Beyond a Doubt

by Colleen Coble

  “The cavalry has arrived,” Mason said. “Get on out of here, Bree. I don’t want to run the risk of Gretchen seeing us putting her dad in the car.”

  “Don’t I get to say goodbye to her?” Quentin whined.

  “You’ve caused her enough trauma for one day,” Mason said.

  Bree went back to the Jeep and hopped in. In the rearview mirror she saw Mason and Doug putting Quentin in the back of the squad car.

  She smiled at Gretchen. “Ready to go?”

  “Hey, where’s my dad?” Gretchen turned with an anxious glance.

  “I told him I would take you back to your mom’s,” Bree told her. She braced herself for tears or entreaties, but the little girl smiled with obvious relief and wrapped her arms around Samson’s neck. “I told him I didn’t really want to go today,” she said. “I have homework to do.” She scratched Samson’s ears. “Someday Patch will be able to search like Samson and Charley. Mom says I can learn search-and-rescue when I get older, like Lauri.”

  Lauri. Right now the teenager wasn’t a person Bree would want Gretchen to emulate. The thought hurt. Kade had been trying so hard to reach her, but the girl had a wall up as thick as Superior’s ice floes. Maybe Bree could take her shopping with Anu when she returned from Helsinki. The girl really warmed to the older woman. Anu said she’d been hanging out in the store all winter.

  She glanced at Naomi beside her in the passenger seat. “Nervous about the wedding? At least I kept you busy today.”

  Naomi turned back from Gretchen. “Did you have to remind me?” She laughed. “I’m only kidding. I can’t wait!”

  “Emily called me yesterday and about talked my ear off. I think she’s as excited as you. I’m not looking forward to wearing that dress though. I look like death in pink. The least you could have done was pick out a flattering color for your matron of honor.”

  Naomi groaned. “You know I had nothing to do with it. Pink is Mom’s favorite color, and after arguing over my dress, I had no energy left to battle for yours.”

  “I’ll forgive you this one time.” Bree said. “You’re going to be a beautiful bride. No one will be looking at me anyway.”

  “Kade will,” Naomi said slyly.

  Bree turned her head a bit to hide the sudden heat in her cheeks. Naomi was probably right. She told herself to stay focused on Davy’s needs. Once he was on an even keel, she could consider what the future might hold for her and Kade.

  Several cars were parked along the street at the Siller residence. She stopped behind a police car and turned off the engine.

  “Let’s go see your mom, Gretchen,” she said. She got out and opened the door for the little girl.

  Karen rushed out before they reached the porch. Half-crying and half-laughing, she scooped Gretchen into her arms and smothered her face with kisses.

  She cupped her daughter’s face in her hands. “Why did you go with your dad? You knew it wasn’t his weekend with you.”

  Gretchen wiggled in her mother’s grasp. “He said he changed with you.” Her tone was bewildered.

  Bree could see she had no idea what the fuss was all about. “Why don’t you discuss this later?” she said under her breath to Karen.

  Karen ignored her. “You are not to go off with him like that,” she scolded. “You didn’t even have your clothes. Your father—”

  Bree grabbed Karen’s arm and shook her head. Gretchen gave her mother a somber glance then walked slowly toward the house. “At least she has a father,” Bree whispered, “even if he wasn’t thinking clearly today.”

  Karen blinked and swallowed. “I’m scared, Bree,” she whispered. “What if he comes back?”

  “He’s in custody and in a lot of trouble. Maybe now he’ll listen enough to seek help for his temper.”

  “He hates me now. And you.” Karen bit her lip. “I never wanted my marriage to be like this. I still want to love him, but I’m too afraid of him. I’m scared for you too, Bree. You and Anu. He blames you two for all our troubles. He’s too blind to see it’s his own fault.”

  “We can handle ourselves,” Bree assured her. “I’m not afraid of Quentin.”

  A siren screamed by, and Bree turned to look. It was heading out of town. Another police car followed that one, and then a third. A car screeched to a halt in front of the Siller residence. Then Bree’s cell phone rang.

  Mason’s voice came over the line. “Quentin has escaped. I’ve called in reinforcements to try to find him, but be careful. He may come looking for you.”

  6

  School was such a bore. Sitting in algebra class, Lauri found her thoughts drifting to the stuff she’d found in the chest. It bugged her, but how could she go about finding who owned it and what his intentions were? She wasn’t the investigator Bree and Naomi were, and Zorro didn’t have the skills of the other dogs either. But she had to try.

  The last bell rang. She tossed her books in her locker and went to find Brian. He was shooting hoops with two other boys in the gym. He saw her and waved but continued to toss the ball with the other guys. Lauri motioned for him to come. He frowned but threw the ball to a friend and walked toward her.

  “What’s up? I’m kind of busy.”

  “Aren’t we going out to the cabin today?”

  “You usually aren’t too eager to do that. What’s up with you?”

  “Nothing. I’m just bored. Can we go now?” Lauri tapped her foot on the gym floor.

  “I guess. Sheesh, you change like the wind.”

  “I’m a girl. We’re allowed.” Lauri smiled to show him there were no hard feelings. She just wanted to get out of here. She watched Brian jog to his friends and explain. He grabbed his other shoes and sat beside her on the bleacher.

  “The guys said they’d be there at four. I can’t stay long. The old man wants me to shovel the driveway before the party tonight. I don’t get it. He can hire someone for that. Why do I have to do it?”

  “I hate it when you whine. You’ve got it better than anyone here, and you complain when your dad wants to teach you a little responsibility.”

  He shot her a dark look. “I don’t see you swallowing it when your brother wants you to stay home and do the laundry. You’re the one complaining then.”

  “Kade doesn’t give me everything the way your dad does,” she snapped. “And he doesn’t nag you to death either. You’re lucky to have a dad at all.” There. That was the real reason Brian’s attitude bugged her. At least he had a dad.

  Neither spoke as they drove out into the forest. Several times Lauri started to apologize, then pressed her lips together and stared out the window at the thick trees.

  “Are we going to the same cabin?” she asked finally.

  “Yeah.” He glanced at his watch.

  “Why are you mixed up in this anyway? It’s not like you need the money. What if you get caught?”

  “You don’t understand, and I can’t explain it to you,” he said. “There’s more to it than you know.”

  “So tell me!”

  “I can’t. My dad—” he broke off and gripped the steering wheel.

  “Don’t try to blame this one on your dad. You’re the one who got mixed up in it. I understand trying to be independent, but this is just stupid. Your dad would be really disappointed in you if he knew.”

  “A lot you know,” he muttered resentfully.

  She blew her breath out through her mouth. “Okay, let’s just drop it. Whose cabin is it anyway?”

  “It belongs to the forest department.”

  “I know that! Who’s renting it?”

  He shrugged. “Just a guy I know.”

  “Klepto?”

  “Nah, he’s just a hack like me. One of the big boys is in town right now.”

  “Big boys?” Lauri snickered to cover her worry. What would one of Brian’s cohorts be doing with a chest full of memorabilia of the Nicholls family? She had thought it might be a local kid, maybe someone obsessed with Bree. “Is he from around here?”

/>   “Why are you asking all these questions? You usually don’t care as long as they stay out of your way and keep you supplied with your smokes.”

  Lauri shrugged. “Just making conversation.”

  “Well, don’t. You’ll get in trouble if Neville hears you.”

  “Neville?”

  Brian clamped his lips shut. “Just shut up, okay? I don’t want you messing this up for me today. It’s important.”

  “And I’m not?”

  “I didn’t say that!” He swore and pounded his palm against the steering wheel. “You make me so mad sometimes, Lauri. Why can’t you be like other girls?”

  “If I was like everyone else, you wouldn’t be with me,” she said. She’d better quit goading him.

  “Sometimes I wonder why I am.” He turned the car into the lot at the end of the rough, rutted track that led to Lake Superior and killed the engine. “Wait here. I don’t want him to see you.”

  Lauri didn’t answer. Brian got out of the car and jogged to a small outbuilding at the edge of the forest. He disappeared inside. She waited a few minutes to make sure he wasn’t returning right away, then opened the door and eased it shut as quietly as she could.

  Damp leaves rustled beneath her sneakers in spite of her stealth, and she winced. She’d intended to creep to the building and try to listen, but that wasn’t going to work. They’d hear her for sure. She retraced her steps and moved toward the cabin. Maybe there was something inside she’d missed. She’d had no time to look things over well. With any luck, Brian and the others would be tied up awhile.

  The cabin door was unlocked. She stepped inside and glanced around. Nothing much had changed. She walked quickly to the bedroom and looked inside. The chest was still there. Glancing out the window, she could see the shed from here. The door was still closed. She breathed a sigh of relief and went back to the bedroom door. There was a back door on the other side of the kitchen.

  She stepped back to the chest and flung open the top. Everything was in a jumble, just as she’d left it. Maybe he hadn’t seen it yet. She quickly pulled everything out and tried to remember how it had been the first day. She went through every item, piece by piece, but found nothing new, no clues to the identity of the hoarder and the reason he’d collected these things.

  Layering things neatly, she put everything back as well as she could remember. Disappointment made her frown. This visit had been pointless. She heard a noise and jumped up, rushing to the window. The shed door was open and Brian stood in the doorway with other guys behind him. He was pointing toward the cabin.

  She whirled and raced toward the back door. The voices grew louder as she pulled the door behind her. She slunk along the back wall and crouched under the window. The wall shook a bit as the front door slammed.

  “Can you get the stuff to me by the day after tomorrow?”

  Lauri didn’t recognize the voice, but it sounded older, more like Brian’s dad’s age. She had to see who it was. Gripping the edge of the windowsill, she peeked in the window. The man’s back was to her. Since he was dressed in a thick coat and hat, she couldn’t tell anything about his appearance.

  Brian saw her, and his eyes widened. She shook her head and put her finger to her lips. He narrowed his eyes and frowned at her, then turned his back. Whew. He wasn’t going to give her away. Maybe this was the Neville he had warned her about.

  Moving as silently as she could, she hurried back to his car.

  Kade pulled in the driveway and blinked in surprise. Lauri was actually home. What were the chances of her being home at seven o’clock? About as likely as the ice on Superior being solid in April. Zorro, his ears laid back in the wind, raced to greet him as Kade walked across the yard. The dog was wet with snow, and he threw himself against Kade’s leg.

  Kade knelt and scratched the pup’s head. Nearly four months old, Zorro was turning into a fine young dog, standing above Kade’s knees. His black and white markings made him look like a bandit. At least he was glad to see Kade.

  Zorro followed him to the door, but Kade stopped the dog when he would have followed along inside. “You need to get cleaned up first, Zorro.” The dog whined as Kade shut the door behind him.

  The sweet aroma of cookies permeated the three-room cabin. “Smells like chocolate-chip cookies,” Kade said, sniffing in appreciation. His mouth watered in anticipation. When was the last time Lauri had baked him something?

  The cabin’s kitchen and living areas were combined, and two bedrooms stood off the large middle room. His gaze went to his sister as she slid cookies onto wax paper. Sixteen and full of the power of her young beauty, she drew eyes wherever she went. Silky brown hair fell nearly to her waist when it wasn’t pulled up in a ponytail as it was today, and her blue eyes seemed so guileless. Kade knew better though. She possessed the selfishness of youth in fatal doses.

  Lauri sniffed but didn’t look at him. “They’re not for you. I have a party to go to tonight. I just got home half an hour ago, and I don’t have much time to get them done.”

  Kade barely refrained from rolling his eyes. He should have known. “Am I allowed one?”

  “One and that’s all,” she said.

  Kade tried not to mind the disdain in her voice and stepped to the counter. He picked up a warm cookie and bit into it. The sweet chocolate failed to tame the sour taste in his mouth at what he had to do. He would ease into it.

  “Hey, want to take in a movie with me Friday night? We can go eat at a nice restaurant first. I’ll even buy you a new . . . uh, pair of jeans.” He’d been about to offer her a new dress, but that would have been a mistake. The last time he’d seen her in a dress was their mom’s funeral.

  Her hand poised over the pan of cookies, Lauri turned her head slowly to look at him. “What are you talking about? You know I have a date with Brian.”

  Kade wanted to tell her she could do better than Brian Parker. Though he was Dr. Max Parker’s son, the boy was as wild as a moose and just as dangerous.

  He deliberately kept his voice soft. “Then you say when. I’d like to spend some time with you.”

  Her eyes widened. “Since when?”

  “Since always. You’re my sister, and it seems like I never get a chance to see you. I want to change that.”

  Lauri’s ponytail swung against her back as she shrugged. “You could have fooled me. Most of the time you’re glad to see me leave.”

  “That’s not true, Lauri. I think you know that. I’ve gone looking for you often enough.” And found her in situations she knew better than to be in, he added silently. He just prayed this fiasco involving the cabins wasn’t one of them.

  “Only because it’s your job,” she said with a resentful glance.

  “If I’ve made you feel that way, I’m sorry,” he said softly.

  Her eyes narrowed at his soft tone, and she sniffed. “So you say today.” She pulled a container from a cabinet and began to load the cookies into it.

  Kade tried to keep a light tone. “So when can we go?”

  She turned a calculating gaze on him. “No reneging on your offer for new jeans?”

  “Nope.”

  “Can I have a new top too?”

  “You drive a hard bargain, but sure, no problem.”

  Her gaze studied him. “What’s this all about, really?”

  “I’m your brother, not your jailer,” he said. “We seem to have lost track of that, and I want to find it again.”

  “And keep me in line along with it, right?” She turned back to the cookies.

  Kade wondered if she didn’t want him to see that his offer had touched her. He believed the sister he loved still resided somewhere inside the tough shell Lauri presented to the world. He’d keep chipping away until he found it. What did he have to lose?

  “How about one day next week after school?” Lauri said, her tone a bit subdued. “After I get home from sitting for the O’Reilly kids.”

  Kade grinned wryly. If only God would get hold of her heart.
Lauri had a lot to offer. Other kids looked up to her. She could have a tremendous impact for good on her school if she would try.

  “Friday maybe?”

  “Whatever.”

  “We’re on then,” he said. Now he needed to tread carefully. “You been out to White Lake lately?” Was it his imagination or did she pale at his question?

  She didn’t answer.

  “Well?”

  “What’s with the third degree?” she asked, her voice full of resentment.

  “All I asked was a simple question.”

  “There’s accusation in it. What have I done now?”

  There was no help for it. Kade pulled the plastic bag from his pocket and fished out the cigarette he thought was hers. “Recognize this?”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s not mine!”

  “It looks like your lipstick. And it looks like the kind of cigarette I found in your car.”

  “I’m not the only one who smokes that brand!”

  “Then you admit you’ve been smoking?”

  She clamped her lips shut and glared at him. “I thought you said you weren’t my jailer!” She scooped up the container of cookies and bolted for the door.

  Kade thought about letting her go, but after second thought he went after her. “Lauri, wait.” The roar of her car engine covered his call, and she sped away before he could reach her.

  Lauri hated this old red Plymouth. Why couldn’t she have been born into a family with money like Brian? He drove a hot black Mustang while she had to make do with this piece of junk. She drove along the snow-covered road toward town. How much did Kade know? All she had to do was keep her mouth shut. That was stupid of her to let it slip that she was smoking.

  If only Mom were still alive. She’d make Kade ease up on her. Couldn’t he see she was an adult now? She was sixteen years old, for Pete’s sake! She was old enough to make her own decisions. It was all his fault she was stuck in this backwater town. If not for his misguided sense of responsibility, they could be in California right now.