A fresh start, she thought as her two sisters reluctantly complied. That was asking for the impossible.
Chapter 4
The sun was almost overhead by the time Connor had a moment to breathe. He drew in a lungful of salt-laden air—never grew old—and straightened from tying the boat off to a cleat. He tried not to take his work for granted. He was blessed to do something he loved. Owning a marina allowed him to be outdoors, work with boats, and be surrounded by beauty, day in and day out. What could be better?
The docks jutted out into a bay that was blue and serene. White masts of varying heights pointed skyward, and the gentle breeze blowing in made the metal hardware ping against them.
Two sea gulls swooped overhead, their piercing cries making him feel lonely somehow. He thought of Louise and breathed a prayer for her safety. He wondered how the three granddaughters were faring back at the cottage and if they’d heard any news.
The house had still been dark when he left this morning. Although his dockhands didn’t arrive until the marina opened at eight, he’d arrived before dawn to catch up on the paperwork he’d put off yesterday.
Saturdays were their busiest day, and this morning it had been all hands on deck—literally. He’d worked alongside the men to launch and gas up boats as fishermen set out for a day of leisure. He loved talking to his customers on the front end of their day when they were full of hope and anticipation. He gave out the occasional tip on the hottest fishing spots and was always prepared with the weather forecast. It was all part of the service at Sullivan’s Marina.
He took out his phone and texted his youngest sister, Lexie, reminding her to get her oil changed. He’d noticed her overdue sticker the last time he’d ridden with her. While he had his phone out, he texted his other sister, Tara, to ask what his nephew wanted for his upcoming birthday. She frequently accused him of spoiling her kids rotten, but hey, that was his job.
As he returned his phone to his pocket, the dock quaked under his feet. He turned to see Cheryl Watts coming his way. Her gray-streaked hair was pulled neatly back from her face, making her red-framed glasses stand out. Her quick stride and serious expression told him something was up. Plus, it was lunch hour at Sullivan’s Landing, and Cheryl wouldn’t leave the restaurant unless it was important.
He immediately thought of Louise and met Cheryl halfway up the dock, worry churning in his gut.
“You have a minute, boss?” she asked as she approached.
“Of course. What’s up? Have you heard from Louise?”
“What? Oh, no, I’m sorry.” She set her hand on his arm. “I didn’t mean to put the fear of God into you. No word yet?”
“Afraid not. Her granddaughters are in town now, though, and the sheriff’s on it.”
“Good. That’s good. I hope you hear something soon.”
Well, something was bothering the woman. Her cheerful countenance and can-do spirit were noticeably absent. “What’s going on, Cheryl? Problems at the restaurant?”
“No, no, everything’s running like clockwork. It’s my dad. My brother called this morning and—” Her eyes went shiny behind her glasses. She blinked and swallowed.
“What is it?”
“My dad had a stroke last night. They didn’t realize that’s what was happening so they didn’t take him to the hospital until this morning. He’s not doing very well. They don’t know if he’ll recover, but he’ll need a lot of therapy, and of course my mom is gone, and my brother is my only sibling, and he’s busy running his business—”
“Cheryl.” Connor set his hand on her arm. “You have to go take care of your dad.”
“But the restaurant—”
“Will be here when you get back.”
“But there’s no one to take my place.”
He gave her a rueful grin. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
“You have the marina to run.”
“And a full staff of dockhands to keep it all going. We’ll be fine. Don’t you worry about us; just go take care of your dad.”
She blinked back more tears. “Are you sure? I feel just awful leaving you in the lurch like this.”
“Family first, no matter what. Go ahead and get on the road. I’ll be up to check on the restaurant in a few.”
Before Cheryl even made it back to the boardwalk, Connor heard a splash and a man’s voice saying, “Oh dear.”
Dave and Dot Lewis had just tied off their runabout on the next pier and stood peering down at the water.
“Dave?” Connor called as he made his way over to the older couple. “Everything all right?”
Dave waited until Connor was nearby before answering. “I’m afraid I lost my keys in the water.”
Connor looked down through the glimmering water, and sure enough, there was a speck of red at the bottom.
“I told you to put them in your pocket,” Dot said. “You never listen to me.”
“I did put them in my pocket. But there’s a hole in my pocket that you haven’t gotten around to sewing yet.”
“Well, maybe I would’ve done that this morning if you hadn’t insisted on dragging me out here to waste hours on the water.”
“I’m sorry you consider time spent with me a waste.”
“Not to worry.” Connor broke in before the argument could go any further. “Happens all the time.” He stripped off his shirt. “And I was just thinking it was a great day for a swim.”
Chapter 5
Maddy rubbed her temples where the beginnings of a headache throbbed as Nora pulled her Mercedes into the cottage’s drive.
After trying to reach Gram’s friends they’d decided to visit some of her favorite places to see if there was any trace of her. They’d stopped at the sheriff’s office for an update, but there was nothing to report yet.
Nora had insisted on driving, so Maddy took the passenger seat. Emma sat behind her, as far away from Nora as she could get, Pippy curled on her lap. It had been a tense morning, laden with passive-aggressive comments between the two of them. Maddy found herself once again in the position of mediator, a role she did not embrace. She’d rather avoid conflict altogether, but her sisters didn’t seem to be of the same mind.
Nora shut off the engine, and the sisters quietly exited the vehicle, Pippy trailing on a leash. They’d agreed to stop back home for a quick lunch and to check Gram’s voicemail. After lunch they’d make up fliers to post around town, then take the ferry to Bald Head Island. It was possible Gram had gone there and been unable to return for some reason.
Maddy was going to suggest they split up and conquer both jobs at once. They’d get through the tasks more efficiently, and besides, it was exhausting having Nora and Emma together.
Emma took Pippy to do her business while Maddy and Nora checked the phone—no messages. Maddy fought the tide of hopelessness that threatened to swallow her. What in the world had happened to their grandmother? It was as if she’d simply dropped off the planet. Despair rolled in like fog off the harbor.
She walked over to the bank of windows at the back of the house, where bright sunlight streamed into the kitchen. Beyond the deck the rolling dunes stretched out, leveling to a wide strip of sandy beach. Waves frothed at the shoreline, and beyond it the water grew darker as it extended toward the horizon, a sharp line against the pale blue sky. On many days she’d stood and appreciated this very view, but today even such beauty failed to lift her spirits.
She thought of Nick back home and wondered what he was doing. He hadn’t so much as called since she walked out of Pirouette. That said it all, she supposed. An ache opened up in her middle. Hard to believe it had only been two days. She hoped time and geographical distance would bring perspective.
Clearly she hadn’t known Nick the way she thought she had. The betrayal had only reinforced her distrust in love and her distaste for secrets. She wanted to stay as far away from both as possible.
She determined to push all thoughts of Nick from her mind. There were enough worries here.
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She turned to find Nora rooting through the pantry. Even when her sister was out of her element she appeared put together, with her styled hair and flawless makeup. Her ivory pants and sleeveless blouse were more suited to lunch at the club than a search-and-rescue party.
“Why don’t you let me do that?” Maddy said.
“I need to stay busy. You know, as long as we’re here we may as well start sorting through things upstairs. Gram’s been after us to clean this place out forever.”
Guilt pinched Maddy hard. Their grandmother had been wanting to put the house on the market for a couple years. The upkeep was getting to be too much for her—as was obvious by the weathered shingles and overgrown flower beds. But Maddy had been too busy to take the time. They’d all been too busy for Gram.
“We should definitely do that,” Maddy said. It would help pass the long evening hours, and doing something nice for Gram might assuage her guilt.
“Actually . . .” Nora finished opening a can of soup and began scraping it into a pan. “There’s really no reason for all of us to stay. I can handle things here with Gram and keep in touch with the two of you.”
Maddy turned. “Don’t be silly. I’d only be worried senseless.”
“I know your job’s important to you. You’ve worked very hard to get where you are. There’s no reason to jeopardize your position.”
Maddy bit her lip as she pulled bowls from the old white cabinets. She should tell her sister the truth, but the words got caught in her throat. She didn’t want to rush home, she realized. What was waiting for her? An empty apartment? The unemployment line? Disappointments and heartache?
She set the bowls beside the stove and went for napkins and spoons. “There’s nothing more important than Gram. Besides, as you said, this would be a great time to clean out the house.”
“I can handle all that. I’ll box up your things and send them on to you and Emma.”
“You shouldn’t have to do it alone. There’s a lot that needs done around here. Gram obviously hasn’t been able to keep up the place. There’s at least a month’s worth of work, even if we all pitch in. Besides, going through all the stuff stored here might not be very . . . easy.”
Emma appeared on the kitchen threshold, cradling Pippy, her brown eyes toggling between Maddy and Nora. “What won’t be easy?”
“Nora and I were thinking we should start cleaning out the house tonight, since we’re here anyway. The house needs some work too.”
“Actually . . .” Nora turned from the stove top. “I suggested that the two of you go on back home and leave me here to handle things. Once Gram turns up, I can stick around and help her with the house.”
Emma smirked. “Good ol’ Nora. Always taking control of the situation.”
Nora straightened. “I was merely thinking you might like to get back to your jobs,” she said in a measured tone.
“And you should stay, since you don’t have to worry about plebian things like weekly paychecks?”
Nora’s left eye twitched. “Why must you always read so much into everything I say? Might you consider the possibility I was trying to be helpful?”
“How generous of you.” Emma crossed her arms. “I think I’ll stay and help with the house too. I have some vacation time coming.”
“It’s a plan then. We’ll all stay.” Maddy was eager for some time away from Charlotte. “Let’s just get lunch on the table. Maybe we can split up this afternoon and cover more ground. We have to focus on finding Gram. And that would be a lot easier if you two put your differences on hold for now.”
“Differences?” Emma scoffed.
A knock sounded on the door. Their eyes collided for a long moment before Maddy took off toward the living room.
Please, Lord, let it be good news about Gram.
She caught sight of Connor through the screen door. “Any news?” she asked hopefully.
His face fell. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
Her spirits flagging, Maddy pushed open the door, letting him in.
“I had to stop at the house and thought I’d check in and see if you’d heard anything.”
The light from the windows illuminated his face. His eyes were definitely gray. He hadn’t shaved this morning—or for several mornings for that matter. His golden-brown hair tumbled over his forehead, and he wore a fitted blue T-shirt, worn jeans, and sandals.
He had the careless look of a beach bum. She wondered what he did for a living that allowed him to come home in the middle of the day—or take the previous day off entirely—never mind that he’d been searching for her grandmother.
He lifted a brow, and Maddy realized the pause had grown uncomfortably long.
She grabbed an empty coffee mug from the end table. “There’s nothing to report, I’m afraid. We spent the morning looking and stopped by the sheriff’s office.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’d hoped . . .”
When his words petered out, she turned toward the kitchen. “We’re putting up fliers this afternoon and running over to Bald Head Island.”
“Good ideas.” Connor followed her into the kitchen and greeted her sisters as he stooped to pet a curious Pippy. Nora was stirring the soup, and Emma had finished setting the table.
The phone rang, and since Maddy was the closest, she grabbed for it. Maybe the sheriff had news.
“Hello?”
“Maddy! Oh, good, you’re there.”
The sound of her grandma’s voice nearly made her knees buckle. She grabbed for a chair back. “Gram!”
Three heads spun her direction.
“Where are you?”
“I’m in Boise, dear. For my high school reunion—our sixty-fifth! I can hardly believe it’s been that many years. Why, I still feel as young as a spring chicken.”
“Gram, what— We’ve been so worried! No one knew you had a trip planned! Your neighbor Connor called us all worried and—”
“Oh, that Connor . . . He’s such a dear boy, so helpful. I don’t know what I’d do without him. It was sweet of him to be concerned.”
“Where is she?” Nora whispered.
Maddy covered the mouthpiece. “She’s fine. She’s in Idaho.”
Emma frowned. “Idaho?”
Nora’s shoulders sank. “Thank God.”
“Gram . . .” Maddy struggled to keep a respectful tone. “We’ve been so worried about you. We were going to put up fliers with your picture in town this afternoon, for heaven’s sake.”
“We? Who’s we?”
“Nora, Emma, and I. We all arrived yesterday, and we’ve been worried sick. We filed a missing persons report with the sheriff’s office!”
“Oh dear. You might want to cancel that. I’m just fine and dandy.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone you were leaving? You left dishes on the table—and newspapers have been gathering on your porch.”
“I’m sorry to have worried you all, honey. I must’ve forgotten to cancel my paper. But I’m just fine. I’m having a grand time, in fact. I’ve decided to make a real vacation of it. My return flight is open-ended.”
Maddy palmed her palpitating heart, trying for patience. Trying to let the relief that had engulfed her when she’d heard Gram’s voice take precedence.
Wait a minute. Why had Gram called her home phone if no one was even supposed to be here? Her eyes drifted to Connor, sharpening on his face.
He’s a dear boy, so helpful . . . I don’t know what I’d do without him.
Her fingers tightened on the chair, and heat rose up the back of her neck. “Gram . . .”
“You know what, dearie? Since the three of you are already there, you may as well take a little time away from your busy lives and enjoy each other’s company. You have a lot of catching up to do.”
With those words, Maddy’s sneaking suspicion became a full-on certainty. Her grandmother had done this on purpose.
Her eyes fell shut. For years Gram had been trying futilely to reunite t
he sisters. She’d put out invitations, she’d begged, and now she’d resorted to luring them to Seahaven under false pretenses. Never mind that they’d had her lying in a gutter somewhere.
“What?” Emma whispered from nearby. “Is she okay?”
Maddy opened her eyes to find the others staring at her. She waved their worry away.
Her grandmother was still talking about reconciliation and the importance of forgiveness and family ties. She reiterated for the dozenth time that their father would be heartbroken to see what had become of their family. There was plenty Maddy wanted to say, but with the self-discipline of a saint she bit her tongue and let her grandmother finish.
Meanwhile she watched Connor wander over to the back door, take his phone from his pocket, and thumb out a text. Just where did he fit into this scheme? Was he really the concerned neighbor—or had he actually been her grandmother’s willing pawn?
When Gram finally ran out of steam, Maddy assured her she’d talk to her sisters about reconciliation and wound up the conversation.
“What’d she say?” Nora demanded as soon as Maddy hung up the phone. “She’s all right?”
“She’s perfectly fine. She’s in Boise for her sixty-fifth high school reunion, and she apologizes for worrying us.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Emma said. “Why’d she leave her dirty dishes out? Why didn’t she tell anyone where she was going—even her neighbor who looks in on her?”
Maddy turned toward Connor.
When he looked up from his phone, she gave him a piercing look and crossed her arms. “That’s a very good question, Emma. What do you think, Connor? Why would our grandmother simply disappear without a trace? Why would she neglect to tell a soul? Why do you think she might scare her own granddaughters half to death?”
His eyes flitted between the three sisters, finally landing back on Maddy. “I feel like I’m supposed to have the answers to all these questions.”
Maddy quirked a brow. “Don’t you?”
He regarded her with a tight smile. “Why don’t you just spell it out for me, Maddy.”
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