Secrets at Cedar Cabin

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Secrets at Cedar Cabin Page 7

by Colleen Coble


  Unease rippled up Shauna’s back. An extensive article appeared in a magazine recently about how men used the internet to lure in young girls and prey on them. That was how many of them ended up taken into the sex trade against their will.

  “I want you to show this guy to your parents. You haven’t yet, have you?”

  Taylor frowned and shook her head. “They’d freak, Shauna. I can’t show them his picture.”

  “When we get home, there’s an article I want you to read. Promise me you will?”

  “I guess.” Taylor crossed her arms. “Sheesh, you’re making a lot of fuss about nothing.”

  Shauna could only pray it was nothing. If Taylor didn’t tell her parents, she’d have to. The judge would not be happy.

  Lance made the drive from Seattle to Lavender Tides and parked in Bailey’s drive. After studying the structure, the old cabin had more problems than he’d first thought. Chinking around the logs on the porch needed replacing, and the stain on the upper-level cedar was nearly gone. Several cedar shingles stuck up on the roof at odd angles, letting in moisture.

  Lance strapped on his tool belt and grabbed his tool chest and thermos. With his jeans and ball cap, he looked the part of a friendly handyman. When he approached the front door, he found it already open with just the screen door in place. An elderly woman’s voice came from inside, but he only heard something about “no coffee.”

  He rapped his knuckles on the door. “Did someone say coffee?”

  Bailey turned at his voice. She wore her purple hair on top of her head, and little wisps trailed across her cheeks. Dressed in the same jeans and long-sleeved red T-shirt, she was adorable. His gaze lingered on her full lips. What might it be like to kiss her? He stamped that troublesome thought into the ground.

  She held open the screen door. “Coffee is the password.”

  Lance stepped inside and went to the dusty table. He pulled two disposable cups from his toolbox, then poured coffee into them. The older lady took hers and slurped it, seemingly not bothered by the hot temperature.

  Bailey must have caught his quizzical gaze. “You’re probably wondering why Lily is here so early. She spent the night.”

  Lily must be a neighbor. “Good morning, Lily.”

  Her white hair didn’t appear to have seen a brush in several days, and bits of twigs littered it as well. Lily grunted and continued to drink her coffee, then handed the cup back to him. “More, please.”

  “Sure thing.” He filled her cup again. “I brought donuts too.”

  Lily eyed the white pastry bag he pulled from his toolbox but waited until he opened it and offered her a caramel Long John. She devoured the donut in three bites, and he gave her another. Poor lady was much too thin. Did she have anyone looking after her? He needed to get a better feel for who lived out here or he’d blow his cover.

  Bailey nibbled on her donut. “Good of you to bring us breakfast. Lily, um, she showed up after I went to bed. I found her poking through the living room. She didn’t want to go home, so I put her to bed here.”

  Was Lily somehow involved in all this? She seemed at ease with Bailey and this house, too, but he didn’t know what to make of this situation.

  He set the donut bag on the table with the thermos. “Well, I’ll take a look around at what needs done. Help yourself to more breakfast.”

  “Thank you,” Bailey called after him as he glanced around the interior.

  The cabin was small, probably not more than seven hundred square feet including the bedroom and loft area. The living room was about fifteen by twenty and connected to a small kitchen that held six feet of cabinets, an ancient stove, and a small fridge. Years of smoke from the fireplace darkened the logs on the inside, and the wood floors showed scratches from decades of use. He suspected the old velvet sofa was original as was the rounded fridge and wood-heat range.

  It was cute though. In their investigation they’d found traces of cocaine on the old wooden table and some used syringes in the trash buried out back. Dozens of used condoms had been recovered in the downstairs bedroom, and he shuddered at the thought of the old lady sleeping in that bed. Bailey, too, for that matter. He could only hope she’d changed the sheets. The place had been nasty before the FBI had taken everything as evidence.

  He worked on nailing down floorboards on the front porch first. About an hour later, he paused to grab a bottle of water from the cooler and heard voices out back.

  He followed the sound to the back porch that faced the water. “Wow, beautiful view from here.” Rainshadow Bay peeked through the trees, and he saw the ferry steaming past. “Careful.” He pointed out a rotted board before Lily stepped onto it. “You need to have some of this replaced.”

  Bailey frowned down at the rotted wood. “Would you be interested in this job, too, or could you recommend a carpenter?”

  “I’ve got time to do it. The roof needs tended to first. It’s been leaking. Some of the logs need chinked, and this decking needs shored up.”

  “How much will that cost?”

  He had no idea of the going rate for carpentry. “If you buy the supplies, I’ll work for a hundred dollars a day.”

  Her nicely shaped black brows rose. “That sounds pretty cheap.”

  “It is, but you’re a new neighbor and I’m between big jobs right now. I’ve got about two weeks, and I think I can get most of it good and sound by then.” Lying didn’t come easily to him even after three years with the Bureau.

  His suspicions might be groundless, but if there was any chance this woman and this place would connect him to Alfie Jackson, he had to follow the leads.

  Her troubled expression cleared. “Okay, I’ll take you up on your offer. I’m going into town to see if I can get the electricity switched on. The utility probably isn’t open, but I thought I’d at least stop and check out the hours. What should I buy for the repairs?”

  “I’ll pick it up and bring you the receipts. That’ll be easier. I’ll run to the lumberyard and get started today. Do you mind leaving the door unlocked so I can get in if I return before you?”

  “I shouldn’t be gone long, but I’ll leave the key under the rock by the mailbox post.”

  “Sounds good.” Maybe he’d get a chance to look around before she got back.

  Chapter 10

  Bailey stopped at a stop sign and directed her attention down Main Street at the Victorian storefronts with their painted lady exteriors. Brick sidewalks lined the street, and she spotted an antique shop she wanted to check out. She first stopped at the bank and opened an account to deposit the cash in her purse. It made her nervous to carry so much money. Lily flipped through a magazine while Bailey took care of business.

  As soon as she stepped outside, she saw the public utility sign, but she doubted it would be open on a Saturday. She might be without power for the weekend.

  Lily hummed tunelessly and stared off into space.

  “Come on, Lily, we need to go in here for a minute.” Bailey took her arm and tried to steer her to the door to the utility office, but Lily shook her head and planted her feet. Bringing her to town hadn’t been Bailey’s best idea, but when she’d tried to drop Lily at home, the elderly woman protested and refused to get out of the car.

  Bailey pointed out a bench by a display of fading roses. “You wait here for me, okay?”

  Lily settled on the bench and plucked at the strings on the sleeve of her robe. “Curse of Cain. Devil’s spawn.”

  Bailey sighed and hurried to the door. She yanked on it. Locked.

  “They’re not open until Monday.”

  Bailey shifted to see a woman pulling weeds from the planting bed.

  “Is Lily with you today?” The woman, middle-aged and graying, gave her a sharp glance.

  “Yes.”

  The woman put a hand to her back and straightened. “She’s never been the same since her husband died five years ago. You’d never know it now, but she used to be perfectly turned out every time you’d see her—ev
ery hair in place, the latest style of clothes, shoes, and handbags. She went downhill fast after he died. She probably should be in a nursing home, but no one seems to know where her daughter has gone. She used to check on her occasionally, but I’ll bet it’s been a year or more since she came to town.”

  Bailey’s heart squeezed. No one should be abandoned in their old age like that. She had to try to find that daughter. “Thanks for the information.”

  The temperature was in the fifties today but felt warmer with the sunshine beating down. Bailey frowned. Lily had left the spot where she’d been sitting. She was just here a minute ago. “Lily!”

  Several people glanced her way when she shouted, and one man pointed toward the antique shop. “She went in there.”

  She thanked him and ran across the street to go inside. Lily stood by a beautiful old trunk. Her long fingers caressed the worn wood. She opened the top of the trunk and tried to lift out the tray inside. Was she looking for something?

  Lily spotted Bailey. “My music is gone. It was here just a minute ago.”

  An Asian woman with long black hair and a friendly smile shifted toward her. “Are you with Lily? I didn’t see anyone come in with her.”

  “Yes, I’m her neighbor Bailey Fleming. I hope she hasn’t harmed anything.”

  “I didn’t see her do much except explore the trunk. I stopped in with some lavender the owner ordered.” She held out a slim hand. “Michelle Diskin, Jermaine’s wife. He said he met you. It’s sweet of you to look out for her. I stopped by to see her this morning, but she was gone. I was worried.”

  Bailey told her about her late-night visit from Lily. “Did she own my cabin at one time? She seems to think she used to live there.”

  Michelle’s smooth forehead furrowed. “Not that I know of, but we’ve only been in town about five years. It’s possible her family owned the entire tract of land out that way. I’ve heard the Norman family was one of the founders of the town, so she’d know a lot of history about this place.”

  And it was all locked in her brain.

  “Jermaine said you’re leaving on vacation soon.”

  Michelle moved her brightly colored skirt out of Lily’s way as the elderly woman moved to examine a desk. “Tomorrow actually. I’m finishing up a few errands before we go.”

  “Have a great time. I’ll look after Lily.”

  “It will ease our minds. She’s a sweet little thing. Before she got . . . sick, she used to bring the kids cookies and fudge. She’d play hide-and-seek with them, and we’d often have her over to dinner. She went downhill so fast. It’s sad.”

  Bailey’s gaze strayed to Lily again. “I wish she could tell me all the history. This seems like a wonderful town.”

  “It is. People here care about each other.”

  “I’ve found that out. A neighbor has already offered to put my dilapidated house in order, and everyone is making sure Lily is all right. I’m used to bigger cities. Well, except for the last place I lived, which is a lot like this.”

  “You told Jermaine you had experience with the elderly. Are you a nurse?”

  Bailey nodded.

  Michelle eyed her. “I don’t suppose you’re looking for a job?”

  The part-time job probably wouldn’t be enough long term. “I might be.”

  “My friend’s son had a brain injury that left him blind. It might be temporary, but so far nothing has changed. Helen’s interested in having someone come by a few hours every two days to check him over, help him orient himself and shower, that kind of thing.” Michelle named a generous salary. “I told her I’d be on the lookout for someone suitable. If you’re interested, I can give you her number.”

  “Would it be for Jason Yarwood?”

  Michelle’s beautiful black eyes widened. “It is.”

  “I met his ex-wife when I arrived in town yesterday. She pretty much hired me on the spot.”

  “I wondered if those two would get back together after all they went through. Glad to hear she cares enough about Jason to hire you.” She smiled and glanced over to check on Lily, who was focused on a fireplace mantel. “Where’d you come from?”

  “A little town called Rock Harbor, Michigan. I’ve forgotten all the places when I was in grade school, but I went to four different schools before I was in the sixth grade.”

  “Goodness, you need to stop and catch your breath.” Michelle tipped her head to one side and studied Bailey’s face. “You remind me of someone, but I can’t put my finger on who just yet. I think it’s the eyes.” Her gaze shifted over Bailey’s shoulder. “No, Lily, that might break.” She sprang past Bailey to take a lamp out of Lily’s hands.

  “I’d better get her home,” Bailey said. “I want to give her a bath and wash her hair.”

  “You say that like you’ve had experience caring for the elderly.”

  “A little bit.” Bailey smiled and clasped Lily’s hand to lead her to the door.

  Lance had brought his yellow Chevy C-10 pickup instead of his Acadia so he could pick up supplies, and he’d been careful to put out a tarp to protect his baby’s bed. He drove carefully to the cabin but left the stack of lumber in the truck and got out into overcast skies and a cold wind that ran down his spine. He grabbed a sock hat and gloves, then zipped up his jacket to take a stroll around the outside before Bailey got back. She wouldn’t take kindly to him poking around out here when she’d hired him to repair her house.

  He walked over soft, uneven ground and entered the woods at the back of the property. The red cedar, Sitka spruce, and western hemlock formed a canopy over soft mosses, yellow skunk cabbage, and deer fern. The air held the odor of moss and mold mingled with grass. Lance examined the understory of vegetation for tracks and paths—and struck pay dirt. Most of the vegetation had been trampled through here. He followed the path down to the water where the grayed pier stuck out into the calm water.

  This was a perfect landing place. A fairly large boat could get in here with cargo and be unseen. Hardly anyone lived out this way and the cabin sat on ten acres, so there was plenty of privacy. He walked onto the pier and inhaled the briny scent of the sea. An eagle soared overhead and landed in a tall red cedar. Several sea otters chattered along the shore, then dove into the pristine waters.

  Everywhere he looked wildlife abounded. This would be a conservationist’s dream, probably because no one had lived here for so long. He walked out on the pier a little ways, noting where several planks needed replacing. The pier felt fairly sound though and didn’t wobble when he walked.

  He retraced his steps and headed back toward the house. As he got closer to the road, he heard the whine of a chain saw. He followed the noise through the woods and across a mostly downed barbed-wire fence to where the trees grew thicker, and he had to climb over several fallen trees.

  He recognized the man as Jermaine Diskin, the next-door neighbor. He’d spoken with him a few months back when he’d checked out this property. He waited for Diskin to notice him and shut off the chain saw.

  Diskin nodded. “Agent Phoenix, isn’t it?”

  “You have a good memory, Mr. Diskin.”

  “Comes with the job.”

  Lance knew Diskin was a paramedic and took care of kids his boss transported by plane from Alaska. Admirable work, and he’d liked the young man the moment they’d met. “You have a new neighbor.”

  Diskin removed his wool hat with its earflaps and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. “I met her yesterday. Seems nice enough. You’re not investigating her, are you?”

  He would have to keep Diskin from alerting Bailey to his investigation. “Just keeping an eye on this place. You know much about her?”

  “Just that she’s a nurse and immediately offered to look in on our elderly neighbor. That makes her tops in my book.”

  In Lance’s too. “Anything else?”

  “Not really. She talked like she wasn’t sure how long she was staying. I have to admit I was curious how she came to be here, but so
mething about her made me keep my mouth shut. She seemed scared, but maybe I’m reading more into her manner than I should.”

  “I noticed a path through the property down to the pier. Looked like someone had been through there recently. You happen to see anything?”

  Diskin shook his head. “I didn’t see anything, but I heard a scream a few days ago. I got up to investigate, but I didn’t see anyone, so I thought maybe an owl got a rabbit. Didn’t like it though. The next morning I drove past the little cabin, but everything seemed the same.”

  A scream? That put Lance on high alert. “Anything else you’ve noticed?”

  “Not until Bailey arrived. I sometimes stop and peer in the windows just to make sure everything is okay. I’ve never seen anything off inside or out.”

  “Thanks for the information. I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell Ms. Fleming I’m an FBI agent. I’m going to poke around for a few days and make sure she’s okay.”

  “Sure thing, Agent Phoenix. I’ll be out of town with the family for about ten days, so I won’t be around to blow your cover. In fact, if you need to use my house for anything, help yourself. The key’s under the wheelbarrow in the shed. There’s a spare room on the second floor. I’d hate for anything to happen to Bailey. I have the feeling she’s here looking for somewhere to hide.”

  “Nice of you to offer, Mr. Diskin. Have a great vacation.”

  Lance walked back the way he’d come and exited the woods into the front yard of the little cabin. Every time he was in this area, he marveled at how kind people were.

  His phone rang, and Daniel was calling. “Hey, buddy, I was about to call you.”

  “Yeah, well, we’ve got a tip on wily Alfie’s whereabouts. I’m headed there now. Someone called it in a few minutes ago and told us he had four girls at an apartment in Port Townsend.”

  Lance’s gut tightened. “I’ll head that way now.”

  “I’ve got a replacement to help me already. Chief says to stay there and see what you can find out about Baker Holdings. We’re not positive this tip is real, so don’t blow your cover by rushing off. I’ll let you know what I find.”

 

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