A Stone in Time

by Kim Allred

  Finn locked eyes with AJ. She was thoroughly enchanted, either by the story or his telling of it, he wasn’t sure which. “So, as the story goes, the captain left on his journey to save his family and return honor to their good name. But no one ever saw the captain again nor heard what became of his family. The ship sailed off one day, never to be seen again.”

  Finn pulled his cup back to him, grimacing at the taste of his now-cold coffee.

  AJ stared at Finn. “That’s it?”

  Surprised, Finn brushed back an errant curl and leaned back into his chair. “What do you mean?”

  “Never to be seen again? But you’re sailing on the ship, so it must have been seen again. I can’t end a story like that when it’s obvious the ship wasn’t lost at sea.”

  “I tell you a perfectly good story, and now you’re nitpicking over the details.”

  “Are you telling me the story was made up?”

  “No, it’s not made up.” Noticing the looks they were getting from the other tables, he lowered his voice. “At least not that I’m aware. I should have said the ship was never seen again in their lifetime. Of course the ship resurfaced. Obviously. It was the captain that was never seen again. I forgot you were looking for historical facts.”

  “Well, you don’t have to say it like facts are a bad thing.” AJ’s whispered voice grew agitated.

  Finn laughed, partly to put the story behind him, but mainly because this woman could so easily lighten his mood. She had such a strong desire to learn, an ability to listen without interruption and to call foul when the story didn’t add up. Fascinating. She reminded him so much of…someone else. He abruptly stood. “So we’re even now. My dinner paid.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Let’s go for a walk. It seems like a nice evening, and we’ve been sitting here for far too long.”

  Once outside, Finn took AJ’s hand, placing it through his arm, and they strolled along the street like a young couple, enjoying each other’s company on a cool spring night. AJ pointed out spots Finn might find interesting and answered more questions about the town. The conversation never touched on anything personal, and Finn sensed AJ relaxing her guard until he stopped. Her face registered surprise when she looked to the side and spotted her own car.

  Finn looked down at her. “Could you take me back to the ship?”

  AJ stared back at him. “Sure.”

  “So you believe AJ’s in some kind of trouble?” Stella seemed doubtful and waited for Ethan to go over it again. When he didn’t, she prodded him. “I’m not sure I follow. Why do you think this Finn Murphy is bad news?”

  Ethan ran a hand through his hair. She was a tough one. He had known it was going to be difficult, a long shot at best, but this was the only course of action he had time to pursue. All he could do is try to convince her. “You know my job is in security.” Ethan paused, searching for the right words. “I’ve run across information about some stolen property.” He slid a glance in Stella’s direction, making sure she was paying attention. “I believe there are a couple of men looking for the property.”

  When Ethan didn’t continue, Stella prompted again. “And these men are in town. And what, Finn Murphy is one of them?” Stella sat a little straighter in her chair, her eyebrows crinkled.

  “I don’t have proof, but he is new in town.”

  “It’s the start of tourist season. There are lots of new people in town, including you. Coastal homes will fill with all kinds of people, some for the whole season.”

  “I agree, but this Mr. Murphy has been spotted around town asking questions and meeting with people not prone to tourist routes.” He couldn’t say anything about Adam. That was certain to drag Stella, and possibly Adam, into his problem. He only needed Stella concerned enough to get AJ out of the way without asking too many questions. A fine line indeed.

  “That’s pretty thin.” Stella leaned back in her chair and appeared to be mulling it over. “His boat isn’t exactly subtle. Wouldn’t a thief want to blend in more?”

  “Normally, I would say yes, but on the other hand, who would suspect someone who is so noticeable? I believe you’ve met him. He’s very engaging.”

  Stella smiled. “You got that right. He’d stop any woman in her tracks. I can’t believe AJ would fall for that.”

  This wasn’t working—he should leave. Instead, he rolled the empty scotch glass around in his hands. He caught the scent of lilacs and let his gaze roam over the garden, taking in the small white lights and dark green foliage. He lifted his glass toward Stella. “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all.”

  Ethan poured himself a second glass and, while he was up, refilled Stella’s wineglass. As soon as he sat, the answer came to him. He didn’t need to convince Stella. All he needed was a tinder—a spark to set the fire. Let Stella fan the flames. He wasn’t sure there was enough time, but Stella had a fertile imagination. The seed of doubt might result in full bloom faster than he could predict.

  “I’m not worried about AJ falling for the man.” Ethan let the words hang in the air for a few seconds. “It’s a little worrisome with her being around him if we’re not convinced about his reason for being in town. Did AJ mention why he was here?”

  She shook her head. “No. I don’t think he’s told her. She’s had difficulties with him telling her much of anything. That’s what got AJ hooked—she thought there might be a story.” Stella stood, checking the padding of the chaise. She patted the pockets on her slacks and sweater.

  She had taken the bait, but she seemed to have lost focus on their discussion. “What are you looking for?” he asked.

  As soon as he said it, Stella found her cell phone and dialed. “It wouldn’t hurt to see where AJ is. We usually call each other before bedtime to share our day. Let’s see what she’s up to.”

  Ethan waited while Stella listened to the ringing. He hoped her mind was a thousand miles away, working through the doubt, the questions with no answers. He heard AJ’s voice, but Stella hung up.

  She frowned and redialed. Again, AJ’s voice was cut off as Stella closed the connection. “It goes straight to voice mail. I haven’t heard from her all day.”

  33

  The inn was a little creepy in the dark. AJ had never been out here this late. Looking past the inn, beyond the vacant darkness of the Westcliffe, she caught a slim sliver of moonlight as it commenced its nightly journey, casting its shimmering reflection off the ocean. She turned off the engine, as it seemed impolite to sit with it idling, waiting for Finn to get out. Once the car was quiet, its lights gone in a wink, the darkness enveloped them, leaving AJ to second guess her motives.

  “Peaceful, isn’t it?” Finn’s voice registered barely above a whisper.

  “Definitely quiet. And dark.” AJ kept her voice low to match his, as if in reverence to the night and not wanting to disturb any strange beasties prowling outside.

  Finn laughed softly. “And dark. But not as quiet as you think. Can’t you hear the ocean?”

  AJ cocked her head, a fox listening for its prey, and she smiled. “Yes, faintly. You must be attuned to it.”

  “Aye, at times it’s like the blood in my veins. Come take a look at it.” Finn was out of the car faster than she could respond.

  Unsure she had a choice, she followed him toward the inn and the path to the dock, matching his quick strides. She was about to call out, asking for him to stop, but Finn paused at the turn in the path. He seemed captivated by the sight. AJ joined him, and they stood quietly, looking down at the bay.

  The faintest of glows lit the small inlet and left part of the ship in the moonlight, the other half in dark shadows. She imagined what the ship would look like with a full moon, the shadows crouched in the recesses, waiting for darkness to return. The Daphne Marie rocked against the dock as if someone had whispered her name, and their soft breath had moved her.

  “I have something to show you,” Finn said. He led AJ down the path to his ship and across th
e deck to the stern.

  AJ peered up, dazzled by the vast number of stars, and without the glare of city lights, the Milky Way stretched across the evening sky. On her early morning climbs, most of the stars were swallowed by the predawn light. This sight invaded her soul.

  “It’s beautiful.” AJ pulled her sweater closer, the light breeze giving her a chill.

  Finn moved closer, perhaps to block the wind. “Are you familiar with your stars?”

  “No. I know the main ones. The Big Dipper, Orion, Cassiopeia.”

  “And the North Star?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  Finn fell silent. He rubbed the rigging, even now checking for frays. “You were interested in the navigational instruments I have.”

  “They were amazing pieces.” AJ couldn’t hide the awe in her voice. She could still picture the compass, her fingers skimming across the silver filigree to finely etched M that marked the owner.

  “Tonight is a perfect night to show you how they work.”

  AJ let the silence deepen. She wiped the hair away from her face, her eyes locked on the blackness of the sea. When she turned to him, she shared her most dazzling smile. “Yes, let’s see how those things work.”

  “Maybe you should try leaving a message.” Ethan remained calm, lounging in the wicker chair, but his stillness was tightly controlled. “Maybe she’s on the phone.”

  “Maybe.” Stella pulled at her lip. She hadn’t spoken to AJ since yesterday. She didn’t say she had any plans, just wanted to finish her articles. AJ often went dark when she was on a story, falling into them, not coming up for air until she was done. That was all this was. She redialed straight to voice mail again.

  “It’s AJ. If you’ve got a story to tell, leave it at the beep.” AJ’s weak attempt at reporter humor.

  “Hey, honey, it’s me. Just checking in, haven’t heard from you in a while.” Stella sounded tired. “Give me a call as soon as you get this. I’ve got some info for you. It’s important.”

  Stella dropped into the chaise. She pulled her wrap around her and looked at Ethan. They hadn’t known him more than a couple of days before they had gone antique hunting with the man. But he knew Adam, which seemed to make everything all right, even though AJ would never listen to anything Adam had to say. On the surface, the only difference between him and this Finn Murphy was the lack of a personal reference. Stella wasn’t sure what was going on, if anything, but she could see the lines of worry on Ethan’s face.

  “Maybe we’re rushing to conclusions here,” Stella said. “It’s not too late. She could be working, or maybe she went to dinner with someone. Or maybe she’s with her mom. AJ mentioned they hadn’t visited much lately.”

  “Can you call her?”

  “AJ’s mom?” Stella shook her head. “Not without creating a panic. No. I’ve left a message. There isn’t anything more to do until she calls.”

  They sat in silence. Ethan stared at some point in her garden, his eyes unfocused. Stella couldn’t guess how often he allowed that to happen, comfortable enough to check out, not be in control. For some reason, the unguarded look didn’t suit him.

  He had brought his concerns to her, and Stella racked her brain, trying to remember what AJ had told her about Finn, but it was hazy. She had been meeting with him about the inn—no, the ship. Mr. Jackson was the expert on the inn, but Stella didn’t know anything about him either, other than being born in Baywood, decades ago. If Jackson was any kind of trouble, he would have been in the papers, but AJ hadn’t found anything. A person couldn’t do something in this town and not create some interest, not in a town of this size.

  Then there was Adam. He had been looking at the records for Westcliffe, but that didn’t mean he knew Finn or even knew about the ship docked at the inn. She couldn’t picture Adam going out there. He wasn’t a hands-on kind of guy, yet he had gone to the records office on his own instead of sending one of his clerks to do it. She was going around in circles trying to connect the dots.

  “I’m sorry I laid this at your feet.” Ethan sat straighter in his chair, his gaze soft but fully engaged. “AJ is fine, even if we can’t locate her. I only meant to share some caution until we know more.”

  “Well, I can’t argue with someone who’s watching out for us. We’ll check in with AJ in the morning, and she can tell us about her interview with Finn.”

  Ethan rose. “I’ll see myself to the door. I’ll be sure to lock it before I leave.”

  Stella laughed. “Have you thought about being a personal bodyguard?”

  Ethan’s raised one eyebrow. “What makes you think I’m not?” With a slight bow of his head, he disappeared into the house.

  A minute later, the front door thumped shut. She poured herself another small glass of wine and pulled open a blanket, the wrap no longer providing the warmth she needed. She snuggled within its deep folds and questioned Ethan’s visit. He said it was only a suspicion, but he had come to her rather than the police. She hadn’t asked—maybe he was already speaking with them.

  She tried calling AJ one more time and got the same response. But she could be an alarmist. She needed AJ’s cool head to explain everything in the morning. She breathed in the floral scents of her garden, yearning for the tranquility she’d never quite achieved before Ethan’s visit.

  AJ waited on deck while Finn went below to retrieve one of the navigational instruments. She didn’t know which one and didn’t entirely care. Other things played at her mind. The air was warmer in the bay and away from the wind, but she still pulled her sweater around her, a reflexive action, nerves reacting to the path she chose.

  She hadn’t heard his silent approach until he was right behind her. He stood there, not moving or saying anything, and AJ finally turned to find him staring at the sky.

  “What are you looking for?” AJ whispered. It seemed wrong to disturb the silence.

  “We could use the moon as our navigational aid, but I prefer to use stars. They seem more stable to me, the moon more, I don’t know, mercurial.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk about the moon that way before.” AJ tensed for another lesson, as if sailing hadn’t been enough of a failure.

  “Oh aye, the stars each have their place in the night’s sky, tucked into their constellations, each with their own heavenly purpose.” Finn searched the heavens and pointed to a group of stars. “Take Bootes, for example.”

  “Which one is that? I haven’t heard of it.”

  Finn turned her head, shifting it to the left. “See that bright star? It’s Arcturus, the brightest in Bootes, and there are two small arms that run lateral, and five less bright stars forming an elongated shape.”

  “Oh, the kite. The long part always looked like a kite to me.”

  Finn chuckled. “Okay, I can see that.” He tilted AJ’s head straight up. “Now what do you see?”

  AJ laughed. “The Big Dipper.”

  “Ursa Major. Most people only see what you call the Big Dipper, but the constellation is much larger.” Finn grasped AJ’s hand and guided it to the right. “If you follow the stars, you can see the head.” He slid her arm downward. “And the legs of the great bear. It doesn’t matter the constellation or the grouping of stars, each one can be depended upon by their mates.”

  When he dropped AJ’s arm back by her side, the chill of the night air skimmed across her, and she moved closer to Finn, still looking to the night sky. She was so close, Finn’s breath rustled her curls when he spoke.

  Finn’s fingers arched from left to right as if in their own dance, his voice a whisper. “The moon, however, is ever-changing, moving from new to quarter to full as it dances across the sky.”

  AJ took her eyes off the slight figure of the moon and backed up a step to look at Finn. “Why, Mr. Murphy, you’re a romantic.”

  “No one has accused me of that before.”

  “You can’t fool me with your Irish blarney. Anyone who talks of the night sky like you has the heart
of a poet.” AJ smiled and returned to her spot near him. “Whether you’re willing to admit it or not.” She touched his hand and removed the sextant from his grip, trying to remember how to hold it. “So show me again how those stars can help guide us.”

  “All right, straight to business it is. You need to find two things, your horizon and a point in the sky. So what point would you like to use?”

  “Let’s use Arcturus.”

  “Aye, good choice, Bootes it is.” Finn placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her so she faced the sea and the constellation. “Hold up the sextant.”

  AJ held the instrument, and Finn moved her hands into the proper positions. She tried to remember her first lesson, but she couldn’t focus with his body pressing into her back, the warmth transferring heat to keep her warm. The smell of cedar invaded her senses. She tried to focus on his words.

  “Now look through this hole here while you find your horizon and slide this bar until you see Arcturus come into focus here.”

  AJ fumbled with the slide, becoming accustomed to it. He bent down to see what she was looking at, his face so close to hers, the touch of his hair tickled her neck. An internal flame enveloped her, rising from her core and spreading outward. “And then what?”

  His lips played at the curls touching her ears. He was so close, maybe he could pick up the scent of lavender from her shampoo. His arms slid back up, pointing to a spot on the sextant. “You look at the scale here to determine the degree mark.” He stayed close and turned her to face him. “The mark is critical.” His eyes no longer on the instrument or the horizon. They held AJ in place, searching.