Colleen Coble

by Rosemary Cottage

  Though it hadn’t been safe for Ben. She still reeled from everything she’d learned since she’d arrived. Drugs. Was it possible? If so, she wanted to hide it from her parents.

  She let sand trickle through her fingers. She still didn’t see Curtis’s broad-shouldered figure. He’d gone down the beach to a vendor to fetch water for them both. It had been a pleasant interlude, but they still had yet to decide on a course of action. The problem was that they had so little to go on. Her gut instinct was all they had. At least he believed enough to help her pursue it.

  “Amy?”

  Dara stood about five feet away with another woman with dishwater hair that was styled in a spiky cut that gave her a youthful flair. She appeared to be in her fifties.

  Amy stood and brushed the sand from her hands. “Hi, Dara. Are you enjoying the show?”

  “It’s very thrilling. Are you going to compete?”

  Amy shook her head. “Not hardly. You?”

  “I wish I could! I love adventure. I’ve been trying to talk Aunt Winona here into learning.” She glanced at the other woman. “I don’t think you two have met. This is my aunt, Winona Anderson. We’re here for a month.”

  “Pleased to meet you. Have you been here before?”

  “This is our first time. I’m looking to buy a house next to the handsome Coast Guard officer who helped save us,” Winona said. “So you might be seeing a lot of us. We wouldn’t move here, of course. I have my constituents to take care of, and Dara has her modeling career to pursue. But I could see coming over in our boat every month.”

  Modeling? Amy thought Dara worked for Preston. “How nice. You’re in politics, Winona?”

  The older woman nodded. “I’m a North Carolina state senator.”

  “So I’m sure you know Preston Kendrick as well.”

  “Of course. That’s how Dara here ended up helping on his campaign. She’s hoping the visibility will help her modeling.”

  “You live here?” Dara frowned as though she didn’t like her aunt talking about her.

  Amy nodded. “I own Rosemary Cottage on the edge of town. You may have seen it? It’s the one with the herb garden in the front yard.”

  “Cute place.”

  Her tone insinuated otherwise, but Amy refused to take offense. “You’re a model, huh? How can you do that and work for Preston too?”

  Dara colored a little. “Well, modeling is slow right now. It will pick up again soon. In the meantime, I’m doing good for the country. What do you do?”

  “I’m a midwife.” Amy smiled, knowing how that was likely to go over.

  Winona had a bottle of water to her lips, and she choked. “A—A midwife? They’re illegal in North Carolina.”

  “I’m a registered nurse midwife, and we can practice legally. We’re working to change the status of all midwives in the state though.” She smiled at Winona. “You could help.”

  “Oh dear, I’m quite opposed to the bill in the house right now. I’m afraid I can offer you no support.”

  Winona’s warm manner had disappeared. Amy had gotten used to the prejudice she often encountered. Even people who should realize birth was a natural process and had taken place in homes for thousands of years sometimes gave her odd looks.

  She saw Libby and Alec strolling on the beach with Noah in Alec’s arms. She waved them over. At least they could help defuse the tension.

  “Hey, Libs, you look a little pale. Sit down.” Amy took her arm and helped her settle on the beach blanket.

  “I think we came farther than I realized.” Libby held out her arms for the baby, and Alec handed him to her. “Would you get me some water, honey?”

  He gave her a worried look. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”

  “You could try to call Curtis. That’s where he is,” Amy told him.

  He grinned and shook his head. “Cell doesn’t work here. I’ll find him.” He jogged off on tanned, muscular legs.

  “You delivered Libby’s baby, I hear?” Winona asked.

  Amy nodded. “Noah was born at my cottage.”

  “Do you have a license to practice in your home, Amy?” Winona wasn’t smiling.

  What was her beef? Amy was beginning to wish she’d never brought up her profession. “Libby was visiting and her water broke. Noah came very quickly. I don’t have a clinic set up at my house, but I have an overseeing physician. I’m perfectly legal.” Well, she was. She had to find a new physician.

  The woman shrugged and pursed her lips. “I hear your brother drowned surfing. I thought your last name was familiar. Ben Lang was your brother, heir to the Lang Banking services. It was all over the papers when it happened. He was killed by a shark. Or drowned and was eaten.”

  Amy hid her wince. “So they say.” Everyone knew her family, and few people believed foul play was involved. “Do you know my parents?”

  Winona nodded. “Your father is one of my biggest supporters. I attended the memorial service for your brother.” Her demeanor softened, and she put her hand on Amy’s arm. “He told me you have some crazy idea it was murder.”

  “I have reasons for doubting the official answer.”

  “I know it’s hard to let go of a loved one, my dear, but chasing crazy ideas will lead you nowhere but into more pain. Let it go.”

  It was all Amy could do to stay still and not shake the woman’s hand away. “Thank you for your concern.”

  The older woman released her. “We’d better go, Dara.” The women walked off.

  Would Winona call Amy’s father and tell him about the lecture? Her parents would be sure to give her a call.

  Amy pulled on a pink-and-white dress, then went to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. She held it up to Heather, who sat swaddled in a pink fuzzy robe at the table. “Want some?”

  “Sure.” Heather’s voice was still sleepy, and her hair was tangled.

  Amy didn’t know what time the girl had come in last night. She’d found some people to hang out with. Amy poured coffee into Heather’s cup.

  “Thanks.” Heather cupped the coffee in her palms.

  “Want to come to church with me this morning? You’ll get a chance to meet more people.”

  “I don’t thi—” A thoughtful expression crossed her face. “Wait a minute. Will Curtis be there with Raine?”

  The girl sure wanted out of that restaurant. Amy nodded. “Probably. He usually goes.”

  “How long do I have to get ready?”

  “Twenty-five minutes, thirty tops.”

  “I can make it.” Carrying her coffee, Heather hurried from the kitchen.

  The girl was going to hound Curtis about that job again. Amy carried her coffee to the back deck. The spring morning held a hint of moisture, and dew shimmered on the grass. The fence along the back of the property was falling over in one section, and she made a mental note to call a carpenter. Then she saw why it had been knocked over.

  A banker pony stood munching her flowers. Its tail swished as it glanced up at her, then bent down to take another bite of her flowers. The small horses were total nuisances.

  She set her coffee on the small table and leaped to her feet. “Shoo, go!” Waving her arms, she advanced on the animal.

  The reddish horse snorted but didn’t back away from her herbs. As she neared, still yelling and waving her arms, she saw a deep gash on the horse’s flank. His foot was tangled in some calendula. The fight went out of her.

  She held out her hand. “Oh, you poor thing. I’m glad you ate some calendula. It will help that wound heal.” He quivered when she laid a gentle palm on his side. “You need some help. Wait right here.”

  She ran back to the house and grabbed her medical bag. When she returned, the horse was still standing where she left him. He didn’t try to bite her or kick when she sterilized the wound, then pulled the edges together and glued them in place. She smeared calendula ointment on the wound.

  “You don’t seem afraid of people, boy.” She smoothed his flanks, then ran her hand a
long his neck. His coat was ragged. “You need a good currying. I’ll have to get a brush.”

  The horse seemed to understand her intentions. He snorted and pawed the grass. His head dipped down to take a bite of her herbs. She didn’t try to stop him. The damage to her garden was already done.

  She was so intent on the horse that she didn’t hear anyone approaching until he cleared his throat, and she turned to see Tom behind her. The sheriff stood watching her actions. His hat was pushed to the back of his head, and perspiration beaded his forehead. The hems of his pants were damp from dew. He wasn’t bad looking, but she saw no ring on his left hand.

  He didn’t smile. “You’re good at that.”

  She stepped away from the horse. “He got cut by the thorns.”

  The sheriff waved away some gnats. “Stupid animals are a nuisance. They should be herded up and corralled.”

  “I love seeing them roaming the island.” She surveyed her mangled garden ruefully. “Though I wish he would have stayed out of my herbs. What can I do for you, Sheriff? Do you have news?”

  He took out his notebook. “I’ve been going over the notes surrounding your brother’s death, and I came on something I needed to talk to you about. You have a minute?”

  She glanced at her watch. “A few. I could miss the singing, and the rest of the congregation will thank you.” Ben used to say she sounded like a frog. “Want some coffee?”

  “Wouldn’t turn it down.”

  He followed her toward the house. As they entered the back door, she glanced behind and saw that the horse had left, now that he’d inflicted all his damage. Heather still wasn’t in the kitchen. Amy poured the sheriff a cup of coffee while he pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and sat down.

  He palmed the cup. “Nice house. I’ve never been inside.”

  “Thanks.” She sat at the table. “So what’s this about?”

  “The only evidence we have is your brother’s wetsuit, the damaged surfboard, and his belongings left on the beach.”

  She winced but nodded. “Not much evidence since the sea consumed his remains.”

  Tom sipped his coffee, then put it back on the table. “His wallet is missing.”

  “Maybe he didn’t have it with him when he went surfing. It might be here. Is it important?”

  “He drove to this particular spot, so his keys were there. Seems odd he wouldn’t have his driver’s license. And there was a packed suitcase in the car, so it appeared he was leaving the island shortly. Ned Springall told me he thought Ben had brought clothes to change into, and then he was heading to the mainland. There’s an outdoor shower at that beach.”

  Amy digested the information. On the surface, it didn’t seem earth shattering. “Maybe he forgot it here.”

  “Would you mind looking for that wallet when you get a chance? I don’t want to hold you up from church, but give me a call and let me know what you find. Even if it’s nothing.”

  “I’ll look after lunch.” Her stomach plunged at the thought. Searching his room had been hard enough the first time, and she didn’t really want to do it again. “One other thing. Have you requested my brother’s cell phone records? I’ve heard he got more calls than usual and had been upset after them.”

  The sheriff nodded. “I put in a request for them. Don’t have them yet.” He took a last gulp of coffee, then stood.

  “Is that all you’ve got?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve sent the surfboard to an expert for evaluation on what kind of shark bit it.”

  “So you’re trying to prove he drowned and the sharks disposed of his body.”

  His brows came together in a scowl. “I want to get at the truth for your peace of mind. And mine. I don’t want to miss anything.”

  “I appreciate that, Sheriff.” She rose and walked him to the front door. “I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

  Were her suspicions all just wind in the trees?

  THIRTEEN

  Heather sat beside Amy next to Libby and Alec with their new baby. The singing swelled to the wood rafters of the small, quaint church. Hope Beach Community Church sat on a hillside overlooking the blue Atlantic, and the sea air blew in through the open windows on the sides. Prisms of color danced on the white walls as the sun shone through the stained-glass window behind the platform.

  Heather craned her neck and saw Curtis with his aunt and Raine two pews ahead of her. She had to get a chance to talk to him about hiring her. Appearing here should allay any doubts he had. Maybe she’d suggest to Amy that they invite them back to the cottage for lunch.

  Alec and Libby rose and went forward, and the pastor began a baby dedication service. Heather listened to them promise to raise their little boy in the ways of the Lord, and a surprising lump came to her throat. The way Libby and Alec looked at their baby brought a longing to her heart. She doubted her parents had ever had such love in their eyes. She’d been more of a nuisance than a treasured daughter. Anything she’d gotten in life so far she’d had to scrap and fight for. No one had given her a thing. That baby was going to have every advantage, including the security of love. It didn’t seem fair for some to have so much love and others, like her, to have so little.

  She blinked back the sting in her eyes and glanced ahead at where Curtis was with Raine on his lap. Did he feel that kind of love for her? Raine was only his niece, not really his child. When he brushed a kiss across the little girl’s soft hair, she averted her eyes. He probably did love her. Was she doing the right thing?

  She remained lost in her thoughts through the rest of the service, struggling through how she felt about what she was about to do. By the time they rose for the final song, she was fixed on her course again. As Amy accepted the hugs and condolences of her friends, Heather slipped past her and stood at the end of Curtis’s pew as he made his way to the aisle.

  “Heather, hello.” He shifted Raine to the other arm. “Say hello, Raine. You remember Heather.”

  “No.” The little girl regarded her with a solemn gaze, then plopped her thumb into her mouth.

  “She’s a little shy,” Curtis said. “This is my aunt Edith.” He indicated the woman behind him.

  His aunt smiled at her. She was in her fifties with a great tan and a bright smile. “You must be the young woman who has offered to spell me with Raine once in a while. That’s very kind of you.”

  Amy’s voice came from behind Heather. “I’ve explained to her that I’d like to do that myself.” Her voice was a little stiff.

  Heather’s head jerked around. “You? Why would you want to do it?”

  “Raine is my niece. I’d like to get to know her.”

  “Your niece?”

  Amy smiled at Raine and held out her hands to the child. “I just recently found out.” The little girl reached for her, and Amy took her. “Can you say ‘auntie,’ Raine?”

  Raine grabbed at a lock of Amy’s hair. “Mom.”

  Amy exchanged a glance with Curtis, and Heather thought her gaze held a challenge. Curtis shrugged and looked away. What was all that about?

  Amy nuzzled Raine’s neck and kept staring at Curtis. “Are we still on to go talk to the residents of the condos where Gina lived?”

  “Yep. Lunch at the Oyster Café first? Ede, can you take Raine home for her nap?”

  “I was planning on it,” Edith said.

  Heather interrupted, intent on her goal. “I’m sure there might be times you are all busy, so keep me in mind. I love kids.” She held out her hand to Raine, but the little brat hid her face in Amy’s blouse. “She’ll warm up to me. All kids do.”

  Curtis nodded. “Thanks for your offer, Heather. Did you bring your résumé?”

  “Got it right here.” She dug for it in her purse and handed it to him. The résumé had been fluffed up a little, but she doubted he would actually call the day care where she’d worked. And even if he did, she hadn’t done anything really wrong there.

  Two women approached them, and Amy turned to speak to
them. “Hello, Dara, Winona. Not too tired from your day in the sun yesterday to get up early this morning, I see.”

  Heather looked over her shoulder and froze. Luckily, the women hadn’t seen her yet.

  “Let me know what you think, will you?” she asked Curtis in a low voice. “I have to run.” She had to get out of here before they saw her and gave her away. She couldn’t be sure they wouldn’t recognize her.

  He looked startled but nodded. “Sure thing. Hope you’ll come back to church.”

  Fat chance. All she wanted to do was forget this place and how it made her feel.

  A few wispy clouds drifted lazily across the blue bowl of sky. Curtis and Amy had had a quick bite of lunch together at the café after church before heading to the harbor apartments. He stared at the apartment building. About ten years old, the building was in good repair. The yellow shutters contrasted with the gray shingle siding, an attractive combination. The two-story building held eight apartments. They all looked out on the harbor, a prime location. How had Gina been able to afford it? It was surely expensive. They hadn’t shared financial details, but she’d worked at the fudge shop since she got out of high school. Maybe Ben had paid for it.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  Amy nodded. “I’ve got what I want to ask all mapped out.”

  “We might as well start with the residents across the hall from her.” He held open the main door that led into the large entry where the stairs went to the second floor. “Her apartment was upstairs on the right.”

  The interior of the building smelled like fish stew. Someone must have cooked it for lunch, and the pungent odor invaded the enclosed space. Industrial gray carpeting covered the stairs, and the walls were painted a light aqua. Pictures of the island and the sea decorated the walls on the way up the stairs.

  “Nice place,” Amy said when they stopped on the second-floor landing.

  “Very.” He stepped to the door on their right and rapped on it.

  A TV played inside, a comedy with canned laughter. A child squealed, then light footsteps came toward the door. A blond woman in her midthirties opened the door. She had a baby, maybe four or five months old, on her hip. He was chomping on a teething biscuit and had smears of cookie around his mouth.