Harbour Falls (A Harbour Falls Mystery #1)(45)

“Uhh…” I hesitated.

Asking Adam a question of that magnitude—while staring into his striking blue eyes—was not a simple thing to do.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath. OK, here goes. “Was there, uh, somethin—”

Just as I was getting to the question everybody seemed to want an answer to, I heard the café door open. I opened my eyes and looked up.



And then I groaned in exasperation, because I realized I wouldn’t be asking my question. At least not anytime soon.





Chapter 12



Helena scanned the mess that was her café. Broken chairs, overturned tables, shattered glass littering the floor, blood and whiskey spilled. “My God,” she uttered. “What happened in here?”

Her eyes flickered our way as Adam straightened and helped me to my feet. “J.T. O’Brien is what happened here, Helena. He showed up drunk.”

Understanding seemed to dawn on Helena; she shook her head and sighed. “Are you two OK?” she asked quietly.

Before we could answer, the café door swung wide. Nate had returned from dropping J.T. off at Max’s house. So after we were seated, the three of us took turns giving Helena a detailed account of the events that had transpired in her absence. I filled in the blanks in the timeline, explaining what had happened from the time Trina and Helena had left up until Adam and Nate’s well-timed arrival to the café.

I didn’t miss the number of times Adam shifted irritably, blue eyes flashing in ire, as he listened to the vivid details of J.T.’s unprovoked attack. When the story was finished, Helena pulled me into a tight hug. And then she strongly encouraged me to press charges against J.T.

But I was torn on what to do. On one hand, nothing too terrible had occurred, thanks to Adam’s intervention. But on the other hand, it frightened me to envision all that could have happened. And I knew J.T. should have to face the full repercussions of his criminal behavior.

“What happened to the sweet guy I once knew? We were actually friends at one time,” I lamented, still in disbelief over the actions of a J.T. I no longer recognized.

Helena voiced what I already knew in my heart. “Drugs and alcohol have a way of changing people, Maddy. And it’s never for the better.”

Nate proceeded to tell me that if I pressed charges, J.T. would then be forced to enter a Harbour Falls mandatory drug and alcohol dependency rehabilitation—in lieu of doing any time—since he was already on probation for drug charges in the past. “It’ll actually be the best thing for him.” Nate said.

When I asked about the specifics, he explained that it would be a six-week program, with two weeks of inpatient therapy and four weeks of outpatient support. It sounded like it would, at least, be a starting point for J.T. to get some help.

“Do I have to go over to Harbour Falls to press charges?” I asked. Fade Island and Cove Beach both fell under the jurisdiction of Harbour Falls.

Adam cleared his throat. “No, actually Max can take your statement. He’s actually an officer with the Harbour Falls PD.”

This was news, though I couldn’t say I was completely surprised by the admission. After thinking it over for a few more minutes, I decided to press charges. J.T.’s problems were serious, and I had to face the fact that he could have very easily been the one behind Chelsea’s disappearance. His fury had been truly terrifying. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that level of rage leading to something like—I hated to admit it—murder.

I shuddered as we all rose, and in response Adam put his arm around me. Before we left the café, he told Nate to make the necessary arrangements for me to meet with Max in the morning. I broke in, saying I didn’t want to go alone to Max’s bungalow to enter my statement. Max and I had made amends, but I didn’t really care to show up at his home all by myself. Needless to say, I was relieved when Adam said he’d go with me.

Stepping out into the cold night air, Adam pulled me close as he led us to his Porsche. “Maddy?” he questioned when I hesitated on the sidewalk.

“What about my car?” I nodded to the Lexus parked in front of his car.

“Don’t worry, I can take you down to the dock after you meet with Max, and then Trina and I can pick up your car sometime tomorrow. We’ll drop it off at your cottage while you’re with your dad.”

Oh shit! My dad! I’d forgotten all about my plans to visit with him Sunday. I’d mentioned it in passing to Adam the night before, and thank goodness I had. Or I’d have ended up inadvertently blowing off my poor father. Of course Adam had no clue I had no plans to mention his name to the mayor. My dad was still under the impression I was staying away from “that Ward guy,” as he had requested. However, I suspected that once my father found out the details of what had happened at the café—and he surely would—there was little doubt in my mind that he’d be more concerned with me staying away from J.T. O’Brien.



Ugh! Statement in the morning, my dad in the afternoon. All this when all I really wanted to do was just spend some time alone with Adam. After all, I needed to ask him about the blackmail allegations. With that in mind, and not really caring to spend the night alone at my isolated cottage after the café incident, I blurted out, “Will you stay with me tonight?”