Rock Harbor Search and Rescue

by Colleen Coble

  “But they bought something.”

  “So? That could’ve been to make them less of a suspect.”

  “Right. I don’t know who they are. Do you?”

  Olivia scrunched her nose. “The woman looked a little familiar, but I can’t think of from where. Maybe it’ll come to me later.”

  The dog pawed at Emily’s bedroom door. “Did you know a Samoyed husky named Laika was the first animal in space?”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “Stop spouting off history facts and focus on the case!”

  “Sorry, I’ve just been studying so much for History Smackdown that I’ve got a million facts swirling around in my head.” Emily wrote down The Couple. “Go find Timmy, Charley.” She chewed on the end of her pencil. “Oh, and Mrs. Cooper.”

  “I hadn’t heard she and Pansy were back in town.” Olivia shook her head. “It had to be really hard on them to leave the only home they knew.”

  “Yeah, but I can understand why they left. People can be pretty mean.” Emily couldn’t believe Mrs. Cooper had come back to Rock Harbor after everything. She had to be either brave or desperate.

  “I know. I feel sorry for Pansy. It’s not her fault her dad stole the money from the town.”

  Yeah, and it wasn’t Emily’s fault her mother was in jail either, but it didn’t stop people from whispering behind her back. “I feel sorry for them too. I know what it’s like.”

  Mr. Cooper worked in the tax office, and he’d stolen tax money. When he was caught a year ago, he’d been sent to jail. Emily was a little vague on the details, but everyone in town had been talking about it.

  “I overheard Mom and Dad talking right before they left on the cruise that Mrs. Cooper had just come back to Rock Harbor. Seems that she’s having some serious money problems.”

  Emily grinned at her best friend. “You overheard? You mean, you were eavesdropping?”

  Now it was Olivia’s turn to blush and drop her gaze to the pretty pink comforter Naomi had bought especially for Emily’s birthday last year. “I can’t help it if their voices carry when they’re talking so loud.”

  “What else did you overhear?”

  “Just that she had enrolled Pansy in school and was looking for a job. So far, no one would hire her.”

  “I wonder if Bree knows.” Bree was the sweetest woman ever, and if she knew no one would hire Mrs. Cooper, she would definitely try to help.

  Olivia nodded at the list. “That’s not many people.”

  “I know, but it’s a start. It’ll be more than what the sheriff is looking for.”

  “Do you really believe Sheriff Kaleva thinks you took the necklace, Emily?”

  “He sure acted like it. And you saw the way he looked at me.” She shivered. “Like he was ready to arrest me right there.” For a minute, she imagined herself thrown into jail—in her mother’s cell. The thought made her want to throw up, and she hugged the pillow. “I can’t think about it.”

  Olivia nodded. “I’m sorry. We’ll find out who really took the necklace. Then Sheriff Kaleva will have to apologize for even thinking you had anything to do with it.”

  Timmy spilled out of the closet. “Can me and Dave help?”

  Emily jumped off her bed in shock. “Timmy! You aren’t supposed to be in my room.” At least that explained why Charley was acting so crazy. She’d busted her little pest of a brother time and again for being in her room without her permission. Dad promised to ground him the next time he did it. She started toward the door. “I’m going to tell Dad.”

  Timmy looked alarmed and jumped in front of her. “Wait. Let me help. I don’t think you took the stupid necklace either.”

  Emily stopped. “You don’t?” It was great that someone believed her, but she was pretty sure he was only supporting her because he wanted something. “Why not?”

  “Because you wouldn’t do anything to stop Dad and Naomi from letting you have that puppy, that’s why.”

  True. She cocked her head to the side. “But why do you want to help me?”

  He shrugged. “Because you’re my sister.”

  “What else?”

  “Okay, okay.” He held up his hands. “Me and Dave are bored. His mom and Naomi are busy with the Kitchigami Search-and-Rescue Training Center and Matthew and the twins. And Dad’s busy with the hardware store. Nobody ever lets us do anything. We’re tired of being treated like babies.”

  Emily opened her mouth to tell him no and to order him to leave her room, then snapped it closed. So many times Dad hadn’t let her go somewhere or do something she really wanted to do because he thought she was too young. She hated when that happened. It didn’t seem fair to do the same to Timmy. She turned to Olivia.

  Olivia shrugged. “Why not? We should take all the help we can get.”

  Timmy jumped up and down. “C’mon, Em. I promise we won’t be any trouble. We’ll do whatever you say. Please?”

  That alone was worth letting them help. She grinned. “Okay. But you have to promise to only do what I tell you, all right?”

  He nodded, nearly bouncing up and down. “Can I call Dave and tell him?”

  “Yeah, but tell him not to say anything to his mom.” Bree was one of the coolest adults Emily knew, but who knew how she’d feel about her son helping in the investigation?

  Timmy nodded again, then ran from the room.

  Olivia giggled and lay back on the pillows. “You sure made his day.”

  “I hope I didn’t make a mistake.” What if Dad overheard Timmy talking to Dave? What if Dave told his mom? Bree and Naomi were best friends, just like Emily and Olivia.

  “I don’t think you did. Who knows? Maybe they’ll actually be helpful. I hope so, because I don’t have a clue where to start.”

  “Me either.” Emily plopped back down on the bed and lifted the notebook. Olivia was right—they didn’t have many suspects and not much to go on with the ones they did have.

  Olivia sat upright on the bed. “Hey, maybe Dave could get Samson out in the area where the booth was and do some sniffing around.”

  Well . . . that was something. “What would he look for? The necklace? Too many of Mrs. Dancer’s items were there, and I’m sure they’d all smell the same.”

  Olivia’s face scrunched. “I guess so.”

  “Hey, it was a good thought.” She flopped onto the bed on her stomach. “We’ve got to find a clue somehow.”

  She didn’t want everyone to think she was a thief. She wasn’t.

  Emily just had to prove it.

  “Mason. Come in.” Dad opened the front door and led the sheriff inside. “Please, have a seat.”

  Emily froze at the kitchen sink, her hand tightening around the glass of water she’d ventured out of her room for. She tilted her head, listening down the hall. The water in the bathroom was still running—Olivia took the longest showers ever. She moved around the kitchen island for a better visual on Dad and Sheriff Kaleva. Her heart thumped against her ribs. Maybe they’d found the necklace, and this nightmare would be over.

  “Where’s Naomi?” the sheriff asked as he followed Dad into the living room. He sat on the couch, keeping his back straight.

  “Reading to Timmy. He’s been having a tough time getting to sleep some nights.” Dad sat in his big, comfy recliner, opposite the couch.

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  Dad shifted in his seat. “This late, I’m pretty sure this isn’t a social visit.”

  The sheriff glanced over his shoulder toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms. “Is Emily around? I’ve interviewed various people regarding Mary’s missing necklace, and I’d like to discuss some of their statements with Emily. And you, of course.”

  “Sure.” Dad stood.

  Emily set down the glass and stepped into the living room. “I’m right here.”

  Dad frowned. “Were you eavesdropping?”

  “No, sir.” Heat burned her face. “Well, I didn’t mean to. Olivia’s taking her shower, and I was thirsty, so
I came to the kitchen to get a drink of wa—”

  “Never mind. Come sit down.” Dad’s expression didn’t change. Emily was sure he’d discuss eavesdropping with her again after the sheriff left.

  “Yes, sir.” She moved to sit in the other recliner beside Dad’s. She wiped her slick palms on her jeans.

  “Emily.” Sheriff Kaleva gave her a look that made her want to fidget in her seat. “I’ve interviewed several people who stopped by Mrs. Dancer’s booth today.”

  She nodded, even though her pulse was pounding so loudly in her ears that she couldn’t concentrate.

  “One of the girls you mentioned, Rachel Zinn, remembered something she heard you say.”

  Sheriff Kaleva’s face was somber, and she clutched her hands together. “What?”

  The sheriff leaned a little bit toward the edge of his seat. “She said she overheard you telling someone you’d copied that necklace specifically so you could swap it and make a lot of money.”

  Gasping, Emily leaped to her feet and stared at the sheriff. “That’s a lie! I never said that.”

  Dad’s frown deepened into the lines of his face—never a good sign. “Emily, why would she lie?”

  She bit her lip and struggled not to cry. He couldn’t actually believe Rachel, could he? “Because she hates me. I don’t know why, she just does. Dad, you’ve got to believe me!”

  “Emily, sit down.” Dad looked tired, and he rubbed his head.

  She slumped back into the chair, even though it felt like every nerve in her body sat outside her skin. “Dad, I didn’t take the necklace.”

  Dad’s eyes narrowed until they were little slits. “You expect us to believe Rachel told a flat-out lie to the sheriff?”

  “But she is lying. I never said that, Dad. You have to believe me.” She looked back at Sheriff Kaleva. “It’s her word against mine. I’m telling the truth.”

  Dad looked at the sheriff.

  The sheriff gave a slight shake of his head. “Emily, it’s not just Rachel who told me. Another girl, Gretchen Siller, was with Rachel and said basically the same thing.”

  What? No way. Gretchen didn’t have anything against her. Emily’s throat was so tight she thought she’d choke. “They’re both wrong. I didn’t say that.” A thought occurred to her. “Who did they say I said that to?”

  Sheriff Kaleva met her stare head-on. “Olivia.”

  She straightened in her chair. “Oh good, Olivia will tell you the truth when she gets out of the shower. She knows that I never said that.”

  The sheriff glanced at Dad, then back to her. “While that may be true, I’m uncomfortable questioning a minor without one of her parents present.”

  “She won’t care. She’ll tell you Rachel’s lying.”

  Dad shook his head. “Emily, Sheriff Kaleva is right. I wouldn’t want you questioned without me.”

  “So you’re just going to take Rachel and Gretchen’s word over mine without even asking Olivia?” Don’t cry, don’t cry. “How about if she just tells you that I didn’t say that? It wouldn’t be you questioning her, just her telling you the truth.”

  Sheriff Kaleva shook his head as he stood. “That’s the same thing, Emily.”

  He motioned to the door as Dad stood as well. Together, they reached the foyer. The sheriff’s voice was lowered, but Emily could still make out what he said. “We’ll keep investigating, of course, but I’m going to be honest with you, Donovan. All the evidence is pointing to Emily.”

  Her body began to shake a bit uncontrollably. Why was this happening to her? She hadn’t stolen the necklace, and she certainly had never said she was going to do that. Why did Rachel hate her so much that she’d lie? And what about Gretchen? Why would she lie about Emily? They’d been friends since kindergarten. Well, then again, so had Emily and Rachel.

  “Emily.” Dad had shut the door behind the sheriff and stood facing her. “I want to talk to you, but I need to talk with Naomi first. Go ahead and wait in your room until we call you.”

  Tears burned her eyes. “Dad, I promise you, I never said anything about stealing a necklace. I didn’t take it. I promise.”

  “Just go to your room, Em. We’ll discuss this later.”

  She ran to her room and threw herself across the bed, just as Olivia opened the bathroom door. A cloud of steam wafted behind her. “What’s the matter?”

  Emily rolled onto her back. She told her what the sheriff had said and how her dad had reacted. “He really believes I took the necklace. On purpose. And that I’m lying. Why won’t he believe me?”

  “I’ll tell him and Sheriff Kaleva that you didn’t say that to me.” Olivia sat on the ottoman at the foot of Emily’s bed. “I can’t believe Gretchen said that too.”

  “Me either. I thought Gretchen liked me.” She’d never even had so much as an argument with Gretchen, so why would she back up Rachel’s story? Wait a minute . . . “I bet Rachel made her lie so the sheriff would believe her story.”

  “How could Rachel make her lie?”

  “I don’t know, but Rachel can be pretty mean.”

  A knock sounded on the bedroom door, then it creaked open and Naomi stuck her head inside. She wasn’t smiling. “Emily, your dad and I would like to speak to you for a moment.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Olivia reached out and grabbed Naomi’s hand. “Mrs. O’Reilly, I don’t know why Rachel and Gretchen are lying, but Emily never said she was making the copy of Mrs. Dancer’s Sapphire Beauty to steal it. She didn’t tell me she planned to take the necklace.”

  Naomi smiled softly. “Thank you, Olivia. You’re a good friend.” The smile fell off her face as her stare lit on Emily. “Come on.”

  Emily followed Naomi into the living room. Dad stood, not a good sign. He pointed at the couch. “Sit down.”

  She sat and looked down at her hands. Please, God, let him listen to me. Maybe he’d give her the benefit of the doubt. She was telling the truth, after all.

  “Are you sure there isn’t anything you’d like to tell us?”

  His stern voice brought tears to her eyes. If her own dad didn’t believe her, who would? He really thought she’d plotted and planned to steal the necklace and then had done it.

  She lifted her chin and looked at him, willing him to see the truth in her face. “I didn’t take the necklace, Dad.” She let her focus shift to Naomi. “I give you my word. I’m not lying.”

  Naomi’s expression softened. “You have to realize how this looks, Emily. If it was just one person’s word against yours . . . but it’s two.”

  “And Olivia told you I never said I planned to steal the necklace, so it isn’t just my word against Rachel’s and Gretchen’s.”

  “There’s no logical reason for them to lie, Emily.” Dad’s tone was harsher than she’d heard in a long, long time.

  A lump the size of Lake Superior almost choked her. “I don’t know why they’re lying, Daddy, just that I’m telling the truth. That’s all I can say. God knows I’m not lying. And if you believe them, then you’re also calling Olivia a liar. There’s no logical reason for me to lie either, you know. What would I do with Mrs. Dancer’s necklace? I couldn’t wear it or sell it with everyone knowing it was stolen. And why would I ruin my chances to get my puppy? You know how badly I want him.”

  No one said anything. It was like they all held their breath. The old grandfather clock in the dining room ticked, the sound bouncing into the living room as loud as a drum.

  Dad sighed. “For the next two weeks, I want you home by five every afternoon. You are to help Naomi with dinner and with Matthew and Timmy. Even with Olivia here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And unless we hear something different from Sheriff Kaleva, there will be no puppy.”

  Her heart broke. It didn’t matter what she said. He didn’t believe her.

  And that hurt worse than not getting her puppy.

  THREE

  The September sun beat down on the city as its residents sp
illed out of the Rock Harbor Community Church. People visited as they walked slowly to their cars. Emily and Olivia walked away from Dad and Naomi, who were chatting with the pastor just outside the church’s doors. Dave and Timmy hovered behind the girls.

  “What are you doing?” Emily asked her brother.

  “We’re waiting on you to tell us what you want us to do and how we can help.”

  As if she had any idea. Suddenly, it hit her. “Pansy.”

  “Huh?” Both boys wore confused expressions.

  “Pansy Cooper is back in school. The elementary school. You two see what you can find out from her. Her mom saw the necklace before Mrs. Dancer asked us to watch the booth.” They hadn’t been in church, but Emily wouldn’t want to go and have everyone stare at her either.

  “Like what?” Dave asked.

  She shrugged. What could they find out?

  “See if you hear anything about their mom having money problems or if they recently had some money come in.” Olivia looked at Emily. “If she stole the necklace, she’d have sold it quickly to get the money she needed.”

  “Good idea.” Emily turned to the boys. “Just make friends with Pansy and see what you can find out.”

  “Davy!” Bree, with one of his two-year-old siblings on each hip, called across the lot. “Come on. We’re going to your grammy’s for lunch.”

  Dave nodded. “We’ll see what we can find out tomorrow.” He sprinted toward his family.

  Emily, Olivia, and Timmy headed toward Dad and Naomi, who were making their way to the parking lot.

  “You know, one thing’s bothering me,” Olivia whispered.

  “What?” Emily stopped and grabbed Olivia’s arm to stop her, but waved her brother on.

  “You copied her necklace, right?”

  “Yeah. I thought it was pretty, and she’d shown it in commercials for the festival. I thought maybe I could sell mine cheaper and make some money.” That didn’t quite work out the way she’d planned. “Why?”

  “I know hers was bigger and heavier, but you both used fused glass and similar beads, didn’t you? I mean, she didn’t have any real gems or anything, right?”