Harbour Falls (A Harbour Falls Mystery #1)(84)

“I know,” Nate said as he picked the can up and placed it on the table.

I shot Nate an apologetic look, hoping he realized I hadn’t meant to pry or bring up an uncomfortable subject when I’d asked about Helena.

Thankfully he smiled and, back to his usual form, said, “Last I heard, this rain is supposed to clear out sometime later today, so I’m sure Adam will make it back by tonight.”

The rest of our conversation remained upbeat. No further mentions were made about why Helena had returned from Boston early to spend time with her mom. But after Nate left, the unexpected tension that had crept up between us nagged at me. It reminded me I was alone and made me miss Adam more than ever.

The last few days, Adam and I had been talking and texting often, but it wasn’t enough. I didn’t feel safe on the island without his being here. Despite Max and Nate being around to keep an eye on things, just the fact that J.T. O’Brien knew his way around so well—well enough to have been burying something over on the godforsaken east side—gave me pause.

I also hadn’t forgotten about the plan to go back down the access road to see if I could pinpoint where J.T. had been digging. But nothing could be done until Adam returned. And then, only if the weather cooperated.



I booted up my laptop to peruse the latest weather reports. First I checked the forecast for later today, and just like Nate had said, it was supposed to clear up. Good, that means Adam will be able to fly back as planned. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I scrolled through the extended forecast. A huge storm was due to hit on Wednesday. That gave Adam, Max, and me either tomorrow or Tuesday to return to the east side. After a rain as heavy as what was being predicted, the chance of finding the spot J.T. had been digging at would be next to nil.

I hated the thought of a big storm hitting the island. Everything would be disrupted. Adam wouldn’t be able to fly in or out, the ferry service would be suspended, and things were usually just an all-around headache. I reminded myself that tomorrow was the first day of November, and this was just a taste of things to come.

Resigned, I closed my laptop. I leaned back on the sofa just as my cell sounded. I hoped it was Adam, as I had yet to hear from him today. But as I checked the display, I saw it was someone I’d not heard from for over a week: Jimmy.

When I answered Jimmy began to speak in an enthusiastic voice, “Hey, I’m glad you picked up. I got some news.”

“Uh-oh, what is it?” I asked worriedly. “Not another visit from J.T.?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” he responded. “Dude hasn’t been back since I talked to ’ya last. But I got somethin’ way better.”

He grew quiet, probably going for dramatic effect, so I prodded, “OK, so what is it?”

Jimmy’s excitement emanated through the connection as he said, “I found the picture.”

Oh. My. God.



Four little words I wasn’t expecting to hear. Jimmy found the picture! A picture I’d considered, at times, didn’t even exist or would never be found. But the young bartender had come through—Jimmy had found the picture.



I felt like screaming hallelujah, but instead I said, “You’re kidding.”

Then, for a few seconds, I feared Jimmy might be playing a practical joke—some kind of Halloween trick. Thankfully, that was not the case.

“Nope, I really found it,” Jimmy assured me.

He sounded so pleased to be giving me the good news, and in that moment Jimmy seemed so much like the kid he actually was. “I have it, so whenever you want to swing by—”

“Tomorrow!” I interrupted. “I can come to Harbourtown tomorrow.”

What I really wanted to do was hang up and go pick up the picture right now, but there were too many obstacles in my way. A) The ferry wouldn’t be running until the weather cleared, and by then Adam would most likely be back. And B) It was Sunday, so Billy’s was closed. Which meant if I were to somehow get to the mainland today, I’d have to go to Jimmy’s place—wherever that was—and pick up the picture in person. Apart from having no clue where he lived, I cringed at the thought of Adam’s reaction if he ever found out I did something that stupid. No, it was bad enough I’d be breaking my promise to stay away from Billy’s. Better to not tempt fate.

So many things could go wrong between today and tomorrow. So just in case my plans were somehow derailed, I asked Jimmy, “Hey, can you do me a favor?”

“Depends on what it is.”

“Can you make a copy of the photograph and send it to me here on the island?” I asked.

“You think I’m gonna change my mind and not give it to ’ya?” he chortled.

“Of course not,” I retorted, though it had crossed my mind. “It’s just an insurance policy. I have to see that picture, Jimmy. It’s important. And I’d just feel better knowing we have a backup plan.”

To my surprise Jimmy agreed to make the copy. His apartment was located next to an office supply store, he informed me. How fortuitous. I thanked whatever gods had intervened to finally make something go smoothly. Jimmy even promised to make the copy as soon as we got off the phone. He said there was a mailbox outside the store. So if all went as planned, it would take Jimmy only about fifteen minutes to make the copy and drop it in the mail. Before we ended the call, I gave Jimmy my Fade Island address, making him read it back to me three times to make certain he got it right.