A Stone in Time

by Kim Allred

  Ethan’s expression softened. “You’re right. Blood doesn’t give them a free pass.” He seemed lost in thought before allowing a small chuckle to escape. “I seem to have turned melancholy this afternoon.”

  Stella and AJ traded glances, then Stella circled back to the point of the story. “Well, it wasn’t the fact he was coming out of the records office. When I went in to ask about Westcliffe, the clerk said she already had the file out. I have to tell you, I was surprised at how helpful and friendly the clerk was. You know most times the city and county workers don’t seem to give you the time of day, and it’s like you’re asking for the moon when you try to get anything from them.”

  Irritation flickered on Ethan’s face, but AJ was accustomed to Stella’s tendency to wander off onto tangents. “So the clerk already had the file out,” AJ said.

  “Yes, I already said that. And it was a little weird she would have a file out on the same address I was looking for. But guess who asked for the file before me?”

  “No clue,” AJ replied, and sipped her drink, preparing herself for one of Stella’s stories.

  Ethan said nothing, appearing to politely follow the conversation.

  Stella sighed and sat back. She sipped her wine and played with her napkin. “Adam. Your brother. That’s why he was at the county office.”

  “Adam?” AJ looked back and forth between her lunch companions. “I don’t get it. Why would he be interested in Westcliffe?”

  Ethan sipped his club soda. AJ, looking at just the right moment, caught a flicker of interest before his gaze went blank. She didn’t want to play poker with him. She’d bet her best antique he would be good at it.

  Stella gulped some wine and perched on her seat. “What could he be up to?”

  “It doesn’t mean he’s up to anything.” AJ shook her head. “It must be some case he’s working. Maybe he’s getting affairs in order for the owner. The owner has been the same for a while now, right?”

  “Yes, since the seventies,” Stella said. “Maybe they’re planning on selling.”

  “Yes, I remember the dates now. Mr. Jackson didn’t mention anything about it when I spoke to him the other day.”

  “But if he’s the caretaker, he wouldn’t necessarily know anything about it,” Stella said.

  “True.” AJ sat back, turning her wineglass in her hand. She didn’t know if this new discovery meant anything. It was an odd coincidence she couldn’t completely ignore.

  Ethan played at his sleeve where he had rolled up his cuffs, patient as the silence grew. “So what’s the interest in the Westcliffe?”

  “It’s my next article after the McDowell story.”

  “I’m not familiar with it. What made you select this building? You said it was an inn?” Ethan shook his head after a brief moment. “I don’t remember seeing it when I first arrived. I’m sure I reviewed all the possible hotels and inns.”

  “It’s closed,” Stella said. “Has been for years, almost as long as the current owners have owned it.”

  Ethan looked at AJ. “Whatever made you choose the inn for a story over all the other possibilities?”

  AJ wished this line of discussion would go away. All of a sudden, she had no desire to mention the ship or Mr. Jackson. And she certainly didn’t want to discuss Finn Murphy. Not with Ethan. Perhaps it was best to keep him out of the puzzle. She hadn’t even told Stella everything, including her agreement to go sailing with the man.

  AJ was so busy pushing Finn to the dark recesses of her brain, she almost didn’t hear Stella.

  “AJ says it’s all about the building, but I think it has more to do with the mystery—”

  “It’s the tidal pools.” The words burst out of AJ, prompting surprised looks from both her lunch mates. She fidgeted in her chair. “My dad took me to the old inn for years when I was growing up.” She didn’t like talking about her time with her dad. It was private—at times still raw. But it was safer than treading into talks of mystery ships, at least until she sorted out the pieces. “The inn was a special place for us. And the place is almost as old as McDowell. It seemed like a nice fit with the series of articles.”

  Stella patted AJ’s arm. “Sorry, AJ, I know how personal it is for you. I found it interesting after all these years that Adam would be looking into the place.”

  AJ’s hands gripped the edges of her napkin like a white-knuckle ride. Releasing it, she grasped Stella’s hand in return.

  “I’m sorry for prying,” Ethan said. “I didn’t know it was a sensitive topic.” If he thought there was more to the exchange, he had the good sense not to show it.

  “It’s not your fault. We brought it up.” AJ smiled to lighten the mood. “I always thought Adam was jealous of the time my father and I shared, and, I don’t know, I guess the Westcliffe always seemed to be the symbol of our bond. Now that he’s looking into it for some reason, it seems strange after all these years.”

  Ethan’s voice took on a measured tone. “I can see your point, but it’s been a long time since then. I’m sure it’s just business. He has his own family now. I doubt he remembers it’s even the same place.”

  He made it sound so logical, AJ couldn’t argue the point. Maybe Adam never considered the inn as the division between their father’s love for them. Ethan was right, Adam probably didn’t even know it was the inn with the tidal pools.

  “An amazing coincidence is all,” Stella said. “Fate. A few minutes one way or another and I would have missed Adam. No one would have been the wiser.”

  The statement, while harmless enough, silenced the group anew. Fate seemed to have played heavily in their lives over the past few days.

  Ethan broke the stillness. “You mentioned a Mr. Jackson. Does he live there?”

  The mention of Jackson snapped AJ out of her daze. Leave it to Ethan to find the fissures in her story. “I ran across him on one of my trips to take pictures of the inn.” Not a complete lie. “He’s the caretaker of the place. He happened to be there to check things over or fix something, I can’t remember.” She trailed off, afraid to travel too deeply into her deception.

  “I see,” Ethan said.

  He knew there was more. AJ could see it in his face, and she was grateful when he decided not to push any further.

  “Well, mystery solved all around. I think it’s time I got you ladies back home.” Ethan stood and dropped money on the table, and waited for the women.

  Stella had been quiet during the last exchange, and as she passed AJ, she slid her a pointed stare. AJ knew she owed the piper. Her friend would require the whole truth once they were alone.

  AJ walked in front of Ethan, and though he was a few steps behind her, she felt his eyes boring through her, trying to interpret what she wasn’t sharing. Although she was busy with her own secrets, she hadn’t forgotten the mood swing in Ethan, or his subtle curiosity about the inn. It was becoming difficult to interpret the men in her life.

  22

  The women drove away from the McDowell house in silence. Stella had kept the conversation going on the drive back from Chilton, sharing points of interest with Ethan and discussing market conditions. But the day had ended on a different note. The goodbyes were brief but friendly—smiles, kisses on cheeks, and promises to get together soon. AJ spied Ethan watching them through her rearview mirror, and his eyes seemed to follow her long after they made their first turn.

  Stella finally let it burst. “Is there something you haven’t been telling me?”

  To AJ’s relief, Stella’s question wasn’t accusatory—more frustrated than anything. AJ wasn’t ready to divulge the secret of Finn Murphy, even to Stella, but her sailing trip would be risky. She needed someone to know she was meeting him. Her mother wouldn’t be the appropriate person, nor Samuel. Her editor beamed over her idea for the articles and had given her carte blanche. But he might consider it unwise to do the interview alone and would want to send Robert or Clara with her. That wouldn’t work. Finn would clam up. That only left Stel
la, and honestly, there was no one better. If she was concerned about what Stella might say, it was only because she knew Stella would be right. Sometimes she didn’t want someone to prove her wrong, even if she knew she was, deep down in her core.

  Stella refused to break the silence or provide AJ any release from the hook on which she dangled. AJ tapped on the steering wheel, her fingers drumming to some song she couldn’t remember the name of, and the words spilled out. “I’ve met the captain of the ship a couple of times. Interviewed him, I guess you could say, and I’m going sailing with him tomorrow.”

  This time, Stella’s silence wasn’t for effect, but neither was it short-lived. She slammed her hand on the dashboard, coercing a jump out of AJ. “Wow, what? When did you have time to meet with him? Twice? I only knew about the first time, when you first saw his ship. You’ve been holding out.”

  “I know. Well, the other two times happened in the same day, once in the morning when I went to take another look at the ship. He said I could come back in the afternoon to meet Mr. Jackson, so I did. I got most of the story on the inn from Mr. Jackson.”

  “I thought you get most of the information from the Historical Society.”

  “Not technically. I mean, I got some photos from there, and they had information that corroborated Jackson’s story. He’s been the caretaker for a few years and has lived in the area his whole life. He remembers most of the history because he was a kid when the Ramseys still owned it.”

  “I guess I missed a lot not keeping up with you the last couple of days. And here I thought my bombshell of Adam was a big thing.”

  Stella sounded a touch hurt, and AJ couldn’t blame her. They never purposely held things back from the other. “I’m sorry. I guess things happened so fast, and our schedules were off. I know I should have told you more when you called last night, but I was wiped from finishing the story.”

  Stella released a sigh. “It’s been a busy couple of days for both of us.”

  AJ shook Stella’s shoulder. “And the information about Adam was valuable. You may have stumbled on to something. I’m just not sure what.”

  “Right?” Stella seemed to forgive AJ her transgressions. “I knew there was something hinky there, but what could it be?”

  “I don’t know, but Ethan and Adam work together. It’s how they first met, so I didn’t feel comfortable going into it with Ethan there.”

  Stella slapped her forehead. “Duh, I forgot how you met Ethan. You know, the man has slipped into our inner circle. He’s all charm and stealth. Most of the time, I like him, but sometimes he scares me.”

  AJ pushed her hair back and checked her rearview mirror, as if he could somehow still be watching them from his driveway. “It’s like he’s got an agenda none of us are clued in to. I’m sure I’m being paranoid. He is in security, it’s ingrained in him to be spooky. He’s so charming and such a gentleman, almost archaic in his attention to women. It’s hard not to like him.”

  “He’s also good-looking, all tall and dark, with a touch of Heathcliff, but I’m sure it has nothing to do with our liking him. And what about that accent?”

  Both women laughed, everything out in the open. Stella stopped laughing first and turned a sharp look on AJ. “Wait a minute. What’s this about sailing?”

  AJ shook her head. She had hoped Stella hadn’t heard that part, but Stella never missed anything. It just took her a minute to catch up. “Mr. Murphy, or Captain Murphy, I’m not sure what to call him, said I could do an article on his ship. I told him I didn’t know anything about sailing, so he offered to take me for a quick sail.”

  “By yourself.”

  “Yes.” The answer squeaked out. AJ cleared the mouse lodged in her throat. “I’m sure it’s perfectly safe. Mr. Jackson seems comfortable with Murphy. He was invited to come along but had some family thing. If he had any concerns for my safety, he would have said something.”

  “We don’t know anything about Jackson either, even though he says he’s lived here all his life.”

  “True, but why would he lie? Unless I’ve stumbled upon some huge drug-smuggling ring, what is there to be afraid of?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. There are still things like serial killers out there.”

  AJ smirked. “Okay. So the idea did cross my mind.” She held up her hand. “For an instant. I don’t know what’s up with this guy, or why he sails around on this old ship, but it’s part of the interview process, to find out.” She finished with a low mumble. “He seems harmless enough.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Stella gave her a long look. AJ squirmed.

  “So what time is this sailing adventure? It’s unfortunate I can’t invite myself along.” Stella got deathly seasick just thinking about boats.

  “Ten. I guess I can sleep in more than this morning.”

  “I want to hear from you no later than noon,” Stella said. “One o’clock at the latest or I’m calling the Coast Guard, you hear me?”

  AJ laughed and pulled up in front of Stella’s house. “I get it. Let’s catch up for dinner tomorrow or Monday. We need a plan for figuring out what Adam is up to.”

  “And we know asking him would be pointless.” Stella got out of the car.

  “Looks like the mysteries never end. I don’t know how we got involved in so many so quickly.”

  “I guess the only answer is to stop being a reporter.” Stella waved her hand as she turned toward the house.

  Stella was right again. AJ’s reporter instincts had sniffed out some intriguing stories before, yet she seemed capable of creating mysteries that weren’t even there. Now she had to figure out which was which.

  23

  The sun played hide and seek with the heavy morning mist hugging the coastline, its streaks of light sparkling for a snapshot in time before disappearing, each time popping out with more vigor than the last. Soon the sun would control the day and chase away the final curtains of fog. Even with the lifting clouds, the morning’s crisp light sharpened the edges of the firs, the cliffs and buildings, making everything appear closer, like a postcard cutout.

  AJ was giddy, as if there was too much oxygen in the air. She hugged her sweater tight against the coolness, overlooking the tidal pools, but the rocks and pools could barely be seen. She had hoped to walk through the small puddles as she had as a child, but she forgot the tide would be in, swallowing the pools until it moved out again.

  This was just a sailing lesson. She was excited, and not just for the opportunity to gain insight for her next article about the life and times of a historic sailing vessel. Yes, AJ wanted to gather all she could about the ship, its age, its purpose when it was first built, and the reason for keeping it restored to its original condition. Dozens of other questions ran through her mind too, but none of them explained the butterflies she could not bury. She wasn’t sure she wanted to learn to sail, never having been out on a sailboat before. There had been the occasional whale-watching excursion on motorized boats, and a few parties on boats tied to the dock. One of those may have been a sailboat, but she couldn’t count it if it never left the pier. Her parents weren’t sailors—they enjoyed the ocean from the shore.

  AJ took one last look and pictured her father moving around the rocks, pointing out starfish, sea urchins, and sponges, occasionally lucky enough to spot an anemone. But, covered by the churning water, the tidal pools could not offer AJ the peace she yearned for. She turned her back on the past and headed up the trail, past the inn, toward the dock.

  At the point that revealed a full view of the small bay, AJ stopped to take in the sight below her. The ship took her breath away every time. She appreciated it more with each visit. She was a sleek vessel, and AJ could picture her on the high seas, cutting through the waves, her sails unfurled, racing ahead of the wind.

  AJ arrived at the dock as Finn approached from the opposite end. His appearance stunned her with each visit. A bold visage, easily relaxed in tan cargo pants, the white shirt emphasizing his tanned sk
in, the collar open enough to display a hint of curls. She pictured him standing at the bow of the ship, the tall mast and sails behind him. An image of Ethan flashed, wearing his casual attire from the day before. A business suit fit Ethan better than a pair of jeans. Try as she might, she couldn’t picture Finn in a suit and tie.

  AJ felt his eyes on her, and she broke off her reverie to find him appraising her with a wide, slanted grin lighting his face, his eyes sparkling with merriment and perhaps a touch of mischievousness. She tried to stop the surfacing of a slight blush but wasn’t sure she pulled it off.

  “Beautiful.” Finn came to a stop, a little too close.

  “What?” AJ took a small step back but refused to look away. He always seemed to find the right thing to say to keep her off balance.

  Finn’s smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. Judging from the fine lines on his face, she guessed that he smiled a lot. “The morning, it’s a beautiful morning.”

  AJ scanned his face for any hint of guile. She saw none and couldn’t argue the statement. “Yes, we’ve had a lucky stretch of good weather.” Needing some distance, she pushed past him and caught the light scent of cedar again. She approached the gangplank, ready to take a step up, until Finn stopped her.

  “It’s proper to ask permission before boarding a ship.”

  AJ turned back to him. “I’m sorry. I guess I knew that. Permission to board?”

  “Not today.”

  She shifted, one hand on her hip. “I thought you were teaching me to sail today.”

  “Aye, I am, but not on my girl. I don’t want you breaking her.”

  “How am I going to learn without a boat?” AJ’s irritation rose, concerned he was going to snake out of his promise of an interview. What game he was playing now?

  If Finn caught the change in AJ’s attitude, it didn’t show. His smile never wavered, instead growing wider, if that was possible. He was having fun at her expense, and she played the role of unwitting dupe rather well.