Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(7)
Claire pressed her lips together and met Luke’s sympathetic gaze. He shrugged and grinned. He liked Kate, but what man would want his new sister-in-law living with them right after they got married? Not even Luke, the symbol of male perfection in Claire’s eyes. But she couldn’t quell her uneasiness. This road held no other residents with the other cottage empty, and some maniac could break in without a soul nearby to hear her scream.
She suppressed a shudder and took a sip of her tea. “Kate is thinking about renting out the cottage down the road.”
“Is it worth renting out?” Danny mumbled past his mouthful of brownie.
“It’s a good, solid cottage,” Kate said. “It just needs a little TLC. I could probably rent it for a decent amount to a tourist.”
“At least you wouldn’t be alone out here,” Luke said. “If you got scared, you could run to the neighbor’s. Or call. It would put your sister’s mind at rest. Mine too.”
“Good idea.” Jonas rose and grabbed his hat. “I’d better be heading home so you can all get some rest. Sorry you had such a scare, Kate.”
She rose to walk him to the door, and Claire followed with Luke and the sheriff. Kate opened the door. “Thanks for coming so fast. I promise not to cry wolf again. Next time I’ll think it through.”
“You didn’t cry wolf. We want to know if there’s a problem.” Jonas smiled down at her. “And anytime I get to see my old friend is a good day.”
“Call us if you need us.” Danny put his Boston Celtics baseball cap on his head and went out the door behind Jonas.
Kate stepped onto the porch behind Claire and Luke. “I feel pretty foolish about now. I’m sorry I kept you up so late.”
Claire hugged her until the stiffness left her sister’s shoulders. “Don’t you dare apologize. You’re supposed to call me for anything. Get some rest, since it’s clear I can’t coax you into coming home with me.”
But walking to her car, Claire still felt a deep sense of unease at leaving her in the dark night. She turned with her hand on Luke’s truck. “I’m going to send out a security guy tomorrow. If you’re going to live out here, you will have a security system. Don’t even try to argue me out of it.”
Standing in the wash of the light spilling through the doorway, Kate looked small and vulnerable. “I won’t try to talk you out of it. See you tomorrow.”
Claire climbed into Luke’s truck, and he shut the door behind her, then got behind the wheel. “She’ll be okay, honey. I asked Danny to send a patrol out this way on occasion, and he said he would.”
She reached over and patted his hand. “You’re a good man, Luke Rocco. I’m glad you’re mine.”
FOUR
Drake stopped in Ogunquit for ice cream for the girls. They’d all needed a break, and he needed a chance to get out of the car and away from their squabbling. No amount of placating seemed to settle them down, and he didn’t want to come off as the big bad uncle when they needed love and understanding right now. Though he’d kept an eye on the rearview mirror, he hadn’t spotted any sign they were being followed.
They sat at a table overlooking the water. The wind whipped the waves into whitecaps, and the girls squealed as ducks waddled closer for a bit of bread. He grinned as they tossed the birds a bit of their cones. It felt like just another summer day, a bit of normalcy in a world gone crazy. He tossed away his napkin and empty cup, then called Rod Sisson, Heath’s partner in the law office.
Rod answered on the first ring. “Drake, I was about to call you. Listen, I’ve found a great private investigator to dig into what happened. I’ll text you the number.”
“That’s good, really good. I’m on my way to Folly Shoals myself.”
There was a pause, and Rod’s voice grew louder. “That’s the best news I’ve heard since the sheriff called. Someone has to take charge. I’ve gotten nowhere with the sheriff. He’s still clinging to that cockamamie idea of it being a murder/suicide.”
Rod had been Drake’s strong right arm through all this. Everyone else had urged him to let it go and let the authorities up in Maine handle it, but Rod had been doing everything in his power to find out what happened too.
Drake’s phone dinged with a text message. “I got your text now. I’ll give the guy a call. Thanks for finding someone.” He watched the girls walk to the edge of the water and take off their sandals. They waded into the lapping waves a few inches. He moved closer to them but stayed far enough away so they couldn’t overhear him.
“Good. Sloan is a great guy. I’ve known him a long time. He told me it’s crazy how often the law gets focused on a rabbit trail and misses the real clues. I think he’ll be a great asset. Are you doing okay with the girls?”
“They’re a handful.” Drake grinned when a bigger wave made the girls squeal. “I’m trying to pitch them a break because of all they’ve gone through. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them when we get to Folly Shoals. I need to be able to investigate on my own.”
“You should have left them with Brylee and me. They would have fit right in with my three.”
“And you would have been dealing with five girls all under the age of ten.” Drake laughed and shook his head. “I couldn’t do that to you. Besides, they really need to be with me.”