Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

by Colleen Coble

  “They won’t wake up. You can stay in the SUV with them, and I’ll retrieve it. I’m curious, aren’t you?”

  Her dimples appeared. “I haven’t thought much about it since we left. Some handsome guy has been keeping my head in a whirl.”

  He loved her honesty and the way she didn’t try to hide her attraction to him. She wasn’t coy and didn’t play games. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever experienced, and he felt a powerful surge of attraction again. “I plan on doing more of that.”

  She caught her full lower lip in her teeth and gave a breathy chuckle. “I’m not sure I can handle much more.”

  He pulled into the drive behind her little yellow Bug. “Why do you have that ugly little car?”

  “Ugly? That’s Mildred. I bought her with money I earned myself in a summer job my first year of college. She’s taken good care of me.”

  “College, huh? So you’ve had her at least ten years?”

  “Twelve. She’s a tough old bird.”

  “Rust is going to claim her one of these days.”

  She put a hand over her heart. “Shh, she’ll hear you. I can’t bear to think about losing my longtime friend.”

  He grinned and put the SUV in Park. “Hang tight. I’ll be right back. I’m going to leave the lights on so I can see.”

  “It’s in the trunk. I think it might be in the wheel well. I think it got shoved there when I was wrestling with the tire. Want me to help you find it?”

  “I think I can find my way around an old Beetle.” He grabbed a flashlight in case he needed it, then got out and released the hatch. The damaged tire was still on top of the carpet, and he walked back to the SUV. “Should I put the tire away or did you not get it fixed?”

  Her cheeks went pink. “I haven’t gotten it fixed.” She shrugged. “I forgot.”

  Most likely she didn’t have the money. He’d get that done right away. Returning to the car, he lifted out the tire, then moved the trunk carpet and aimed the flashlight at the tire well. Aha, there it was. The small leather notebook looked old and worn, and he hesitated. It was possible this was a clue to his brother’s death. He probably shouldn’t touch it.

  He whipped out his phone, called the sheriff’s office, and got put through to Deputy Kissner. “I found the notebook. You think you guys should retrieve it and run it for prints?”

  “The notebook Kate found on her walk? It wasn’t really close to the scene. I doubt it has anything to do with our investigation.” Kissner sounded distracted.

  Drake stared down at the book. “You’re probably right, but just in case, I’ll be careful with it. Come by and get it if you want it.” He ended the call and jogged back to the SUV. “There should be a plastic bag under your seat. I don’t want to smudge any prints, just in case. Could you hand me one?”

  She reached under her seat and retrieved one, then passed it to him. “You called Danny?”

  “Kissner. He doesn’t think it’s important, but I’m not convinced. I just want to make sure we cover our bases. We didn’t think the jewelry pouch was important either.” His fingers grazed hers when he took the bag, and warmth spread up his arm straight to his heart. The sooner he got this, the sooner he could get the girls to bed and spend a little more time with Kate.

  He went back to the car and picked up the notebook, then took it back to her. “I’m going to throw your tire in the back so I can get it fixed.”

  Her smile was his reward as he went to shut the trunk and carry the tire around to the Land Rover’s trunk area. He tried to open and shut it as quietly as he could so he didn’t wake the girls, but Emma’s head popped up as he came around to get back in the SUV.

  “Can we watch a movie when we get home?” Her voice was alert as if she’d gotten all her sleep in.

  He glanced at the clock. “It’s past your bedtime.”

  “But I’m not sleepy now. Aunt Dixie gave us a big supper, and I fell asleep before it got dark. I want to watch a Disney movie.”

  “Me too,” Phoebe chimed in.

  Drake’s gaze met Kate’s. “What do you say?”

  Her eyes widened, and a tiny smile lifted her lips. “I think we can let them stay up this once. It’s been a hectic day, and we could all use some snuggle time.” She leaned over and whispered, “I took a quick look at the notebook. It all appears to be gibberish. Some kind of kid’s code maybe. Nothing important, and you said Kissner didn’t seem interested either.”

  “I was hoping for some alone snuggle time,” he whispered as he dropped the gearstick into Drive.

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  The aroma of baking cookies filled Kate’s blue-and-white kitchen. Everyone loved Claire’s almond-flour chocolate chip cookies, even Luke. Claire checked the cookies and decided they needed a couple more minutes. “There’s nothing like that aroma. My mother always made them on Saturdays when I was little. It was the only time I was allowed to help in the kitchen. The rest of the time our cook shooed me out.”

  Her sister looked up with a smile. “I cooked a lot, but it usually wasn’t fun things like cookies. I learned to make jerky from deer meat and how to dehydrate blueberries.”

  “I like your house.” Emma licked cookie batter off the spoon. “I could live here forever.”

  “You don’t like the cottage?” Kate reached for her coffee.

  “I love the cottage.” Phoebe ran a finger around the surface of the bowl, then licked it.

  “I like the blue here.” Emma carried the spoon to the sink, then washed the sticky batter from her hands. “Uncle Drake says he’s going to have you come to our house in Boston and redecorate it. Can you make our kitchen look like this one? His is all dark brown and feels sad.”

  Claire grinned and wagged her brows at Kate. Her sister seemed different today, relaxed and happier than she’d seen her since the blueberry harvest proved so bad. “Come help me with the cookies. Where’s your cooling rack?”

  Kate rose and grabbed the rack from the cabinet under the cooktop. “I see your grin.” She turned to the girls. “You can go play in the tree house until the cookies are cool.”

  “Yay!” Phoebe slid off her chair and raced for the door with Emma on her heels.

  Claire lifted out the sheet of cookies and grabbed the spatula. “Okay, give. I can see you’re just bursting to tell me something.”

  “I, um, I went out with Drake last night. We went to dinner at the Sea Room.”

  Claire’s chest could hardly contain the joy that swelled up. “It’s about time! Dish! How’d it go? And how’d he talk you into it?”

  “One thing I really like about him is that he’s so direct and honest. He doesn’t beat around the bush. He pulled off the road and told me it was silly for us to pretend we aren’t drawn to each other and that we should explore where those feelings might lead.”

  Claire lifted a cookie from the tray to the rack. “Wow, that is direct. Did you shoot him down at first?”

  Kate’s blush deepened. “No. He was right. We went swimming with the girls the other day, and we both knew there were feelings there. He could sense it and so could I.”

  “Well, I think it’s wonderful! How did dinner go?” She put the last cookie on the rack and laid the spatula in the sink.

  “Good. We talked about what I wanted to do with my life. I actually told him the truth about loving interior design. He gave me some great ideas about starting small with local businesses. Is it okay if I take pictures of what I did in your house?”

  “Of course!” Claire wanted to see Kate break free from the blueberry barrens. She had so much talent.

  “And he flirted with me all evening. I wasn’t sure how to even react.” Kate’s cell phone rang, and she went to the table to grab it. “Hello?” After a few seconds the color washed from her face. “Who is this?” She punched the phone off and tossed it back to the table. “Jerk.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Nothing. He just breathed in my ear. It was creepy.”

  Claire f
rowned. “I don’t like all this stuff, Kate. That truffle incident in the picnic basket was really creepy, and now this. I mean, even I didn’t know the DeBrands were your favorite. Luke thinks it’s someone you know, maybe someone you went to school with.”

  “I thought it was Uncle Paul, but he wouldn’t call and just breathe in the phone. That’s just weird. Maybe it’s someone else. I have no idea.”

  “What if he’s not? What if it’s the same guy who killed Whitney Peece? She looked a little like you. Blue eyes, blonde hair.”

  A troubled frown lined Kate’s forehead. “You’re scaring me, Claire.”

  “I haven’t heard how the investigation is going. Someone broke in and watched her shower. Maybe it wasn’t the boyfriend at all. I want you on high alert.”

  Kate turned to the phone and grabbed it. “The caller ID reads Anonymous, so he must have blocked his information. I wonder if the sheriff could track it.”

  “It’s worth asking.” Claire listened as Kate reported the nuisance call to the sheriff’s department.

  Kate ended the call, then glanced out the window at the girls. “Jonas answered, thank goodness. I was glad it was someone who knew the situation. He took down all the information and said he’d look into it. He sounded determined.”

  “Everyone likes you and wants to keep you safe.” Claire bit her lip and stared at her sister. “Back to Drake. Did you tell him about not being able to have kids?”

  Kate looked away. “Not yet. I know I need to, but it seems a little presumptuous to think our relationship will go that far.”

  “It’s a lot better to tell him now. Otherwise he might think you were being dishonest by not telling him.”

  Kate went to the sink and turned on the water. “I’ll tell him as soon as I get a chance.” Her tone indicated she’d rather face a snarling lion than tell Drake.

  Claire touched her on the shoulder. “I just want you to be happy. If he’s the man we think he is, this won’t faze Drake at all.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  * * *

  Drake watched Kate standing with the girls and her dog at Mount Desert Ice Cream. Bar Harbor tourists jostled past, and the festive atmosphere of the Wednesday night Seaside Cinema brought excited chatter wafting around him. The quaint seaside shops and boats dotting Frenchman Bay made for a picturesque setting. He was ready for some relaxation, especially with Kate along.

  He tucked a bag of books they’d bought from Sherman’s Books and Stationery under his arm. His gaze lingered on her as she exited the gray-shingled building trimmed in green. The wind blew her blonde hair around her head, and her sun-kissed face kept his attention riveted on her beautiful form. Her gaze caught his, and she smiled back at him.

  She reached him with the girls in tow and handed him a cup of ice cream. “You said to surprise you, so I got Maine sea salt caramel. You can try my maple walnut though.” She held up a spoonful. “This is the second time I’ve had sugar in a week. You’re being a bad influence on me.”

  He slid the cold confection into his mouth. It hit his taste buds and exploded with flavor. “Wow, intense flavors! Pretty good.” He offered her a bite of his.

  She licked it off his spoon. “Yummy.”

  There was something curiously intimate about sharing food with her. The tension of the past few weeks eased away, and he wished their relationship had progressed far enough to hold her hand and stroll to a jewelry shop to buy her something. He was sure she wasn’t quite ready for that.

  “I got Maine maple pecan,” Emma said.

  “Me too.” Phoebe skipped along at his side while Emma clung close to Kate’s.

  The girls were dressed alike today in white shorts and red-and-white tops. Kate had put their hair in ponytails with big red bows. They looked like any other typical family on vacation. He imagined a little girl with Kate’s big blue eyes and a little boy with his curly hair. Crazy thought when they hadn’t known each other that long, but he was tired of being alone. His career had taken everything out of him, and it was time to have a family. His house had echoed with loneliness for too long. His nieces would bring some liveliness, but it wouldn’t be the same without Kate. He was getting used to seeing her tending to the girls with such sweet consideration.

  They walked down the hill toward Frenchman Bay. It took a few minutes longer than usual because people kept stopping and asking to pet Jackson. His tail wagged so hard, Drake thought he might fling it right off. By the time they reached the park, people were already spreading blankets on the grass to watch the cinema even though the sun wouldn’t set for several hours. He pointed to a prime spot. “Think we should grab that while we can?”

  She nodded. “My feet are tired anyway. I shouldn’t have worn these new sandals.” She stopped and waved. “There’s Jonas.”

  The deputy waved back and headed their way. The sun burnished his red hair to a deeper shade, and his smile widened when he reached them. Drake hadn’t recognized him out of his deputy uniform. He wore jeans and a green T-shirt today.

  Drake handed the basket and blanket to the girls. “You can pick out our spot and spread out the blanket. When we get done talking to the deputy, we’ll play Uno with you.” The girls scampered off, tossing their empty ice cream containers into a trash can as they went.

  “Any word on that call I got yesterday?” Kate asked Jonas when he reached them.

  The deputy shook his head. “It pinged from a spot in Ellsworth, but we couldn’t trace it. I went to the spot, but it was an empty parking lot, so that was no help at all.”

  “What call?” Drake hadn’t heard anything about it.

  Kate took a bite of ice cream. “Just a prank. I wanted to make sure the sheriff knew about it just in case it was important.”

  Jonas put his hands in his pockets. “I’m glad I ran into you. I had a piece of information to pass along. The sheriff talked to Whitney Peece’s family, and one of the bracelets was hers.”

  Kate’s smile vanished, and she tossed the last of her ice cream with an expression of distaste. “I’m sorry to hear it. What about the boyfriend?”

  Drake straightened at the term. Hadn’t Claire found the woman too? Too many coincidences for his peace of mind.

  Jonas shrugged. “No way to know for sure, but I’ve been poring over anything that might be related. The Peece woman could have even been his first victim. We haven’t had anything like this in our area before. All of law enforcement is on high alert though. The sheriff wants to find this guy before it hits the newspapers and causes a panic.”

  Drake tossed his empty ice cream container. “Have you had any other rapes?”

  “We always get a few, but the perpetrators are usually old boyfriends or people who know the victim.”

  “You’d better catch him fast.”

  “We intend to, sir. We’re doing our best. We might be a rural law enforcement team, but we know our stuff.” Kissner’s voice turned stiff.

  Kate shot Drake a warning glance. “I know you do, Jonas. Thanks for letting us know what’s happening. You’re off today?”

  He nodded. “I have a date wandering around here somewhere.” He waved up toward the top of the hill. “I’d better go. If I hear anything else, one of us will call you.”

  Drake took her arm, and they headed toward the blanket the girls had managed to spread out. “Why didn’t you tell me about the phone call?”

  “I didn’t want the girls to hear about it. They were in the yard when the guy called. I’m sure it’s nothing. Just a prank call.”

  Drake hoped she was right, but he didn’t like it.

  TWENTY-NINE

  The sixteen-foot screen rolled with the closing credits of the movie, and people began to pick up their things. Kate didn’t want to move. Somehow she’d drifted off to sleep with her head on Drake’s shoulder, and Emma curled against her other side. Phoebe slept in the circle of Drake’s other arm, and Jackson lay snoring at Phoebe’s side.

  Kate shifted slightly o
nto her side. She wanted to burrow her nose into Drake’s shirt and inhale the enticing aroma of his skin. A powerful wave of desire washed over her, something she’d never really felt before. If she dared, she would reach up and pull his face close enough to kiss. She needed to move—now. Instead she continued to snuggle against the strong length of his body.

  Was he sleeping too? She peeked at his face and found him staring at her with the same intense longing she felt. She should look away before it was too late, but instead she moved her face close enough that his breath touched her face.

  His right arm scooped her closer, and he nuzzled his face in her hair. “You smell like the beach.”

  “It’s the coconut shampoo,” she whispered. Her head screamed for her to move, but her heart refused to listen.

  Did he move first or did she? She thought she was the one who tipped her lips up in an invitation before his mouth swooped down on hers and she began to drown in such intense sensations she forgot where she was. Her right arm came up around his neck and held him tight. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she found the taste of him absolutely intoxicating. If she could, she’d stay right here in this moment forever.

  When he pulled away, she felt cold. Opening her eyes, she saw his tender smile and she smiled back. “I suppose we’d better get the girls home.”

  “I suppose so. We’re about the last ones left.”

  He was right. She glanced around and found the grassy field empty but for workers cleaning up the abandoned trash. She sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. “You think we can carry them?”

  “I’ll go get the SUV while you stay here with the girls.” He started to pull his arm away, then swooped down for one last kiss. “I’ll be right back.”

  Is this love? She’d never felt that dizzying combination of wanting to be close to someone and of caring what he thought of her. She watched his tall, muscular figure stride up the hill to where he’d parked the Land Rover. Did she dare let this continue? What if he didn’t feel the same?

  She touched her lips. He’d seemed to be as into that kiss as much as she was, but weren’t men different? She’d always heard they’d take what a woman offered, and she’d been quick to make her desire known.