Afterglow

by Christy Barritt

  She shrugged. “It was a fight. I mean, Mark was the one who was mad. It was strange. I didn’t understand why he felt so strongly about flowers.”

  “It is kind of odd.”

  “Either way, we exchanged words, and he stormed out. Said he needed to cool off.” Rachel looked down at her hands, her shoulders stooping even more. After she gathered her thoughts for a moment, she looked up, a well of emotion streaming from her eyes. “That was the last time I ever saw him.”

  Chapter Four

  The picture was becoming a little clearer, but a lot of things still didn’t make sense to Grayson. “That doesn’t explain why his brother thinks you could possibly be responsible for Mark’s death.”

  Rachel sucked in a shaky breath and stared off into the distance for a moment. “I wasn’t sure where Mark went, but his shirt was found on the beach near the pier. Someone saw him go past, heading toward the water, about the same time.”

  “So the rip current was just speculation?”

  “I suppose. One of the neighbors heard Mark and me arguing at the cottage before he left, and she reported it to the police. They opened an investigation after he disappeared.”

  “I’m sure that was protocol.”

  “Yes, it was. They started to look even more closely at me, and it turned out that Mark had sent Bruno some texts about me.”

  “What did they say?” Grayson held his breath, anxiety beginning to churn inside him.

  “I guess Mark was having a lot of doubts about our relationship.” Rachel’s voice cracked, and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. “He told Bruno that I seemed angry all the time. That I was a bridezilla. He joked that we would be lucky to get to the wedding without me killing him first.”

  “Certainly that’s just an expression.”

  “Yeah, right? I didn’t even know Mark thought things were tense between us. I mean, I thought we were holding up pretty well. Our biggest arguments were about money. He wanted big. I wanted small. He wanted fancy. I wanted simple.”

  “Usually the guy leaves these things to the bride.” Grayson had only given input when asked. The wedding had been Rachel’s big day, as far as he was concerned.

  “I know. But Mark thought I was compromising what I really wanted in order to not embarrass him. He didn’t have much money, and, as you know, my parents . . . they’re . . .”

  “They’re wealthy. You can say it.”

  Rachel was always so humble about her background. Her parents owned a huge textile business in Charlotte. They were easily one of the richest families in the area. But, to look at Rachel, one would never know that. She wasn’t the type to put on airs. In fact, she’d moved away from Charlotte to Raleigh, just to make a name for herself outside of her family.

  “Right.” Rachel blushed slightly. “Anyway, one of the last texts Mark sent Bruno said I was crazy, that he wanted out of the relationship, but he wasn’t sure I was going to let him walk away.”

  “That doesn’t even sound like you,” Grayson said, trying to picture those words leaving Rachel’s mouth. “You’re a pretty even-keeled person.”

  She grabbed a bottle of water she’d left the coffee table and took a long sip. “I know. I don’t know where it came from. I couldn’t believe that Mark was feeling all these things, and he hadn’t even mentioned them to me. Bruno was worried enough after Mark’s death that he showed the police the texts. He said it was suspicious that I didn’t call the police sooner when Mark didn’t return home.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  Rachel shrugged. “I thought Mark just needed some time alone. After he was gone three hours, I got worried. I tried calling him. I went out and looked for him. And, then, when I couldn’t find him, I called the police.”

  “They never pressed charges?”

  “They never pressed charges. There wasn’t enough evidence, thank goodness. But that doesn’t mean that shadow of suspicion ever disappeared. It’s always been there, even two years later.” She pressed her lips together in a frown.

  “I just don’t understand why you kept this from me.”

  Rachel shrugged. “I was . . . I was just afraid of how you would react. I mean, I know I’m innocent. You knew what happened—what really happened. I didn’t see the need to bring up people’s suspicions—especially since they were wrong.”

  Grayson supposed that her words made sense. But an uneasy feeling remained in his stomach.

  “What are you thinking?” Rachel looked up at him, her eyes wide and almost childlike.

  That look always made him feel like he was melting. She had that power over him.

  “Talk to me,” she prodded.

  Grayson let out a breath. He had a lot of thoughts going through his head. Maybe too many. He believed the best of his wife, but he couldn’t understand why she hadn’t told him all of this. Sure, he could understand why she might not bring up speculation but . . . he just didn’t know.

  Something about this scenario bothered him. He needed time to sort out his thoughts first.

  He stood and extended his hand toward her. “I’m thinking maybe we should just go to bed. Tomorrow is a new day. Let’s get some rest, and we’ll talk about it more in the morning.”

  She nodded, but Grayson could tell she wasn’t relieved. Not yet.

  Truth be told, neither was he.

  Chapter Five

  Rachel sat on the deck outside her cottage, watching as the sun rose above the ocean like a distant fireball. The wicker couch with its teal cushions was comfortable—yet she couldn’t allow herself even the small luxury of relaxing.

  No, she’d single handedly ruined her honeymoon by withholding information from her husband. Why had Rachel thought she’d get away with not telling him everything—even the speculations?

  She justified it, rationalizing that speculation wasn’t fact. And that was true. But still, had she really thought she could keep this from Grayson for long?

  If so, she’d been a fool.

  She took a sip of coffee but hardly tasted it. Just like she hardly noticed the wonderful smell of the salty air or the majestic sound of birds singing as they soared above the dunes.

  All she could think about was the disaster all this had turned into. She’d hardly slept last night as she’d reviewed everything.

  Why in the world had Bruno come here to Lantern Beach? And why did Rachel have to run into him?

  What was Grayson thinking about her now? Rachel knew he loved her, but how would this change things? Would he ever see her in the same light?

  Feeling bittersweet, her thoughts shifted to the first time she’d met Grayson. A friend was supposed to do an interview about the cost of improving the roads in the county. However, her friend had cracked her tooth at the last minute and had lost the phone number of the reporter. She’d begged Rachel to go and take relay the message.

  Rachel had not been looking for love—or anything close to it. But she went to meet this reporter at a café in downtown Raleigh so she could tell him her friend had an emergency.

  That reporter had been Grayson, and the two of them had ended up talking for three hours. It had been the first time Rachel had laughed since Mark’s death.

  After that day, they’d become inseparable. It hadn’t been a wild ride. It had actually been anything but that. The two of them had developed a great friendship—probably what she and Mark should have done all along.

  Instead, her relationship with Mark had been whirlwind. He’d swept her off her feet from the moment they met at a park. He’d been throwing a football with Bruno, and the ball had nearly hit Rachel. Mark had made it up to her by taking her to dinner. They’d gotten engaged a month later and had planned a quick wedding—a wedding that never came to fruition.

  Rachel looked up as the door beside her opened. Grayson stepped out, the spring of the door squeaking as the wood slammed into the frame. He looked like he’d just gotten out of the shower, with his wet hair, smooth face, and the minty clean smell that waf
ted around him.

  He lowered himself beside her on the wicker couch and kissed her cheek. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning.”

  His gaze focused on her, his eyes just as warm as ever. “Couldn’t sleep?”

  Rachel shrugged. “Not really.”

  “Look, I know yesterday kind of threw a wrench in our plans and shook you up.” He squeezed her hand. “But today’s a new day. We just need to move on, okay?”

  “You . . . didn’t change your mind?” The words sounded stark, and even Rachel was surprised she’d voiced her thoughts out loud. Some kind of internal fear had reared to life in her mind, and it had been all she could think about last night.

  What if Grayson walked out of her life?

  Her anxious thoughts had frozen her. Made her feel nauseated. Nearly had her on the brink of shutting down.

  “Change my mind?” Grayson let out a chuckle. He wiped a curl from her eyes before his hands cupped her face. He lowered his voice as he said, “Of course not. No. Never. I can’t believe you would ask that.”

  Relief swept through Rachel, and she leaned into him. “Okay. Good. I’ve been a wreck all night.”

  “We’re not going to let that little incident ruin our day,” he said. “We’re going parasailing. We have reservations at eleven. But first I thought we could grab breakfast at this little restaurant here in town called The Crazy Chefette. It’s won some awards and has some pretty innovative food, I’ve heard.”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Perfect. Then finish your coffee and let’s get ready. Let’s put yesterday behind us. Sound good?”

  Rachel’s heart warmed. She couldn’t ask for anyone better than Grayson in her life. Maybe they really could forget what happened yesterday and move on.

  “Yes, let’s go.”

  As they stood, Grayson’s foot hit the welcome mat near the door. A piece of paper appeared just beneath the edge.

  Grayson leaned down and picked it up.

  The words, “Go home, Killer!” screamed at them in roughly scrawled red letters.

  Rachel gasped.

  She’d only been kidding herself earlier.

  There wouldn’t be any forgetting what had happened . . . ever.

  Chapter Six

  All throughout their morning excursion, Grayson could tell that Rachel was preoccupied by everything that had happened. It was a shame because she would have loved parasailing otherwise. They’d had a perfect view of the sparkling turquoise ocean. However, its tranquil color had been deceptive, as the waves had been huge and slightly intimidating.

  Even lunch hadn’t distracted her. They’d ended up liking The Crazy Chefette so much that they’d gone back for lunch and tried the restaurant’s famous peach and grilled cheese sandwich. Under ordinary circumstances, the meal would have been a foodie’s highlight. But the newlyweds had too much hanging over their heads right now.

  “Listen, why don’t you take a little nap?” Grayson said when they got back to the cottage. “I think you could use the rest. Afterward, we can go out to a nice dinner tonight and watch another sunset together.”

  Rachel smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “That sounds nice.” She planted a kiss on his lips. “If you don’t mind, I think I will do that. Thank you.”

  “Of course. I’m going to take a little walk. You okay with that?”

  “Enjoy yourself.”

  Grayson didn’t tell her, but he had an ulterior motive for going on his walk. He’d done some research and had discovered where Bruno lived on the island. He wanted to stop by and pay him a visit.

  He knew he should probably tell Rachel first, but that would only worry her. He just wanted to ask the man to stay away from his wife. When Grayson thought about that note they’d found this morning, Bruno was the only person who could have left it. It only made sense.

  Grayson found all of it unsettling. As a journalist, he liked to do research. As a new husband, he wanted to protect his wife. He knew that if Rachel feared running into Bruno again, she wouldn’t enjoy any more of their stay here on Lantern Beach.

  Though he thought this choice of a location was strange, he still wanted his wife to enjoy their honeymoon together. Otherwise, they might as well pack up and head back to Raleigh right now.

  He hesitated as he walked up to the door. Bruno didn’t live terribly far away. Like most locals, his house wasn’t located on the ocean front. Those front-row homes were generally reserved for tourists who wanted the ultimate beach experience.

  Quickly, Grayson knocked on Bruno’s door and then waited. A moment later, Bruno pulled the door open, and the scent of cigarette smoke wafted out. The man’s eyes widened with surprise when he saw Grayson standing there.

  “What are you doing here?” He glanced around. “Did you bring your little wife with you?”

  Grayson blanched at the harshness of his words. Of course the man grieved the brother he’d lost, but he had to know Rachel would never do something like that.

  “No, it’s just me,” Grayson said. “And I’m sorry to come uninvited.”

  “Why did you come here?”

  “I just wanted to talk to you a minute.”

  “If I were you, I’d be talking to a lawyer and trying to get a divorce.”

  Grayson blanched again, but he chose to ignore the inciting statement. “I need a moment of your time.”

  “Of course.” Bruno closed the door behind him, stepped outside, and crossed his arms over his beefy chest. “What do you need?”

  “I know Rachel,” Grayson started, protectiveness edging into his voice, along with a touch of outrage. “She would never do what you’re accusing her of. I just want her to enjoy our time here and—”

  “Wait. You think you know her?” He snorted. “I doubt that.”

  “She told me what happened.”

  Bruno quirked an eyebrow. “Did she tell you all of it?”

  “About the texts your brother sent you? About a possible late-night swim after a supposed fight? Yes, she did.”

  “What about the blood that was found on the floor in the cottage and all over Mark’s shirt.”

  Grayson froze. “What?”

  A satisfied smile formed on Bruno’s lips. “Rachel didn’t tell you that, did she? Go check the police reports. It’s there. The police found blood all over the cottage where they were staying.”

  He hesitated only a minute before snapping back to the conversation at hand. “And you think Rachel is responsible for that?”

  Bruno leaned closer, close enough that Grayson could smell his coffee- and cigarette-laden breath. “I’m telling you, she lost her mind and wanted to call off the wedding.”

  Grayson shook his head. “If Rachel had wanted to do that, then she would have called off the wedding. Why would she have murdered your brother?”

  “Because she thought he was cheating on her.”

  “What?” This story just kept getting stranger and stranger. Rachel hadn’t mentioned any of this. That meant she’d either purposefully concealed it or it wasn’t true.

  Grayson hoped it wasn’t true.

  “She didn’t tell you? That’s what the fight was about before he went out that night.”

  Grayson shook his head again, more adamantly this time. “How do you even know that? She said it was about flowers.”

  That satisfied smirk crossed Bruno’s face again. “I know because Mark called me. He was upset. He said he’d never seen her so mad, and Rachel was acting crazy.”

  Grayson found that hard to believe. Really hard to believe. “That still wouldn’t explain why Rachel might kill Mark. Couples fight all the time.”

  “A heart betrayed is a heart without logic. If I could give you one bit of advice, it’s this: I wouldn’t make your wife mad or cheat on her. Because if she can’t have you, no one can.”

  Chapter Seven

  Rachel stared in the mirror as she applied her makeup. She’d woken up from a tumultu
ous nap and had decided to take a shower. By the time she got out, Grayson was back, but he’d decided to get ready in the guest bathroom across the hall.

  He hadn’t been acting the same ever since his walk. Why was that? Had the time alone made him rethink things?

  A new jolt of alarm rushed through Rachel as she put on her lipstick.

  What if Grayson regretted this marriage?

  She kept waiting for him to change his mind and could hardly stomach the thought.

  She finished getting ready for the evening, still feeling the rumble of nerves inside her.

  They were getting ready to go to dinner at some seafood place that Grayson had researched. He always loved researching things, reading reviews, making the best choice possible.

  On that note, maybe Rachel should be happy that he’d chosen her. He didn’t take any decision lightly.

  But her worry still persisted. She would have never thought this would come back to haunt her. But it had.

  She waited for Grayson in the living room and turned when she heard his footfall ten minutes later. She sucked in a breath when she saw him.

  He’d put on some khaki shorts and a button-up blue shirt. With his sun-kissed skin, he was the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on. She felt so incredibly lucky that Grayson was hers.

  But that uneasiness still stained his eyes.

  “Listen, I’ve been thinking,” he started, lowering himself beside her. “What if we order in tonight?”

  Surprise washed through her. “Sure, that’s fine. I just thought you were looking forward to trying that restaurant.”

  “I am. And we can still try it sometime.”

  “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”

  “I was just hoping we could talk. In private.”

  Rachel ran her hands across her dress, noticing her palms were sweaty. “Of course.”

  What in the world did Grayson want to talk about? What had changed on his walk?

  She didn’t know. But she braced herself for worst-case scenarios.