Rock Harbor Series - 01 - Without a Trace

by Colleen Coble

  Bree knelt and threw her arms around Samson’s neck. “And I never even thanked you, Samson.” He whined eagerly and licked her on the chin. She buried her face in his fur and hugged him again, then stood. Laughing, they struggled through the snow and toward their vehicles. Samson moseyed off into the woods. After a few minutes, he began to bark.

  “What is it, boy?” Bree called. She left Kade’s side and hurried to where the dog stood in a stand of white pine. Samson poked his head out of a thicket. He had something in his mouth. Bree bent over and took it from him.

  “Find anything?” Naomi called.

  Bree turned and held up something brown. “It’s a hat,” she said.

  Naomi frowned. “Let me see.” She joined Bree and took the hat. “A floppy brown leather hat,” she murmured.

  “What’s so special about that?” Kade asked.

  “Remember the O’Reilly kids and their witch? They said she wore a floppy brown leather hat. And Mason said the same thing.”

  Kade slapped his head. “I’ve been so caught up with the way Lauri—I forgot until just now! I saw her!”

  “Where?” Bree grabbed his arm.

  “Out by Rock River on Sunday.”

  “Let’s see what Samson can find out.” She held the hat under Samson’s nose. “Samson, search!”

  The dog sniffed the hat then turned and ran off into the woods. Naomi had Charley sniff it as well and sent him out. The threesome followed, but it became clear after a few minutes that the dogs didn’t have a scent. Bree and Naomi called them back and headed toward the car with Kade. Bree managed to hide her disappointment. She didn’t want Kade to feel worse than he already did.

  “Are we done here?” he asked.

  “I guess so. Hey, you never told me what you were doing here.”

  “I was answering a call about a deer hit by a car out this way and saw your Jeep,” he said. “I thought I’d see what was going on. When I got to the mine, I heard Naomi shouting your name, and I knew something was wrong. We called the dogs and started looking for you. I was afraid you’d gotten stuck somewhere—or worse.”

  She turned to check on the dogs and found Samson at the edge of the forest. He was whining and his tail was tucked between his legs. “What’s wrong, boy?” She walked over to where he sat. Kade followed.

  The dog seemed distressed, his brown eyes almost speaking to them in misery. Kade patted his head. “What’s wrong with him?”

  “He’s acting like he does when he gets a death scent,” Bree said. She glanced around. “I don’t see anything though.”

  The wind had blown the snow off a pile of rocks nearby, and Kade caught a flash of red-black. “What’s that?” He knelt and brushed more snow away. A reddish stain covered one of the rocks, and spatters of the same substance dotted several others. “It looks like blood.”

  “Blood?”

  “You tell me. Would Samson give a death alert on an animal’s blood?”

  Bree shook her head and stared at him. “What if it’s Fay’s blood?”

  “That can’t be right,” Naomi said. “Unless . . .”

  “Unless she was killed here and moved to the other site. He got her out of the car by the road, laid her on the ground for a minute, then hauled her to the cliff bottom,” Bree said.

  “Let’s get Mason,” Naomi said.

  Bree called Mason on her cell phone. “He’s on his way,” she told them. Bree and Naomi let the dogs continue to search while they waited for the sheriff.

  Mason and Deputy Montgomery finally showed up and had barely had time to take samples of the bloodstains when they got a call about a hunting accident. Mason promised to call when he had news.

  “Let’s go to your place,” Naomi said when the sheriff pulled away. “The snow is really coming down, and we don’t want to get stuck out here.”

  Bree drove slowly back to town, with Kade following in his truck. The wind blew the snow in gusts across the road, and she strained to see through the whiteout. When they got to her lighthouse, she made some coffee then paced the kitchen, wishing Mason would call.

  “Quit pacing,” Kade ordered. “Let’s think of something to do to keep us occupied.”

  All three were silent for a moment.

  “We could get that light going in the tower,” Kade offered.

  “She’s been working on it,” Naomi said. “She won’t ask for help.”

  “What needs to be done? I’m pretty handy with a hammer.” He flexed his muscles and the women laughed.

  “A Fresnel lens needs to be installed. It’s bulky and heavy though. Rob sent the original one out for repair. It came back about a week before he died and has been in the garage ever since.”

  “What are we waiting for? I’m going to get it.” Naomi headed for the back door.

  Bree found the expression on Kade’s face unsettling. A softness eased around his mouth and eyes that made her mouth go dry. “Do I have dirt on my nose?” she asked him.

  “Sorry. I was staring, wasn’t I?” He stood. “Let’s get that light installed.”

  Bree took Kade to the garage and pointed out the Fresnel lens tucked in the corner under the wooden worktable. He dragged it out.

  “Don’t you need permission to light these towers over the harbor?” he asked as the three of them maneuvered it into the house.

  “Rob applied for a permit as soon as the lens arrived,” Bree explained. “It’s been sitting on my desk for months.”

  Kade nodded. They paused in the kitchen for a rest.

  “I hope you’re planning to feed us after this,” he said, wiping his forehead. He eyed the stairs warily.

  “Um, you don’t know what you’re asking,” Naomi said, laughing. “Unless you like frozen pizza or popcorn.”

  “I’ve eaten my share of frozen pizza,” Kade said.

  Bree’s cheeks grew hot. “I can cook more than frozen pizza.” She grinned weakly. “But I think that might be all that’s in the freezer.” She really had to do something about eating better.

  “I knew it,” Naomi said, gloating.

  “Now let’s hook this baby up.” Kade patted the lens.

  They had to stop and rest several times, but they finally managed to get the lens to the light tower. The women left Kade to do his job and went to the living room.

  Naomi dug her book out of her backpack. “I think I’ll read awhile and unwind. I’m at a really exciting part.”

  Naomi’s comment reminded Bree of the paper she’d found at the mine office. She stuck her hand into her pocket and pulled it out. Unfolding it, she read the top: “‘The Hound of Heaven,’ by Francis Thompson.” Mathilda had said something about a hound of heaven the day they’d been at the animal shelter. Curious, Bree began to read.

  The language was hard to follow at first, but then the literature studies she’d done in college kicked in and she read on more smoothly. As the poem talked about the “Hound of Heaven” stripping away all to leave nothing but God, something tugged at Bree’s heart. Was that what he’d been doing to her?

  “Look at this, Naomi,” she said, holding out the yellowed paper.

  “What is it?” Naomi took the paper. “Where did you get this?”

  “At the mine.”

  Naomi frowned. “How strange. Of course it is a poem from the eighteen hundreds. Maybe someone else felt God’s pursuit.”

  “You sound like you believe he does that—pursue. Did you understand the poem?” Bree looked down at the words again.

  “It’s an allegory about how God pursues us to bring us to himself. He is who you need, Bree. Can’t you see how he’s been chasing you, caring for you? Samson and Charley are driven to find lost hunters and kids; God is driven to pursue you. He saved you from the fall from the tower. Kade just happened to be out by the mine today, and I never could have gotten that door open without him.”

  “A coincidence,” Bree said, turning away, though a part of her longed to know it as something else.

  Naomi ge
ntly persisted. “Anu says coincidence is a nonbeliever’s way of explaining God’s hand at work. Can’t you see God’s providential hand in your life?”

  God’s hand in your life. The words penetrated Bree’s heart, and she saw the truth. I am He Whom thou seekest, the poem said. It was God she needed. A heavenly Father who truly loved her and cared for her soul.

  She put her hands to her cheeks. “You’re right, Naomi. I’m tired of running. I want what you have, what Anu has.”

  Naomi prayed with her, and when Bree raised her head, the colors of the world had shifted as though she’d stepped out of a black-and-white TV into a cinematic event. There were no clanging bells, no singing birds, but she felt the whisper of another presence. Her Hound of Heaven had found her, and she was his. “Thank you, God,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

  22

  The next morning Bree hummed as she rummaged through the cabinets for something edible. Even the sight of Davy’s boxes failed to dampen her spirits. There would be time enough to bury them. She felt certain she would see Davy again someday, and that joy eased her sadness.

  Too excited to eat cold cereal for breakfast, she decided to go to Nicholls’s for coffee and cinnamon rolls. She wanted to see Anu’s face when she heard the good news. Kade had been overjoyed last night and had insisted on making a fancy dinner to celebrate her decision. He’d gone to the store and brought back enough supplies to feed an army. He’d made beef stroganoff fit for a king.

  She grabbed her coat and the book Naomi had left behind. She could drop the book off on her way home from the store. Though it was only seven, she knew Anu would be there by now. Bree and Samson trudged down Negaunee and onto Houghton Street through the snowdrifts. She used her key to let herself in. The aroma of yeast and cinnamon was enticing.

  “I hope you have enough for me,” she called out as she walked toward the back of the store.

  “Bree, I wasn’t expecting you. You’re up early.” Anu hugged her, leaving a smudge of flour on Bree’s jeans. “Oh, dear, I’m sorry.”

  Bree brushed at the flour. “It’s coming off, don’t worry. Those smell wonderful. Can I have one?”

  “Of course. Coffee is on too.” Anu’s gaze was sharp as she took in the smile on Bree’s face. “You look different this morning, kulta. Has something happened? You’ve found a place for your new business perhaps?”

  “Better.” Bree poured a cup of coffee and took a cinnamon bun from the pan. Licking the icing, the grin spread on her face, and she giggled.

  “You look positively giddy,” Anu said. “What is it?”

  “I’m a Christian,” Bree said simply. “I’ll see Davy again, and Rob.” The burden of her pain and disillusionment over Rob’s betrayal was gone now too, she realized. It no longer crushed the life from her.

  Anu cried out and rushed to hug her. Bree set her breakfast on the table and embraced her mother-in-law. Anu held her at arm’s length. “Now you are truly my daughter in all ways,” she said. “Remember this moment, kulta, this first love for God. Holding to it will see you through the storms life brings.”

  “There are more?” Bree asked with a smile.

  Anu wanted to hear all about Bree’s journey toward God, so they sat at the table and drank their coffee while Bree explained the events of the past few weeks.

  “Have you talked to Mason or Hilary?” Bree asked finally. “Did you hear what I found at the mine yesterday?”

  Anu shook her head. “I had a church meeting last night, so I didn’t get home until after ten.”

  Bree told her about the blood.

  “The mine is so familiar.” Anu pursed her lips. “So familiar. My husband Abe worked at the mine the year before it closed down. As the accountant, he was good friends with Matthew Kukkan, Fay’s grandfather. There was some talk of looking for gold at the mine. Silly, eh? My Abe told them even if there was gold, it would be too expensive to extract from the copper ore.”

  Bree gave a frustrated sigh. “But we still don’t know if the murder had anything to do with the mine or if Fay was killed in a jealous rage by one of the three men.”

  “And what of the woman who might know where my Rob’s plane crashed? Any news of her?”

  “We found her hat out by the mine yesterday, but the dogs couldn’t pick up her scent.” Bree was still thinking of the gold. “I wonder if it would be more feasible to extract the gold now?”

  “You must ask Mason. Not that it matters now,” Anu said. “I don’t know why I even mentioned they’d thought to look. Nothing ever came of it.”

  “I think I’ll stop by his office now.” Bree rose and bent to kiss Anu’s cheek. “Thank you for being such a good example for me to follow,” she whispered.

  Anu touched her cheek. “Now you must carry the light, my Bree. Remember the psalm: ‘Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright.’ That is you now. Let your light shine here in Rock Harbor.”

  “I’ll try.” Buoyant, Bree called Samson, and they went out into the snow again. Mason wasn’t at the office, but Montgomery said he’d be back around 8:30. She had time to drop off Naomi’s book.

  Bree rang the doorbell at the Blue Bonnet then tried the door. Martha or Naomi had already unlocked it, so she stepped inside. “It’s just me,” she called.

  Martha bustled down the hall, a voluminous chef’s apron tied around her rose-colored dress. “Bree, dear, you’re just in time for breakfast.”

  “That’s what I was hoping for,” she said. “I had a pulla and coffee with Anu, but I’m still hungry.”

  Martha laughed, and her cheeks turned pink. “You can join Naomi in the dining room. We don’t have any guests until tomorrow, so it’s just us.”

  “Even better.” Bree went through the parlor to the dining room. “Hey, girlfriend, you left your book at my house last night. Again.”

  “I knew I did when I tried to find it last night.” Naomi took the book with a shamefaced laugh.

  “You need to carry your books on a string around your neck.” Bree smiled and sat beside her friend.

  Martha wanted to hear all about Bree’s newfound faith. When they were done, Bree went to call Mason, but the phone rang before she could dial.

  “I’ll get it,” she called. “Blue Bonnet,” she answered.

  “Naomi?” a deep voice asked.

  Bree recognized Donovan. “Hello, Donovan. This is Bree.”

  “I wonder if you could ask Naomi to come over right away?” Donovan sounded distraught.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked sharply.

  “A contractor has a bad water leak and needs supplies right away. I need to hurry in and open the store. I was hoping Naomi could watch the kids for a few minutes until the bus comes.”

  “We’ll be right there,” she assured him. She rushed to the kitchen to get Naomi.

  Five minutes later they were running up the walk to the O’Reilly house. Donovan met them at the door. He thanked them quickly as he ran out. Just as Bree and Naomi went to find the kids, a wail came from the end of the hallway.

  “Timmy’s locked in the bathroom!” Emily threw herself into Naomi’s arms. Bree was glad to see a bond seemed to be developing there.

  “We’ll get him out quickly,” Naomi said, running a hand over Emily’s hair. “Does your daddy have a screwdriver somewhere?”

  She nodded and ran to get one.

  Bree took the screwdriver and stuck it in the lock. “Call Kade in case I can’t get this open,” she told Naomi.

  Naomi carried Emily with her and went to the living room, where Bree heard her call Kade and ask him to come over. Bree spoke soothingly to Timmy on the other side of the door as she worked on the lock. Jiggling and twisting the screwdriver, she finally heard a click.

  “I think I’ve got it!” She turned the knob, and the door opened. Timmy fell into her arms. She picked him up, and he wrapped his legs around her. The feel of his small body brought a lump to her throat.

  She and Naomi soothed the children then bega
n to help them get ready for school. Ten minutes later the front door banged, and Kade’s voice called from the entryway, “Everything okay?”

  Still carrying Timmy, Bree went to join Kade. “Got him. He’s okay, just shook up.” She smoothed the hair back from his face and pressed her lips to his forehead. “Ready to get down?”

  He nodded, and she put him down. “I want Pooky,” he said.

  Bree froze. Her chest felt so tight she could barely breathe. “Pooky?” she finally choked out.

  Timmy went to the couch and rummaged under a blanket. He turned triumphantly and held out a small, brown koala bear. “Pooky,” he said.

  Time rolled backward like a riptide. Bree swallowed hard.

  “Timmy, no!” Emily said. “You’re not supposed to tell. The witch of the woods will come back and hurt us. Remember how mad she got at Sam?”

  The witch of the woods again, but who was Sam? Bree held out her hand. “Can . . . can I see Pooky a minute?” she asked. She was dimly aware of Naomi joining them in the living room. Keeping her eyes on the bear, she managed to walk forward on legs that felt no stronger than spaghetti. Davy’s bear was like a part of him. She’d longed to find it.

  Her hands shook as she reached out to take the stuffed animal. There must be hundreds of these little bears around, she told herself. But a tingle went up her arm when she touched the bear and saw the Barney swim trunks it wore. There was a raspberry stain on the right leg over Barney’s face from when Davy had helped her pick enough berries to make a cobbler. Closing her eyes, she clutched Pooky to her chest.

  “Oh, dear God, help us,” Naomi prayed in a hoarse whisper. “I’ve been here several times and never seen it.”

  “We hided it,” Emily whispered. “We didn’t want her to get mad.”

  Slowly, so slowly, Bree eased down onto the couch. She heard her voice as if from a great distance. “Timmy, where did you get this?”

  “Sam gave it to me.”

  “Who’s Sam?”

  “We told you!” Emily said impatiently. “He belongs to the witch of the woods. He’s her little boy. He gave it to Timmy when he was sick, but then Timmy dropped it. When Sam visited us last week, he said he’d found it and still wanted Timmy to have it. We weren’t supposed to tell anyone.”