin shrugged. “Yeah. It’s the one my father wrote about, right? The Lekwiltok Crystal. Why would I ever pass up a chance to get my hands on that?”

  “Get your hands on it? You intend to take it for yourself?”

  Fin rolled his eyes. “Stop being so dramatic. You know what I mean.”

  “No, Fin, I don’t. You’re not making any sense. None of this is making any sense.”

  The raven hopped across the branch and croaked loudly while spreading its wings out. Fin reached down and picked up a stone. “Shut up,” he said as his arm drew back.

  “Don’t throw that rock,” Adele growled.

  “It’s just a stupid bird,” Fin replied.

  Adele walked over and clamped her fingers around Fin’s wrist. “I mean it. Put it down.”

  Fin dropped the rock. “Fine. You happy now?”

  The raven raised its head, cackled, and then took off into the night sky.

  “Nice,” Fin said. “Now you have the birds laughing at me.”

  “I’m sure you’ll get over it.”

  “Where to now?”

  Though Adele couldn’t see water she knew where it was. No matter how far away it always tugged at her. She looked west. “I’m returning the bikes and then I’m going home. You can come with me or stay here. It’s up to you.”

  Fin scuffed the ground with the heel of his shoe. “Guess the stress of the day turned us sour. I apologize if I said or did anything you feel was out of line.”

  “I told you I’m waiting for the whole story of why you’re really here. As of right now I’m tired of waiting. I think your time here is reaching its expiration date. We can go back to Roche together, but after that . . .”

  Fin nodded. “I get it. By that I mean I understand where you’re coming from. Our being here has dug up a lot of unpleasant history for you, not least of which is your memory of my father. You knew Delroy. I didn’t. So the pain of remembering him is yours more than it is mine.”

  “I don’t have a problem with remembering Delroy. He was an amazing man. At least the version of him that I was blessed to know. My problem is with you, Fin. There’s something you’re not telling me. I intend to find out what that is.”

  “So you said.”

  “And I’m saying it again in the hopes that this time you’ll hear me.”

  “Hey, I’m just a poor little Irish boy without a daddy looking for a friend in a big, scary old world.”

  “Okay, fine, if that’s how you want to play it. Don’t ever say I didn’t give you the chance to come clean.”

  Fin tipped his cap and winked. “I’ve been making my own chances my whole life, darling. I don’t require any more from you.”

  “I meant it as a gesture of kindness.”

  “And I sincerely thank you for that.”

  Adele gave up. She was too tired to argue any longer. She started walking. An hour later, she was behind the wheel as the Chris Craft skipped across the nighttime waters. Fin sat at the back of the boat with his arms folded across his chest.

  It was an especially cold ride home in more ways than one.

  19.

  A dele took an extra-long shower the following morning, hoping to clear her head so she might better focus on what had happened the previous day. Either Karl Bloodbone was alive or someone who bore a remarkable resemblance to him was running around Orcas pretending to be him. Then there was the question of the same words being written on the inside of both the shack door and the cellar door that had been Calista’s prison. Delroy had written in his book that Bloodbone had left the message in the shack. Was Bloodbone also responsible for the message in the cellar, and if so, why?

  Strong coffee followed the shower. Adele sat in her robe inside the warm cocoon of the sailboat sipping from her cup as her mind raced with various possibilities of what it all could mean.

  And what about Fin? He had been so determined to leave the cave with a crystal and so willing to go down into a muddy, rat-infested cellar to seek out more information about what alleged powers those crystals might hold. It didn’t make sense and that in turn frustrated Adele even more.

  After getting back to Roche they had separated last night without saying anything to each other. Adele went to the sailboat and Fin returned to his room inside Tilda’s hotel. Now it was a new day with new questions and Adele intended to get some answers. She dressed quickly, went outside, and walked to the hotel where she knew Tilda would already be waiting.

  “He isn’t here,” Tilda replied after Adele inquired about Fin.

  “Did he check out?”

  “No, I don’t think so. What happened yesterday? Did you two argue?”

  Adele summarized the events of the previous day as Tilda sat at the table in her room and listened. When Adele was finished, Tilda got up and went to one of the windows that overlooked the marina below. “That’s a remarkable story,” she said. “I’ve wondered myself about how quickly Calista was able to recover from that terrible ordeal. I assumed it was her love of Decklan. Perhaps it was that but also something more.” She turned around and looked at Adele. “As I’ve said before, these are the islands where all things are possible. What do you intend to do now?”

  “I’m not sure. I could return to Orcas and try to find Bloodbone or whoever that was that looks so much like him, but I should probably check in with Lucas first.”

  “Good idea. Having the help of the sheriff would be wise. And what about Mr. Kearns?”

  “Heck if I know. He’s hiding something. I’m sure of it.”

  Tilda pursed her lips. “Who doesn’t have things they wish to keep to themselves? That doesn’t automatically make him unworthy of your support.”

  Adele’s eyes narrowed. “Are you talking about Fin or someone else?”

  Tilda looked out the window again. “I haven’t seen Roland around. You would think with the house being built on the hill and the yacht tied up at the dock he’d be here.”

  Adele decided to share what she knew about the pending sale of Roland’s bank. Hearing that it was more than just a rumor clearly rattled Tilda.

  “I really didn’t want to believe it was true. The Soros family bank has been a fixture of our community’s independence for as long as I can remember. I never really considered the possibility it could be swallowed up by some New York conglomerate. I know now that was foolish of me. Roland has always displayed an appetite for more—family legacy be damned.”

  “After you first told me what you’d heard from your financial adviser in Bellingham, I said something very similar to Roland. He didn’t like hearing it.”

  Tilda furrowed her brow as she bit her lip. “No, I imagine he didn’t. And no one else knows about the sale? Not even the sheriff?”

  “You’re the only one I’ve told so far. Roland said I was free to write about it in the paper, which does seem to suggest it’s very close to a done deal.”

  Tilda sat down and scratched at the white tablecloth. “Roland’s bank likely holds the mortgages on at least half the residences and businesses on these islands. Thank goodness I own the hotel free and clear. The thought of making payments to some faceless big bank sickens me and I’m far from the only one around here who feels like that. If Roland goes through with the sale, he is going to be very unpopular among his neighbors.”

  “I know. That’s what I tried to tell him. He wasn’t interested in listening then and now he won’t accept my texts.”

  “Shame on the little brat. His grandfather will be rolling in his grave. Even for Roland it’s a decision that stuns me. He’s always been so vocal regarding the need to maintain local control of our community. There must be more to this. It doesn’t make sense.”

  “It does if the reason is greed. You’ve said it yourself—Roland wants the money.”

  Tilda got up. “You find Roland and bring him here. I need to speak with him.”

  “I have no idea
where he is or how to get a hold of him.”

  “You’ll manage. When it comes to finding things, you most often do.”

  “What do you want to say to him?”

  “Honestly, I’m not really sure. I just want the chance to say it.”

  “I’ll try, but if Roland doesn’t want to be found I can’t guarantee I can get him here.”

  “That’s fine,” Tilda said. “Until then where are you off to?”

  “I’m going to Friday Harbor to meet with Lucas.”

  “And will you be telling the sheriff the news regarding Roland’s bank?”

  Adele shook her head. “Not yet. I want to discuss it with Roland first.”

  “Very well. Let me know how everything goes.”

  Adele promised she would and then left the hotel. Despite the swirling troubles with Roland and Fin, she made sure to take a moment to appreciate the beauty on display during the drive to Friday Harbor. Wildflowers growing alongside the road promised of the warmer spring days to come. The sky was again clear, the sun bright, and the tall grass fields a vibrant green. When she reached the sheriff station, she looked to her right and saw Lucas parking alongside her.

  “Good timing,” he said, smiling as he got out of his SUV. “You look like you want to talk.”

  “I do. And you’re looking a whole lot better.”

  Lucas pulled his uniform tight over his muscular chest. “I’m definitely feeling better.”

  “Can we go inside?”

  Lucas opened the front door and then stepped aside. “After you.”

  There was something about his tone that made Adele pause. Lucas was almost always considerate, but he seemed especially so this morning. “Is everything okay?”

  The smile on Lucas’s face fell away. He looked around and then lowered his voice. “C’mon. I’ll tell you in my office.”

  Adele sat and waited. Lucas shut the door, closed the blinds, and then plopped down behind his desk. “It’s about Mr. Kearns,” he said.

  “Okay.”

  Lucas stuck his elbows on the desk, folded his hands together, and propped his chin on them. “I heard back from my Interpol contact. It seems there’s more to Mr. Kearns than he was letting on.”

  “Such as?”

  “Did you know about his connection to Irish travelers? They’re a semi-nomadic group sometimes referred to as gypsies.”

  “I did. Fin told me his mother did business with them—horses mainly.”

  “Ah, I see. And that’s it?”

  “Pretty much. He said she sold horses to the travelers. Why?”

  “Well, it’s more than that. A lot more actually.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Fin’s mother is a woman by the name of Ava Kearns. She’s kind of a big deal among the travelers of southern Ireland and enjoys a lot of influence primarily in the counties of Cork and Waterford. Being her son, Fin benefits from that status as well. He doesn’t have a criminal record himself, but he undoubtedly associates with those who do.”

  Adele sat up straight. “Fin’s mother is dead.”

  “No, she’s not. Ava Kearns is very much alive.”

  “Why would Fin lie to me about that?”

  Lucas shrugged. “Petty crime is a way of life for travelers, so I imagine lying comes easily to them. Fin may not have a criminal record, but his mother does, and they’re both well acquainted with the Irish authorities.”

  “Is he dangerous?”

  “Nothing in the Interpol report I was given indicated anything violent. I’m sure he’s been around it plenty though.”

  “And his mother? Why does she have a record?”

  “Selling stolen property. Horses were taken from farms in the north and then transported for sale to travelers in the south. The authorities believed Fin was involved as well, but his mother agreed to a plea that exempted him from any prosecution. She was to serve a year in the Limerick prison—not an easy place to do time.”

  “Is she still there?”

  “No,” Lucas answered. “She was granted an early release about six months ago. The report didn’t say why.”

  “And now you want me to help you bring Fin in.”

  “I do but just to speak with him. As far as I know he’s done nothing wrong. That said, he did lie to you about his mother. That suggests he’s willing to lie about other things as well including his reason for coming here. Did anything odd happen while you two were at Orcas?”

  “That’s one of the reasons I came here to talk to you. It was beyond odd.”

  Lucas leaned back in his chair as Adele recounted the trip to Mother Mary Ophelia’s on Shaw, their visit with Prunella Brown at the Historical Society Museum in Eastsound, and the discovery of the clearing with the shed and the cave that led into the hillside. Then she described what happened at the abandoned house where Calista had been kept prisoner.

  Lucas’s mouth dropped open. “You went to the Speaks house alone?”

  “No, I went there with Fin.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah, you seem to think if I do something like that without you, regardless of who’s with me, then I’m doing it alone.”

  Lucas held up his hand. “I’m done getting mad at you for taking those kinds of risks, Adele. You are who you are. I understand it and I’ve even learned to respect it. Still, I can’t say it doesn’t make me worry. And you really believe you saw Karl Bloodbone there?”

  “It was either him or someone wanting to look like him.”

  “Huh. Well, it’s the second option of course. Karl Bloodbone had to have died a long time ago. By the way, I know the book you mentioned—the one Delroy wrote. My father had it in his office at home. I remember him telling me a little about the big conflict between Bloodbone and some of the Orcas locals back in the 1970s. That was what—more than 40 years ago? That’s before you or I were even born. There’s just no way Bloodbone could still be alive. And even if he was, a man that old running around Orcas locking people in cellars? Nope. It’s someone playing a game and we need to figure out why.”

  “I feel the same way. I also think it could somehow be connected to Fin.”

  “Maybe. Who knows? It definitely makes me want to sit down and speak with him even more now.”

  “And is there anything new regarding Sandra Penny?”

  Lucas shook his head. “No, nothing to suggest she had anything to do with what happened to you in the parking lot at Roche. I’ve asked that she bring her vehicle by so I can have it looked at to see if there’s any evidence it was broken into. She said she’d have to get back to me on that. Apparently, things are unusually busy at the bank.”

  Adele nearly told Lucas about the pending bank sale but decided against it. She would stick to her plan of talking more about it with Roland first.

  If I can find him.

  “Were you going to say something?” Lucas asked.

  “No, my mind was wandering. Sorry. Have you seen or heard anything from Roland?”

  “You two still not talking?”

  “We aren’t anything. Nobody knows where he is. I try to message him, but they just get kicked back. I’m actually starting to worry a bit.”

  “I’m sure he’ll show up. You know how Roland can be.”

  “I thought I did, but now I’m not so sure.”

  “You want me to add him to my ‘looking for’ list?”

  “I would. Thanks.”

  Lucas leaned back again and jammed his thumbs into his gun belt. “All part of the job, ma’am. Now don’t you go worrying your pretty little head. I’ll locate our little banker friend in no time.”

  They both laughed.

  It felt good.

  The moment passed quickly, though, leaving Adele to again contemplate questions she had no answers to. Fin had lied, Roland was missing, either Sandra Penny or someone using her car had tried to intimidate her, and someone else who looked exactly like Karl Bloodbone was out there doing things for reasons that made no sense.
>
  So many mysteries. So little time.

  It was almost enough to make Adele smile.

  20.

  “Y ou lied to me. Don’t deny it. I know the truth about your mother. If you want us to remain friends, you need to come clean. No more lies.”

  Fin stared into his teacup as he sat with Adele inside her sailboat. “You say the sheriff had me investigated?”

  “Not an investigation. He just made an inquiry. Don’t take it personal. It’s what he does.”

  Fin looked up. “And I’m sure the damn Garda were only too happy to share their opinions on my mother. The authorities are the same everywhere. Poking and prodding without thought to how it might impact others. I do take it personal, Adele. It’s my life and the lives of my people.”

  Adele knew to proceed carefully. Whatever emotional wound Fin had been nursing in secret remained very raw. “I’ve experienced loss as well, Fin. I know something of that kind of pain. What I don’t understand is your reason for wanting me to think your mother was dead when she isn’t.”

  “She is dead. The doctor pointed to her and said as much. He might as well have stamped an expiration date right onto her forehead.”

  Fin went quiet. Adele waited. When he was ready, he’d start talking again. It didn’t take long.

  “It’s her heart. It’s failing, and due to her age, she’s low priority on the transplant list. So, she told the doctors no more. Said she wasn’t going to waste what little time she had left sitting inside a hospital. That’s her pride. Her refusal to give up control. If she is to die it’ll be on her terms. I was so angry when she told me there’d be no more attempts at treatment, no more pretending that the inevitable could somehow be changed. It feels too much like giving up even though down deep I know she’s right. My mother’s dying.”

  “But why come all the way here to the islands? Why not be with her during whatever time she has left?”