Roche Harbor Rogue

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by D. W. Ulsterman


  Adele knew the Chris Craft could take far more than she could. It was a small but heavy fiberglass beast made to withstand such waters. With more power to the prop it tracked true, its diesel growl sounding a challenge at anything Mother Nature might throw at it.

  The wiper blades clacked against the windshield frame, their tempo accompanying the rise and fall of the bow as it climbed one wave before crashing into the next, bathing the entire front of the boat in salt spray.

  Adele waved as a fishing vessel crossed in front of her on its way to Friday Harbor. She could see its captain turn his head to look at her, likely wondering why she was heading out when everyone else was going in. The conditions reminded her of the night she crossed the same channel with Delroy behind the wheel of Decklan’s little runabout. They had eventually made it to Decklan’s house and the protected waters of Deer Harbor—but just barely.

  The wind and waves were quickly getting worse. Adele had to grip the wheel tighter in order to keep the bow pointed straight and estimated a window of no more than ten or fifteen minutes before the weather turned the water into a dangerous washing machine. At her current speed she knew it wasn’t enough time, so she went faster.

  The Lancer felt like it might roll over as a rogue wave lifted it high and then dropped it down hard. Adele gritted her teeth, turned into the next wave just like Delroy had first taught her, and straightened the boat out. This was repeated over and over as the Chris Craft shrugged off the worsening conditions and plowed forward.

  There.

  The small community dock adjacent to the ferry terminal finally came into view. Only one other boat was tied to it—a center console inflatable dinghy.

  Roland’s dinghy.

  Once she was tied up and had turned off the key Adele felt her body release the tension that had built up during the ride over and was grateful to be looking back at the roiling seas from the safety of the shore. The storm continued to gain power as layer after layer of ominous clouds collected over the islands, courtesy of a thirty-knot wind. The downpour would start soon. She had a long and wet walk ahead of her.

  With one last check to make sure the Chris Craft was secured to the dock Adele made her way up to the road she hoped would take her to Roland.

  22.

  “W hat in the world are you doing out in this mess? Get on in here before you catch your death.”

  Ophelia opened the door wider and stepped aside so that Adele could enter the convent. “My goodness you’re soaked,” she said. “Come sit by the fire.”

  “It’s not so bad,” Adele replied. “I’m used to it.” Despite her words Adele was grateful for the fire’s warmth. Ophelia handed her a cup of hot cider and then sat down beside her.

  “Drink that. The apples come from our own orchard. It’ll warm your belly.”

  Adele sipped from the cup and smiled. “It’s good. Thank you.”

  Ophelia leaned forward and put her hand on Adele’s knee. “I recall you coming here last year looking for him. I suppose that means he wants to be found.”

  “I guess so. I hope so. Is he here?”

  “Yes, in the same guest cabin as before—the one his grandfather stayed in a lifetime ago when he had his own troubles.”

  “How’s he doing?”

  “Oh, he’s fine. Him and that cat are inseparable. At the end of the day, despite all his superficial faults, Roland really is a good boy. Of course, you know that already. That’s why you’re here.”

  “Did he seem especially upset or stressed when he arrived?”

  Ophelia shook her head. “No, not at all. He gave me a big hug and asked if it was okay if he stayed for a few days to unwind.”

  “And you don’t mind him showing up unannounced like that?”

  “Just the opposite. It is a blessing having him here. This is a place of physical and spiritual restoration open to all no matter how great or small who require such things.”

  Adele finished her cider and stood. “Can I go see him?”

  Ophelia took the cup. “Of course. He’s likely expecting you. Perhaps you can try to convince him to shave that mess off his face.”

  “You don’t care for the beard?”

  “No, not really. His grandfather was clean-shaved. It’s a look that suits Soros men the best.”

  Adele again glanced at the photo of Roland as a boy standing with his grandfather and a much younger Ophelia. For the first time she noted a resemblance that had escaped her before—a discovery that made her eyes widen and her mouth fall open. “Was it your decision to hang that photo?”

  Ophelia appeared slightly annoyed by the question. “I suppose so. It’s been there a very long time. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, I know it was Roland’s grandfather who hung the same photo inside the entrance to the bank. It just seems like the picture sort of connects that place to this one . . . or Charles Soros to you.”

  When Ophelia didn’t reply Adele turned to face her. “Is something wrong?”

  “No, I’m fine. Are you ready to see Roland?”

  She isn’t denying it, Adele thought as her heart started to beat a little faster.

  “I said are you ready to see Roland?”

  Adele nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

  Ophelia’s smile wasn’t quite cold but hardly better than lukewarm. “Good. One mystery at a time and this one happens to be mine to tell, not yours.” Her eyes locked onto Adele’s. “Understood?”

  “Of course.”

  Ophelia reached out and held Adele’s hands. The old nun’s grip was strong and her skin rough and calloused from countless hours working outside. “Go ahead then. You know your way around this place.”

  Adele went outside and walked the narrow stone path to the convent’s guest cabin. The earlier downpour had lessened to a drizzle and the early afternoon air was warming. Rows of emerging multi-colored tulip bulbs lined the way. Adele knocked on the door. When no one answered, she knocked again.

  “Roland? Are you in there?”

  The cabin was unlocked. Adele pushed the door open and stepped inside. It felt even smaller than she remembered it with space for just a single bed, a chair, and a lamp. A little space heater sat on the floor humming quietly. The bed was unmade, and a book was on the pillow. Adele picked it up and looked at the cover. It was a copy of Don Quixote. There was a dog-eared page near the back, indicating Roland had almost finished it. She returned it to the pillow, sat in the chair next to the bed, and waited.

  After ten minutes, Adele got up and returned outside. The rain had stopped, and the sun peeked out from behind fast-moving clouds. She thought she heard Roland’s voice carried on the breeze and attempted to follow it. She found a dirt trail that wound through the trees and appeared to lead northeast in the direction of Blind Bay. When Roland’s voice became louder, Adele quickened her pace and followed the trail further into the woods.

  When she spotted him, Adele hid behind one of the larger trees and then poked her head out to watch as Roland walked through a grass clearing with the monastery cat trotting alongside him. He was both shirtless and shoeless, wearing only a pair of mud-splattered jeans, his face nearly covered by his rain-soaked hair and beard, but even from fifty yards Adele could see him smiling as he stopped and looked down at the cat.

  “See? I was right, Mr. Cash. The sun has returned to our little secret corner of the world.” The large, black cat snuggled Roland’s shin and then stood on its hind legs and reached up with its front paws toward his thigh. “I’m not a scratching post. We talked about this, remember? If you want up, you have to ask nice.”

  The cat let out a wailing meow. Roland’s smile grew even bigger as he nodded. “That’s better,” he said as he reached down, picked the cat up, and put it on the back of his neck so that the cat fell across his shoulders. “You like the view from up there, don’t you?”

  Adele decided to step out from behind the tree. “Hey.”

  Roland didn’t appear the least bit surprised to see her. �
�Hey yourself. It looks like you got the note I left on the yacht. I bet Lucas was with you when you did. Am I right?”

  “He was.”

  Roland chuckled. “Good old Lucas. Predictable as ever. You get a chance to talk with Ophelia?”

  “I did. She said you were doing well.”

  “That’s because I am, Adele. I really am. Something about this place always seems to set me right.” The cat’s tail started to twitch. Lucas turned his head toward his shoulder, so they were eye to eye. “Mr. Cash, this is my friend Adele. I don’t believe you two have been formally introduced. Ms. Adele Plank, this is Mr. Cash, otherwise known around here as the cat in black.”

  “Nice to see you again, Mr. Cash.” The cat looked at Adele briefly and then closed its eyes. “I’m afraid I didn’t make much of an impression.”

  “Don’t take it personal. Mr. Cash plays it close to the vest. He thinks you’re okay.”

  “That’s a relief.”

  Roland snapped his fingers. “You want to see something cool? I was on my way back from there, but I’d love to show you. It’s always nice to be able to share these kinds of discoveries with someone else. What do you say? You have time?”

  “Sure.” Adele didn’t know what to make of Roland’s good mood given it wasn’t so long ago that he was refusing to even accept a message from her.

  Seemingly thinking the same thing, Roland reached down as he was walking, plucked a blade of tall grass, and stuck it between his teeth. “If it’s alright with you I’d rather not waste time or energy fighting.”

  “I feel the same way. You were the one who put a block on your phone, though, not me.”

  “Oh, that. It wasn’t just you, Adele. I blocked everybody. I needed some time alone. I know we left off on a negative note and I apologize for getting so mad. The whole bad Russians thing is a sore point with me because I know I’m to blame for a lot of it and it just makes me sick thinking it might not be over yet.”

  “Apology accepted. Will you accept mine?”

  “What do you have to apologize for?”

  “I didn’t have to bring up the problem with the Russians. I put that in your face because I wanted you to feel bad. I use it as a weapon against you when you’re doing something I don’t like. That’s not right and it’s not fair. We need to both move past it.”

  Roland nudged Adele with his elbow. “I’m not as good with the words as you are so I don’t think I can adequately express how much that means to me. I’ll just say thanks. You telling me that means a hell of a lot.”

  “Speaking of which, are there any new developments on the bank sale?”

  “I really don’t want to talk business. Not here. Is that okay?”

  Adele shrugged. “Sure. Say, aren’t you cold? Not that I’m complaining. You look pretty good in a wild man of the woods sort of way.”

  Roland tilted his head back and rubbed against the cat that remained sprawled across his shoulders. “Cold? Heck no. Not with Mr. Cash to help keep me warm.”

  “It’s nice to know you’re proving the crazy cat lady cliché wrong. Clearly men are just as susceptible to losing their minds to their feline companions.”

  “You hear that? He’s purring. He really does like you.”

  Adele reached up and scratched behind Mr. Cash’s ear. “He does seem to be a pretty cool cat.”

  Roland smiled. “Yeah, he’s pretty much the best cat in the world.”

  “Are you going to bring him back to Roche?”

  “No, this is his home. It’s part of why he’s so special. I’ll just keep visiting him from time to time. That’s how cats like it. If we were around each other too much he’d start to take me for granted and get into the habit of bringing up the Russians or bank business whenever I annoyed him. We both need our space.”

  Adele didn’t know how to respond. Likely sensing her uncertainty, Roland nudged her again. “That was a failed attempt at a joke.”

  “Ha. Very funny.”

  Roland suddenly stopped and pointed straight ahead. “There. Check it out.”

  Adele looked up. “Wow,” she whispered.

  A wide gap in the trees allowed them to see out over Blind Bay and miles and miles beyond to the purple-tinted Canadian Coastal Mountains that appeared to be looming directly over nearby Orcas Island.

  “Isn’t it something? It’s like an optical illusion. I don’t know if it’s a combination of the water magnifying the sunlight or what, but it seems like you could almost reach out and touch the snowcaps. I was standing here last night, and the moon looked huge.”

  Adele remained stunned by the combination of the sea and snow peaks and all the magnificent colors illuminated within the space between. Then her eyes focused on something else that was much closer—Turtleback Mountain on Orcas. The area appeared darker and more ominous than everything else around it.

  “See something?” Roland asked.

  “Turtleback Mountain—I was over there the other day with Fin.”

  “That’s right, your new Irish friend. How did that go?”

  Adele detected a hint of jealousy in Roland’s tone. “It was different. Did Ophelia say anything about it?”

  “She mentioned you two had stopped by on your way over there, but that was pretty much it.”

  Adele wondered why Ophelia hadn’t already asked her about the trip to Orcas with Fin. For something that had so clearly worried her it seemed a bit strange that now she wouldn’t even bring it up.

  “I should talk to her.”

  “Who? Ophelia?”

  Adele nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for showing me this lookout. It’s pretty awesome, but now I have something I need to do.”

  “Sure, no problem. I should get back and clean up anyways. I don’t think Ophelia will allow me to sit at the dinner table like this.”

  “You two seem to get along well.”

  When Roland went to scratch his beard, Mr. Cash playfully swatted at his fingers. “Yeah, she’s great. Ever since I came to the islands after my parents died, she’s been a part of my life. My grandfather never spoke a bad word about her.”

  “What about your grandmother?”

  Roland glanced up at the sky and squinted. “Huh, I never thought about that before, but you know what? Grandmother never mentioned Ophelia. I don’t recall the two of them ever being in the same room together.”

  “Does that seem odd to you?”

  Roland shrugged. “I don’t know. Both my grandparents were people of few words. They were from a very different time. These days they’d be called cold or rude. Nobody seems to have the ability to just shut up and think about stuff from time to time.”

  Not wanting to break her promise to Ophelia, Adele stopped pushing Roland about his longtime relationship with the nun. Instead she made sure to enjoy what was left of the walk and the sun on her face while listening to the satisfied purrs coming from Mr. Cash as they made their way back to the convent.

  23.

  “P lease pass the salt and pepper.”

  Adele pushed the shakers toward Roland who told her thank you and then lightly seasoned the steamed vegetables on his plate. He had cleaned up nicely in a crisp white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of loose-fitting tan slacks. Adele kept sneaking glances his way, wondering if she should reconsider her earlier opinion of the beard. Like the hair on Roland’s face, it was growing on her.

  “I’m so happy you two decided to stay the night,” Ophelia said. “Is everything to your liking?”

  “It’s wonderful,” Adele replied. She held up a yellow cherry tomato that was stuck to the end of her fork. “These pickled tomatoes are to die for.”

  Ophelia gave her a grateful smile. “Yes, we had quite a harvest of those last fall, nearly 100 jars worth. The secret is a touch of garlic. I find it really complements the natural sweetness of the tomato.”

  Roland bit into an ear of corn and then used a napkin to wipe the buttery juice off his chin. “Hard to beat corn on the cob. I
haven’t had any for so long. When I was a kid, it was one of my favorite things to eat. It’s weird how I had forgotten that.”

  “For years I sent your grandfather some ears of corn from here at the end of every summer,” Ophelia said. “Charles was like you. He absolutely loved it. Despite being a man of means he never forgot how to appreciate the simple things. I always admired him for that. A lot of people on the islands did.”

  Roland put his corn down slowly while staring at his plate. “Yeah, I remember that corn. It came in a crate. Grandfather would bring it into the house and we’d schuck it together before dropping it into the pot of boiling water. Sinatra would be playing in the kitchen and there’d be another pot cooking up some crab. Corn and crab, Grandfather loved eating them together. We always had all kinds of fancy food in the house, Kobe beef, foie gras, caviar, but I never saw him so excited for a meal as when there was corn and crab cooking. We’d sit outside at the picnic table looking out over Friday Harbor and he’d be cracking open crab shells, biting into the corn, drinking a beer, and say how it doesn’t get any better than that. I had no idea it was your corn though. Isn’t that something? It’s like coming full circle by way of a vegetable.”

  “The greenhouse allows us to grow corn year-round. I could send you some from time to time, just like I did for Charles. Would you like that?”

  “Sure, but you don’t need to go to the trouble of having it delivered. I could just stop by and pick it up myself. It’ll give me another excuse to come here and spend a few days unwinding. Unless my being around more is a problem with the other nuns.”

  “It’s not problem at all, Roland.” Ophelia reached across the table and put her hand on top of his. “You come by whenever you like. This door is always open to you—always.”

  “And you’re welcome to see my new place in Roche Harbor. I’d love to show it to you.”

  “It’s shaping up to be quite a home,” Adele added.

 

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