Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove #6)(70)

As though asking his son’s permission, Joseph glanced at Jon.

Maryellen bit her lip when Jon gave a slight nod, a gesture of permission.

Joseph reached for Katie. “I know you named her after your mother. She would’ve been so proud. And I—I’m proud of you, Jon, prouder than I can say.” He had to stop because tears started to run down his weathered cheeks.

Jon seemed about to say something, but didn’t.

“I understand why you can’t forgive me,” Joseph went on. “I do…and I have to say I can’t blame you. What I did was despicable. I won’t offer you an excuse. I…I deserve your hatred.”

Ellen stepped onto the deck and stood completely still when she saw Joseph talking to his son. She brought her hand to her mouth, as if she feared she might make some sound that would destroy the fragile mood.

“I want to thank you, though,” Joseph said. His words, choked out with emotion, were difficult to understand. “This time with Maryellen and Katie has been a blessing I never thought I’d receive.” His father put Katie back down on the grass. Confused, the little girl looked from one man to the other.

Jon slid his gaze toward Maryellen. She gave him a shaky smile and picked up her knitting, although her fingers were suddenly uncooperative. The scene unfolding before her was of far more interest than the yarn and knitting needles she held.

“Thank you, son,” Joseph said. “For letting Ellen and me come here. We’ll leave you to your family now.”

“Joe.”

He didn’t call him Dad, which was more than Maryellen would have expected.

Joseph paused and waited.

“Maryellen and I appreciate what you’ve done.” His voice was gruff and didn’t sound like him. He gathered Katie into his arms and headed for the house.

Nearly overwhelmed by emotion, Ellen hurried to Joseph and they hugged each other before driving away.

Jon didn’t join Maryellen on the deck the way he normally did. Instead, he went immediately into his darkroom, taking Katie with him. He wanted a few minutes alone. Maryellen understood.

Those were the first words Jon had spoken to his father in fifteen years. In her heart, she knew this was a new beginning for all of them.

Thirty

It was graduation day.

When Anson had first disappeared, Allison was sure he’d return before now. She realized she’d set herself up for disappointment, but she couldn’t stop believing that he’d find a way for them to be together.

She’d talked to him twice, and he hadn’t even mentioned the possibility of coming back. If anything, especially now the pewter cross had been discovered, returning to clear his name seemed increasingly unlikely. Despite his claim that he’d seen the arsonist, and his insistence that he hadn’t set those fires during his childhood, all the evidence pointed to him.

Now, as she stood with her classmates, wearing her cap and gown, she was forced to accept that Anson wouldn’t show up at the last minute the way she’d dreamed.

Graduation day should be an important event, a day of triumph, yet all she felt was a sense of loss and betrayal. She wanted Anson with her so they could graduate together. Had he stayed in school, everything would’ve been different. She was positive he would’ve been awarded an academic scholarship. They’d talked about attending the same college. They’d talked about a lot of things. Every dream he’d ever shared with her had gone up in flames with The Lighthouse.

Allison’s closest friends had gathered in the waiting area, talking animatedly, laughing nervously, discussing plans and exchanging bits of gossip. The stadium was filled with family and friends. The chatter and all the noise made her want to clamp her hands over her ears. Soon “Pomp and Circumstance” would begin, and Allison, along with the rest of her classmates, would file into the Tacoma Dome, where their families had assembled.

“Allison.”

At the sound of her name, she turned to find Shaw Wilson slipping between two other graduates. He insisted on being called Shaw—she had no idea why—although his real name was Phillip. He’d once been a Goth friend of Anson’s. Apparently he hadn’t earned enough credits to graduate or he would’ve been required to wear a cap and gown. As usual, he’d dressed entirely in black. The June evening was mild, but he wore a full-length black coat that was long enough to drag on the floor. His face was heavily made up with black eye shadow.

Allison remembered that Shaw and Anson had hung around together at the beginning of the school year. She hadn’t seen Shaw with him much after Anson began working at The Lighthouse. Shaw was the first person she’d gone to after Anson’s disappearance, certain the other boy would know where he was and what had happened to him. Shaw swore he didn’t and she believed him.

“Hi, Shaw,” she said, doing her best to hide her misery.

Her classmate moved uncomfortably close and stared at her.

In that instant Allison knew. “You heard from him?” She kept her voice low and didn’t dare say Anson’s name aloud.

Shaw gave the slightest nod of his head.

“Is he all right?” she breathed.

He shrugged one shoulder. “Not if you ask me. He says otherwise.”

Allison bit her lip for fear she’d cry out. “He phoned you?”

Again he nodded, glaring at her as if she were a traitor. “He wanted to tell you more but he couldn’t because he knows you’ll tell the sheriff. I told him you can’t trust a girl. At least he listened to me about that much.”