Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(14)

“I didn’t expect to hear from you quite so soon. The cottage isn’t ready now, is it?”

She gave a nervous cough. “Well, no, but I’d like to talk to you about the nanny position. I’m interested in it myself.”

He blinked and raised his brow. She’d seemed nice enough and had paid attention to the girls, but he didn’t know much about her. “I see. Do you have experience with kids?”

“I’m the Sunday school director at our church. I can give you my pastor’s name and number if you’d like to speak with him. I’m good with kids and always have been.”

Her confidence made him smile. Sometimes the best employees were the ones who had the most belief in their own abilities. “Sure, text me his contact information.”

“I’ll do that as soon as we hang up. I’ve lived here my whole life, so just ask around. People know me.”

“How about you meet me here at the hotel for dinner with the kids tonight, and we can discuss it more? I’d like to see you interact with the girls before I make up my mind.”

“That’s fine. What time?”

“Say five? The girls are used to eating early.”

“I’ll be there. The Oyster Bistro? The Sea Room is fancier, and the girls wouldn’t like the food as well as at the Bistro.”

“If that’s where you want to go.”

“It’s to the right of the elevator as you get to the first floor. See you at five.”

He ended the call and glanced at his aunt. “You know Kate Mason?”

She adjusted the pencil in her hair holding up her bun. “Of course. A good girl who’s been through a lot. She had some kind of blood disease and had to have some treatment after chemo. But she’s fine now. She wants to care for the girls?”

He nodded as his cell phone gave a message alert. “I’ll talk to her pastor and see what he says.”

“She goes to my church too. You can’t do much better than Kate.”

So maybe his search was over. He liked what he’d seen from her so far.

*

Kate slicked a bit of lip gloss on her lips and surveyed herself in the mirror. Thanks to hair spray and pins, she’d managed to get her short curls into an updo like Claire’s, and she thought it made her look smarter and more sophisticated. But was that the right look for a nanny? She tugged at the hem of her denim skirt, then slipped silver hoops in her ears. It would have to do.

With her car keys in hand, she was heading for the door when her cell phone rang. She frowned when she saw Sheriff Colton’s name on the screen and answered it.

“Sorry to bother you, Kate.” His voice was terse, unlike his normal jovial demeanor.

“What’s wrong, Danny?” She stopped by the door when he released a heavy sigh.

“Don’t quite know how to say it except to spit it out like a watermelon seed. Your uncle Paul escaped from prison last night.”

She gasped and leaned against the doorjamb. “Escaped? You mean they don’t know where he is?”

“That’s right. He knows these woods like I know every surface of my gun, so I’m betting he’ll be headed this way. Let me know if he contacts you.”

“I can’t imagine he would though. Not after what he did.”

He’d murdered Luke’s mother to keep her from telling how she’d seen him burying Kate’s half sister’s body. Everyone in this area knew what he’d done, and someone would turn him in. Coming here would be stupid. Or would it? He could live off the land and hide out for years up here and never be spotted.

“I’m about to call Claire. She needs to be especially vigilant. While Paul was in prison, he talked about making her pay if he got out.”

Claire had unraveled the secrets of that day so long ago, and Paul hated Claire, even if she was his own niece. Should Kate even pursue this job with Drake? Claire might need her around more.

“She’s had enough on her plate today. I hate to add to it,” the sheriff said.

“What do you mean?” Kate hadn’t spoken to her twin since this morning. Claire had called and left a message a couple of hours ago, but Kate hadn’t had time to call her back. She’d planned to do that on the drive to the hotel.

“She discovered a young woman dead on the beach. Choked and raped, at least that’s the preliminary call by the coroner before the autopsy.”

“Oh no!” Kate’s fingers went to her own neck. “Who was it?”

“A tourist.”

“I’ll call Claire right away.”

“Give me fifteen minutes to tell her about Paul.”

“Okay.” It was a good thing the wedding was coming up in a couple of weeks. Luke would take good care of her.

Kate glanced at the time as she put her phone away. If she delayed any longer, she would be late for dinner with Drake, though she was in no mood for this position now when every part of her wanted to be with Claire.

She drove down Highway 1 to Summer Harbor, singing with the radio to calm herself. By the time she parked her Volkswagen in the lot and got to the ferry, fifteen minutes had passed. She found a seat at the front and called her sister.

Claire answered on the first ring. “Kate, did you hear about Paul?” Her voice was choked and upset.