Diamond Lake Series: Complete Series (Bks 1-7) Boxset

by T. K. Chapin

  Sitting down beside him, I placed a hand on his back. “What happened?”

  “He was driving home from work last night and a truck veered off the road on the other side of the road and then overcorrected. The truck crashed into the side of Geoffrey’s car, and he flipped three times until he hit a light pole. He died on impact.” He paused as he wiped his eyes and looked me over. “Why? He had three kids at home and a wife who loved him.” Connor stood up and began pacing in the grass in front of me. “Why does God let these horrible things happen to good people? Then someone like me keeps on living.” He laughed sarcastically and glared into the sky. “Someone like me, who has no one depending on them, gets to keep on living a worthless life. Someone with no purpose.”

  “Connor.” My tone was soft, but firm. “God doesn’t make bad things happen. They just happen. You know that.”

  Turning his eyes to me as tears streamed down his cheeks, he spoke through his teeth. “I know. It’s just hard at times to accept reality as it’s presented.”

  Standing up from the steps, I came up to him and put my hand on his arm. “Come with me to Mom and Dad’s house. Please?”

  He shook his head. “I want to be alone.” With a quick glance toward his car in the driveway, he said, “The flash is in the passenger seat. Car’s unlocked.” Taking his leave, he went inside, shutting the door behind him. Looking up at the enormous house my brother lived in, my eyes watered. He had all that money, and nothing could comfort him except for the one he didn’t have to spend a dime to have—God. Praying for him as I walked to his car, I asked God to wrap His divine arms around Connor, break into his world, and show him who He is. While Connor knew Christ, he wasn’t a practicing Christian by any means. He attended church on major holidays to appease our parents, but outside of that, he didn’t care. When he lost a good friend five years ago to a battle with cancer, he turned from the faith and hadn’t found his way back.

  Peering back at the house as I headed out to my car after grabbing the flash, I saw the tall drapes that shrouded the front windows shift as he looked out at me.

  I waved as I held a frown.

  He walked away from the window, letting the drapes return to their place. My brother was a good man at his core, but he needed God in a big way. Going out to my car, I got in and headed down the road.

  My parents, Tom and Louise, lived in a cute little house that was just big enough for the two of them. They moved there when Connor was still living at home, so they had two bedrooms. After Connor left, my father converted his bedroom into an office.

  Arriving at my parents’ that early afternoon, their dog, Lucy, came running up to the car, yapping as it ran alongside the car on my way up the driveway. Could have brought Wags, I thought to myself. As I rolled to a stop in the gravel driveway that looped in front of the house, my mother stepped out on the porch. Nearing sixty, her beautiful strands of brunette were sprinkled with sparkles of gray. Her physical fitness was far better than most women her age. Dad always said it was because the good Lord kept her healthy. While I did believe that, I suspected it also had to do with the quarter-acre greenhouse garden she had kept operational in the backyard.

  “Katie.” My mother’s voice carried over the dog’s yapping and warmed my heart, causing a smile to break on my face as I got out of the car. It had been far too long since I had seen her.

  “Hey, Mom.” Bending a knee, I rubbed behind Lucy’s ear a moment and then made my way over to the house. Stepping up the steps, I met her at the top for a long hug.

  Releasing, she wiped her eyes of tears. “Your father is in his study. I’m going to pick some veggies for you to take with you.”

  Emotional and sweet, my mother cried over almost everything. Parting ways as we went inside, I cut through the living room and my mom through the kitchen on her way out back. I journeyed down the hallway toward Connor’s old bedroom where Dad’s office was. Glancing at the pictures that hung in the hallway of memories, I spotted a younger version of myself. Seeing a picture of when I was thirteen, I saw my boyfriend at the time—Trevor—and his arm around my neck. I couldn’t help but laugh as I thought about the fact that I swore he was the one I’d marry. Then there was my senior prom picture of me and Joe. It feels like a lifetime ago, yet feels like only yesterday. Finding my way to my father’s office, I knocked twice and then walked in.

  Pondering away as he stared out the window behind his desk, he swiveled in his chair to direct his attention to me. Smiling, he stood up and rounded the desk over to me. “How are you, kiddo?” he asked as we hugged.

  “Pretty good.” Motioning to the chair in front of the desk, he pulled the other chair beside it out for himself. We sat down. “Just got done shooting a wedding with Connor.”

  His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Oh, wow. I thought—”

  “I know. There was no other option, but he actually did surprisingly well.”

  “Well that’s good,” my dad said. “Your mother and I have been doing well. Really getting to the place of enjoying this ol’ retirement thing.”

  “How’s the progress on your book going? Breaking Point?” I crossed my leg over my other and rested my hands on my lap. He had been writing the book for almost nine months now. My father was kind enough to let me read the first chapter a while back, and I loved it, but it made me impatient as I wanted the whole story of Oscar Gonzales, the mysterious lead.

  He shook his head and looked out the window that sat behind his desk. My gaze joined his and I saw my mother through the open doorway of the greenhouse. “I’m afraid it’s not done yet, Kate. Most days, I just spend time with your mother, and the writing has been sluggish.” Directing his eyes back to me, he said, “I’ve also been in touch with Dave Kennedy.”

  “Really? You’re going to give it another go?” Dave Kennedy was a longtime friend of my father’s and they had shared a dream years ago of starting up a real estate business. The idea was simple. Build four-plex apartments, rent them out for five years, and then sell them. All the plans were laid, and all that was needed back then was the down payment on the new construction loan. Dave ended up ditching out last minute with no explanation or reason. My father was very upset over the matter and swore he’d never do business again with Dave.

  “Yep, yep. He finally told me what happened on his end. I guess he didn’t have the cash and was too embarrassed to talk about it. We’ve been talking about doing this again for a while now.”

  “Just like that, huh?” Sitting back in my chair, I shook my head. “I thought you would never try again with him after that first incident.”

  “If I were smart,” he replied with a laugh in his tone. “But in all honesty, I trust him. We can’t live life only giving people one shot when God forgives us over and over. There are some details that need to be ironed out still. Not sure who’s going to build it is one. We had a contractor all set up, and then the poor guy’s wife passed just a few days ago. I got that phone call this morning.”

  My mind thought of Joe. “Joe runs a construction company now. Not sure if they’re any good, but you could check them out.”

  “Joe who?”

  “Joe Maxwell.”

  “No way!” My dad’s eyes lit up. “Lenard’s boy? Out in Newport?”

  I nodded.

  “You sure you would be okay with that?” He gave me a look of concern. “After your history together? You know what I could do? Rough him up a little and then hire him.”

  Smiling, I shook my head. “Don’t hurt him, Dad. It was a long time ago. I’m fine.”

  “All right then, I’ll give Joe a call. Maybe even Lenard too. See how life is after sixty.”

  “All right. It’s Joe’s Construction Company, and they’re just based out in Newport.”

  “Oh, I knew Lenard long before you and his boy got together. They’re a good family. I’m absolutely positive it’ll be top quality.” Reaching over to his desk, he grabbed a pen and wrote down a note to call his old-time buddy. “T
hank you.” Setting the pen down, he brought his hands together in his lap. “So. What about you? How’s the photography business going? Been busy?”

  Nodding, I said, “Between the wedding I just got done with and the gala last week, this will be the biggest month I’ve had in revenue. Nothing like Connor . . . but it’s good for me.”

  Raising an eyebrow, he nodded. “That’s impressive, and don’t compare yourself to Connor. You’ve been able to do what I could not do at your age. Your mother and I struggled. I’m glad that it’s been so good for you both.”

  Smiling at his compliment but feeling bashful, I looked down.

  “What’s wrong?” he inquired.

  “Sometimes I just feel spoiled,” I replied, looking up at him in the eyes. “You’ve worked so much harder than Connor or me your entire life.”

  He leaned forward and patted my leg. “You’re being blessed, and you have worked hard, Kate. There’s nothing wrong with being blessed. God helps those who help themselves.”

  Seeing my mother walk up the sidewalk toward the house, we both got up. Spending the rest of the day with my parents was a welcomed break from the reality of my busy life. We ate dinner, talked about old family vacations, and even played a few games of three-handed Cribbage.

  Chapter 11

  My alarm clock buzzed the next morning, and I rolled over and reached a hand out from the covers. My hand slipped, knocking the alarm clock off the nightstand. Sighing, I shoved the covers off and leaned over to the floor to retrieve it. Turning it off, I glared at the beaming digital numbers on the clock that read five o’clock.

  Wagner yelped and pushed open my bedroom door with his nose as I got out of bed. I smiled and gave him a pat on the head before heading down the hallway to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. As I stood at the kitchen sink, filling the pot with water, I could see a couple walking across the bridge that was just below my condominium. The bridge stretched across the beautiful Spokane River. I thought of Joe. Touching my neck as I thought about how his lips felt on mine for that brief moment two days ago, I yearned for his touch. He was driving me crazy, especially with the tension he left behind the other night when he dropped off Wagner. Why hasn’t he called yet?

  Water suddenly gushed over the top of the pot and started raining down into the sink.

  Turning off the faucet, I made the pot of coffee.

  Hearing a text message come in on my phone that was still in my bedroom, I headed back down the hallway to check it. Hoping it was Joe, I was a little disappointed when it was Connor. Reading the message from Connor as I went into my office and sat down, I reached down and powered on the computer.

  Connor: I have a couple of extra photos on a different memory stick. I uploaded them to the cloud. Love you, Sis.

  Me: Thanks, I’ll check them out.

  Yay . . . more work. Wait, why was he up so early? Recalling it was still just a smidge past five, I realized he probably hadn’t gone to bed yet. As I waited for Windows to boot up, I texted him back again.

  Me: What are you doing up so early?

  No response. He’s probably asleep now, I thought with a laugh. Glancing over, I saw my computer was up and ready. Getting into the cloud folder for photographs, I saw the folder he tossed the new photos in. I began poring over them and editing as I went. Then I came across a photo with Joe in the background. He was helping tie the shoe of a small boy. I smiled. That’s so sweet. Continuing on with editing, I came across another with him. A group shot of the dance floor in the living room. This time, Joe was dancing with Emma. My heart warmed and my feelings for him deepened. Editing more photos, I started to wonder if I’d find any more of Joe. The final picture had Joe in it, but not only him, me also. Zooming in closer, I saw the smile on my face. I looked happy. Truly happy. I want to feel like that all the time, I thought to myself.

  Sitting back in my chair, I let the feelings for Joe rise and take over. I needed to see him, confront him about what had transpired the other night. Shooting a text over to Connor, I let him know the photos were ready for a glance over to make sure nothing was amiss. After a shower and getting ready, I got in my car and drove. Destination, Newport. More specifically, Joe.

  Straightway, I went to the offices of Joe’s Construction Company. Unfortunately, he wasn’t there. Without the receptionist being willing to tell me his whereabouts, I was about to text him and ruin the surprise, but I stopped myself. Luckily, on the way out of the office on Main Street, I spotted Dylan walking into Dixie’s diner. I bet he knows where I can find him. Dylan and Joe appeared to be talking a bunch at the wedding. Glancing both ways before crossing, I hurried across the street and followed him into Dixie’s diner. The restaurant was hopping and conversations flew in every direction as I surveyed the scene. Spotting Dylan chatting with Charlotte at the server station, I made my way to the both of them.

  “Hey, Katie.” Charlotte flashed me a smile. “What are you doing back in Newport?”

  “I’m trying to find Joe. He wasn’t in the office.”

  “He’s down at the docks,” Dylan said. There seemed to be a bit of hesitation to his voice to continue.

  “Which docks?” I asked, perplexed at what Dylan was hiding.

  Charlotte’s name was called out by a woman in the back kitchen, pulling her away from us.

  “Fisher’s Point,” Dylan replied. His eyes followed Charlotte and then directed back on me. “I’ve gotta go.” Taking his leave, Dylan left the restaurant in an awkward rush. What was that about? I wondered as I sat down in an empty booth.

  Charlotte found her way over to my table, pot of coffee in hand. Her eyes stayed glued to the window that overlooked Main Street. “Did Dylan say anything when he left?” she asked as she flipped the coffee cup over in front of me and poured a cup.

  “He just left.” Watching as she finished pouring my cup, I said, “Thanks.”

  Looking at me, she nodded. “Dylan’s been in a weird mood lately. I think the search is getting to him.”

  “Search?”

  She nodded. “Everyone is trying to find this bell in the lake. You know, Dylan didn’t say it, but I will. Joe’s selling his boat.”

  Shaking my head, I looked up at her. “Why would he do that?”

  “You can sell a boat and a spot to park it for a fortune right now because of the race to find the golden bell. It’s somewhere out in the lake, and whoever finds it is going to make a killing. That’s for sure.”

  Confused, I asked, “Why wouldn’t Dylan just tell me that? Wait. Why would I care if Joe was selling his boat? I didn’t even know he had one.”

  She flashed a weird look at me. “You really haven’t been out here in a long time. He got it, Katie. The S.S. Katie Marie.”

  As the words slipped off her tongue, I was taken back to my senior year when I was dating Joe. We had talked about buying a boat and living on the water the rest of our lives. It was our dream. I had totally forgotten about it until the moment she said something. Charlotte’s eyes suddenly lit up, and I peered over to see Dylan coming back down the sidewalk toward the door.

  “I’ll be back,” she said excitedly as she went through the restaurant to meet him at the entrance.

  Sipping on my coffee, I thought more about Joe. He had purchased the boat we always talked about when we were dating, but now he was selling it? Was he done with the idea of us being together now? I needed to get this all figured out.

  After a quick cup of coffee, I headed down to the docks in pursuit of Joe. As I arrived, I spotted the boat. It was clearly his as the decal along the back side read, S.S. Katie Marie. My heart fluttered as the words below it read, One Love. Walking down the dock, my heart began to pound as I suddenly feared confronting him. Am I ready for this? Just as I stopped at the edge of the boat to climb in, I heard noises coming from beyond the door of the cabin. Pausing, I listened. A woman’s voice could be heard faintly. “My shirt’s right over there. Could you hand it to me?”

  Recoiling, I grimaced
and my steps retracted. How could he? Quickly, I turned around and headed back down the dock. With each step I took, I reminded myself how stupid I was for coming to find him. Tears soon followed.

  “Katie?” Joe’s voice said from behind as I stepped off the dock. Peering over my shoulder for a moment with tear-filled eyes, I saw him. Standing there in a pair of jeans and no shirt and no shoes. Even hurt, I couldn’t control my eyes as they traced his body, taking in every fine line and muscle.

  Letting out a scream in disgust, I turned and kept going to my car. Praying, I poured my heart out to the Lord as tears ran down my cheeks. Lord, please let me be happy being alone. Let me return to that feeling of contentment. Let me truly leave the past where it belongs—in the past.

  Chapter 12

  Two weeks later . . .

  It bothered me what Joe had done, but I wasn’t about to let the same guy ruin me for a second time. He cheated on me in high school with my friend, Alexis, the night before graduation. It was too bad I didn’t learn my lesson the first time. A double dose of morning devotions, combined with a heavy workout routine, helped curb some of the sadness and loneliness I had found myself in after the events down at the dock that day. Joe had tried calling several times in the span of two days, but I deleted every voicemail before the little lady on the recording could finish saying who had left the message. Then he left me alone. No phone calls, no unexpected visits—nothing.

  Then one afternoon, when I was done meeting with a prospective client for a November wedding, I saw my father’s vehicle parked outside a coffee shop in downtown Spokane. I knew it was his because of the classy cardboard cutout and duct-tape that lined the back window of his Suburban. Parking my car, I headed into the coffee shop to say hello.