Tidewater Inn

by Colleen Coble

  “I haven’t been in here in years,” Pearl said, walking to the nearest bookshelf. “What do you want to see first?”

  “I want to take a look at the history of the lighthouse.” Libby’s attention was distracted by a picture on the desk of a woman in her fifties with auburn hair and hazel eyes. She was on the bow of a boat with a man and they were both laughing. Her father and Tina looked so happy and carefree.

  Libby moved past the picture to study the books. The ones on architecture caught her eye but she forced herself to skim by them. A large book on the Outer Banks looked interesting. She took it to the library table.

  “I found it,” Pearl said, turning toward her. “This is the oldest one. Ray found it twenty years ago. There aren’t many copies in existence, and it’s in pretty bad shape.”

  “What do you hope to find in the book?” Bree asked.

  Alec pulled a chair out for Libby. She settled into the chair and gently opened the book. “No one knew about the cellar, but I thought there might be pictures of its history in the book I’d heard about.”

  “What can I be searching for?” Bree asked, turning back to the shelves. “Any other books we need to study?”

  “See if there are any on the history of the island. I know it’s unlikely, but what if there are more tunnels that lead to where Nicole might have been taken?” And searching through what had happened in the past might provide a clue to the present.

  The paper of the book Libby examined was brittle and yellow. She checked the front of the book. Published in 1923. “When did the lighthouse cease operation? You mentioned the late eighteen hundreds. Can you be more specific?”

  “I believe it was in the hurricane of 1899,” Pearl said. “It was known as the Great Hurricane, and we lost many lives. I wasn’t born yet, of course, but my grandparents used to talk about it.”

  The pictures Libby thumbed through were faded but legible. She paused to read some of the text, then continued to skim the book. “Hey, wait a minute,” she said. She picked up a piece of paper stuck in the middle of the book. “This is a light bill. In Nicole’s name. She was reading this book.” She stared at the page marked by the paper. “This shows a cellar door. So it wasn’t a secret back in its heyday.”

  “And it proves she knew about the cellar,” Bree said.

  Alec stepped behind Libby and leaned over her shoulder to look at it more closely. His breath whispered past her cheek, and she fought the attraction his close presence generated.

  He flipped the page and began to read aloud. “‘The lighthouse was self-contained. The keeper and his family grew vegetables on a small plot of cleared land and stored the harvest in the cellar.’”

  “Just like every other family,” Libby said. “That doesn’t tell us anything.”

  She couldn’t read, couldn’t think, with him so close. His neck was close enough that if she leaned over, she could press her lips against his warm skin. She needed to concentrate on figuring this out, so she shifted away.

  “There’s more,” he said. “Listen to this. ‘Blackbeard was said to have escaped through one of the secret passageways from the cellar to the rocky cliffs at the water’s edge.’”

  “So it mentions the passage you found,” Libby said. “And Nicole would have seen this. Knowing her, she was sure to have looked for the cave.” She leaned over to read the book. “Passageways, plural. So there is more than one.”

  “There were,” he corrected. “No telling if they’re still there.”

  Bree was staring at the book. “The name Blackbeard conjures up all kinds of images of treasure.”

  “People have searched for his treasures in the Outer Banks for years,” Pearl said.

  “Could Nicole have heard the legends and decided to look herself? Maybe she decided to hunt by herself.”

  “It sounds like something she would do,” Libby said.

  “We can go back there and take a look for other tunnels,” Alec said. “Though the tide is wrong right now. We can take a look tomorrow afternoon though.”

  Libby shut the book. “I want to see if we can find any sign of Nicole.”

  He looked away and nodded. She knew he was thinking that the kidnappers likely killed Nicole. Libby could only pray he was wrong.

  Libby had an hour before she and Bree were supposed to meet Alec at his boat. Libby stepped over the warped floorboards in the living room of her father’s house. “I was afraid they were ruined,” she told her sister.

  “Insurance will replace them,” Vanessa said. She still wore the necklace Libby had given her. “Daddy was adamant about keeping up on the insurance.” She started for the stairs. “I’m not sure what you’re hoping to find in his bedroom.”

  “I don’t know either.” Libby followed her up to the second floor. “But someone harmed Tina. Maybe there’s a clue in her things to what happened. I appreciate you allowing me to investigate.”

  Vanessa shrugged and opened the bedroom door. “Here you go. I’ll help if you tell me what to look for.”

  Libby glanced around the room. “Anything out of the ordinary.”

  The blue comforter on the king bed was smooth. Assorted pillows were heaped at the head. Libby paused at the dresser and studied the pictures. One showed her father and Tina with Vanessa and Brent. They were dressed in red and stood by a Christmas tree.

  “That was our last Christmas together,” Vanessa said. “Six months later and Mom was gone.”

  Libby put the picture back. There was a jewelry box beside it. “May I?”

  Vanessa nodded. “I used to love to go through Mom’s jewelry box when I was a little girl. There’s a secret drawer in the bottom.” She reached past Libby and lifted out two trays full of necklaces and earrings. The bottom showed no sign of having any compartment.

  “Is this the same jewelry box?”

  Vanessa nodded. “There’s a switch here.” She pressed a spot on the bottom and one edge sprang up. “Mom used to hide notes in it telling me she loved me.”

  “That’s so sweet.”

  “I still have some.” Vanessa lifted the fake bottom from the drawer.

  Libby expected to see an empty space, but it contained several folded papers. “Letters or bills?”

  Vanessa unfolded one. “This one’s a letter.”

  Libby wanted to read it, but she didn’t want to offend her sister. Vanessa had been warming up so dramatically. She could wait until Vanessa offered the information. The letter might be very personal.

  Vanessa’s frown darkened as she read. She finally handed it to Libby and selected another letter. “This doesn’t make any sense. It almost sounds as if . . .”

  The paper was stiff in Libby’s hand. “As if?”

  Vanessa pressed her lips together. “As if Mom had a lover. But that’s impossible. She loved Daddy.”

  Libby held the letter in the light of the window.

  Tina,

  Seeing you again brought back all the love I thought I’d torn up by the roots. Even now I would leave my family if you would agree to do the same. It’s not too late for us. Think about it and give me a call if you want to talk.

  Yours, L

  “L. Who could that be? First name, last name? Any idea?” Libby asked.

  “Not a clue,” Vanessa said, still reading another letter.

  “Anything in that one?”

  “This one sounds angry.” Vanessa handed it over.

  “Angry? Like in murderous?”

  Vanessa’s expression was troubled. “Maybe.”

  Tina,

  I can only assume by your actions yesterday that you intend us to be at odds. So be it. You’ll find me a cold adversary. I will take what I want and you’ll only have yourself to blame for the consequences. Your rejection only strengthens my determination. Your life is about to change.

  L

  Libby glanced up. “Wow, very ominous.”

  Vanessa hugged herself. “The tone of the letter gives me the creeps.”

  �
��Is that all?” Libby glanced into the jewelry box and saw nothing more.

  “Just this.” Vanessa held out her hand, palm up. A charm was on her palm.

  Libby held it up to the light. “Looks like a stingray or something.”

  “It’s a skate. Mom had a charm bracelet with sea creatures on it. She loved it. The skate was lost a few weeks before she died. She wasn’t sure where she lost it.”

  Libby handed it back. “She obviously found it.” Now was the time to ask, but she still hesitated.

  Vanessa frowned. “She never mentioned that she’d found it. Mom loved the skates but shuddered when she saw their egg sacks. She couldn’t understand why they had a pretty name like mermaid’s purse when they were so ugly. Daddy used to take early walks and pick them all up so she didn’t have to see them on her morning run.”

  “Did you put a dead jellyfish under my door?”

  Vanessa’s hand closed in a fist. Her lips flattened, then she shrugged. “So what if I did?”

  “Were you trying to scare me off or what?”

  Vanessa leaned against the dresser. “I’m sorry I did that. I was angry. I thought you’d take the warning and leave. Were you frightened?”

  Libby opened a drawer. “More mad than anything.”

  Vanessa opened her fist and fingered the charm. “It’s odd this was in her secret drawer and not back on the bracelet.” She turned it over and squinted. “I never realized it was engraved.” She walked to the window and held it to the light. “Love, L. I know the original wasn’t engraved.”

  “The man who wrote the notes gave it to her.”

  Vanessa turned back toward her. “And she refused to wear it.”

  “Which might have added to his anger with her. Let’s go see the sheriff.”

  Alec took a gulp of stale coffee and shuddered. “Anything from the coroner on Tina’s remains?”

  The circles around Tom’s eyes were pronounced, and his clothes were rumpled. “He couldn’t determine cause of death.”

  “So no clue to what happened to her.”

  “Nope. And it being three years ago, I’m having trouble piecing together what happened the day she disappeared. I have the old notes, but we thought her boat hit a rock and she drowned. We didn’t treat it as foul play, so there’s very little in the file. A statement from a fisherman who saw her speeding toward the old lighthouse ruins is all we have. And he’s dead now.”

  “What about the cellar itself? Anything there?”

  “One interesting detail. There was a rope tied around Tina’s left ankle. We have no idea if it was put there before or after death though.”

  The door opened behind Alec, and he turned to see Libby and Vanessa enter the sheriff’s office. Neither was smiling.

  Libby shot a quick glance his way, then held out two pieces of paper to Tom. “We found these in Tina’s belongings.”

  Tom took the papers and began to read. Alec looked over his shoulder. “Looks like Tina had a secret admirer,” Alec said.

  “There’s this too.” Vanessa held out a charm. “Look on the back.”

  Alec took it and squinted at the tiny lettering, then handed it to Tom. They listened to Vanessa tell them about a lost charm and how this apparent replacement had been in the secret compartment.

  “Who is this L person?” Tom asked. “Any ideas?”

  “Not a clue,” Vanessa said. “Sheriff, you have to find out who did this to Mom.”

  “I’m working on it, Vanessa.”

  Alec studied his cousin’s expression. He didn’t seem to be staring at Libby with suspicion. Maybe he was finally beginning to look elsewhere.

  “Ready?” Alec asked. “Bree and Samson should be at the boat by now.”

  Bree held the clothing Libby had given her under Samson’s nose. The breeze on the water ruffled the dog’s thick fur. He sniffed the shirt and whined, then lifted his nose above the bow of the boat. “Search, Samson,” she said.

  Libby watched in awe. “Can he really find a person by sniffing the air? I thought dogs sniffed the ground.”

  “Samson is an air tracker. A person gives off skin rafts that float in the air. A trained dog can detect them.”

  “But it’s been almost ten days since Nicole was taken,” Alec said.

  “He may still get a scent.” Bree looked away.

  Libby stared at Bree. Hadn’t she said something about Samson finding someone after two years? Then the memory clicked into place and she remembered that dogs could smell dead bodies for a very long time. A lump formed in her throat, and she prayed the dog would find a live scent. Something to lead them to Nicole.

  The boat accelerated across the tops of the waves. It was calm and beautiful today, though humidity hung in the air. Bree’s curls were a little frizzy from the moisture. Sea spray struck Libby’s bare arms and felt good on her heated skin. She prayed for a sign from God today, anything that would allow her to hope that her friend was still alive.

  “How can you tell if he smells something?” she asked Bree.

  “He’ll bark. I’ll be able to tell,” Bree assured her. “Alec, run the boat in a crisscross fashion across the bay so he gets more exposure.”

  It seemed they looped back and forth across the water for ages, but glancing at her watch, Libby realized they’d only been at this for two hours. She was beginning to lose hope that they’d find something today.

  The dog continued to sniff the air as Alec guided the boat back and forth across the gleaming water. The village of Hope Beach beckoned in the distance. A few people on the pier waved as they scouted the area. Libby waved back, suddenly feeling part of the community.

  Samson’s ears pricked. He stiffened and barked, straining toward the harbor. “Go that way!” Bree shouted, pointing toward the pier.

  Libby’s heart pounded. She stood, then nearly fell when the boat accelerated.

  “Hang on!” Alec seated his hat more firmly on his head and the boat surged.

  Samson was barking frantically. The next instant, he leaped over the side and swam toward a boat. He reached it and tried to paw his way onto it, but it was too high for him.

  “That’s my old boat,” Alec said, frowning. “I don’t use it much, but Zach had it out this morning.”

  His boat? Libby stared at him. Surely he wouldn’t have had anything to do with this?

  He cut the engine and the craft slowed, then stopped near the dog. He tossed the anchor overboard, then reached down and helped Samson clamber up the ladder. The dog shook himself, spraying water over everyone. He rushed to Bree’s side and whined. He strained toward the old boat, a Chris-Craft.

  Libby stared at Alec. “What does this mean? The dog is saying he smells Nicole on your boat. Right, Bree?”

  “That’s right,” Bree said, rubbing Samson’s ears. “Let’s board the boat and let him sniff around.”

  Alec took an oar and maneuvered the two boats close enough together that they could step from one deck to the other. Samson leaped onto the boat and began to bark. He ran to the side of the boat and his barking grew more frenzied. Bree stepped aboard the old boat, and Libby followed her.

  “What’s he trying to tell you?” Libby asked.

  “It looks like Nicole was here or something of hers is here. He’s indicating that area there,” Bree said, pointing to the starboard side.

  Alec joined them. “That’s impossible. She would have had to swim out here and board it. What would be the point?”

  “You never use this?” Bree asked.

  He shook his head. “Zach uses it sometimes, but he’s never met Nicole.”

  “That we know of,” Libby said. She’d rather believe Zach had a hand in this than the alternative—that Alec was guilty.

  “What are you saying?” he asked.

  “Is it possible Zach was involved in her kidnapping?” She didn’t want to accuse the boy, especially to his own uncle, but the dog’s reaction meant something.

  “No,” Alec said, his voice clipped. �
�I can’t believe you’d even think that.”

  No one would want to think his nephew would be involved in something so heinous, but Libby couldn’t ignore this. “I need to talk to him, Alec. Right away.”

  “I won’t have you accusing him,” Alec said. “And based on the reaction of a dog? That’s ridiculous.”

  “Is it? You’ve admitted that he’s been in some trouble.”

  “Alec, Samson is definitely reacting here,” Bree said. “This isn’t just some mistake. Nicole was either on this boat, or at the very least, she touched it. He doesn’t give false positives.”

  “Look around,” Alec said. “Let’s see if there’s any other evidence. I can’t accuse the boy without tangible evidence.”

  Her lips tight, Libby opened doors and peered under seats. Under the cushion where Samson stood, her hand touched something soft, and she pulled up a ponytail holder. It still held strands of blond hair. “I have to talk to Zach.”

  Alec paled. “Don’t accuse him of anything,” he said. “There has to be some explanation.”

  “That’s all we want,” Libby said. “Where is he now?” Zach had left the inn before nine this morning.

  “He said he was delivering the supplies for his job and then was going to help do some cleanup around town,” Alec said. “There’s a group in the square washing the mud off the stores.”

  He started the engine and guided the boat to the dock. Libby grabbed a post as they neared, then threw the rope around it. She was the first to leap to the boardwalk. Maybe they would find Nicole today.

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  The townspeople were out in force today. Great strides had been made in the cleanup over the past week. Paint shone clean and free of the mud and mildew. Alec spoke to several neighbors as he searched for his nephew. No one had seen Zach, and Alec began to wonder if the boy had lied about where he was going today.

  The business district, such as it was, ended at the juncture of Oyster Road and Bar Harbor Street. A few residents were on Bar Harbor, but Oyster Road just led to the fish house. “Let’s check the fish house,” he said.