Rock Harbor Series - 03 - Into the Deep

by Colleen Coble

  “Well, stab me in the heart,” Lauri said, with a dramatic wave of her hand. “But I don’t have much choice, now do I?”

  “I brought you a choice,” he said pointing to the brochure.

  “That’s no choice at all. I have to find someone local.”

  Seeing the obstinate expression on her face, Kade knew it was her way or not at all. He was just going to have to find an adoptive family here in Rock Harbor.

  21

  Cassie put her book down and glanced at the alarm clock. It was only ten, but she was too tired to read any longer. A lake shower had blown in early, and she’d thought to sleep well tonight. It was over now, and the fresh scent of wet pine wafted in her open window. It should have made her sleepy, but it didn’t. She was too keyed up about the family dinner today.

  She turned out the light, then rolled over and punched her pillow. The moonlight on the trees outside cast moving shadows on her wall, and she wished she’d opted for blinds. Out here in the boonies, she hadn’t thought she would need to totally shutter the windows, but since the explosion at the lab, she felt open and vulnerable.

  She was exhausted but her mind raced. She tossed and turned for what seemed like forever, but another glance at the clock told her it was only ten thirty. Maybe a cup of herbal tea would help her sleep. The thought of getting out of bed wasn’t appealing though.

  A shadow flitted across her wall and vanished. She raised her head and stared. What was that? She listened. The wind had picked up and now whistled through the eaves and moaned through the pines in the backyard. The shadow moved again, and she saw the clear outline of a figure. It looked like he was carrying a gun. Bubbles lifted her head and growled.

  She tried to call out to Salome but no words came, just a strangled sound. Rolling off her bed, Cassie crept to the window and peeked out. There he was, outlined against the shed, a hat pulled low over his head and a rifle under his arm. He was staring at the house, but thankfully not at her window. His attention seemed to be on the back door.

  Cassie sank back to the floor, pressing her face against the cool wood. Her heart thudded against the floor and she could feel the reverberations against her cheek. She crawled to the phone and dialed 911. The line was busy. Bree. She’d come. Just as she dialed the number, she heard the glass in the patio door shatter, and Bubbles began to bark.

  Bree answered, and Cassie whispered into the phone. “Come quick; someone’s in the house.” She slammed down the phone and turned off her light. Racing down the hall, she saw Salome in the kitchen putting a tea bag into a cup of hot water.

  “Hide!” she screamed. A boot kicked out the rest of the glass, and the man started to move through the shattered door. She caught a glimpse of Salome’s terrified face as Cassie dove for the light switch and flipped it off. They both slipped into the pantry.

  The scent of flour and packaged goods mingled with the sharp tang of fear. Salome’s breath came in gasps. He had to hear them. Cassie slipped her hand along the wall, and her fingers closed around the broom.

  “Stand back,” she whispered to Salome. Her friend shuffled away. Cassie took a step back and brought the broom up like a bat. Straining, she could hear the man banging into the counter then a bar stool. Bubbles was barking as though she’d like to bite him, and Cassie found herself praying the dog would find the courage to take a hunk out of his leg. Then the man swore and the dog yelped.

  She had to take the offensive. It was only a matter of time before he found them. Though she was shaking, Cassie swung open the pantry door and leaped into the room with a yell. She brought the broom down on the man’s head, and then whacked him in the stomach as he reeled back. He swore again and yanked the broom from her hands.

  “Salome, run!” She yanked her friend from the closet and propelled her down the hall and out the broken door. Broken glass bit into her bare feet.

  The man let loose with a string of profanity and started after them.

  “The shed,” Cassie whispered hoarsely. Salome ran toward it, and Cassie looked around for a weapon. Spying a broken branch, she snatched it up. Her bare feet slid on the wet grass, and she almost fell.

  “Get in here!” Salome whispered.

  “No, I want to see who it is.” Cassie crouched behind the water fountain at the corner of the deck. She could hear the man’s boots crunching over the broken glass as he stumbled to the door, then through it. The moon slid behind the clouds, and the backyard plunged into deeper shadows.

  Just as he reached the deck steps, the moon came out again, and Cassie realized he was indeed holding a gun. Her stick would be no match for his weapon. The rough bark cut into the soft flesh of her hands, only used to holding Petri dishes and fine tuning microscopes. Her feet throbbed.

  A tickle built in her nose, and she struggled to contain it. Her eyes watered with the effort, but a tiny sneeze escaped. The man whirled toward her and fired.

  As Bree sped toward Cassie’s house, she realized she’d come to care more for Cassie than she realized. The young woman had crept into her heart when she wasn’t looking, in spite of the strain of today’s dinner. Bree prayed for God to protect Cassie and Salome. Bargaining with God wasn’t a good idea, but she asked him to give her a chance to get to know Cassie better.

  Having called Mason and dropped Davy off at the safety of Anu’s, Bree turned onto Cassie’s street. A sheriff’s car, lights and sirens going, zipped past her. She applied more force to the accelerator and sped after them. She pulled up behind Mason and jumped out, taking time to let Charley out as well. Mason and his deputy had their guns out.

  “Sheriff’s office, open up!” Deputy Montgomery shouted. He pounded on the door. No one came, but Bubbles was barking ferociously. “I’ll go around back.” His belly jiggling, he jogged around the side of the house.

  “I’m scared for them, Mason,” Bree whispered.

  “Maybe she and Salome are hiding from the intruder.” Mason tried the door, but it refused to budge.

  Shouts echoed from the back. Bree and Mason turned and raced to the backyard. Salome, dressed in pajamas and slippers, was sobbing against Montgomery’s chest.

  “Where’s Cassie?” In the face of Salome’s hysteria, Bree was almost afraid to hear the answer.

  “I don’t know. She ran into the woods.” Salome was sobbing so hard it was difficult to understand her. She turned and pointed. “There. Someone ran after her.”

  “Male?”

  She nodded. It was too dark to see well, and a hat covered his face, but I heard his voice.”

  “Where’s Cassie’s bedroom?” Bree started for the house. “Charley will find her.”

  Salome made an obvious effort to collect herself. “I’ll show you.” She gingerly stepped past the broken glass from the patio door. Bubbles greeted them at the door and followed as Salome led Bree down the hall. “This is her room. Mine is on the other side of the house.”

  Mason followed them. “When did you become aware there was an intruder?”

  “When I heard the glass shatter. I was in the kitchen fixing a cup of tea and heard them smash the patio door. Then Cassie screamed for me to hide. We hid in the closet. I thought I’d faint. Cassie hit him with a broom. He fell, and she yelled for me to run. I ran outside right behind her. She told me to hide in the shed, then she grabbed a big branch and waited for him to come out again. I begged her to hide with me but she wouldn’t.”

  “Why not?” Mason asked

  “She said she wanted to see who it was. So I got in the shed and peeked out through the window. She crouched on the ground by the water fountain. When the guy came out, he was holding his gun like he was ready to shoot. I think Cassie sneezed or something because he saw her and fired the gun at her. It hit the fountain and chipped it. She jumped and ran into the woods. He followed her.”

  Dread iced Bree’s limbs. “Did you hear any other shots?”

  Salome nodded. “Two.”

  Bree knelt and put her arm around Charley’s neck. S
he pointed at a pair of socks lying on the floor. The dog bent his head and delicately sniffed the socks. Bubbles did the same. “Search, Charley!” she told him.

  His tail came up, and he began to roam the room. His ears perked. He whined then raced down the hall and out the smashed patio door. Bree ran after him, nearly falling as her shoes slipped on the broken glass.

  The dogs raced toward the woods. Bree plunged into the blackness of the thick trees. They would have difficulty tracking with the trees packed so tightly together. She flicked on her halogen flashlight, and the beams pushed back the edges of the darkness. She and the dogs had to slow their pace.

  Mason panted by her side. He still had his gun out. “Cassie! It’s Sheriff Kaleva. It’s safe to come out now.”

  They heard thrashing off to their right. It grew more distant.

  “Maybe a deer,” Mason said.

  “Or the intruder running away.” Bree watched Charley. He still had the scent. His tail wagged as he wound his way through the trees. At least Cassie was still alive. Charley was giving off good vibes.

  The flashlight beam bounced off rocks and downed trees as they trudged through the cool night. “Cassie!” Bree shouted periodically.

  Her flashlight beam touched a rough outcropping of rock, and she saw something move. “Cassie?” She focused the light, and her sister’s face jumped into focus. Bree inhaled and ran forward.

  Cassie was on the ground. Blood trickled down the side of her face from a cut in her hair. “I fell,” she muttered. “But he didn’t find me.”

  Bree knelt beside her. “We’d better call for an ambulance.”

  “No, no, I’m fine,” Cassie insisted. “Help me up.” She grabbed Bree’s arm and struggled to her feet. “It’s just a scratch. I was thrashing blindly through here and ran into the stupid rock.” She shook her head as if to clear it. “Did you catch him?”

  “No, he got away,” Mason said.

  “Is Salome okay?”

  “She’s fine. Scared, but she’ll be fine,” Bree assured her. “Let’s get you back to the house. You can’t stay there tonight. I have plenty of room in my house.”

  “I can stay in a hotel.” Cassie held Bree’s arm and they turned toward the house.

  “Absolutely not! You’re my sister, and you’re staying with me.”

  Cassie looked at her strangely. “That’s a switch. You’ve acted like you don’t want me around.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. I’ve been a jerk.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” There was a smile in Cassie’s voice, and Bree knew it was going to be all right.

  Anu had already put Davy to bed at her house. Bree showed Cassie and Salome to the lighthouse guest rooms, then went down to make popcorn and put in a pizza.

  “This is like a slumber party,” Cassie said, grabbing another handful of popcorn. “Got any good movies to watch?”

  “Princess Bride.”

  “Oh, that is the best movie!” Salome said. “I’ve been trying to get her to watch it, but she says it sounds too stupid.”

  “It is stupid, but that’s what’s great about it.” Bree got out the DVD and put it in the player.

  “No, don’t make me watch it,” Cassie begged.

  “Inconceivable!” Salome and Bree said at the same time.

  Bree laughed. “Naomi will be mad she missed this.”

  “I’ll trade places with her,” Cassie muttered. Her face sobered. “I’m only teasing. It was so great of you to have us. The company would have paid our hotel. You didn’t have to be inconvenienced.”

  “I’m loving it.” Bree hit pause on the remote. “We need to get to know each other. I wouldn’t mind if you stayed for weeks.”

  Cassie studied her face. “I think you’re telling the truth.”

  “I’ve never had a family to be close to. I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk.” Bree hadn’t realized until now how much that had bothered her. Davy, Anu, Hilary, and Mason were her family, but she’d longed for the closeness she saw between Hilary and Rob when he was alive, that feeling of having shared parents. Though she and Cassie only shared a father, the blood ties could be strengthened if Bree had enough courage to do it.

  “We can watch the movie tomorrow,” Bree said. “Tell me how our father is doing. He seemed great today.”

  “Are you sure you want to hear this?”

  “I’m sure.”

  Cassie took a sip of her Pepsi. “I feel so guilty for not taking care of him, but he has times where he forgets how to bathe or how to get dressed. He’s still having some great days, like today.”

  “You had to keep him safe. He had wandered several times. I’ve had to search and find people like him often enough over the years. “

  “I know I had to do it, but it’s still hard. I’ve been all he has for so long, and I’ve always wanted to please him.”

  “Which is why you’ve pushed yourself,” Salome put in. She stood. “I think I’ll go to bed and leave you two to your confidences. I don’t want to intrude.”

  “’Night,” Cassie called.

  “Does my mother know where he is?” Bree asked.

  Cassie nodded. “He gets packages from her every now and then. The last letter said she might come see him. He wrote and told her not to come. I think he doesn’t want anyone to see him like this.” She bit her lip. “At least no one but you.”

  Bree started shaking her head. “What about the cancer?” The anger she’d felt over him leaving her in her mother’s care was disappearing, she realized. Maybe she was coming to understand her life wasn’t perfect. She’d made plenty of mistakes herself.

  “He’s got maybe three months.” Cassie’s face contorted with pain. “I don’t know what I’ll do without him. I think that’s why I wanted to find you so badly. You’ll be all the family I have left.” She touched Bree on the arm as if she were afraid.

  Bree felt the sting of tears at the backs of her eyes. “We can try,” she said. “Just remember, God will go through those deep places with us.”

  Cassie pulled her hand away. “If he cared about me, he wouldn’t take my father.”

  “I used to say that about Davy and Rob too. But when I reached the bottom of my well, I found God there.”

  “Let’s not talk about it,” Cassie said. “But I think I can work on learning to love you, Bree.”

  “And I you.” Bree took her hand and squeezed it. “But only if you’ll watch Princess Bride with me.”

  22

  The woman blew her hair away from her eyes in frustration. “I don’t like this.”

  “We have no choice. We can’t find the papers. The old man is our only link to our future.” The man grabbed her arm roughly. “Let’s get this done.” He marched her toward the nursing home.

  Nearly midnight. The residents’ rooms were dark, but they knew which one was the old man’s. Luckily it was near the front door.

  They walked confidently inside. The woman in the office had her head bent over a book, and the TV played softly in the background. Perfect. They went to room 101 and stepped inside.

  She shook the snoring old man. He awoke with a start and stared up at them in the moonlight streaming through his window.

  “Cassie?” he muttered.

  “That’s right. We have to go, Dad. Right now. Come along.”

  Bree stared at herself in the mirror. She didn’t feel like going out tonight, not when her sister would be here later, and they were enjoying the time together. But she didn’t know how to get out of it with Nick. He’d been insistent about a date with just the two of them.

  She brushed a bit of taupe shadow over her lids and added a touch of mascara. That would have to do. Elaborate makeup and fancy dresses weren’t part of who she was. Shaking her head, she put her toiletries away and went down to wait for Nick.

  Davy lay on the floor with his head on a pillow. His face was intent on the book in his hand. He looked up after a moment and saw her. “You look pretty, Mommy. How come I can�
��t go with you? Nick won’t mind.”

  “Lauri would be disappointed if she didn’t get to spend the evening with you. You two are going to the party at Yancy’s, remember?” Yancy had invited half the town to a cookout. Bree had thought she and Nick would go, but he’d nixed the idea.

  Davy considered that, then scowled. “She could come with us. She could be my date.”

  Bree hid a smile. “You can come next time.”

  The lot at Syl’s was full when Nick parked his Mercury Mountaineer. Bree hadn’t felt like driving farther than Mass City, and Syl’s had great food, though the ambience was backwoods hunter meets home cooking. Still, it was better than driving clear to Houghton.

  “How’s the investigation going?” Nick asked, opening her door.

  “Nowhere fast. Mason ran ballistics on the gun I found, and it was the murder weapon. But the serial number had been filed off, and it was wiped clean of prints. So it’s another dead end.”

  Nick nodded and led her inside. Once seated in a back corner facing the mural of mountains, Bree sipped her water and wondered what to talk about. She’d never felt so ill at ease with Nick—or so distant. He didn’t seem to notice though, for he kept up a steady stream of banter about the goings on at the fire station. She made the appropriate noises at all the right times, but her thoughts were at a cabin in the woods. Kade never left her thoughts for long these days.

  They ate their dinner, but the conversation never seemed to touch more than the surface.

  “Want to go for a ride in the moonlight?” Nick suggested.

  The moon over Lake Superior was a sight Bree never tired of. “Sure.” Her smile felt plastered on. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t being fair to Nick, feeling so disconnected. She told herself to snap out of it, but that seemed impossible.