by S. E. Smith
“Who told you about your mother?” Orion demanded, looking intently at his son.
Dolph giggled when Juno opened his mouth and tried to suck on his finger. Orion’s mouth tightened in annoyance. It was his place to explain what had happened to Shamill. If the nursemaid had said anything….
“The water,” Dolph replied. “Will he get teeth?”
“The water…?” Orion asked with a frown.
Dolph nodded and looked up at his father. “The water told me that Mother had returned to her. She said not to be sad because we would have a new mother one day who would love us just as much,” he replied. “Can I go play in the water again?”
Orion nodded, stunned by his son’s statement. The sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention. Kapian, Kelia, and a young girl paused briefly near the path leading to the stone bench where he sat.
Orion rose to his feet as they approached. Kelia reached out for Juno, who was beginning to fuss again. He handed the newborn to her.
“We will see to his care, Your Majesty,” Kelia said. “This is my granddaughter, Karin.”
“Thank you, Kelia,” Orion absently replied.
The realization of what had happened began to sink in as he watched Karin cradle Juno in her arms before she and Kelia turned and walked away. Orion turned to watch Dolph play in the water. Even at the tender age of two and a half, his eldest was showing the power of his birthright as Prince of the Sea People. Dolph would need a firm hand to guide him.
Orion glanced at his friend, Kapian. “I want to know exactly what happened. Shamill was terrified of heights. She would never have traveled along the cliff path,” he stated in a grim voice.
“I will have a full report for you as soon as possible. I’ve also ordered construction of temporary safety railings along the cliffs. It will take time to repair all of the damage, but we will do everything we can to ensure such a tragedy does not occur again,” Kapian promised.
Orion nodded, lost in thought. There was too much to do at the moment to give in to the grief pressing on him. Shamill’s death would not only leave a void in his life, but also in the kingdom.
Chapter One
Present day—Yachats, Oregon:
Jenny Ackerly’s heart was telling her that her best friend was not dead—even as her head argued the opposite. The long, winding road through the redwoods along the Oregon coast felt a lot like her life over the last two years since Carly’s disappearance—a never-ending journey of twists and turns. She was ready for the road of life to straighten out a little so she could see where in the hell it was taking her.
“She isn’t dead. I would know, damn it!” she cursed under her breath.
The burning in her eyes and the sudden need to sneeze warned Jenny that she was about to start crying. She always did when she got within five miles of Yachats State Park.
She kept her eyes on the road as she leaned over the passenger’s seat, opened the glove box of her Subaru Outback, and pulled out a handful of napkins she had collected from various restaurants. She had already used up the last few tissues she had left from her trip here three months ago.
She wiped the escaping tears from her cheeks before loudly blowing her nose into the damp napkin. Reaching over, she stuffed the used napkin in the empty tissue box. Next, she twisted the knob on the radio and cranked up the volume. Another loud, shuddering curse escaped her when a new song started, and she recognized it as one of Carly’s favorites. Of course, that really turned on the waterworks. Pressing the button, she turned off the radio.
Grabbing another napkin, she dabbed at the tears threatening to blind her. If she started crying too hard, she would have to pull over onto the shoulder of the road. It wouldn’t be the first time she had been forced to park until she could compose herself. Unfortunately, the only thing crying did was make her face red and eat up precious time she could be using to find out what had happened to Carly. Blowing her nose once more, she angrily stuffed the used tissue into the rapidly filling box.
“I swear, when I find out who did this to you, Carly, I’m going to toast their ass. I’ll rip them apart, put them back together, ask them how it feels, and do it all over again,” Jenny vowed, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white. “If they made you su… suff… suffer at all, I’ll bury them in a fire ant bed in the middle of the desert and watch the ants devour them while sipping on an icy lemonade.”
Okay, she wouldn’t really, but she could imagine it. Yes, she could be a bit bloodthirsty when it came to anyone who hurt her friends. Jenny decided it was just part of having red hair. She was known to have a nice, even temperament—until someone did something to piss her off. Then, the temper she inherited from her dad came through in all its blazing glory.
Jenny slowed and turned on her blinker when she saw the exit up ahead. She turned left into the entrance to Yachats State Park, and followed the road to the ranger’s booth. A light drizzle had begun, but that wouldn’t stop her from her mission. Rain or shine, cold or fog, she would follow the last trail that Carly took. She would search every tiny inch of it in the hopes that maybe the weather and time had exposed some clue that all the police and volunteers might have overlooked two years ago after she reported her friend missing.
“How many?” the ranger asked when she pulled up to the window.
“Just one,” Jenny replied, handing him her annual pass.
The ranger studied it for a moment before looking at her. Jenny could feel his gaze move over her face. It didn’t take long for recognition to hit.
“You’re the girl who keeps searching for the one that went missing, aren’t you?” the ranger asked, leaning on the window sill.
Jenny grimaced and nodded. “Her name is Carly Tate. Has anyone found anything?” she asked, holding her hand out for the pass.
“Nothing. There have been a few people who still come out on occasion to look, but it's been a while,” the ranger replied with an inviting smile. “I’ll be off at three if you’d like me to go with you.”
Jenny pursed her lips together and shook her head. ”That’s okay. I don’t have much time today,” she lied.
The ranger’s expression drooped and he shrugged. ”Be careful. There has been some erosion along the trail leading down to the cove,” he said, handing her the pass and a parking permit. “Keep an eye out for sudden weather changes. Fog and rain can move in quickly at this time of year, making visibility difficult.”
“I will, thank you.”
Jenny didn’t wait for the rest of his memorized spiel. Having grown up in this area, she was aware of the sudden changes in weather and how to deal with them. Pulling up on the power button to close the window, she gave the car a little more gas than she meant to and felt the jar of the speed bump. With a grimace, she eased up on the pedal and slowly pulled away.
Once she was out of sight of the ranger station, she accelerated again. She followed the long, winding road and turned at the appropriate signs without having to read them. She knew where she was going. Pulling into the parking space, she noticed with satisfaction that there was only one other car in the parking lot, and it looked like the owners of it were leaving.
Jenny sat in her car and waited as the man and the woman argued over the map they were looking at. Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, she impatiently resisted the urge to get out and ask the couple if they needed some help. Turning the engine off, she undid her seatbelt and turned to reach into the back seat for her jacket.
Straightening in her seat, she blinked back the tears that threatened again and released a deep, shuddering breath when the car next to her finally pulled away. Opening the door, she slid out, pulled on her jacket, and zipped it up before she closed the door. Out of habit, she gazed around her for a moment before she locked the door and pocketed her car keys.
Ever since Carly disappeared two years ago, Jenny hadn’t felt safe. She had moved away from the small coastal community of Yachats, Oregon, over a year ago in
an effort to get on with her life. So far, she had to admit she wasn’t doing a very good job of it.
Jenny slowly walked up the trail and paused at a fork. The path ahead of her did a loop through the forest and along the mountain. The one to the right lead down to the cove and beach area.
She quickly dismissed that area. Carly had left a map of the park in her car with the longest path highlighted in green and the words ‘I can do this’ written next to it. Jenny smiled when she remembered the added note ‘ice cream’ written and circled in black at the end of the trail.
Shoving her hands in her pockets, she continued past the sign pointing to the beach. She breathed in the rich smells of evergreens, moist soil, and frigid sea air as she walked. She scanned the path as her mind focused on what it would have been like for Carly.
“She would have been grumbling a lot,” Jenny reflected out loud after a mile along the trail.
Pausing to look around, she sighed. Tall trees, thick ferns, and sloping ravines greeted her intense gaze. It was possible that Carly had stumbled, rolled down the side into the ferns, hit her head on a rock, and then was swallowed by the thick vegetation. Carly was known for her clumsiness. It’s possible that there was no foul play beyond bad luck, Jenny silently admitted to herself.
“Surely someone would have found her if that had happened,” Jenny murmured before continuing up the narrow track.
Twilight was beginning to settle by the time Jenny drove back into town. It turned out to be another fruitless one with no new leads. She had one more stop before she’d call it a day.
Slowing down as she entered town, she glanced around for a parking space. Now that summer was starting and people were taking off for their vacation, there were quite a few tourists in town. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw two open parking spots in front of the local police station.
Turning on her blinker, she waited for several cars to pass before pulling into one of the empty spots. A quick glance at the clock told her it was later than she’d thought. She shifted the gearshift to park and turned off the engine. Staring straight ahead, she could see a woman behind the desk. It looked like she was getting ready to leave.
Jenny didn’t waste any time undoing her seatbelt and pushing open the car door. She hoped that the new detective she had been talking to for the past couple of months was on duty. She didn’t see him through the window, but there was a light shining from an office down the hall. Slamming the car door, she locked it, and strode across the sidewalk. She pushed open the door just as the woman behind the desk slid the strap of her purse onto her shoulder.
“Can I help you?” the woman asked, looking up at Jenny as she entered.
Jenny smiled, remembering the woman from the last time she was here. She hoped Patty would remember her as well. It took a moment before recognition hit. Patty threw a quick glance over her shoulder.
“Mike, the lady about the missing person is back,” Patty called out, walking around the desk. “He’ll be with you in a moment. He is on the phone.”
“Thank you,” Jenny said with an appreciative smile before she stepped to the side.
“No problem. I have to pick up my son. Have a good night,” Patty said with an easy smile before pulling open the door and stepping outside.
Jenny could hear the sound of a man’s voice speaking quietly in the background. She turned and walked over to stand near the front window and stare blindly out at the street. She didn’t want to give the impression she was eavesdropping on his conversation. Lost in thought, she didn’t realize he was finished until he spoke behind her.
“Good afternoon, Miss Ackerly,” Mike Hallbrook’s rich, smooth voice greeted.
Jenny turned to face the tall, handsome man who looked to be in his early thirties. Mike Hallbrook had one of those quiet, calm demeanors that drew you in and gave you a sense of security. The undeniable authority in his posture told her that while he may appear relaxed, he was always on alert.
She reached up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear and nibbled her lip in indecision. She felt slightly guilty for stopping by when it was so late. In a small town like Yachats, there wasn’t a huge need to have someone with Mike’s expertise on duty after hours unless there was a major crime. Still, she had to ask.
Jenny gave Mike a tired, apologetic smile. After ten hours of hiking and searching every nook and cranny along the trail, she was exhausted and disheveled. She was just thankful he didn’t appear to care that she was here so late.
“Hello, Detective Hallbrook. Thank you for seeing me,” she responded.
Mike Hallbrook nodded his head. “Anytime. What can I do for you?” he asked.
Jenny could feel his scrutiny. She could just imagine what he was seeing—damp and wrinkled clothing, dark circles under her eyes, windswept hair, and red cheeks. She looked like something that had washed up on the shore. With a weary smile, she drew in a tired breath before she released it.
“I was checking to see if there were any updates on Carly Tate’s missing person’s case,” she said.
“Nothing since the last time you came in three months ago,” Mike responded in a compassionate tone.
“Oh… The… The case hasn’t been closed, has it?” she asked.
Mike Hallbrook took in the tired, disheveled appearance of the woman standing across from him. A moment of regret flashed through him that he couldn’t give her the answer to the question she had been asking for two years—what happened to her friend. The fate of Carly Tate was still unknown—a cold case for their small town.
When the Yachats Police Department receptionist, Patty, had called out, as she left for the night, that the girl who was looking for the missing woman was back, Mike didn’t need the case number to know who Patty was talking about. There were not a lot of unsolved crimes in the area.
“No, the case won’t be closed until we know what happened to your friend. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot to go on. I’m continuing to investigate leads. Do you have any new information?” he asked.
Jenny shook her head and wrapped her arms around her waist. “No. Did you ever get a chance to talk to Ross Galloway again? He was the last guy Carly dated. I’ve been meaning to ask but kept forgetting,” she asked.
Mike nodded. “Yes. He has a solid alibi for the day Carly disappeared,” he replied.
Mike took a step closer when tears welled up in Jenny’s eyes. It was times like this that he hated being a cop. He watched as she bowed her head and pulled a tissue from her pocket. He heard her draw in a shuddering breath before she looked up at him. A faint smile curved his lips when he saw the determination in her expression.
“I left my phone number with your receptionist the last time I was here. Can you please call me if you find out anything?” she asked.
“I’ll make sure it’s the same number I have marked in the file. If we find anything, I’ll be sure to contact you,” he promised.
“Thank you,” she said, turning toward the door.
“Any time. If you think of anything that might help locate your friend, please don’t hesitate to call,” Mike added.
“I won’t. I plan to be here for the rest of the week. Thank you again for not giving up on Carly,” Jenny said, glancing up at him when he reached around her to open the door.
“We’ll bring her home,” he responded in a quiet tone.
Jenny’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. She nodded and stepped through the opened door. Mike watched her hurry across the sidewalk to a dark red Subaru parked out front. He stood in the doorway, lost in thought.
The case puzzled him. From the few conversations he’d had with Carly’s parents, he’d gathered that they had already accepted that their daughter was dead and would probably never be found. The cold, disconnected resignation in their voices was completely opposite to Jenny Ackerly’s grief. During his investigation he had learned that Carly had been a warm, cheerful young woman who got along with everyone. Hell, even Ross Galloway shook his head and sai
d he couldn’t see anyone harming Carly.
“She is dangerous enough to herself,” Ross had said in exasperation.
When Mike had pressed Ross about what he meant, he discovered Carly was known as a lovable, but klutzy woman. Ross’ description of her setting his boat on fire—a very minor fire, Ross had hastily clarified—helped Mike understand some of the other references made about Carly by other people.
“Knowing Carly, she probably got lost in the woods or fell off a cliff,” Ross had said with a shrug. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
It was a possibility, but something told Mike it was more than a simple act of getting lost. The numerous search teams would have found something. If Carly had fallen from the cliff, the tides would have washed her up on the shore because of the way the cove was shaped. He had already checked the area.
Mike blinked when a resident drove by and honked the horn in greeting. He automatically lifted his hand to wave and realized he was still standing in the open doorway of the small police station. Shaking his head in resignation, he stepped back, closed the door, and locked it.
He was supposed to be off now. Instead, he turned back toward his office. Maybe he’d take another look at the file and see if there was something he’d missed. After all, it wasn’t like people just vanished off the face of the earth! There had to be a clue somewhere that would point him in the right direction of what had happened to Carly Tate.
Chapter Two
Jenny backed out of the parking space and turned south. She had only gone a block when her stomach rumbled. Grimacing at the reminder that she hadn’t eaten all day, she considered her options: stop at the grocery store or stop at one of the restaurants.
She quickly decided that fighting the crowds at the grocery store and then having to prepare something to eat was more than she could handle at the moment. That decision made, she focused on where to stop. She really didn’t feel like going alone to one of the nicer waterfront restaurants. What she really wanted was a nice cold beer and a platter of fish and chips.