Harvey’s phone rang. Arnie was calling to tell him he’d finally gotten a phone number for Tom Nadeau’s ex-wife, but she wasn’t answering.
“She’s in Epsom, New Hampshire. You want me to keep trying?”
“No, Arnie, take some time off. But thanks. We found out what we wanted to know about the cigarettes. If we need her later, we’ll get hold of her then.”
“Any word on Mike?”
“No, but I think I’ll call Augusta again,” Harvey said. “He and Sharon seem to have gone way off the grid.”
“That’s something about Mike maybe going to be the new chief, huh?”
“We don’t know that he’ll take it.”
“I know Mike,” Arnie said. “He’ll take it.”
Harvey called Fish and Wildlife and talked to a part time weekend dispatcher, who had no idea what he was talking about. He called Mike Jr.’s house.
“No, they haven’t found Mom and Dad yet,” he said. “I’m never going to let them do this again, you can be sure of that. If they’re going to go off into the wilderness where nobody can find them, I want to be with them, not here, with the phone ringing off the hook.”
“Sorry. We’re just concerned.”
“I know, Harvey. But it’s getting so I’m real chummy with the mayor of Portland.”
*****
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” Jennifer said when she met Harvey and Jeff at the door to her house.
“What is it?” Harvey asked.
“Come in and feel.”
He stepped in, curious, and immediately guessed it. “You’ve got air.”
“Beth’s dad brought it to us this morning,” Jennifer said.
Jeff came in and closed door. “Nice and cool in here.”
She grinned. “We’ve got the picnic mostly ready. Come on in the kitchen. Beth’s making a jug of iced tea.”
She gave them each a couple of cookies and a glass of cold milk while she and Beth worked. When the lunch was packed, they still had an hour before they could pick up the boat from Beth’s friend, Charlie. They settled in the living room, where Jeff sat on the edge of his chair, talking earnestly to Beth. She sat in the rocking chair with her cross stitching in her lap, but her hands held it loosely while she talked to Jeff.
They drove to Charlie’s house at four o’clock. He turned the boat over to them with good-natured admonitions about safety.
“It’s really generous of you to let us take it,” Harvey said.
Charlie shrugged. “Beth Bradley’s word is as good as a bond. Besides, she told me the P.D. will garnish your wages if you wreck the boat.”
“Aha.”
Beth smiled sweetly at him.
It was a beautiful evening for cruising around the bay islands. On the water, the air was cooler, and they took their time with Harvey at the wheel. They checked out the two batteries on Peaks Island, then puttered in to Fort Gorges about seven o’clock, to stake out a spot. There weren’t many people there, and they climbed up on top of the abandoned fort’s wall and got a place facing across the water to Fort Preble.
The girls spread out the picnic, and they ate as the sun began to sink toward the city skyline. Jennifer’s caught Harvey staring at her.
“What?”
“You and Jeff. You have the same hair.”
She looked over at her brother. His hair gleamed golden in the bright rays. She smiled at Harvey. “Thanks.”
The strip of clouds to the west went all pink and lavender. The air was still very warm, but a light breeze came in off the Atlantic. Jennifer took pictures for her scrapbook. There was still time before the fireworks would begin. Jeff and Beth poked around the parade ground inside the fort and went in and out of the stone arches, then up a corner stairway to the top, but Jennifer sat with Harvey, rubbing his back and neck.
He told her Eddie and Jeff were coming to church the next day and suggested lunch out together.
“You don’t have to take me out all the time,” she protested, thinking of the price of the house.
“It’s not a problem. And after we’re married, we’ll probably stay home a lot more.” He pulled his knees up and folded his arms on them while she knelt behind him, continuing the back rub.
Jeff and Beth were silhouetted against the sky on the opposite side of the fort’s wall. They were facing each other, about a foot and a half apart, talking seriously.
“Think it’s a match?” Jennifer asked.
“Man, I don’t know when I’ve seen electricity like that.”
“Not even with Eddie and Sarah?”
“I’m not sure about that one,” Harvey said. “There’s a charge, all right, but it may be more physical than anything. Eddie’s concerned about Sarah’s family situation and her emotional life. I told him to go slow.”
“I’d hate to see him get tangled up with the wrong woman.” Jennifer’s concern for Eddie went as deep as it would for one of her brothers. “Sarah seems good for him in some ways, but there are things below the surface.”
“Yeah, and Eddie might not be the one to deal with them,” Harvey said.
Jeff and Beth walked around the fort toward them, not touching each other, but still deep in conversation.
“Jeff hasn’t been serious about a girl for a while,” Jennifer said softly.
“How long is a while?”
“There was a girl a couple of years ago, but it didn’t last. She met someone else. He’s dated some since, but Mom always said nothing major. If he’d had more than two dates with anyone, I’d have heard about it.”
“He’s thinking hard about God,” Harvey said.
“And Beth, by the look of things. Don’t you think she’s encouraging him a little strongly? Before we got saved, she really laid it on the line to me about believers not marrying nonbelievers. I don’t think she intended to feel this way about Jeff yet.”
Harvey sighed. “Prayer time again, I guess.”
Jennifer smiled wryly. “Seems like we’ve reversed roles with Beth, and we’re her chaperones now.”
The couple stopped ten yards away and looked out over the water. It was dusk, but Jennifer could see Beth’s rapt expression. Jeff, taller by eight inches, leaned toward her to catch what she was saying, and laughed a little. Jennifer felt an achy wistfulness for the two of them.
The heat had faded to comfortable as the twilight deepened. The sky lit up with a shower of color, and a muffled explosion made Jennifer jump.
She reached her hands around Harvey’s neck from behind and clasped them in front of him. He held on to them as they watched the bursts of light, shapes that melted, with sparks falling toward the water. As the sky darkened, the colors became more brilliant. Harvey tugged on her arm, and she moved around to sit beside him on the cool granite.
A vivid shower of red, green, and blue burst above them.
“You’re like that,” he said.
“I’m a firecracker?” she hazarded, unsure where his mind had gotten to.
He slipped his arm around her. “No, you’re unexpected and brilliant and—and a burst of joy.”
She smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”
“God sent you when I’d stopped hoping,” he whispered in her ear.
Tears filled her eyes, and she squeezed him lightly, in case his ribs were still tender from his injury in May. “I’m glad he brought us together.”
Several rockets whooshed, sending tiers of dazzling sparks into the night. She sighed as the colors faded. They waited. Nothing.
“I guess it’s all over,” she said.
Harvey kissed her temple. “But not you. You’ll stay.”
Old wounds. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes, Harvey. I’ll stay.”
*****
After Sunday school the next morning, Harvey called Fish and Wildlife. This dispatcher was more on the ball and patched him through to the commissioner.
“Larson, glad you called. One of our wardens radioed in about half an
hour ago. They’ve found the Brownings and will bring them out, but they’re miles from the road. They figured the fastest thing will be to canoe down to the town of Allagash, at the confluence of the Allagash and the St. John, and drive them out from there. It’s a long haul any way you look at it.”
“What about Mike’s vehicle?”
“He had someone drop them at Churchill on Saturday last week. If we’d known earlier, it would have saved us some headaches.”
“So, what’s the ETA?”
“In Portland? Probably late this evening. It’ll be a long drive, even after they’re off the river.”
Harvey called the mayor’s number, and she answered.
“Good morning, ma’am. I just spoke with the commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, and they’ve located Mike Browning.”
“Where?”
“On the Allagash. It will take them a while to get out. He should get home late tonight.”
“Well, that’s something. You haven’t talked to him yourself?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, if you do, please ask him to call me right away, no matter what time it is. I’d like to make the announcement tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“How is your investigation going?”
“About the same.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The service had started when he walked into the auditorium and sat down between Jennifer and Eddie. On the other side of Jennifer was Ruthann Bradley, Beth’s sister-in-law, and Jennifer was holding baby Ethan. He slept on her shoulder, and Jennifer cuddled him close, patting his back gently. A yearning touched Harvey’s heart, and he put his arm along the back of the seat behind her.
He had to make himself focus on the sermon that morning. When Ethan started to fuss a little and Ruthann took him out to the nursery, it was easier. He needed to hear everything, for himself and for Eddie. He knew Eddie was taking it all in and would have questions later, so he got out his notebook.
They went out to eat after, not fast food. Harvey was feeling mellow and generous, and he treated everyone. Jeff talked some with his sister, but mostly with Beth. It was a good meal, with good company, and Harvey actually ate and pushed the case out of his thoughts every time it intruded.
His phone hummed, and he took it from his jacket pocket.
“Harvey!”
“Mike!” Everybody grinned when he said that.
“Harv, can you—this thing—Leavitt?”
Harvey winced at the static. “You’re breaking up. Say again.”
“Brief me.”
“Where are you?”
“Saint Francis.”
“Call me back when you hit Caribou.”
“10-9.”
“Call me when you’re in civilization.”
“10-4. –couple of hours.”
Mike hung up.
“This is great,” Eddie said. “Things are looking up now.”
Harvey smiled and ordered dessert all around.
Jeff was heading north that afternoon. His good-bye to Beth was as intense as Harvey’s to Jennifer, although Jeff said it all with his eyes. Eddie came back to the apartment with them, and Jeff carried down his duffel bag and tossed it in the back of his pickup.
“I’ll be back Wednesday,” he said. “I start the new job Thursday morning.”
“Shouldn’t you take a few days off in between?” Harvey asked.
“I’ll be all right. It will probably be really late when I get down here Wednesday though.”
“That’s okay. Use the key. I’ll have your bed ready.”
Jeff drove out, and Eddie came up to the apartment. Harvey broke out two bottles of Poland Spring water.
“Water?” Eddie asked.
“There’s grapefruit juice in the fridge.”
He took the water.
“I called the hospital earlier,” Harvey said. “Chief Leavitt is still critical.”
Eddie nodded. “Harvey?” His tone was different. “That thing the pastor said this morning, that Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven—”
“Yeah?”
“I thought I believed that. But then when he talked about how you can’t do things to pay for your own sins, I thought about all the penance I’ve done, and the candles and stuff. I’ll bet I’ve said ten thousand Hail Marys. For nothing.”
Silently, Harvey prayed, Lord, don’t let me blow this one. Even if I can’t solve the murders, let me do this one right. Then a conviction settled on him that God was doing his part right, and his own part was incidental.
“You’re right, Eddie. The priest can’t give you punishment for your sins or a way to make it right. Jesus did it all on the cross.”
“Do you think he’d save someone like me?”
Harvey nodded. He couldn’t say anything then. He took out the handkerchief he always carried for picking up evidence, then got his Bible and tried to tell Eddie slowly and calmly the one thing he knew was crucial to salvation, unconditional belief.
*****
“Harvey wants kids, doesn’t he?” Beth asked Jennifer as they cleaned up the kitchen after supper.
“Yeah. A lot.”
Beth smiled. “I could tell by the way he looks at Ethan.”
Jennifer hesitated.
“I’m kind of surprised he didn’t have kids before,” Beth said.
“He wanted to, but. . .well, I guess Carrie didn’t. It was a big disappointment to him.”
“Is that why they broke up?”
Jennifer shook her head, knowing she couldn’t tell the secret Harvey had kept so long. “There was a lot more to it than that. She left him very abruptly, as I understand it. He came home one night, and she was just gone.” She remembered hints Eddie had dropped. “Her and all their furniture.”
Beth blinked. “That’s pretty awful.”
Jennifer hung up her dish towel and turned to face Beth. “I didn’t realize it until last night at the fireworks, but I think part of him has been expecting me to call off the engagement and leave him alone again.”
“No.” That idea seemed to astound Beth.
“Maybe not consciously, but she did a real hatchet job on him.”
Beth squeezed her shoulder. “Just love him. He’ll get the message.”
“Thanks.” Jennifer looked at the clock. “He’ll be here in fifteen minutes. I need to get ready.”
She was surprised when Harvey landed on her doorstep that Eddie was still in tow.
She called to Beth and let them in. “Hi. We’re almost ready. Eddie, I didn’t expect you back tonight. I’m glad you came.”
Eddie looked at her with big, melting-chocolate eyes. “I wanted to come. I know Jesus now, Jennifer.”
Jennifer’s caught her breath and looked at Harvey. He smiled and nodded, and she hugged Eddie and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so glad!”
Beth came from her room, and Eddie made the announcement again, and she hugged him, too. “Fantastic.”
Eddie just beamed.
*****
They sat near the back of the church, and Harvey slipped out to the foyer when his cell phone whirred during the song time. He didn’t recognize the incoming number.
“Larson.”
“It’s Mike.”
“Mike! Where are you?”
“Almost to Bangor. Close enough?”
“I hear you fine.”
“Good. My battery died, and I had to use a wardens’ phone. So the chief had a wreck?” Mike asked.
“Yeah, he’s pretty bad.”
“These guys said the mayor’s been pushing them to bring me back.”
“She wants you on the fourth floor, Mike.”
“Acting chief?”
“Permanent.”
Mike didn’t say anything.
“You there?” Harvey asked.
“I’m here. She knows I want to retire.”
“She’s not thinking about you. She’s th
inking about the city of Portland.”
“How noble.”
“She wants to hear from you. Day or night, she said. Better call her now.”
“I need to talk to Sharon.”
“The deputy’s leaving, Mike. If you don’t take it, they’ve got to bring someone in. What do you think that will do to the department?”
“Maybe nothing.”
“Ha, ha,” Harvey said.
“How’s your case going? The wardens haven’t heard of anyone being arrested yet.”
“Not yet. Can we talk tonight?”
“Come to my house,” Mike said. “Eleven o’clock.”
“I’ll be there.”
They took Beth and Jennifer home and drank milk and ate Jennifer’s peanut butter cookies.
“You two have been baking again,” Harvey said, a little surprised.
Jennifer smiled. “It’s the air conditioning. It makes me feel like doing things again.”
“Be glad you don’t live in Atlanta,” Eddie said. “I heard it was a hundred and one there today.” He reached for another cookie.
Jennifer caught Harvey’s eye and smiled with a little nod toward Eddie. Maybe the telepathy was working, because he got the message. Eddie was even more cheerful than usual, and contentment seemed to radiate from him.
“Eddie, you made my day today,” Beth said. “I’m so thrilled that you got saved.”
“I don’t know what my folks will say about me being a Protestant,” he said warily.
“Don’t put it like that,” said Jennifer. “Tell them you’ve been learning what the Bible says Christ did for you.”
“Make sure you remember that Jesus did all the work,” Harvey advised. “That’s hard for Catholics to understand.”
“Hard for me,” Eddie agreed.
Harvey looked at the three of them and let his spine relax. The pressure was fading away. Eddie was saved, and Mike was coming back. He managed to sit in one spot for over an hour without fidgeting and ate without feeling self-indulgent.
At ten-thirty, he stirred. “Eddie, we’d better get over to Mike’s.”
“Do you and Jennifer need a minute?” asked Beth.
“Yes,” he said, but at the same time, Jennifer said, “No, that’s okay.”
Beth laughed. “Go in the kitchen.”
He took Jennifer’s hand and pulled her through the door.
Fort Point (Maine Justice Book 2) Page 24