“You’ll get all wet,” Harvey said. “You can’t go all the way back to Portland soaking wet.”
Eddie peeled off his work shirt and his holster. “Hold these.” His T-shirt, with his badge pinned to it, followed, and his watch. He was starting on his belt buckle.
“Eddie! You can’t undress in front of the girls.”
“No worse than a swim suit.” He stepped out of his pants and handed them to Harvey, shivering in his plaid boxers. “Careful, my wallet’s in there. Besides, they’re fifty yards away. They can’t see.”
“Leeanne has binoculars.”
Eddie turned and waved up at them. They waved back, and the binoculars were hanging in front of Leeanne’s sweatshirt.
“They’re good, modest girls,” Harvey said.
“And you’re a prude.”
Eddie lowered himself over the edge of the rock into the water with a gasp. He tried to lie down, but the seaward side of the rock was slimy with algae, and he slipped and went under. He resurfaced immediately, sputtering, but Harvey’s adrenaline surged as he crouched on the rock and reached toward him.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” It wasn’t very deep, and Eddie got his legs under him and maneuvered close to the rock. He clutched a rough edge, with his head above the water. The waves came up over him, but he was mostly above the water line.
“Jennifer, can you see him?”
“No. Is he okay?”
“Yes, but he’s turning blue. Get out, Eddie.”
Harvey grasped his wrist and he scrambled up, shivering. and Harvey looked along the shore. “I wish I knew if this was where they were standing.”
“We’ll never know, unless we get Mrs. Blake up here to show us.”
“A picture,” Harvey said. He spoke to Jennifer again. “Can you girls take some photos with your phones?”
“Sure,” Jennifer said.
“You see those big rocks over there?” Harvey asked Eddie, pointing a little toward the point of land. A cluster of large boulders was mostly above the tide now.
Eddie nodded.
“If they were over there, a body could be lodged between the rocks, and I’ll bet nobody would see it for hours. Not unless some kids were climbing around. It might stay between the rocks all afternoon, and wash out at high tide that night.”
“Let’s take a look.”
When Jennifer reported by phone that she was finished, Eddie pushed his clothes into Harvey’s hands and started walking toward the large boulders, stepping gingerly on the rocks in his bare feet. Harvey followed cautiously. In his dripping boxers, Eddie stood shivering, four feet above the shingle on a rounded rock that sloped down to the water. The chain of his crucifix glittered against the back of his neck.
“Jenny, can you see Eddie?” Harvey said into his phone.
“Plain as day. Leeanne wants to know if he works out.”
“Take another picture.”
Harvey picked up another rock, this time a little smaller, baseball sized, and climbed up beside Eddie with the bundle of clothes under one arm.
“Hit me,” Eddie said.
“I don’t know. It looks like a drop-off here. What if you can’t get back up? Should we get the rope?”
“I’m not going in the bay.”
“Okay.” Harvey waved at Jennifer, and she waved back. He brought the rock up and gave Eddie a gentle tap on the back of his head. He collapsed and rolled off the side of the rock, down between the boulders into a tidal pool.
“Ouch.”
“You all right?”
“Stupid clam shell,” Eddie said.
Into the phone, Harvey said, “Can you see him?”
“No. Is he okay?”
“I think so. He’s freezing, though. We’ll be up soon.”
He put the phone in his pocket. Laying Eddie’s clothes on his shoes on top of the rock, he bent down and looked over the side.
“Are you good?”
“I cut myself on a clamshell.”
“How bad?”
“It’ll be okay. Hurts, though.”
Eddie was sitting in the pool with a pair of glasses in his hand. He held them up to Harvey. They were a man’s glasses, Harvey thought, wire rimmed with plain gold metal bows. The bow on the right side was bent and scratched.
Eddie hoisted himself up and sat on the rock beside him, shaking.
“You’d better get dressed.” Harvey looked up at the hill. The picnicking family had joined Jennifer and Leeanne. While Eddie pulled his clothes on, Harvey put the glasses in an evidence bag from his pocket.
“Did you notice where they’re bent?” Eddie asked, working his socks on.
“Yup,” Harvey replied. “It reminded me that his head wounds were on his temples, not the back of his head.”
“So Murphy couldn’t have hit him from behind.”
“How can you hit someone with a rock from the side?” Harvey asked. “He would have seen it coming.”
Eddie was getting his sneakers on. “What if he was turning around when Murphy hit him?”
Harvey picked up his rock and looked at it and the glasses. He took his driving glasses out of his shirt pocket. “Put these on.”
Eddie stood up and put on Harvey’s specs, then turned to face the sea. Harvey got behind him and prepared to strike. “Okay, just start to turn toward me.”
As he turned his head, Harvey brought the rock up against the bow of his glasses.
“I think it would work, if Frederick was about the same height as Murphy.”
“How did he get the bump on the other side, though?” Eddie asked. “He didn’t get hit with two rocks.”
Harvey looked down into the tide pool. “Must have hit his head on the left side when he fell off the rock.”
“His glasses might have fallen off when he was hit,” said Eddie.
“Frederick’s son lives in Portland. Shall we pay him a visit?”
“The glasses are probably not his.”
“Probably not,” Harvey agreed. He knew he wouldn’t rest if he didn’t follow up on it.
Eddie was still chilled when they got up the path, and Harvey ran up to the Explorer for his bomber jacket and made him put it on. The picnickers were packing their lunch things.
“A little chilly for a swim, isn’t it?” the mother asked.
“Yeah, it is,” Harvey said.
They walked up to the parking lot. “Put Eddie in front,” Harvey told Jennifer, and she got in back with Leeanne. He turned the heat on and watched Eddie. He was still shaking. After a few minutes Harvey was sweating, but Eddie had stopped shivering.
“You gonna be okay?”
Eddie nodded, and Harvey shut the heater off.
“My foot hurts.”
“Better let me check it.”
“It’ll be okay.”
“Well, you want to eat?”
“Sure.”
Jennifer suggested they eat in the car to keep Eddie warm. She and Leeanne reached behind the seat and lifted the lunch box over the back. Harvey asked a brief blessing, and they ate sandwiches, grapes, and chips. Jennifer had packed a thermos of coffee, and it was still hot. Eddie drank two cups. The rest of them had soft drinks.
“Did you learn anything from all this?” Jennifer asked, handing Harvey a bag of cookies.
“One thing, at least.” He brought out the zipper bag with the glasses in it.
Leeanne beamed at him. “A real clue!”
“Eddie found them between the rocks in that last spot where he pretended to fall. We need to ask Frederick’s son if he recognizes them. Mrs. Blake said he wore glasses that day.”
*****
They drove down Route 1 to Belfast, then left the coast for the run to Skowhegan. They descended on the Wainthrops at three o’clock.
“I hope you can stay for supper,” Marilyn greeted them.
Jennifer looked at Harvey, and he smiled regretfully. “I’m sorry. We really need to get back to Portland and check out a lead in
the case we’re working on.”
“Well, have a piece of pie, at least.”
They took Leeanne’s luggage in and sat down. Jeff and Abby were at work, so only George and Marilyn Wainthrop and their two teen-aged sons, Travis and Randy, were there to visit with them. The boys soon had Eddie telling about the Blake investigation and the trip to Fort Point. Eddie made it sound like he’d nearly died of hypothermia. The boys wanted to know if they’d found any clues.
“We did,” Harvey said, “but we can’t tell you what they are while the investigation is open.”
“Solving a case like this takes a lot of time and hard work,” said Eddie.
“Hard work,” Randy scoffed. “You guys take picnics with girls and call it hard work.”
“Hey,” said Eddie with mock offense, “I nearly froze to death on that picnic.”
Harvey leaned toward Marilyn and said confidentially, “You did teach your daughters to make pies, didn’t you?”
“Well, Jennifer was a little slow in that department. She was always on the computer. But I think she could make a passable apple pie.”
Jennifer grimaced at him. “Has Jeff heard about the job yet?” she asked her father.
“Not yet. He’s hoping.”
“We’re praying about it,” she said. George looked at her, but said nothing.
“We thought we’d go to church tomorrow.” Marilyn looked from Jennifer to Harvey.
“Oh, great. Where?” asked Jennifer.
“Well, your father said your church has had a good influence on you both, and he wanted one like yours, so we found a Baptist church out on Fletcher Road.”
George pushed his chair back and went for the coffeepot.
Leeanne said, “I’ll go with you, Mom.”
“Do you go there, too, Eddie?” Marilyn asked.
“No. Well, I’ve been a couple of times.” Eddie scraped his dessert plate with his fork, and Leeanne jumped to get him another piece of pie.
Harvey could see that Jennifer’s father felt uncomfortable. “So, George, how’s the garden coming?”
George lost the hunted look and refilled his coffee cup.
They headed out soon after that. Leeanne was a little wistful in her good-byes, especially when Eddie chucked her under the chin and said, “See you at the wedding.”
*****
When they found Luke Frederick’s house, it was nearly six o’clock. Harvey and Eddie went to the door, and Jennifer stayed in the vehicle. Frederick’s son answered the doorbell. He was six feet tall and thin, with a long nose and straw-colored hair. Harvey showed his badge and made the introduction.
“Mr. Frederick, I’m sorry about your father. Have you had the service yet?”
“Yesterday.”
“I’ve been working with the state police on this thing. My partner and I are investigating the Blake death, and we see a connection.”
“You think the person who killed my father killed Martin Blake?”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Harvey said, “but they were together on Sunday, saw each other, talked to each other shortly before your father disappeared.”
Ben Frederick frowned. “The trooper who was here this morning says they think it was an accident. Dad slipped on the rocks and hit his head and ended up in the water.”
“There are one or two things that make me doubt that,” Harvey said. “I can’t elaborate right now, but could you tell me if your father wore glasses?”
“Yes, he wore them all the time.”
“Did the police return them to you with your father’s personal effects?”
“No. They said they were probably lost in the bay.”
Harvey took out the evidence bag and held it up so he could see the glasses clearly.
Frederick’s face paled. “Where did you get them?”
“On the shore at Fort Point.”
He stared in amazement. “The police said they searched the beach after they found his car there.”
“It was between some rocks. My partner found them today, but they weren’t in plain sight. You recognize them.”
“They look like my father’s.”
“You see the dent here, and the scratches?”
“Yes.”
“Were those there the last time you saw your father?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Could you show us some pictures of your father wearing his glasses?” Harvey asked.
“Of course.”
They followed him inside. The house was small, but in a great location, with big windows facing the harbor on the back of the living room. Frederick walked to a bookshelf and selected a photo album. He flipped through it and pointed out several pictures of his father. One, taken a month earlier, showed Luke Frederick in profile, holding up a fish on a stringer. Harvey compared the glasses in the bag and those in the picture.
“They sure look alike,” said Eddie.
“What does it mean?” asked Frederick.
“We’ll try to determine that. May I have the name of your father’s optician?” Harvey asked.
“Yes. Whatever you need.” Ben Frederick went to a desk and opened an address book. “They probably won’t be open until Monday.” He handed Harvey a slip of paper with the name and telephone number of an eye care office on Forest Avenue.
Chapter 9
Sunday, June 27
Harvey was still tired the next morning when he joined Jennifer at the church. He’d stayed up until 1 a.m. rereading Martin Blake’s article and writing himself notes on things to check into. He tried to put the case out of his mind for a couple of hours, but he nearly fell asleep during the missionary speaker’s slides.
At the end of the service, Everett Bailey stood at the end of his usual pew, waiting to merge into the aisle.
“Mr. Larson,” he said, when Harvey was even with him.
“Good morning, sir!” Harvey stuck his hand out, and Bailey shook it.
“I heard you folks are looking for a house. Beth Bradley gave me a call.”
Beth hadn’t returned from her visit to Freeport yet, and Harvey had forgotten about her recommendation.
“Yes, we are. We haven’t really started looking, but we need to. Is your home for sale?”
“Yes, I’ve decided to move in with my daughter’s family in Saco. I’ve been alone six months now, and I’m tired of it. I’ll miss the place, but it’s too big for me now, and I can’t keep up with the yard work. Are you folks interested? I was going to list it tomorrow, but if you want to take a look…”
Harvey looked at Jennifer. She had been listening, and she returned his look with wide eyes.
“I guess we would,” Harvey said. “When would you like to show it?”
“Today? Tomorrow? What suits you?”
They were due at Carl and Margaret Turner’s for dinner at one o’clock. Harvey said, “We’ve got a lunch date, but we could come later this afternoon.”
“That’s fine,” Bailey said. “Four o’clock?”
Jennifer nodded, and Harvey noted the address. They went out to the Explorer and left her car in the parking lot.
Jennifer had met Carl, but not Margaret. The idea of rubbing elbows with two doctors seemed to intimidate her. She was wearing a gray tailored suit she’d worn to work when she was writing computer programs. It was a sophisticated look, not her normal, less formal style, and she looked good, but less approachable than usual. In honor of the M.D.’s, Harvey decided.
Before starting the engine, he turned to face her. “Jenny, these people are really down-to-earth. They’re my friends.”
“Okay.” She was feeling the back of her hair, which was up in a Grace Kelly do. A few tendrils had escaped at the back of her neck, and he leaned over and kissed her there. She looked around the parking lot quickly.
“Don’t be so nervous. Everyone knows we’re engaged. They expect me to be romantic around you.”
She gave him a little smile, but the nerves were definitely showing.
How had she ever made it through their first date?
“What is it?” He put his arm up on the back of the seat.
“You’re all forty, and I’m twenty-five.” She wrapped the strap of her purse around her hand.
He laughed. “I thought we went through that already.”
“We have, but have they?”
“They’re happy for me. They’ll love you.”
She sighed.
He put his driving glasses on, started the motor, and pulled out into the street. “What do you think about Mr. Bailey’s house?”
“I don’t know anything about it, but I’d like to see it. Where is Van Cleeve Lane?”
“Pretty posh neighborhood. It’s a couple of miles from here. I haven’t been over there much, and I can’t picture the street.”
“Sounds like it has a big yard.”
“Yeah. Me mowing a lawn weekends.”
“Maybe you don’t want to do that,” she said. “You’ve lived in an apartment so long. Maybe the maintenance wouldn’t fit with your schedule.”
“I think it would be a great outlet. I’m tired of climbing stairs when I get home and having to go over to the park if I want to sit outside.”
“It might be expensive.”
“We’ll see.”
“Well, what do we want in a house? Shouldn’t we have an idea before we see it?”
“Okay. I’d like a house with a yard, size optional, and at least two bedrooms. One for us, and one for a guest room.” He glanced sideways at her. “Or a nursery.”
“Sounds good.” She wasn’t looking at him.
“Maybe we need to talk about some more of the questions on Pastor’s list,” he said.
“Maybe.”
He drove for a block in silence. He had shut her out of one abandoned room of his life, and he didn’t like that. He didn’t want to foist his pain on her, but he didn’t want secrets between them, either. He ventured, “We haven’t talked much about kids. I know we both want them.”
“Yes.”
He drove another block.
“How many?”
She looked out the side window. “Two at least. What do you think?”
“At least. But I’m not getting any younger. I don’t want to be tottering around with a cane at their high school graduations.”
Fort Point (Maine Justice Book 2) Page 13