Rains of Remorse

by Christy Barritt

  Cassidy didn’t break eye contact with him. “You mean that?”

  Levi nodded resolutely, leaving no room for doubt. “I do. I’m sorry, Rebecca. I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me. But I never expected to meet you and feel the way that I do.”

  Cassidy glanced at Rebecca before protectively placing an arm around her shoulders. “Maybe I should get you home. This has been a lot.”

  Rebecca stood. “Yes, I think some time by myself would do me some good.”

  “Rebecca—” Levi started. His eyes looked apologetic as they glimmered with unspoken emotion.

  She raised her hand. “I can’t talk any more right now. I just need to think.”

  Levi opened his mouth as if he might say more but then stopped himself. “I mean it, Rebecca. I never meant to hurt you.”

  She wanted to believe him, but she just wasn’t sure that she could. She’d trusted Jim, and look where it had gotten her. In this mess.

  It appeared trusting people was the wrong play to make.

  Levi watched them walk away. Chief Chambers had called over her shoulder that she wanted a word with him—after she walked Rebecca back to her house.

  What Levi had feared might happen had happened.

  Rebecca would never trust him again, and she was in danger.

  He rubbed his temples, trying to figure out a way to make this right.

  The only way Levi could do that was by keeping her safe. By tracking down whoever was involved in these crimes and arresting him. Then maybe Rebecca could have some peace about the future. Maybe she could live a halfway normal life with Emma here in Lantern Beach.

  Because Levi would leave this place. That had been his plan from the start. He’d never intended on staying here.

  Then why did his heart feel so attached already?

  Levi had no idea. He would finish this assignment . . . and then what? He glanced at the sand dunes in the distance, realizing just how quickly this place had grown on him.

  Would he move to DC and start a desk job with Homeland Security? That was the last thing he could envision himself doing. Then what?

  He didn’t have it all figured out yet. He wouldn’t for a while.

  Levi only knew that the thought of leaving this place did something strange to his heart.

  He picked up his phone. He needed more help here. Because something bad was going to go down on Lantern Beach. It would take more than him and Chief Chambers to put an end to this weapons-smuggling ring.

  It was going to get uglier before it got better.

  Cassidy appeared back at his door, looking all business. Any of the comradery they’d shared earlier was gone.

  “I want your badge number,” she said.

  “Of course.” He recited it to her, watching as she jotted it down on a pad of paper.

  “I should have been informed. I’m in charge of keeping this island safe.”

  “It wasn’t my choice.” He glanced beyond Cassidy and saw Rebecca pulling out. “Where is she going?”

  “She’s going by her office for a moment. Don’t worry—one of my officers is going to follow her.” The chief shifted. “Do you know anything about the house on Coastal Shores?”

  “Only what you know. The FBI must have other intel.”

  She gave him a look.

  Levi raised his hands. “I promise.”

  “Anything else I should know?”

  Levi watched as Rebecca’s SUV pulled away before turning his gaze back to Chambers. “We believe that an out-of-towner would be too suspicious here on the island at this time of year. In other words, we believe a local is involved in this operation—someone who took Jim’s place.”

  “Who?”

  Levi shrugged. “That’s the kicker. We haven’t been able to figure it out.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After Rebecca left Levi’s, she climbed into her SUV and slammed the door. Cassidy had walked her out and did a mental health check on her.

  Rebecca assured her friend that she was okay and just needed time to process everything. She planned on swinging by her office. It would help her keep her mind occupied. The last thing she wanted was to stay at the house thinking about Levi’s betrayal.

  As she traveled down the road, Rebecca glanced in the rearview mirror and confirmed that Officer Banks was following her in the patrol vehicle. She did find some comfort in knowing he was there, even if he did look like he was just out of high school.

  Her mind still spun from everything she’d learned. Not only was her late husband a criminal, but the new guy that Rebecca had started falling for had been lying to her. Man, did she know how to pick them.

  Rebecca glanced quickly at her belly. “Maybe you can learn from all my mistakes, baby Emma. Hopefully, you won’t inherit your mom’s naivety.”

  As Rebecca headed toward the business district on the island, her gaze wandered to some of the original buildings here on Lantern Beach. Her dad had owned one of the fish-processing plants here. When he retired, he’d tried to sell it, but they hadn’t found any buyers.

  She’d just come across a picture of her and Dad in front of that building when she’d been picking up everything after her place had been ransacked. When she remembered how much she’d shared with Levi, her heart sagged again.

  She’d been so stupid to trust him. So, so stupid. But it was too late to go back now.

  On a whim, she pulled into the lot and put her SUV in Park. She knew this was probably nothing, but she had seen Jim leaving this building one time. She had asked him about it, and he said he had just taken some time to clear his head.

  Before he’d left her, he’d been prone to fishing and spending a lot of time alone. Rebecca hadn’t thought that much of it at the time. Or, then again, maybe she’d simply stuck her head in the sand and not wanted to acknowledge the truth.

  She climbed from her SUV and pulled her coat closer as a chilly wind pierced the air. Droplets of rain felt like little knives as they hit her skin. She jogged over to Officer Banks’s car and knocked on his window. He rolled it down and squinted against the precipitation that speckled his car.

  “I’m going to run inside my dad’s old building for a minute. I just wanted to let you know.”

  He turned toward the metal-sided building. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  Rebecca glanced around. There were no other cars in the area. For that matter, there were no other cars on the road. She should be fine. She’d only be inside for a moment.

  “No, just give me a minute.”

  He nodded and rolled his window back up.

  She hurried to the door. She always carried a key to this building with her. She’d briefly put it on the market and, as a result, carried a skeleton key.

  Quickly, she unlocked the dingy building and stepped inside. Darkness surrounded her, as well as the scent of fish. Just being here brought back memories from her childhood—memories of helping her dad, of waiting for him to return home after long jaunts at sea. But she didn’t have time to dwell on them now.

  Rebecca didn’t really know what she was doing here, but something internal had led her to this place. Maybe it was just curiosity. Maybe she needed to put her mind at ease. But what if her husband had used this facility in his exploits?

  Maybe she should call Cassidy.

  No, not yet. Besides, Banks was outside.

  Instinctively, Rebecca reached for the light switch, but nothing happened. Of course. The power had been turned off. She could barely pay the electric bill for her own home, so no way would she waste her money to sustain this one. However, it was awfully dark.

  She pulled up a flashlight app on her phone and shined it around. The inside of the place looked just as Rebecca remembered it, save for a few critters that had taken up residence here. There were tables where crab meat had been processed and where clams and oysters had been cleaned before being shipped out to market.

  She walked across the building to the double doors on the other si
de. This side backed up to the harbor area, and sometimes Rebecca was still surprised that no one had ever purchased the building. But it would be the perfect place to do something secretive since it was out of sight from most of the other buildings.

  She opened the massive doors, and light flooded inside. Instantly, her mind was at ease.

  Feeling better, Rebecca scanned the place one more time. She didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. It didn’t look like anyone had been here for a long time, for that matter.

  She walked along the perimeter one more time, and then she decided she would leave for her office. As she reached the other side of the building, something on the floor caught her eye.

  While most of the place was dusty and dank, right here it looked like something had been slid along the floor. Something large. Maybe some boxes?

  Boxes full of . . . guns?

  Her instincts went on alert. Maybe her husband had been involved in what he had been accused of. And maybe this was the source of his operations.

  She had to tell Cassidy. And maybe Levi too. But as she turned to do so, she heard a footfall behind her.

  It looked like she was too late.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Levi felt beside himself. Not only had he ruined things with Rebecca, but he knew she was in danger. It would be harder to protect her now that she didn’t trust him.

  But that didn’t mean he was going to stop trying.

  Spontaneously, he grabbed his car keys. He knew how it would look if he went after Rebecca. But they needed to talk, and she needed someone to keep an eye on her. Her well-being was more important than their relationship at this point—although Levi did hope he could restore the beginnings of the relationship that had started this week.

  He would head out and look for her.

  As he rushed to his car, he lifted up a prayer that nothing had happened to her.

  Rebecca had no idea what kind of men they were dealing with. These guys, the Spades, were dangerous. Levi wasn’t even sure that Chief Chambers fully understood just how bad these people were.

  The Spades thought that Rebecca had something they wanted, and they weren’t going to stop until they got it back. That put Rebecca in a very bad place right now.

  Levi continued cruising the road, glancing down the side streets and hoping to spot Rebecca’s SUV. Maybe she had gone to her office like the chief said. That would make the most sense.

  He headed in that direction, still keeping his eyes open.

  But, outside her building, he still didn’t see Rebecca’s SUV. He pulled into the small parking area and paused. Where in the world could she have gone?

  A bad feeling grew in his stomach. He swallowed his pride and picked up his phone. First, he dialed Rebecca’s number. She didn’t answer. Next, he dialed the police station. A moment later, he was patched through to Chief Chambers.

  “Chief, this is Levi. I know I’m not your favorite person right now, but I’m looking for Rebecca.”

  “She went into the office for a little while. I have an officer with her.”

  “I’m at her office right now, and there is no one here.”

  Chambers paused for a moment. “Did you try her phone?”

  “She didn’t answer.”

  “I’ll call Banks and put an APB out for her if I need to.”

  “Thanks, Chief.”

  “We need to find her,” Chambers said.

  “I know. Believe me. You might not think much of me right now, but I really do care about Rebecca.”

  “I think you messed up, but let’s see if we can make all of this right.”

  He ended the call and put his car in Drive. He was going to search every last inch of this island until he found Rebecca. If it was the last thing he did.

  Rebecca slowly turned around until she saw . . . Patrick Peterson standing there.

  “Patrick? You’re involved in this.” How in the world had Mr. Boring gotten mixed up in this? If anyone, she thought maybe Jared, but . . . Patrick?

  He offered a half-hearted shrug as he raised the gun in his hands. His eyes almost looked glazed, but his hands were shaky, as if anxiety quelled inside him. “It’s complicated, but let’s just say my attention to detail has served me well. Or, at least, it’s served the Spades well.”

  “Why would you do this?” Rebecca blinked, nearly certain this was just a bad dream. And where was Banks? Why wasn’t he rushing inside to help right now?

  “It’s a long story. But once these people pull you in, it’s nearly impossible to get out.”

  “Is that what happened with Jim?” The facts spun in Rebecca’s head, and she desperately tried to make sense of them. But the overall picture that tried to form wasn’t one she was prepared to accept. However, she had no choice. She had to know the truth.

  “It is. He saw a way of making a few quick bucks. But then there was no way for him to return to normal life. They hold what you do against you in order to make you continue to do their dirty work.” Sweat beaded across his skin, all the way from his cheeks to the top of his partially bald head.

  “Jim’s death wasn’t an accident at all, was it?” Come on, Banks. I need your help. Now!

  Patrick shook his head, his breaths coming more quickly. “No, it wasn’t. I’m going to be next. Now, you have something I need.”

  “I have no idea what that might be. Believe me, after everything that’s happened this week, I’ve given this plenty of thought.”

  “Jim took some money from us, and we need it back. If I don’t get it, they’re going to kill me.” The gun trembled in his hand as Patrick aimed it at her chest.

  “Was this money related to the life insurance policy?”

  “No, that was different. I don’t know where he got that money. But he stole from the men we work for. He intercepted one of the weapons shipments and decided to sell them himself. He walked away with nearly five hundred thousand dollars from that.”

  Rebecca sucked in a breath. “Five hundred thousand? That’s a lot of money.”

  “No joke.” His voice cracked. “I need you to help me get it back.”

  She took a step backward, looking around for something to use to defend herself. A rusty clam rake leaned against the wall. If only she could grab it . . .

  She glanced at Patrick. “How am I supposed to help you get it back?”

  “We believe that he set up a custodial fund for your daughter. We need you to get into that fund and hand the money over to us.”

  That email Levi had found wasn’t a scam. This was bigger than Rebecca had ever thought. “But I don’t want that money. All you had to do was ask, and I would have given it to you.”

  “You would’ve turned us in.” Patrick’s face reddened. “Please, Rebecca. Help me get it back before they kill me too. Please don’t make this any harder. I don’t want to hurt you. I really don’t.”

  As he said the words, a contraction hit her. Rebecca nearly doubled over as her muscles tightened. Braxton Hicks? She wasn’t sure.

  “You’re not having the baby, are you?” His eyes widened.

  Rebecca squeezed her eyes shut, in no position right now to grab a makeshift weapon. “I don’t know what’s going on. But it doesn’t feel good.”

  “Rebecca . . .” Patrick stared at her a moment and then it almost looked like something snapped inside him. He drew in a deep breath, as if drawing on some inner strength. “You’re going to have to wait on delivering your baby. Because before anything else happens, I need the money.”

  She glanced at the door, still hoping that Banks would rush inside.

  Patrick seemed to read her thoughts, and he grabbed her arm, pulling her closer. “Don’t worry about the officer outside. I already knocked him out. I didn’t want to, but I had no other choice. I’m in this deep, Rebecca. Too deep.”

  Another tremble of fear went through Rebecca. This man was desperate, there was no doubt about that. His desperation made him unpredictable. He just might carry through on
his threats.

  She swallowed hard and kept her voice even as she asked, “What do I need to do?”

  “I need to take you to the bank, and I need you to act like everything is normal as you transfer the money over to me.” His gun jammed into her side.

  Another contraction hit her, and a groan escaped from her lips. “I’m not going to make it to the mainland to a bank.”

  “Rebecca . . . don’t do this to me.” Patrick gripped her arm tighter until she nearly cried out.

  How had he gotten himself into this mess? No wonder he’d been hounding her about that policy. He’d also asked her which account the funds should be deposited in. He’d been fishing for information, hadn’t he?

  Rebecca glanced out the door. Banks was slumped over the steering wheel of his police cruiser. Nobody else knew she was here.

  Another contraction hit her. Rebecca closed her eyes.

  Dear Lord, what am I going to do?

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Levi had gone from one end of the island to the next, and he hadn’t found Rebecca.

  She had to be here somewhere. He kept moving down the highway, his thoughts racing. Where might she be?

  He had no idea.

  He searched his memories for all the conversations they’d had. Were there any that might indicate where she would have gone?

  His mind fast-forwarded through the pictures he’d seen at Rebeca’s place. There had been one of Rebecca with her father down by the water. It had looked like a more commercial area.

  My dad used to own a seafood-processing facility . . .

  Knowing how sentimental Rebecca was, what if she’d held on to it?

  Levi had no idea if she had or not, but it was worth a try. Levi had seen a more commercial area near the harbor. He headed there now.

  Ten minutes later, he reached the harbor. He slowed as his gaze scanned the buildings there.

  Finally, his perusal stopped on a burgundy SUV. It was Rebecca’s. A police car was parked behind it, and someone appeared to be inside.