Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

by Colleen Coble

  Kate pulled Emma and Phoebe against her sides as Drake opened the door. Jackson pressed against her leg and whined as if he sensed her turmoil. “Please don’t tell Danny. He’ll say I’m crying wolf again. I’m sure it was just a mouse or something.”

  Drake shoved open the door and stepped inside. His gaze went to the security system. “The alarm is disarmed. Did you forget to engage it when you left?” He turned back toward the door so he could see her.

  She shook her head. “It must have already been disarmed when I came for the food. I forgot all about it.” She glanced around. “I left the window in the kitchen open too. I have to quit doing that.”

  “You’re sure you turned it on before you left this morning?”

  She hugged the girls closer to her. “I-I’m not sure. This dratted chemo brain. Turning it on hasn’t gotten into my muscle memory yet, so maybe I forgot to do it.”

  And maybe the guy had figured out how to disarm it already. “I’ll check with the alarm company. They’ll be able to see today’s history.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Oh! I have an app on my phone that does that.” She let go of Emma and dug in her monstrosity of a purse and pulled out her phone. She swiped it on, then scrolled through the icons. “Here it is.” A few moments later she gasped. “I activated it at eight o’clock when I went to your cottage. It was deactivated a few minutes later and never turned back on.”

  “It’s possible it was a glitch, but I don’t like it.” The girls both looked a little scared. Unfortunately, there’d been no option but to bring them down here. “Luke and Claire should be here any minute. I’ll have Luke check out the house with me. You and Claire can take the girls back to the cottage.” He went back out onto the deck with her.

  She slipped her phone into her pocket, then slung her purse over her shoulder and clasped hands with the girls. “I think I’ll take them back to the cottage now. I’ve got bear spray.”

  He started to protest, then heard tires crunch on the gravel driveway. Luke’s big truck came into view, and Claire leaped out of it before it had stopped rolling. “Looks like the cavalry has arrived.”

  Claire’s cheeks were pink, and her hair lay unbound on her shoulders as if she’d just taken it down. Tail wagging, Jackson went to greet her and she rubbed his head, but her frown stayed in place.

  Before Claire could voice her concern, Kate held up her hand. “Don’t freak out, Claire. It’s probably nothing, and I’m wishing I didn’t even call you guys or say anything. If this gets back to Danny, he’s going to ignore me the next time I call.”

  Drake motioned to Luke as he got out of the truck. “It appears someone might have turned off the security system after she left the house this morning. It doesn’t hurt to check it out. Better safe than sorry.”

  Kate motioned to Jackson, then took Claire and the girls down the road to the cottage. Drake nodded for Luke to follow him back into the house. “She heard something in the basement but convinced herself it was a mouse or a coon that had gotten in. I didn’t want to scare her, but I’m concerned about the alarm being disabled. I told her maybe it was a glitch, but I really doubt that.”

  Luke still wore his Coast Guard uniform. “Claire did a lot of research before she bought the security system. This alarm was supposed to be the best out there. I doubt it would have that serious of a glitch.” He went to the basement door and opened it.

  “I wasn’t sure where the basement was. Glad you know.” Drake peered past Luke’s shoulder when the man flipped on the light. “Not finished or anything.”

  “No, just an old country basement.” The first step creaked under Luke’s feet.

  Drake followed him down and grimaced at the stench of dampness and old wood. He had to duck once he reached the dirt floor. “Close down here.”

  “Yeah, these old basements don’t have much headroom.” Luke peered through the murky light. “Did she say where the sound came from?”

  “South side of the steps.” Drake turned to face a decrepit wooden table under a dirty window. “Not much over here.”

  An old plastic tablecloth hung dispiritedly on the table, its red color faded to nearly pink. Several bottles of cleaning supplies sat atop it as well as a metal painting tray and several brushes. He moved each item to see if a mouse hid underneath, though he doubted a mouse could make enough noise to frighten Kate.

  “Check under it,” Luke suggested.

  Drake pulled the tablecloth up and piled it on the table’s surface, then went down on one knee and peered under it. His gaze landed on a scuffed-up area in the dirt. Was that the indentation of knees? “Take a look at this, Luke.”

  Luke knelt beside him and pointed. “Look there. That might be where his shoe dug into the ground. And this looks like knee prints.” He pointed out the area Drake had noticed.

  Drake rose and dusted his hands off on his shorts. “There’s no way of knowing if someone was just down here and made those marks or if they’ve been here for a while, but the chances are good someone was in here.”

  Drake frowned as a piece of paper caught his eye by the stairs. In two steps he was in front of it and scooped it up. “It’s a receipt for a soda at the minimart. And it’s dated for last night. Kate doesn’t drink soda.” He waved the receipt. “I think this is our proof. We need to tell the sheriff about it.”

  “I can drop it off to Jonas on my way home.”

  Drake nodded and handed it over to Luke. “Let me know what you find out.” He didn’t like the idea of Kate staying here by herself, but he knew her well enough by now to realize she’d insist on staying in her home.

  TWENTY-ONE

  The sound of the Disney movie in the living room filtered into the kitchen where the adults gathered around the kitchen table. Kate felt like an animal at the zoo as all eyes fastened on her. She focused on her sister’s face. If anyone would be on her side, it would be Claire. Jackson licked her foot as if he wanted to comfort her.

  “I’ve got bear spray,” she began.

  Luke folded his arms across his chest. “And what happens if he breaks in while you’re sleeping?”

  The realization that someone had been in the house had hit her hard, but she was getting her equilibrium back. “I can’t live my life in fear. I did that when I had aplastic anemia, and I’m tired of it. We’ve changed the code on the security system. I’ll lock my bedroom door too.”

  Claire sat twirling a lock of hair around her finger and biting her lip. Her gaze met Kate’s. “Come home with us, Kate, please. I won’t get a wink of sleep with you there by yourself.”

  So much for support from Claire. Kate rolled the idea around in her head. “Where does it all end, Claire? I can’t keep running to you when every little thing goes wrong.”

  “A repeating intruder isn’t every little thing.” Claire’s voice rose. “This guy is so bold. It’s as if he has total confidence in not being caught. He was in your house in the daylight.”

  “But not while I was home. I came back and surprised him. And it could even be Uncle Paul. Has anyone thought of that?”

  Luke’s expression grew more alert, and he leaned forward at the end of the table. “What makes you think it could be Paul?”

  Why did she have that initial sense of her uncle’s presence? Then it came to her. “I smelled that same cologne, just a faint trace, in the kitchen before I went to the basement. I didn’t consciously notice it, but that’s why I called out his name when I heard the noise. We aren’t sure he’s left the area.”

  Drake rose and turned to the coffeepot where he prepared decaf. “And that’s not any kind of reassurance, Kate. Your uncle has already proven he’s dangerous.”

  Kate started to protest, then remembered how he’d terrified her. Every encounter seemed to indicate he held her in the same light as he did Claire—as an enemy. All her years of loving him had blinded her to his true nature, and she didn’t know what it would take for her to get the old Uncle Paul out of her head.

  She
tipped up her chin. “If he’d wanted to hurt me, he would have grabbed me in the basement. I think he was looking for something.”

  Claire gave an impatient huff. “What?”

  “Mom lived in that house for a long time, and he was there a lot. Sometimes he slept in that tiny bedroom in the back. Maybe he hid something inside it.”

  The scent of coffee filled the kitchen, and Drake took down some mugs. “He probably knows from your last contact with him that you wouldn’t help him if he asked.”

  She rose to help him and took the cream from the refrigerator. “No, I wouldn’t. I want him caught and back in jail.”

  Luke stood and went to peer out the back door window. “I thought I heard something.”

  Kate turned as a crash sounded outside. Over Luke’s shoulder she saw a shaggy black form rear up by the trash can. “It’s a bear!”

  They all crowded to the door and looked out. A small black bear, probably the same one she’d seen earlier, smacked around the trash can by the small shed. Jackson went into a paroxysm of barking and lunged at the door. The bear lifted its head, then went back to hitting the trash can.

  Drake’s hand went to the doorknob. “How’d it get the can out of the shed? I threw the crossbar on the door.”

  “Bears are resourceful.” Luke stopped him when he started to unlock the door. “Not a good idea, buddy. It might look small, but it’s way stronger than we are. Leave it be, and we’ll clean up after it wanders off.”

  Drake stepped back and frowned. “I don’t like having a bear around. It’s not safe for the girls to go out.”

  “I’m always with them, just like I was the first time we saw it. They usually run off when they see you. And Jackson would chase them off with his barking.” Kate kept a strong, cheerful tone, but she didn’t like it either. She could count on both hands the times she’d seen bears back here in her entire life. And this one looked scrawny and sick, not a good combination when in the presence of humans. When bears got desperate, they tended to be unpredictable.

  A little like people, including her uncle Paul.

  She left the door and went to pour coffee. “It’s getting late, so you’d better drink your coffee and head for home.”

  “Trying to get rid of us?” Claire had a teasing lilt to her voice, but there was a somber note under it. “We haven’t come to a decision about what to do.”

  “I have, but you aren’t listening.” Kate laughed to take the sting out of her statement. “I’m going to be fine.”

  Claire slipped her arm around Kate and hugged her. “Keep your phone by the bed, okay? And barricade your door with the dresser.”

  “That’s a really good idea. I’ll sleep better too.” Kate hugged her sister back.

  At least they were all letting it go. For a while she’d been sure they’d pressure her so much she’d have to give in.

  * * *

  Life settled into an even keel for a few days, though Kate’s house felt like a jail cell. Claire had the locks and the alarm password changed once again. Though Kate knew it was important to keep things locked up, it still took a conscious effort to remember to switch it on and off. The installer had set it up so Drake would be called if a window broke or someone breached the door when it was locked. Several times Jackson had awakened her with soft growls, but each time, his dismay had been over an outside animal.

  She was ready to think about something else rather than her rampaging uncle. Now that the weekend was over, she would start making some calls to the hotels in Boston to see what she could find out about Melissa and Wang. Kate was a little sorry she’d volunteered because the calls felt intrusive to the dead woman’s privacy, but she settled on the sofa with Jackson beside her and began to make some calls. After five dead ends, she was ready to give up, but she had time for one more.

  When the receptionist answered, Kate smiled so that good energy would go through the phone. “Good morning, this is Kate Mason, and I work for Mr. Chen Wang.”

  “Of course, Ms. Mason. Mr. Wang is always an honored guest. How may I assist you?”

  “I’m not sure if I should talk to you or someone else, but unfortunately we’re having to navigate an IRS audit.”

  The woman made a sound of sympathy. “That’s the worst!”

  “Tell me about it. Anyway, the IRS is questioning the charges sent through from your hotel on April 21st of this year. Do you happen to remember that visit? Mr. Wang was there for three days. He will be so grateful if you could corroborate this visit for me along with any details you might remember. He usually keeps a journal of all his business, but the one from that month is missing, and I need to re-create it.”

  The woman said nothing for a moment, and Kate was afraid she had begun to be suspicious, but she must have been thinking because her voice was still light and helpful when she finally spoke. “I was on the check-in desk for eight hours every day then, and I spoke to Mr. Wang several times a day. What kind of corroboration would be useful?”

  “Who he met with, how many people he bought lunch for any of those days, any guests who stayed with him and what their business might be. If we’re lucky, it’s something that is tax deductible.” Kate gave a hearty sigh she hoped would sway the woman.

  “Hmm, let me think a moment.” Another pause came over the phone. “Oh yes, I remember now. My sister is a server in the restaurant, and the second night he was here, he gave an engagement ring to a woman. My sister said she’d never seen a diamond that big. Oh wait, that probably won’t help prove his trip here was business, will it?”

  “It might. Maybe the woman is a business partner, and that was just part of the evening.” Kate’s pulse blipped. Though she didn’t know what to make of it, it would likely mean something to Drake. “Do you know the woman’s name? Or maybe what she looked like?”

  “He called her Melissa.”

  Kate fought to keep her tone even. “Was this Melissa there all three days too?”

  “I don’t think so. I saw her arrive two different mornings.”

  Heath would have noticed if she was gone for three days. “Thank you so much for your help.”

  “If it was help. I’m not so sure. We all like Mr. Wang.”

  She thanked the woman again and ended the call. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she disarmed the alarm and let herself out, then armed it again. She started for the cottage with the dog on her heels. Thunderheads built in the sky, and she smelled rain and ozone in the air. A big storm was heading this way, so she’d better hurry.

  She rushed through the fields toward Drake’s cottage, brushing aside blueberry bushes with her feet. When she reached the edge of the road, Jackson stopped and barked. He dug under a plant, and she caught a glimpse of a bright spot of yellow. A moment later Jackson had it in his mouth and brought it to her.

  “Good boy.” She patted him and relieved him of his find. The small yellow pouch appeared to be the kind of thing women would use to transport jewelry. The contents were still intact, but the jumble of jewelry, watches, and hair ties didn’t tell her anything new. It surely didn’t belong to Uncle Paul. Who had dropped it?

  She stared at the woods again. The sheriff and his deputies had been all over that area. There was no need for her to go there, too, but something compelled her to put one sneakered foot in front of the other and enter the shadows. Her heart beat fast in her throat, and she thrust her hand into her purse to close her fingers around the bear spray.

  Jackson growled at her side, and she pulled out the can and held her finger on the nozzle. If Paul came out from behind a tree, she’d blast him right in the eyes with it. But she only heard the soughing of the wind in the trees and the chirping of the birds overhead.

  She reached the waterfall and glanced around. The area didn’t look nearly as scary in the daylight. The water pouring over the rocks was much lighter now, but with the storm moving in, it would regain its power. She was almost tempted to go into that cave again. A shudder passed over her and she took a
step back. Nothing was there for her to see.

  There were no answers here, only more questions.

  The wind freshened, and a drop of cold rain hit her face. She retraced her steps and began to breathe easier when she and Jackson stepped clear of the shadowy forest. The wind tried to tear her hair from her head as lightning crackled overhead. An open field during a lightning storm was not the safest place to be. She broke into a run and raced for the cottage as the clouds broke open and rain lashed her. By the time she reached the porch, her hair hung in her face and her clothes were soaked.

  Under the safety of the porch, she shook off along with her dog, then stepped to the door.

  TWENTY-TWO

  Kate hadn’t even set foot on the porch when she heard the commotion through the open door. Drake had said not to bother knocking, so she opened the screen door and dropped her purse on the entry table. Jackson raced past her to see the girls.

  Emma was on the sofa with both arms crossed, and Phoebe had a pink stuffed bear in a choke hold in her right arm and a purple unicorn in the other. Both girls were red faced and staring sullenly at each other.

  Dressed in denim shorts and a Celtics T-shirt, Drake stood with his back to the door. “I’ll get another stuffed bear. We’ll get some ice cream too.”

  “But it’s my bear.” Emma clenched her hands into fists. “I got a bear and she got a unicorn.”

  “You put it down.” Phoebe hugged the bear tighter. “It was my turn.”

  “Just to go to the bathroom! I came right back.” Tears rolled down Emma’s cheeks. “Make her give Pinky back to me, Uncle Drake.”

  “You need to share,” Drake said.

  Kate wanted to roll her eyes, but she stepped closer so she was in their line of vision. “Phoebe, if you want her bear for a while, give her your unicorn.”

  Phoebe clutched both stuffed animals closer. “No! Plum is mine.”