Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

by Colleen Coble

  Kate thought back to that morning. “Claire came over early to get me. We’d been so busy with wedding preparations that we wanted to spend a day doing nothing but enjoying each other’s company.” She saw Gwen’s blank look. “She’s my sister.”

  “Of course. Now, breakfast?”

  “I had coffee on when she got there. I was going to have yogurt and granola, but Claire said she was starving and wanted bacon and eggs, so I made those for her and had some myself.” A tiny thrill went up her neck. At least she was remembering that day.

  “You said you then left for a hike. What time would that have been?”

  “About eight. I wanted to see the puffins coming in to feed their young.” She leaned forward. “They spend all night out on the water.”

  Gwen smiled. “You sound passionate about puffins.”

  “Oh, I am!” She was really starting to relax now. This wasn’t as hard as she’d imagined.

  “What kind of day was it?”

  “Beautiful! Sunny and warm with just a few clouds in the sky.”

  “Who drove to the cliff?”

  “I drove my little yellow Volkswagen.” Kate peered across the table at the picture Gwen was doodling. It was a sketch of her car.

  “Where did you park?”

  “At the top of the cliff. We hiked down so we could look up and see the puffins.”

  “Now close your eyes and put yourself in the car. You’ve just parked it. Get out of the car.”

  Kate obeyed and began to visualize that day. “I didn’t lock the car. We started hiking down the trail.”

  “Were there any other cars around when you got there? Any hikers?”

  She shook her head.

  “What do you hear?”

  Kate kept her eyes closed. “I can hear the puffins. And the sea. A truck rumbled by above us.”

  “Can you see the truck?”

  She nodded. “It was black, I think. Covered with mud.”

  “How does it smell out there today?”

  “I can smell the sea. And someone threw trash away. I picked it up and it smelled like stale French fries.”

  “How do you feel?”

  Kate smiled. “Good. I’m with Claire, and we’re about to find some puffins. I was really excited because no one knew puffins were nesting on those rocks.”

  “Mentally look around. What do you see?”

  “There were just a few puffins, but it was enough to let Kevin know we had nests. And I didn’t see anyone but the game warden.”

  “You said you didn’t see anyone that day.”

  “Sheriff, please!” Gwen’s voice was sharp. “Let me conduct this interview properly.” Her voice gentled. “Now, Kate, tell me about the game warden.”

  Kate opened her eyes. “I forgot the game warden. We always see them when we’re out, so I didn’t think about it.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “He didn’t speak to us, and I didn’t get a good look at him because he was in the shadows in the tree line.”

  “Do the game wardens usually speak?”

  She glanced at the sheriff, who was listening intently. “Well, yes, I guess it was a little odd. They usually ask what you’re doing out there and are especially protective of the puffins. I thought maybe we’d get run off, but he turned away and moved into the woods. I didn’t realize until now how strange that was.”

  Colton scowled and gave a sharp exhale. “You should have told me about this, Kate.” He jotted something in his notebook. “I’ll see who was on duty out that way.”

  “Sheriff, please!” Gwen flipped her sketch pad to a new sheet. “You’re doing great, Kate. What was your impression of him?”

  Kate tried to recall. “I didn’t see him well, like I said, but with the way he moved, he seemed younger than some, maybe thirty or so. I don’t know what color his hair was, but I’d guess he was close to six feet tall and thin, maybe 170. But it was just a vague impression. He was really more of a shadow.”

  Gwen jotted something down on the pad. “What happened next?”

  “We started down the trail. There are steps partway down, then you have to be careful and climb the rest of the way.”

  “Did you see the game warden after you started down the trail?”

  “No, I didn’t. It took us nearly half an hour to safely reach the bottom.” She frowned. “I just remembered something. I found a leather notebook there and picked it up. I meant to turn it in to the ranger station and forgot. It’s somewhere in my car.”

  “Where did you find the notebook?” Drake put in. Gwen fixed him with a look that suggested he let her do the questioning. He shrugged. “Sorry.”

  Kate answered the question anyway. “It was just after we got out of my car and before we saw the game warden.”

  Gwen drew swirls on the pad. “Did he see you pick it up?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. I didn’t see him until we approached the steps down.”

  Gwen continued to ask questions and asked Kate to go through it again as if she were watching it on TV. There was nothing new to recount once she described the scene. Kate rubbed her aching neck and glanced at her watch. They’d been at this two hours. No wonder she was tired.

  Gwen rose and came around the end of the table. “You did great, Kate.”

  “With my chemo brain, I wasn’t sure I could contribute anything new. At least we know to check out the game wardens.”

  “You had breast cancer?” Gwen asked. “So did I.”

  Kate shook her head. “I had a marrow transplant to cure aplastic anemia. I’m well now.”

  Gwen smiled. “Lucky you. I hope I am too.” She shook Kate’s hand with a firm grip.

  “Thanks for your help today.” Kate exited the room with Drake, but the sheriff stayed behind to sit in on Claire’s interview. They retraced their steps and emerged into the bright sunlight. “You don’t think a game warden could have had anything to do with your brother’s death, do you?”

  “The timing does seem a little suspicious.” When they reached his Land Rover, he put his hand on her shoulder. “Thanks for doing that today. I know it wasn’t easy. I appreciate it.”

  The warmth of his fingers made her gulp, but she couldn’t move if her life depended on it. “You’re welcome.” She felt a stab of disappointment when he pulled his hand back and opened her door.

  * * *

  The landscape of lush green trees interspersed with glimpses of blue water sped by the window of Drake’s Land Rover. The clock on the dash indicated it was already six, and his stomach rumbled as another reminder. He should go home and keep searching all of Heath’s files, but he was dog-tired. “The girls are spending the night with Dixie, so there’s no need to rush back. How about we grab dinner? Unless you already have plans?”

  He was assuming she didn’t have a special man in her life, but he could be wrong. And from her reaction when they were swimming the other day, he was confident she felt the same kind of attraction he was experiencing. Unless he was kidding himself.

  At first she continued to stare out the window as if she hadn’t heard him, but he saw the way she tensed. She clenched and unclenched her fists as if she was thinking it through. Finally she exhaled and turned to face him. “Are you asking me on a date?”

  That was his Kate, always to the point. Wait, what was he thinking? She wasn’t his by any stretch of the imagination. At least not yet, but he was beginning to admit to himself that it was a possibility. She intrigued him with her spirited comebacks and her heart-shaped face. No woman had intrigued him the way she did.

  He cleared his throat and turned the SUV into a pull-off. “Let’s talk about you a little bit. Have you ever had a serious relationship?”

  She shook her head and didn’t avoid his gaze. “I was always busy with the barrens, and my uncle didn’t like me dating.”

  “I think your family has made you feel like you don’t deserve to be happy, to enjoy life, and to be loved by others.” He knew he’d hit the mark when she dropp
ed her gaze to her hands. “You’re smart, talented, good with kids. And you’re a genuinely good person, Kate. You care about other people more than yourself, and that’s an amazing thing. But you have to be willing to like yourself too. What good is life if you’re always turning away from a gift God wants to give you? You think he’s like your real dad and will pull a bait and switch on you by offering you a blessing, then snatching it away at the last minute?”

  She licked her lips and still didn’t look at him. “Of course not. I know God is always giving me blessings. He brought Claire back into my life. He brought you to my door when I was at a really low point, when I wasn’t sure how I would have enough money to live on until next year. I’m grateful for that.”

  He reached over and took one of her tightly clenched hands. “Look at me.” For a long minute he thought she wouldn’t meet his gaze, but she finally looked up. “Is it your past illness that makes you afraid to live? Every day is a gift, Kate. None of us knows when one day is our last. But that’s all the more reason to take hold of every day we’re given and live it to the fullest. That usually means risking yourself.”

  Her brow crinkled, and her blue eyes searched his face. “I’ve learned that allowing myself to really want something is a surefire way of making sure it’s taken away. So it’s better not to care.” She whispered the last sentence.

  He laced her cold fingers with his warm ones. “Grab life with both hands. You’re well. It’s okay to dream.” Her fingers moved a bit under his, as though his words had impacted her. “Dinner is a great first step.”

  A smile curved her full lips, and light sparkled in her eyes. “What if I told you I wanted the biggest steak you could afford?”

  “Steak, not lobster?”

  Her smile widened. “I can eat lobster any day of the week. Steak is another matter.”

  “Steak it is, then. How about the Tourmaline? I’ve heard they fly their steaks in from New Zealand, and they’re so tender they melt in your mouth.”

  Her fingers curled around his. “Okay. I might want dessert though. They make a crème brûlée that’s to die for. I can risk a bit of sugar for one night.”

  “I’ll buy you anything you want.” He felt a ridiculous sense of accomplishment as though he’d just won the biggest contract of his life. He started the Land Rover and headed for the ferry in Summer Harbor.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Kate glanced down at her jeans and blue ruffled top. “I think I’m a little underdressed,” she whispered to Drake as the server led them through the Sea Room toward a back table. The place was all crystal and linen with tourmaline floors that were so highly polished she could see her reflection in them as she followed the server. She’d never eaten here, only at the Bistro. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out on the moonlit water far below the cliff. It was a scene out of a movie.

  Classical music poured from a baby grand piano by the window, and the pianist, Tyler Brighton, waved to her. “Kate!”

  She stopped a moment to say hello. “Tyler, I didn’t know you were back in town.” They’d gone to school together, and he’d moved off to Boston to attend college and had never come back.

  His fingers rippled over the keys, but he shot a quick grin her direction. “I wondered if you were still around. The management here is looking for a singer that I can accompany. Going to step their entertainment up a notch. I was going to give them your name if you were still around.”

  Heat washed up her neck to her cheeks. “I’m no professional singer, and I hate singing in public.”

  “You could be. You have the best voice I’ve ever heard. The whole town is talking about that song you sang at Claire’s wedding. You could make a living with your voice.”

  She laughed, but it was more of a croak, and all she wanted was to escape. “You’re sweet. Listen, we’ll let you get back to work. I’ll talk to you later.” She followed the server to their table where she was able to slide into her seat in the shadows. How embarrassing.

  Drake, looking impossibly tall, dark, and handsome, smiled at her from across the table. “He’s right, you know. I’ve heard you singing with the girls. You’ve got a great voice. Did you ever think about singing professionally?”

  Did he have to talk about it? She swallowed and shook her head. “When I’d sing around the house, my mother always said I sounded like a frog. I was in choir, and she refused to come to any concerts because she didn’t want to see me make a fool of myself.”

  A scowl replaced his grin, and he reached across the white linen tablecloth to take her hand. “It’s a wonder you turned out so remarkable with that kind of role model. You are always encouraging the girls with whatever they are doing. I saw Phoebe’s drawing of the ocean and a puffin the other day. I couldn’t quite tell if it was a bird or a dog, but you told her she had a real talent for drawing.”

  “She has a great eye for color. She’ll get better.” Thank goodness the server was bringing their water now. She wanted to sink under the table so no one could see her face, which had to be as red as her blueberry fields.

  He removed his hand and thanked the server, then ordered a seafood sampler appetizer. “So what would you do if there was no one to say you couldn’t?”

  She took a gulp of her water. “I’d love to be an interior designer. I adore playing with color and texture. I obsessively spend hours on Houzz whenever I have ten minutes.”

  “You did an amazing job with my cottage. Did you ever take any classes?”

  She linked her fingers together and looked down. “I had a year of them before I quit to help Mom with the blueberry barrens. She just couldn’t manage on her own.”

  “You’ve put everyone else first all your life, haven’t you? I admire your giving spirit, but there comes a time when you should think about what makes you happy. If you could walk away from the blueberries, you’d do it, wouldn’t you?”

  Did he really mean all this? She dared a peek at his expression and found him staring back intently. “Mom would have a fit.”

  “Your mother is in jail for a well-deserved reason. She’s not part of this discussion. You could walk away and leave the fields for her to worry about when she gets out of prison. It’s not like the fields are going anywhere.”

  She blinked. “But who would harvest them? They will need to be pruned and cared for to make sure next year’s harvest is good.”

  He went quiet while the server brought their appetizer, then dished up some of the sampler on a small plate and handed it across the table to Kate. “So what if it’s not? The blueberry police aren’t going to come after you if the fields are untended. It’s not your responsibility.”

  He was right. There was nothing tying her to those fields. She could live in the house and get another job, anything she wanted. Her smile faded. “There’s hardly a market for interior design skills up here. Many can’t afford that kind of service.”

  “There are businesses. The decor in this hotel could use refreshing. Think about your vision for the place, then go talk to the manager.”

  Could he be right? There were other places, too, businesses in Bar Harbor and Ellsworth as well as vacation homes. She would have a tiny nest egg after this summer. It might be enough to let her launch a design consulting business. The problem was, she had no real experience to show. But she didn’t know if it would work if she didn’t try. “I decorated Claire’s house, and everyone has raved about how welcoming it is. I could take some pictures and show them around.”

  She could start small, maybe with a café or a clothing store in Bar Harbor. The ideas flashed through her head so fast she wished she had a pad to jot them down.

  She studied his strong face. “Was it scary for you to start your business?”

  He tipped his head to one side. “Not really scary but sobering. I put every cent I’d saved for years into it. I started building drones in my garage fifteen years ago as a hobby, and it really took off. I started a real business about ten years ago.” He looked away and his
face went somber.

  “Something wrong?”

  His gaze swung back her way. “I’m sorry. I just had an idea how to fix the design on my drone.”

  “Don’t apologize. I know you’ve been struggling with it. Did you call the Fish and Game Service guy? That regional director?”

  He nodded. “We had a good discussion, but the call revealed the modifications will need to be more extensive than I thought. I have an idea to try when I get home though.” Drake dipped a giant shrimp into cocktail sauce and took a bite. “Eat up, honey.”

  Honey. The endearment took her by surprise and stopped her ideas dead. He admitted there were feelings developing between them, something she hadn’t wanted to face. If she became wrapped up in a new career here, shouldn’t he be worried there was no room for him?

  She studied his strong jaw and firm lips. He was a good man who seemed to care about other people. A man like her uncle would pooh-pooh her ideas and would try to keep her chained to the past if it meant he might lose her. But Drake was different, and she was finally ready to let her guard down a little and see where it might lead.

  * * *

  The girls slept in the back of the Land Rover with Jackson sleeping between them even when they hit the dirt road in front of the cottages. Though the girls had been going to spend the night with Dixie, Drake was too worried about what was going on to leave them with his aunt for the entire night.

  He glanced across the seat at Kate. The moonlight lit up the planes and angles of her beautiful face. If they’d been alone, he might have pulled over to the side of the road and taken her in his arms. Everything about her fascinated him, from her tiny ears to the dimples that so often flashed in her cheeks.

  He slowed as he approached her house. “Hey, we need to fetch that missing notebook you remembered when you talked to Gwen today. Want to do it now?”

  She hadn’t said much on the ride back, but she straightened now and turned to look at him. “What about the girls?”