Farewell Seas
Page 1
Farewell Seas
A Rowan Gray Mystery Books 7-9
Lily Harper Hart
HarperHart Publications
Copyright © 2019 by Lily Harper Hart
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Contents
Dangerous Seas
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. Eight
9. Nine
10. Ten
11. Eleven
12. Twelve
13. Thirteen
14. Fourteen
15. Fifteen
16. Sixteen
17. Seventeen
18. Eighteen
19. Nineteen
20. Twenty
Perilous Seas
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. Eight
9. Nine
10. Ten
11. Eleven
12. Twelve
13. Thirteen
14. Fourteen
15. Fifteen
16. Sixteen
17. Seventeen
18. Eighteen
19. Nineteen
20. Twenty
Raging Seas
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. Eight
9. Nine
10. Ten
11. Eleven
12. Twelve
13. Thirteen
14. Fourteen
15. Fifteen
16. Sixteen
17. Seventeen
18. Eighteen
19. Nineteen
20. Twenty
Mail List
Acknowledgments
Books by Lily Harper Hart
Dangerous Seas
A Rowan Gray Mystery Books 7
1
One
Rowan Gray’s father was alive.
That seemed like a simple enough realization to the woman ... and yet she couldn’t wrap her head around it no matter how hard she tried.
Weeks before, an uncle she barely remembered explained that her father didn’t die a decade before as initially suspected. Instead, he disappeared for some unknown reason that Rowan still didn’t understand, and he went into hiding.
Why?
Where did he go?
How could he leave her when she was still so young and vulnerable?
Did he think about her?
Did he try to check on her?
Was he happy to be rid of her?
All those questions plagued Rowan to the point where she thought she would eventually drive herself crazy. She dwelled on them, felt sorry for herself, and descended into a pit of despair. Finally, after days of self-doubt, she pulled herself out of it.
It was the same thing she went through following the initial incident.
Her father was missing, after all. He wasn’t dead. She had hope ... and she also had a new reality. If he was dead, there was nothing she could do about it. If he was alive, he most likely chose to leave. She had to take care of herself either way ... so that’s what she did.
She found a way to use the money her father left behind to put herself through school. It turned out, however, she didn’t do it on her own like she originally believed. A few of the scholarships that popped up when she was in dire straits turned out to be funded by her uncle, but she didn’t realize it until long after the fact.
She got a job right after graduation as a photojournalist in southeastern Michigan, worked steadily for five years, and then got laid off thanks to a bad economy and dwindling newspaper resources. She thought it was the end of the world for a second time, but she’d been proven wrong.
On a whim, she’d applied for a job as a photographer on The Bounding Storm, an island hopper cruise ship that operated off the coast of Florida. She interviewed, was hired within two weeks, and now she was a full-time employee of a conglomerate company, living on the ship full time and spending a day or two each week on solid land.
That’s where she was now, on the beach staring out at the sea. It was an off day on the ship, which meant she wasn’t shirking her duties, but she’d been eager to escape all the same. She needed time to think, room to breathe. She needed to contemplate the most recent message her uncle sent her.
She still wasn’t sure it was real.
He was coming. Her father, long since thought dead, was coming to The Bounding Storm. He would be a guest on the cruise that was leaving port the following day. It was supposed to be full of authors — something that confused Rowan — but he would be there. Her uncle promised that he wouldn’t disappoint her again.
Part of her hoped he was telling the truth. The other part was terrified the truth was more than she could bear.
She had no idea how she was supposed to deal with what was to come.
So, instead of dwelling on it, she sat on her favorite beach and worked on a sandcastle. She wasn’t far from The Bounding Storm, could see it down the beach and felt perfectly safe as her fingers moved through the cool earth.
She also felt detached. She needed to feel that right now because otherwise ... well, otherwise she was afraid she would become overwhelmed. If that happened, she might never be able to stand up again and that terrified her.
So, she worked on her sandcastle and let her mind drift. It was better than trying to focus on the approaching emotional storm. She needed time and space ... and she was determined to get it.
SHE WAS STILL ON THE beach when her boyfriend went looking for her an hour later.
The sun had nearly set, and Rowan’s auburn hair almost looked as if it were on fire as Quinn Davenport slowed his pace and took in the sight of her.
He loved her. Sometimes he wondered if he’d fallen in love with her the moment they met. It seemed ridiculous to consider that as a possibility, but the more he thought back to the time they spent together right out of the gate, the more he started to believe in destiny.
It was schmaltzy to wonder about — and he’d never considered himself a schmaltzy person — but he’d fallen head over heels for her what seemed like the second she opened her mouth. Sure, she was beautiful, and he was clearly attracted to the outside package, but it was what was inside that sealed the deal.
She was the strongest, smartest, and sweetest person he’d ever met. And right now, she was suffering. It nearly broke his heart.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he called out softly as he approached, hopeful he was not only welcome, but that he hadn’t taken her by surprise. When her eyes shifted to him, they seemed glazed, and it caused his stomach to roll. “I’ve been looking for you.”
Rowan blinked several times in rapid succession as she regarded him. “I left a note.”
She sounded disconnected, as if she wasn’t really engaged in the conversation. Quinn didn’t like that one bit.
“I know.” He lowered himself to the sand next to Rowan and looked over the sandcastle she’d been working on. It was more ornate than the others he’d seen her build. This was a regular occurrence for her — she liked to keep her hands busy while letting her mind wander — and he’d taken a fancy to watching her build the castles. This one, however, worried him.
“You don’t have
to be out here.” Rowan kept her voice low as she used her forearm to swipe at her sweaty forehead. “I’m okay. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Quinn didn’t believe that for a second. “Well, that’s good to know.” He chose his words carefully. “I’m glad there’s nothing to worry about. If you say it like that, it must be true, right?”
She narrowed her eyes, frustration practically rolling off her in waves. “I don’t need to be crowded right now.”
Quinn tried not to take offense, but the statement hurt. “Well ... .” He wasn’t sure how to respond. Thankfully for him, Rowan realized exactly how she sounded and corrected her attitude right away.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked, which was enough to convince Quinn that his heart was about to break.
“Don’t be sorry, sweetie.” He reached out a hand and pulled her to him, ignoring the sand on her fingers. She attempted to keep the mud away from his clothes, but he was determined to ease as much of her fear as possible and wouldn’t let go. “Don’t ever be sorry. We’re in this together, Ro. Don’t pull away from me. I can’t help if you pull away.”
She blinked back tears, but it was a losing effort. “I’m not trying to pull away from you.”
“I know.” His hands were busy as they moved over her back. “You’re trying to be brave, hold all those emotions that you think make you weak inside. I’m here to tell you something: Those emotions don’t make you weak. They’re part of you and I’m more than willing to put up with that.”
She sniffled as she buried her face in the hollow between his neck and shoulder. “I don’t want to fall apart. If I fall apart then ... things will be bad. That’s what happened when he first disappeared. I fell apart and turned into a total baby.”
“I don’t think that’s what happened.” Quinn was calm as he pressed his lips to her forehead. “In fact, I’m willing to bet that’s nowhere near what happened.”
She didn’t initially respond, so he barreled forward.
“I think you were upset ... maybe a little hurt ... and probably angry at yourself for even considering the possibility that your father would simply disappear while you were at school and abandon you,” he continued. “I think you believed something bad happened to him because the alternative was too much to bear.”
“But the alternative was right.” Rowan’s voice was barely a whisper. “He did leave me. He just up and walked away, left me to fend for myself, and never looked back.”
Quinn licked his lips, unsure how to proceed. He felt as if he was out of his depth. “Ro, I don’t know your father. I would like to think that he’s a good man because you came from him and you’re the best woman I know.”
“I think you’re only saying that because you’re fond of me.”
He chuckled despite himself. “I am most definitely fond of you,” he agreed, smoothing her hair. “More than that, I love you beyond reason. You’re my favorite person in the world. I mean, it’s a little embarrassing, but my heart does this little dance whenever I catch sight of you.
“It still happens on a daily basis,” he continued, warming to the topic and readjusting her body so she could get comfortable on his lap, her castle abandoned. “Sometimes I’ll be working and I’ll catch a glimpse of your hair from far away — and I swear this is true — my heart does a little two-step.”
Rowan barked out a laugh and it relieved some of the tension Quinn felt weighing down his shoulders. “I think you’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
“I’m saying it because it’s true.” He stroked the back of her head. “I love you.” It was only recently that they’d exchanged the words, but now that the dam was broken, he found it easy to tell her exactly what he was feeling ... even in times of strife. “You don’t know how much love I have for you. Let me help. Tell me what you’re feeling.”
Rowan exhaled heavily, all signs of fight fleeing. In truth, she wasn’t sure why she slunk away to be on her own when she felt so much better in Quinn’s presence. He had a way of calming her, making her feel safe and loved. That was exactly what she needed now.
“I’m afraid.” Rowan’s voice was barely a whisper. “I told myself that all I wanted was answers — and that’s true to an extent — but it’s not all I want.”
“I would imagine not. You want your father back.”
“I want answers ... and my father ... and I want whatever happened to make him leave to be something that magically erases the heartache and fear. I know it’s not reasonable, but I can’t help myself.”
Quinn licked his lips as he debated how to respond. “I don’t know what’s going to happen.” That was the truth and pretending otherwise would be a mistake. He recognized that straightaway. “I’m kind of an outsider looking in, though, and I have a military background, so I’ve been making certain assumptions.”
Rowan lifted her glassy eyes, hopeful and intrigued. “What are your assumptions?”
“Well, I think your father loved you more than anything.” He adjusted her again, so her back was molded to his chest. “I think it’s impossible not to love you.”
“He still left.”
“I don’t know this as fact, but I have to believe he did it to keep you safe. I don’t know what he was involved in, or if he accidentally stumbled across something he shouldn’t have, but everything you’ve told me about your father makes me believe he’s a good man.”
“But?” she prodded.
“But something happened. I don’t know what it was — and you clearly don’t either — but something happened that forced him to make a very difficult choice. Before you start complaining that he didn’t take you with him, I’m going to guess that was for your own good, too.
“Now, I have no idea what he’s going to tell you, and I don’t want you simply believing him because he’s your father, but I think it would be good for all concerned if you keep an open mind,” he continued. “I don’t think we can make a plan for how we’re going to deal with this until we have more information. It’s as simple as that.”
Rowan nodded, thoughtful. What he said made sense. That didn’t mean she was ready to stop asking questions. “Why do you think he picked a cruise featuring a bunch of authors?”
Quinn had been considering that question himself and he didn’t have answers. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s masquerading as an editor ... or an assistant or something. Maybe it was the timing. The author conference was scheduled six months ago. I checked.”
“You did?”
He nodded. “I also went back and checked as soon as Nick called to tell us your father was on his way. I looked through the names registered for the conference. If there’s rhyme or reason behind whatever name he’s using, I can’t find it. I simply don’t know.”
“Do you think I’ll recognize him? I mean ... if he’s in hiding, he probably changed his appearance. That’s what happens in movies.”
A small smile played at the corners of Quinn’s lips. “I don’t know that it’s going to be like the movies.”
“Everything is fantastical already. How much more Hollywood could it get?”
“True.” He kissed her cheek and sighed when she rested her head against his chest. She was relaxing, although it was only by spits and spurts. “I don’t know if you’ll recognize him. It’s been ten years. He’ll have aged. If I have to guess, he’ll be disguised somehow.
“His hair will probably be a different color, and probably a different cut,” he continued. “He might be wearing colored contact lenses. Was he heavy before? If so, he might’ve lost some weight. If he was thin, he might’ve purposely gained some weight.
“The thing is, I think you’re going to recognize him,” he said. “Your heart will know when he’s near.”
“That was kind of a nice sentiment.” She sounded whimsical. “I’m sorry I’m being such a drag. I’m just all ... worked up. I keep telling myself to chill but it’s not working.”
“You don’t have to chill. This is a big
freaking deal.”
“Yeah.”
They lapsed into an amiable silence for a moment, Quinn’s hands moving up and down Rowan’s arms to soothe her. He had more to say and was doubtful whether he should lay it out now. Of course, they were leaving on a cruise — probably the most important cruise of both their lives — in less than twenty-four hours. He was running out of time to voice his real concerns.
“You need to be careful tomorrow,” he said finally, brushing her hair away from her face so he could see her profile. “I’m working on the assumption that your father ran away from something dangerous ten years ago. You said there were no signs he planned on leaving. You were expecting him home for dinner, but he never showed.”
“Do you think someone dangerous will try to follow him onto the ship?”
“I have no idea. I think your father knows what he’s doing and he’s planned this very carefully. You saw how nervous your uncle was. They’ve been careful with how they’ve done things, so careful that it’s driven you a bit mad a few times. I don’t think your father would’ve announced he was coming if he didn’t mean to follow through.”