Rains of Remorse

by Christy Barritt

  She’d gotten up several times to check the doors and windows. She’d even peered outside, looking for any strange visitors.

  Rebecca had seen no one.

  As she padded downstairs and into the kitchen, her questions remained.

  Why had someone been in her house yesterday? Did they think she had something of value in the house? If so, they had to be sorely disappointed. Mostly, she had knickknacks from her childhood and heirlooms that had been passed down to her through the generations.

  She yawned and poured herself a cup of coffee. Only one cup a day. That’s what the doctor said she could have, and she was careful not to go beyond that.

  She’d taken to drinking warm water for the rest of the day. The liquid gave her the illusion of coffee without the taste and without the caffeine. It was a small sacrifice to keep her baby healthy.

  As Rebecca’s phone buzzed, she glanced at her screen. A message from her bank popped up. Her eyes widened. Her account was overdrawn.

  “What . . . ?” she muttered.

  She set her mug down and grabbed her laptop. Quickly, she logged into her bank. She sucked in a breath when she saw her account balance was two hundred dollars in the red. How was that possible?

  As she scanned the recent transactions, a sick feeling formed in her gut.

  She hadn’t made these withdrawals.

  Rebecca sagged against the table. Why this? Why now?

  She was going to be on the phone with the bank all morning trying to get this straightened out. She’d been looking forward to taking it easy for an hour or two before showing Levi some homes.

  With a sigh, she began making phone calls.

  Two hours later, Rebecca pulled her coat on. She’d told Levi she would show him some houses at eleven, and she couldn’t afford to cancel.

  The bank had told her they’d opened a claim and would get back with her. In the meantime, they’d given her a temporary credit and canceled her debit card. What awful timing.

  She shoved those thoughts aside. More than ever, she needed to make another sale.

  Then again, Rebecca reminded herself, she did have some money coming in, thanks to Jim’s life insurance policy. She just needed to get a copy of his death certificate to Patrick today. She hadn’t realized just how involved all of this would be.

  Normally, it would only take around a month to get a payout, but she hadn’t realized this policy even existed until she got a letter in the mail about it.

  Grabbing her purse and briefcase, Rebecca stepped outside. Just as yesterday, the brisk wind that swept over the landscape chilled her down to the bones. Her internal thermostat was completely berserk. One minute, she was having a hot flash, and the next instant she felt freezing cold.

  As she started across the sandy lawn to meet Levi, his door opened and he stepped out. A flutter rushed through her. Why in the world would she have that reaction?

  She ran a hand through her hair. There was no good reason. She just needed to ignore the feeling and remain professional.

  “Good morning,” she called, hiking her purse strap up higher on her shoulder. “Are you ready to go?”

  He straightened the dark blue scarf around his neck. “As a matter of fact, I am. The more I thought about this last night, the more I’m intrigued by the possibility of finding a place here.”

  “If you’re looking for an investment opportunity, Lantern Beach is a great place.”

  They stepped toward her vehicle, and Rebecca’s keys jangled in her hands.

  “Listen, how do you feel about me driving?” Levi paused before they crossed the lawn. “You seem like you could use a load off your feet, and I don’t mind.”

  Rebecca started to respond when a vehicle driving past caught her attention. Was that the same car that had followed her yesterday? Her lungs tightened at the thought.

  “Everything okay?” Levi studied her.

  Rebecca nodded, even though she wasn’t sure if everything was okay or not. She was probably being paranoid. It probably went back to those pregnancy hormones. They made everything seem heightened.

  The car sped up as it went past, but the tinted windows didn’t allow her to see inside. Levi followed her gaze and squinted.

  “You know that driver?” he asked.

  She snapped her head back toward him, realizing that she was entirely too easy to read. “No, I have no idea who that was. Sorry. I guess I’m just on edge after everything that happened yesterday.”

  He tilted his head. “You didn’t have any more trouble last night, did you?”

  The concern in Levi’s voice caused warmth to flare through her. “No, no trouble. I only had some difficulty sleeping. I kept anticipating trouble that never came.”

  “That seems perfectly normal considering what happened.”

  Rebecca stared at him another moment, the sincerity in his voice winning her trust. Having him next door seemed to be an answer to prayer.

  At that moment, her phone beeped. She looked down at her screen and felt her head spin.

  “Rebecca?”

  She pulled her gaze away from her phone and frowned. But all she could think about were the words she’d read there.

  You have something that belongs to me, and I intend to get it back—no matter the cost.

  Who was targeting her? And why?

  Levi didn’t like the way things were going so far.

  He’d come here to see if Rebecca was complicit in the illegal affairs of her husband. It was becoming clear that she wasn’t. The break-in yesterday followed by the mysterious car today all pointed to a different scenario than the one Levi initially had in mind.

  What had been in that text? She looked white as a ghost after she’d read it.

  Despite that, the morning was going well—surprisingly well, for that matter. Rebecca had shown him four different houses. Two of them seemed to be really good possibilities.

  Rebecca had proven she knew what she was doing when it came to real estate. She spoke with knowledge and insight as she’d answered all his questions. Even though Levi hadn’t really come to Lantern Beach with the intention of buying a rental property, she’d made a convincing case.

  What would it be like to start over in a place like this? To leave his high-stress job behind?

  His career had consumed his life for the past five years. He’d welcomed the distraction, at first. It seemed like a better option than remembering Brianna’s betrayal.

  A thud echoed inside him at the thought, reminding him of the emptiness he’d been fighting. This wasn’t the way he’d envisioned his life turning out, but he’d tried to make the best of it. That was fine . . . until he would get glimpses of what he was missing.

  What had caused that thought? Lantern Beach? Rebecca? He wasn’t sure. But if he was smart, he’d forget about it.

  “So what do you think?” Rebecca asked as they paused inside the last house.

  It was a small ocean-front bungalow that had been recently updated. The place would require hardly any renovations. Levi had to admit the property was intriguing.

  “I would say that Lantern Beach is a great place.” He craned his neck and nodded at the high ceilings strapped with weathered wooden beams. “You’ve definitely given me a lot to think about.”

  As he said the words, Rebecca leaned against the doorframe and closed her eyes. Though she’d been trying not to show it, Levi could tell she was tired. When she thought Levi wasn’t looking, Rebecca rubbed her back and shifted uncomfortably.

  She shouldn’t be working now. She was far enough along in her pregnancy that she deserved to have some time to relax and nest.

  Levi frowned. That wasn’t the hand that life dealt her. As a single mom, no doubt she needed to get all the work she could. She’d been programmed with that survival instinct.

  “Just let me know if you would like to make an offer on anything.” Rebecca handed him some proformas that listed projected rental calculations on each of the houses. “Obviously, you know
where to find me.”

  He smiled, catching a whiff of Rebecca’s flowery perfume as she leaned closer. “Yes, I’m lucky that I happened to pick a rental right beside a real estate agent. You seem to really know the area.”

  “I meant it earlier when I said I love helping people find the home where they can grow in their dreams.” As she said the words, her voice faded with a touch of wistfulness.

  What was it about this woman that tugged on Levi’s heartstrings? That wasn’t a good sign. He needed to make sure his emotions weren’t tangled in this.

  If Rebecca was involved with her husband’s illegal activities, she deserved to pay the penalty for it. This operation had cost too many innocent lives. A sweet disposition didn’t equal innocence. He knew that firsthand.

  “It looks like you could sit down for a while.” He touched her elbow. “Why don’t I get you back to your house?”

  “Don’t mind me.” She waved him off. “I’m good to go.”

  Though she said the words, Levi didn’t believe her.

  They stepped out onto the deck to head back to his car. Levi took Rebecca’s arm to help her down to the sidewalk, afraid she might lose her balance. As they slowly made their way down the steps, his gaze drifted.

  A dark sedan slowly drove by on the street. Levi’s gut tightened. It was the same car from earlier. Someone was definitely watching her.

  He glanced at the license plate, but sand covered it.

  The thought of someone going to such extreme measures caused a shot of anger to rush through him. It appeared that Rebecca and her baby were in danger. Levi couldn’t let anything happen to them. But how was he going to protect them when Rebecca was a mere stranger?

  He tucked her into his car before climbing in himself. As he took off, Levi looked in his mirror. The sedan appeared. Something about the vehicle put him on edge—especially as it gained speed on them.

  “What’s going on?” Rebecca asked.

  Levi wanted to assure her it was nothing. But he couldn’t.

  The car was on his bumper now.

  He pressed the gas pedal. “Hold on.”

  “What?” Rebecca’s voice sounded breathless.

  “I’m sorry. But I think this driver is going to ram us.”

  Chapter Five

  Rebecca closed her eyes and began lifting fervent prayers.

  Why was this happening? Why did someone keep coming after her?

  “Try to relax,” Levi coached.

  Relax? That was the last thing on her mind.

  He pressed the accelerator even harder, and his car zoomed down the highway.

  Rebecca knew she shouldn’t, but she glanced behind her.

  She saw the same dark sedan she’d seen earlier. It was back.

  And this time the driver wasn’t being shy.

  “You ever seen that car before?” Levi asked, his hand white-knuckled on the steering wheel.

  “I thought the driver was following me yesterday.”

  “I thought I saw it drive past your house earlier also.” He continued to fly down the highway. Thankfully, no one else was out here.

  “You did?”

  Levi nodded, his neck appearing stiff. “I did. This guy isn’t backing off. We’re going to need to figure out a way to lose him. Any ideas?”

  Rebecca’s mind raced. How did they lose someone who wanted to ram into them? She had no clue. There weren’t even any stoplights on the island.

  Unless . . .

  “Head to the lighthouse,” she rushed.

  “The lighthouse? Isn’t that a dead end?”

  “Trust me.”

  He glanced at her again before nodding. “Okay then.”

  He pressed the accelerator harder, afraid the car would ram them.

  Rebecca’s hand went to her stomach. Emma, Emma, Emma . . . she had to protect Emma.

  But the situation right now felt hopeless.

  If only they could make it to the lighthouse. It wasn’t too much farther away. Maybe one mile.

  “Can you speed up?” she asked.

  Levi glanced at her again. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Okay.”

  Levi pressed the accelerator even harder, knowing he was close to maxing out at the vehicle’s top speed. He wanted to get away from the driver behind them . . . but he also needed to be safe.

  The balance was delicate. He’d had many defensive driving classes. However, with Rebecca being pregnant, everything felt more complicated.

  He had no idea what her plan was. But he hoped it was a good one. He was going to have to trust her, something he wasn’t good at doing.

  Finally, he’d put enough distance between them and the car that he could breathe easier—but only for a minute.

  The road curved ever so slightly as they entered a wooded area surrounding the lighthouse.

  The tension in his back returned.

  Rebecca glanced over her shoulder and then looked back at him. “Turn here. Now!”

  He braked as he jerked the wheel to the left, and his car barreled through some underbrush. As soon as the foliage disappeared, a gravel path appeared.

  “Keep going!” Rebecca said.

  He did as she said, only stopping as the path ended at the water.

  He sucked in several deep breaths as he realized what had just happened.

  “No one knows this road is here,” Rebecca rubbed her arms, as if chilled. “It’s a locals only type of thing.”

  “I can see why. It’s beautiful here.”

  Rebecca nodded but glanced behind her again. “I don’t think the other driver saw us.”

  “I don’t think he did either. But let’s wait a few minutes, okay?”

  She nodded.

  Levi reached over and squeezed her hand, trying to put her at ease. “Good job.”

  “Thank you.”

  They waited ten minutes before Levi turned around and headed back toward the highway. Tension snaked through him as he anticipated the other car waiting there for them. He prayed that wasn’t the case.

  As he reached the street, he saw it was clear.

  With a deep sigh of relief, he pulled onto the highway and headed back.

  “How did you know how to drive like that?” Rebecca glanced at him, and he could feel her gaze burning into him.

  Levi shrugged. He’d wondered if she might ask that question. “I just followed my instincts.”

  “I’m glad you have good instincts then.”

  He offered a quick, sad smile. “Me too.”

  “I’m going to need to report this.” She pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and recited what had happened to the person on the other end. When she ended the call, she turned toward Levi. “The police are going to look into it.”

  “Hopefully, they’ll be able to track down the driver,” Levi said.

  “I hope so. Because whoever is doing this needs to be caught before something more serious happens.”

  Levi glanced at her, curiosity brimming inside him. “You have no idea why someone could be doing this?”

  “I have no idea.” Her voice cracked, but, as her gaze fell on a sign in the distance, her eyes narrowed.

  He followed her eyes and saw an advertisement for the town Christmas parade. “You don’t like the parade?”

  She shook her head, seeming to come out of her stupor. “The parade? I do like the parade. Sorry. It’s just that it’s sponsored by Jared Nicholson.”

  “And that’s a problem?”

  “He’s a new realtor in town. I’d like to say that I’m not feeling threatened, but I am.”

  “Threatened?”

  “Not physically. I should clarify that after everything that’s happened. Just my business. There are only so many houses to sell here on the island.”

  “I suppose that’s true.” Levi glanced at her again, realizing that they both needed to decompress after what had happened. “Listen, I know we’re both still reeling from that car chase. May
be it would be good for both of our nerves to get something to eat. What do you think?”

  Rebecca opened her eyes and raised her head long enough to glance at him. He knew she was trying to feel him out. Trying to ascertain what his intentions were.

  “No pressure,” he added. “But I don’t know anyone else in town, so it would be nice to have some company. Plus, I may have some more real estate questions.”

  That last sentence seemed to set her at ease, and she nodded. “Sure, I know just the place where we can eat.”

  Chapter Six

  Rebecca directed Levi to The Crazy Chefette. It was her favorite restaurant on the island, and the owner, Lisa Dillinger, and her husband, Braden, were kind souls.

  Whenever Rebecca came in, she felt like she was at her mom’s kitchen table. Plus, in the winter months when it was mostly locals in town, this was a great community gathering place where everyone caught up with each other.

  Now that her husband was gone, Rebecca had been reminded about the importance of community and making sure she was a part of it. She didn’t know what she would have done during these recent months without her friends here on Lantern Beach as well as her church family.

  A shiver raked through her as she remembered that car chasing them. It all seemed surreal, almost like a dream instead of reality. Why would someone be going to such extremes? It just didn’t make sense.

  She tried to push those thoughts aside.

  “So what do you recommend here?” Levi skimmed the menu, but Rebecca noticed that he occasionally glanced up as if trying to gauge her mental state.

  “Lisa is known for her grilled cheese and peach sandwiches. I realize they’re not for everyone, but I think they are delicious and tasty. She also makes some excellent homemade chips. But anything you find on the menu will be good.”

  Levi made a face. “Grilled cheese and peach sandwiches, huh? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that combination before.”

  “I hadn’t either, but once I tried it, I was addicted. It’s my new favorite.”

  He closed his menu, his eyes sparkling. “Then I’m sold. I have to try it while I’m in town.”