by MJ Miller
“You know what, you all get this discussion going, I’m just going to run and freshen up!” Luce announced as she quickly headed back inside and up the stairs. Mostly she just needed to regroup. She was feeling overwhelmed. Too much chaos, not enough Zen.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, and maybe a few minutes getting her look together, Luce headed back down to the patio. Hearing the chatter from outside, she quickly grabbed a bottle of water and joined the others only to be met with total silence and a lot of guilty expressions.
Not good. So not good, she thought.
“What? Come on, cough it up. You’re all sitting here like you were caught red-handed. Doing what I have no idea.” Luce went over to her seat and plopped down, took a swig of water and looked around again. “Annie?” She used her guilt-the-sister voice.
“What?” Annie looked nervously at Luce.
“What were you all gabbing about before I came out here?” Luce demanded, watching how they all looked at each other.
“So yeah, hey, we need to get Jen and Bill on the phone, right?” Chris said, pulling out his phone and laying it on the small patio table next to him, clearly changing the subject. Tapping the screen, he placed it on speaker, putting an end to Luce’s interrogation.
Luce stewed silently, still irritated. They were being very secretive and she had no clue why. Though she had a suspicion it involved one particular hot detective who now seemed to be sitting next to her on her lounge chair. The excuse being he needed to be closer to the phone to hear. She didn’t think so. Nervously tapping her foot, she waited for Jen to answer as it would at least break the awkward silence.
“Hello?”
Whew, finally. Luce put her hand on her knee to stop the tapping.
“Hey Jen, it’s Chris, listen everyone’s here at the house. We’re doing a bit of a rehash on last night’s adventure. Is Bill around?”
“Yeah, hang on,” Jen turned and called for Bill. “We’re both here. That was sure something. Weird though, we were a little creeped out you know.”
“Yeah, we all were,” Annie jumped in. “You guys had the kitchen, right? Was that really weird?”
“Yeah, because it wasn’t the actual kitchen that they prepared our dinner in. We didn’t get a chance to talk about it last night but it was like a back door off the real kitchen and it was a really old kitchen. As in colonial era I bet.” Jen replied.
“Indeed it was,” Bill chimed in. “It was like walking into the twilight zone. More like a movie set, not actually real but it felt real. Ya know?”
“Yeah, the nursery was the same way. Felt like I’d walked onto the set of a history channel documentary,” Julie remarked.
“Well, I think we can all agree, the whole thing was odd. Jen and Bill, was your theory about mutiny, was that for real?” Chris asked, keeping his voice neutral, not to give anything away.
“Not likely,” Bill laughed. “Mutiny? Nah. Something pretty dark and sinister happened. Truthfully? We think it might have been a slave ship.”
Andy nodded silently and looked at Luce. “Yeah,” he spoke up. “Mark? You and Julie want to change your story?” Andy smiled. Knowing by their expressions and wide eyes, they did.
“Yes, please,” Julie nodded vigorously and shared a look with Mark. “Whatever it was, it didn’t involve privateering. It involved children. Slave children, actually, based on some things we saw in the nursery.”
“It’s hard to explain, but some of the toys weren’t toys that colonial children would play with.” Mark sighed and shook his head “Some were more primitive. We were almost afraid to touch them.”
“Primitive how?” Andy asked, his attention focused now.
“There were traditional dolls, set upon a shelf. Beautifully carved and the clothes were silk. But on the floor, in an old pail, there were rag-dolls, made with twigs and things. Clearly not meant for the same children as the ones on the shelf.” Julie shuddered. “As if there were two different sets of children.”
“We think it was a slave ship as well.” Mark added.
“Well, Chris and I also vote for slave ship. That house of horrors basement made my skin crawl.” Annie shivered.
“So Luce, maybe you can share those photos with everyone. Then how about we stick with our original teams, only this time, we all study every clue.”
“I think we all agree,” Luce said. “My next question is why on earth does that prickly old woman, who isn’t who she says she is, want to see me?”
Chapter Sixteen
It was quiet. Too quiet. Andy looked about for Luce, but the patio had cleared out after lunch, and Luce had said she’d be back shortly. But it had been a few hours, and she hadn’t returned. He’d been sifting through the clues on his own and was feeling a bit annoyed and impatient. He had ideas and needed a partner to bounce them off of. Chris and Annie were in the living room, Mark and Julie had gone back to their place, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Not something he was really keen on. The Ghost Ship was a welcome distraction for him. Something to take his mind off things. He’d needed that. Yet he had a sudden need for Luce. She was more than a distraction. Now that after 10 years he’d finally stopped resisting the pull.
He’d been a rookie cop; she’d been a rookie reporter. Their first meeting didn’t go well, but if nothing else, it was memorable. He’d been assigned to a pair of detectives that day, his job was to help protect a crime scene. Somehow, Luce Porter managed to get in his way. He smiled as he remembered cuffing her, torn between attraction and frustration. They’d run into each other again, a few times a year, but it seemed they were fated to simply go their own ways. Until the night he was called to Annie Porter’s apartment. A simple break-in turned his life upside down and brought Luce right back into it.
Hearing the door open, he turned to see Luce, stepping out on the patio, tray in hand. Craning his neck to see what she’d brought, he grinned.
“How’d you know?” He asked.
“Know what?” Luce quipped, setting the tray down.
“That soft pretzels and beer would make me do just about anything you asked?”
“Anything, eh?” Luce smirked.
“I’m all yours, Luce.” Andy grinned as the flush crept up her neck into her face. He couldn’t help noticing that stripped of the professional attire and demeanor she had on in the city, she was, underneath it all, as wholesome as they come. Not unusual for so many women in New York. The struggle to get ahead in their careers was twice as hard as for men. It was the same regardless of what path they chose. But this Luce, the weekend Luce? He wanted more of. He’d been contemplating a lot of changes lately, he realized, and she was top of the list.
“Well, then my first request is about Mrs. Bowers. Can you run a background search on her? I mean, if that’s legal?” Luce wasn’t sure it was, and knew Andy was a stickler for rules.
“Perfectly legal using public records,” he replied with a grin. “I’m on it. How about in exchange you tell me about how Kat’s doing in the internship?”
“Hmm. OK, she’s wonderful. Best I’ve had.” Luce smiled.
“Truth? Or you’re just appeasing me?” Andy raised a brow. Hoping it was true. Kat was so smart and capable; it just took the right person to allow her to flourish.
“Appeasing you? Moi? I think not, Detective, not my style.” Luce laughed and relaxed in the lounge chair opposite his, opening her laptop and getting comfortable. “In fact, Kat is really phenomenal. I had my doubts, you know,” she continued.
“Doubts?” Andy frowned. “How so?”
“Relax, Uncle Andrew, it’s not because she’s weak in the knees.”
Andy glared at the comment.
“Everyone is weak-kneed in my presence,” Luce laughed out loud. “I had my doubts because you know, she’s related to you. I thought she might have an attitude problem.”
Andy’s frown turned into a sheepish smile. “I suppose I deserved that. I’m glad you see her potential, Luce, seriou
sly. Not enough people do.”
“That bothers you a lot, doesn’t it?”
“It does. Until Kat came along, I suppose I didn’t pay enough attention to how unfair people could be treated. Or how little the law protects those who are disadvantaged. For example, did you know that if businesses aren’t open to the public, they don’t always have to make accommodations or be accessible?”
“Do they teach that at the police academy?” Luce smiled, but she was curious. He seemed to know quite a bit on the subject.
“No, law school.” It slipped out before he realized he’d said it.
“Law school?”
“Eh, yeah. I might not have mentioned that to you, huh.”
“Eh, no, you didn’t,” Luce chuckled. “What other surprises do you have hidden away? And if you went to law school, why aren’t you practicing law instead of arresting budding journalists?”
“I will someday. I wanted to give myself time on the force to learn how to be a damn good investigator. Because a good lawyer needs to be able to rely on themselves to discern the facts.”
“Somehow, I think there’s more, isn’t there?” Luce asked quietly. This was a new side to Andy she hadn’t seen. Usually cocky and arrogant, bossy as hell, suddenly she was seeing a spark of something else. She wanted more.
“Perhaps there is, but let’s save that for another day, shall we?” He seemed to want to avoid the subject. Luce was willing to let it drop. For the moment.
Andy grabbed his laptop and, placing it on his lap, typed in a few commands.
“OK, back to our mystery ship. So, while we wait on the Bowers check, tell me something. Which clue, out of all of them, strikes you as the most important one?” Andy asked casually, though the tapping of his fingers on his thigh indicated how critical a question it was.
“The bill of sale,” Luce replied without a second thought. She knew in her bones it was a slave trade transaction. She’d seen them before doing other types of research. And every time she came across something like that in her research, it made her ill. Especially when researching in the tri-state area. She was taught in school to believe the North had some sort of monopoly on morals when it came to slavery in America, but one of the lessons her father had instilled in them was that the inescapable evil of slavery had been everywhere. It wasn’t just the South. It existed even in the small peaceful inlets of the Long Island Sound.
“Agreed. Whatever that ship was, somehow it involved slavery. Maybe,” Andy added for good measure. “We are jumping to conclusions. But all in all, it would appear to be a good theory, no?”
“Yeah, I mean the bill of sale, shackles, a branding iron, all the elements of a truly gruesome tale. If those clues are to be believed. Maybe it’s all for her entertainment?” Luce mused, knowing the woman could be just bat-shit crazy eccentric.
“Well, once we find out her background, if we do, it will help. Maybe tomorrow will shed some light on things.” Andy set his laptop aside and stood up to stretch. “How about a walk along the beach? I bet it’s only a mile or so to Mrs. Bowers property line. I didn’t get a chance to look last night, but I bet there’s a clear view of the lighthouse from there.”
“Good idea,” Luce replied, closing her laptop. “I’ll see if Annie and Chris want to come.”
Andy paused as Luce stood and turned to go inside.
“I was thinking just us.”
Luce stopped then and turned to look back. He was serious, she thought. Just them? Alone? On the beach? Probably a terrible idea. Worse than terrible. But what if it were terribly wonderful?
“Oh. Okay,” it was out of her mouth before she could stop it. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Andy quickly stepped toward her, and grabbing her hand, led her away from the house and down towards the beach.
“Which way?” Luce asked.
“Left. I think her place is near the second Jetty down there. Maybe a little past it.”
He kept hold of her hand as they walked, making Luce nervous enough to tug slightly. His only response was to smirk. “Get used to it,” he said softly.
“Andy, what is this? I mean, right now… me, you… this?” Luce’s voice was quiet, but firm.
“Luce, when was the last time you flirted. I mean, really flirted?”
“I don’t remember,” Luce shrugged and looked out toward the water. “It’s been a while. I mean what’s the point?”
“Something tells me there’s more to this than you just haven’t found the right one. I keep wondering what it is that has you keeping up this wall. Especially between us.”
“Well, for starters, you’ve never done this before with me, so you must have your own wall, no?” Luce was defensive, now, he could see that.
“Tell me. Who was he? The jerk who did this to you.”
Luce stopped walking and turned to look at him. Check his sincerity maybe. “How do you know that’s what this is about?”
“I’m a detective, Luce.” Andy smiled then. And something snapped in her. Suddenly she felt the need to put it all out there.
“His name was Jack.”
“Jack. Got it. I’m guessing there’s more?” He kept smiling hoping she’d relax.
“Yeah,” Luce sighed. “Way more.” Looking over at the first Jetty, she nodded. “Can we go sit over there? This might take a while.”
“I’ve got all day, let’s go.” Andy gave her hand a tug and they headed off for the rocks ahead.
“I used to climb these rocks as a kid, then head to the end of the jetty and pretend I was overlooking the ocean. Waiting for my ship and my mates to come get me,” Andy mused aloud.
“I can see you out there, skipping rocks, no doubt. I bet you had one of those metal detectors too. Combing the beach for treasure.” Luce smiled, picturing the young Andy Holman.
“That I did,” he laughed. “Come on, let’s sit up here, fewer barnacles.” Just one of the hazards on the rocky coastline, he remembered.
They settled down on top of one of the larger boulders and gazed out at the water.
“So. Jack. Spill it.” Andy wasted no time.
“So. Jack.” Luce took a breath. “We dated a year. He was smart, good looking, very successful. Quite charming. At least I thought so.”
“What, no wait, let me guess. Not quite monogamous?”
“No. He was. At least as far I know. I told you how we lost our parents.”
“Car accident, right, during the super storm a few years back. Annie’s mentioned it a few times as well.”
“Yeah. Well, When I got the call he drove me to the hospital, then dropped me at the entrance. I thought he had gone to park the car. He never returned.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“He texted me and left messages for a few days, but I didn’t see him. He didn’t show up to their funeral either. Said he had a scheduling conflict.”
“You handled that entire experience alone?”
“No, never alone. I had Annie.”
“Yeah, but she needed you to be the strong one, didn’t she, and that fucker couldn’t be there for you? You know, Luce,” Andy said softly, taking her chin in his hand and turning her to face him. “We’re not all like that.”
“I’m counting on it, Detective,” Luce smiled. And for the first time, Andy felt like he could see hope in her eyes. “Now, how about you. Being so perfect and all, why aren’t you settled down with 3.2 kids and a house in the burbs?” Her eyes twinkled with mischief as if she was enjoying putting him on the hot seat.
“Would you believe me if I told you I just hadn’t found the one?” Andy grinned, knowing she wouldn’t buy it.
“No. Try again.” Luce’s tone was a little more serious now. She really did want to know the truth, and he knew he’d have to tell her.
“You haven’t met my sister yet. Brie. She’s a few years older and growing up just the nicest, sweetest person. A little spoiled maybe, but money will do that. She married Steve when they were pretty young. Maybe they shoul
d have waited, who knows. When Kat came along, at first, everything was good. But I watched them become that couple. The one that bickers endlessly and never has a nice thing to say about each other. I watched their marriage turn into something they both hated. I was still a kid myself, but I became Kat’s surrogate parent. Someone had to. They didn’t know how to cope. I never wanted that for me.”
“But your parents seem to have a wonderful marriage,” Luce chided. “Seems to me there’s more stopping you, no?”
Andy sighed, and nodded. “Karen. My first serious relationship. She was smart and funny and always quite agreeable. I brought her to Thanksgiving Dinner and then she ended things. Said she didn’t want to end up like my sister with a kid like Kat and a miserable marriage. It made my skin crawl. After that, I dated, but not with any future in mind.”
Luce studied his expression for a moment. “And now?” She held her breath then, she hadn’t meant to let that out.
“And now I think maybe it’s time to explore a different path.” He smiled and took her hand. Luce had no idea what was coming next and bit her lip nervously.
“Come on, we’ve got a lighthouse to find.” He stood, tugging on her hand to pull her up with him. She breathed a sigh of relief, though in all honesty maybe it was one of disappointment. There was something there, embers crackling away, and at some point one of them was going to ignite it.
They slid down off the rocks, Andy hopped down first, into the sand, and turned to help Luce when shouts erupted from the house. They could see Annie waving her arms frantically on the patio. Andy immediately grabbed Luce by the hand and took off in a sprint, Luce scampering to keep up.
Reaching the patio, Luce let go of Andy’s hand and raced over to Annie.