Rains of Remorse

by Christy Barritt

  Doc Clemson caught her elbow. “I’ll walk you out.”

  Rebecca didn’t argue. They strolled down the hallway of the island’s clinic, Doc Clemson in no hurry. She didn’t complain—she didn’t move as fast as she used to.

  “Any special plans for this week?” he asked.

  “I’m showing a couple of houses, and . . .” She glanced at her watch. “It looks like I’ll still be able to make my meeting with Patrick Peterson.”

  “Insurance stuff, huh?”

  “Yes. It’s taking forever to try to get my affairs in order after Jim’s death.”

  Clemson squeezed her elbow before pushing the door open. “I’m sorry to hear about that.”

  Outside, a blustery wind and light precipitation surrounded them. The doc walked her to her small SUV. The police chief had one of her officers leave it there for Rebecca.

  “Thank you, Doc.” Rebecca offered a grateful smile. “For everything.”

  He was a good man. Not many people could say their general practitioner was also their obstetrician and the town coroner. It made for some interesting conversations.

  Clemson offered one more wave before disappearing inside.

  With another surge of gratefulness rushing through her, Rebecca climbed into her vehicle. She had just enough time to make her appointment.

  But when she remembered the man who’d been in her house, a cold wash of fear spread through her. She glanced around the parking lot.

  What if that man was watching her now? What if he wasn’t finished with her yet?

  Nausea gurgled in her stomach at the thought.

  “So, you haven’t seen anything strange or unusual?”

  Levi observed Police Chief Cassidy Chambers as she stood in front of him with a pad of paper and pen in hand. They were outside Rebecca’s house, standing on the small porch. The chief had offered for them to sit in her car, but Levi had insisted he’d be fine out here.

  He’d done his research on the chief before coming to Lantern Beach. Knowing the facts before entering a situation was the best way to prepare and not be caught by surprise. The attribute had served him well throughout his career.

  “No, I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary,” he told her. “Then again, I just got here yesterday evening. I’m not sure I know what strange and unusual is on this island yet.”

  “I can assure you that there is a lot of strange and unusual in this area,” the police chief said dryly. “You’ll learn that soon enough. We take incidents like what happened today very seriously.”

  “I’m glad she wasn’t hurt.” He paused and leaned against a post, careful to stay out of the steady rain that thrummed around them. “Have you heard any updates? I know it’s not my business but . . .”

  “I just called Rebecca. She said she and the baby are doing fine.”

  His shoulders softened with relief. “I’m glad to hear that.”

  Even though Levi was here to do a job, he would never wish harm on anyone—especially not a pregnant woman. He’d never forget the look on Rebecca’s face when he’d found her on the floor holding her stomach.

  Despite her seeming vulnerability, he needed to keep his eyes wide open. Even the most innocent person could be the mastermind of a criminal operation. He knew that firsthand.

  “If you see anything . . .” Chief Chambers put her pad and pen back into her pocket before looking up at him, her eyes assessing.

  The woman was smart and astute. Levi needed to keep that in mind.

  “I’ll definitely keep my eyes open,” Levi said. “You’ll be the first person I call.”

  “Thanks. We like to look out for each other around here. Rebecca has lived on this island for a long time, and we’re all very protective of her, especially in her current state.”

  “Neighbors looking after neighbors?” Levi said. “It sounds like I’m going to like it in Lantern Beach.”

  “I hope you do.”

  He watched the chief as she walked back to her car. The woman seemed competent enough, and she had a great track record for solving crime in this town.

  But Levi had come here for a purpose, and he couldn’t let himself lose focus.

  This wasn’t the way he’d planned on starting his assignment. But it had been the perfect way to gain Rebecca’s trust.

  Why did guilt fill him at that thought?

  One last job, he reminded himself. One last job.

  But he already knew this assignment would be different than most.

  Chapter Three

  “Just get me that information as soon as you can,” Patrick called, standing in the doorway of his office as Rebecca departed. The man with his light-wash jeans, long-sleeved polo, and soft voice was about as boring as all the forms Rebecca had just read over.

  Poor guy . . . it wasn’t his fault. His job was just awful. Rebecca dreaded each time she had to meet with him.

  “I’ll do that.” Rebecca waved as she stepped out of his office and headed toward her SUV. “Thanks for your help today.”

  “No problem, Mrs. Jarvis. And Merry Christmas!”

  That was right. The holiday was three weeks away. Rebecca would probably talk to him again before then. But she still couldn’t believe how quickly time had flown by. Emma would be here soon.

  She still needed a couple more sales to pad her bank account before winter hibernation fully set in.

  Rebecca pulled her coat closer as a cool wind swept over the island. Living here in the summer was like being in paradise. But living here in the winter was like residing in an ice box. When the breeze came over the ocean, it was like nature had cranked the AC to preserve the locals until tourist season started again.

  Despite that, there was still no place she would rather be.

  The meeting with Patrick had felt stressful. Nobody wanted to think about wills, life insurance, and all the things that accompanied death. Even her husband’s final arrangements had felt awkward.

  Rebecca had Jim’s body cremated, and then, while standing on the seashore, she and several friends had said a few things about him before releasing his ashes into the ocean.

  It hadn’t been especially beautiful, nor had it been especially sad. Too much had happened between them for the moment to bring the agony it deserved.

  More guilt hit Rebecca at that thought. Jim had been her husband. He deserved someone who would mourn more for him. But he’d caused her so much hurt that it was difficult for Rebecca to truly grieve him the way she felt she should.

  She climbed in her SUV and headed toward her place. As she did, she glanced in her rearview mirror. Why did she still feel like someone was watching her?

  Rebecca sucked in a breath when she saw a black sedan appear in her rearview mirror. The car had tinted windows and remained a steady distance behind her.

  She glanced back at the road in front of her and jerked the wheel, trying to stay between the lines.

  Concentrate, Rebecca. Concentrate.

  But her hands felt sweaty on the steering wheel. What if that was her attacker behind her? What if he planned on finishing what he’d started?

  She swallowed hard.

  She couldn’t drive like this for much longer. It wasn’t safe. Her concentration was shot.

  Only a few more minutes, and you’ll be back at your house, she told herself.

  She glanced behind her one more time.

  The car turned.

  Rebecca released the air in her lungs. She was just being paranoid. She had to get a grip.

  Finally, she pulled into her driveway. She sat there for a moment, trying to compose herself. She glanced into the seat beside her and saw the apple rhubarb pie. She’d had a few minutes before her appointment with Patrick, so she’d swung by one of her favorite restaurants, The Crazy Chefette, and had picked up the dessert.

  It had seemed so normal—too normal—considering everything that had happened today.

  She sucked in one more long breath before exiting her SUV. Gripping the pi
e in her hands, she climbed the steps to her neighbor’s place. As a realtor, she knew the cottage was only a rental. That most likely meant that Levi wouldn’t be staying for a long time. Still, Rebecca was grateful for his help today.

  After another moment of hesitation, Rebecca knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the man pulled his door open, his eyes lighting with surprise.

  Her breath caught at the sight of him. She vaguely remembered what Levi looked like from earlier, but seeing him now reminded her how handsome he was. The man was on the taller side, with dark hair and a dark beard. It wasn’t the messy, scraggly kind of beard she often saw around here. But instead his facial hair looked neat, clean, and well-kept.

  As did this man. There didn’t appear to be an ounce of fat on his lean, sculpted body. He didn’t flaunt his muscles like some men might. Instead, he wore jeans and a long-sleeved green shirt that was just loose enough to conceal his well-cared-for build.

  Not that any of that mattered. At eight months pregnant, Rebecca wasn’t looking for love or romance or even a fling. She had enough on her plate as it was.

  A soft smile formed on his lips, and he opened the door wider. “Rebecca. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

  She held up the neatly boxed pie. “I just wanted to bring you something to say thanks.”

  As Rebecca handed him the dessert, Levi took it from her and glanced through the cellophane top. “A pie? This looks great. But you didn’t have to do that.”

  “I wanted to,” Rebecca said. “If you hadn’t shown up today when you did . . . I don’t know that I would be here right now or that my precious Emma would be okay. This is the least I could do.”

  “I appreciate the gesture.” He leaned against the door frame. “How are you doing?”

  She nodded, feeling a strange rush of sentiment. Pregnancy and the heightened emotions that came with it made her feel off-balance. She wasn’t normally prone to crying easily, but all that had changed lately.

  “I’m doing okay.” She swiped a hair behind her ear. “Thank you.”

  He paused, his blue eyes seemed full of both concern and curiosity. “Look, I know this might sound weird, but would you like to join me for a piece of this pie?”

  Rebecca hesitated. Normally, she would say no. She didn’t know this man. But the thought of eating a slice of that pie made her stomach grumble. Her cravings had been off the charts lately. And this man had saved her life, so he didn’t appear to be a threat.

  Unlike that other man.

  She glanced at her house and shivered. She almost hated the thought of stepping foot inside there again. Would she ever feel safe at home again?

  She didn’t know.

  She thought about Levi’s offer only a moment longer and then nodded. “Maybe I will take a piece of pie. Pie makes everything better, correct?”

  “Makes perfect sense to me.” Levi flashed another soft smile.

  Seeing the kind look on his face reassured her. Rebecca stepped inside his house and hoped she didn’t regret this.

  But until she knew who that man in her house had been, she’d be on guard. She’d be foolish not to be.

  Levi sliced into the pie and put two pieces on white plates. As he did, he glanced out the window. He’d seen the same dark sedan drive by three times since the incident at Rebecca’s place. Who was in the driver’s seat?

  He didn’t know, and he didn’t like it.

  But Levi couldn’t show Rebecca how edgy he felt. It would look suspicious—especially when she found out he was supposed to be an engineer. Too bad acting classes hadn’t been part of his studies at Quantico.

  Seeing Rebecca at his doorstep had been a surprise. He had to admit that it felt fortuitous. What better way to get to know Rebecca than by sharing some dessert together?

  Levi didn’t want to think that she might be involved in anything illegal, but he needed to find out. It was what he’d been sent here to do. But he couldn’t let her know that. His boss didn’t believe that was the best way to proceed.

  “So what brings you this way?” Rebecca sat at the kitchen table behind him, sipping a warm cup of apple cider.

  He swallowed a burst of remorse and remembered his cover story. “I needed a place to get away to for a while. I work from home, and my neighbor used to always talk about coming to Lantern Beach as a child. He talked about it so much that I knew I had to see it for myself. Besides, you can get great rental rates around here in the off-season.”

  “Yes, you can. Some people really love the quiet here on the island in the winter. It helps them relax. And locals . . . they like it because they can recover after our crazy summers.”

  He set a piece of pie in front of her before lowering himself into the chair across the table. “I’ve heard this is quite the destination when it’s warm. If you don’t mind me asking, how long have you lived here?”

  “My family has a lot of history in the area, actually.” Rebecca picked up her fork. “My dad was a fisherman here, and his dad was a fisherman before him.”

  “I’d say you do have a lot of history here then. Does your dad still work as a fisherman?” He glanced outside again, looking for any sign of trouble. Everything looked clear.

  “He moved from being a fisherman to owning a seafood processing facility. He retired three years ago. Then my mom passed, and he decided to head down to Florida. He actually met someone online.” Her voice trailed, and Levi could sense some tension.

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah, wow. But she seems nice. Anyway, my brothers and sister left the island also. I’m the only one who ended up staying.” She took a dainty bite of the pie.

  “You must really like it here then.”

  “Lantern Beach is home to me. I can’t imagine leaving. Besides, this is where my business is. There’s nothing I love more than helping people find their dream homes here on the island. I want them to have a little bit of the peace and contentment that I have living here.”

  Her words sounded so sincere that she nearly sold Levi on settling down here too. But his life was back in Philadelphia. Up there, he never had a dull moment. Life was fast-paced. Sure, he may not be able to hear the ocean from his house, but he could hear a nearby interstate.

  He frowned. It wasn’t quite the same. As he remembered life back home, his lungs tightened, and he longed for another whiff of fresh air. Instead, he remembered his mission here.

  “I’ve been considering buying a second home.” He took a bite of his pie, and the sweet and tart flavor washed over his taste buds. “Maybe this will be the place to look at doing that.”

  Levi had rehearsed that idea, and he knew it was his best opportunity to get to know Rebecca better.

  He shoved aside his guilt at the thought. It used to be so easy for him to do this job, to use various methods to find out the information he needed. But it was becoming harder and harder lately.

  “I could show you a few places that have great rental income histories.” Rebecca’s gaze brightened. “If you’re interested.”

  “I just might take you up on that.” Levi shifted as his thoughts turned over.

  He’d come here with only one goal in mind—finding out if Rebecca Jarvis was also involved in her husband’s weapons-smuggling operation. They needed to know names, times, details.

  Rebecca might just be the person to give him that information.

  Records showed that Jim Jarvis had banked a large sum of money before his death. Levi felt certain Rebecca had that money now.

  This operation was delicate, not the kind that required interrogations. Rather, he needed more creative ways of finding answers.

  But what if Rebecca was a victim in this instead of an accomplice?

  He stored the question away.

  Their conversation had been pleasant, and he hated to ruin it. But he didn’t have time to remain superficial—not when so much was on the line. “Rebecca, I know this is none of my business. But do you have any idea why someone was in your house ear
lier today? I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

  Her smile slipped, and she lowered her fork back onto her plate. Instantly, Levi regretted asking the question. But he had a job to do. He had to keep that in mind. As easy as the conversation felt and as pleasant as Rebecca was to be around, Levi couldn’t lose sight of his reason for being here.

  “I have no idea. I live a pretty boring life. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to break into my place.”

  Levi wanted to ask her about her baby’s father. He knew the answers. He knew all about what had happened to Jim. But he wanted to hear her perspective. However, Levi didn’t feel like they were at the point where he could ask for something so personal without raising suspicions.

  Rebecca took her last bite of pie and pushed her plate away. “Thank you so much for sharing the pie with me. But I really should be going now.”

  He stood also. “No, I should be thanking you. And I think I will take you up on that offer to see some houses. Just let me know what works with your schedule.”

  “I actually have some time tomorrow.” She picked up her purse from the floor beside her, pulled out a business card, and handed it to him.

  “Tomorrow would be perfect.”

  She copied his smile. “I’ll set some things up for you in the morning then. How about if we meet at 10:30?”

  “Sounds great.”

  Levi walked Rebecca to the door and watched as she walked across the lawn to her house. This was going to be an interesting assignment.

  He glanced at the street one more time. He hadn’t seen the car lately. But that didn’t mean the man driving it was gone.

  Concern twisted in his gut at the thought.

  He’d keep an eye on things . . . he couldn’t afford not to.

  Chapter Four

  The next morning, Rebecca looked in the bathroom mirror and flinched when she saw the circles under her eyes.

  She’d hardly gotten any sleep last night. She’d kept waiting to hear the floor creak. To see clandestine movement. To feel pain.