Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(86)

She looked back to the sheriff. “Can I talk to him for a minute?”

“Ayuh, but only for a few minutes. I want to get him processed.”

“Where’d you find him?”

“A Coast Guard cutter hauled him aboard. He was trying to swim from Folly Shoals to the peninsula.”

She gasped. “That’s three miles in the cold water.”

“Only Paul would be so cocky.” He told one of the deputies to put Paul into the backseat of the sheriff’s car, then let Kate slide into the front seat where she could talk to him in private through the bars.

She closed the door behind her and turned to face her uncle. For a long moment they stared at one another as if waiting for the other to speak. She finally cleared her throat. “Everyone thought you were out of the country.”

He still wore camo clothing, but it looked stained and ragged, as if he hadn’t changed it in the weeks since she’d seen him. Though he was only in his midforties, he looked older somehow.

He held her gaze. “I saw that guy watching you. I couldn’t leave once I knew he was up to no good.” His lip curled. “A deputy ought to uphold the law. I knew something bad was coming down, and you were walking around with your head in the clouds, oblivious to everything around you, the way you always do.”

Her cheeks heated. “You risked being captured for me?”

“You’re my blood. Your mama would want me to take care of you.”

“Is that why you killed Jonas first?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t want to risk him getting away and coming after you later.”

“Have you talked to Mother?” He and her mom were in separate prisons.

He shook his head. “Tried to call her once, but she was in detention.” He yawned. “Looks like I’m going back to the clink. At least I’ll get three squares and have a bed to sleep in. Been hunkering down in the woods all this time.”

“Why did you steal from Claire?” The question had been burning in her mind ever since she’d found out what he’d done.

His eyes went flat. “I didn’t want her to ever get to feeling safe.”

“She’s your niece too. Part of me, Uncle Paul. She did nothing wrong.”

He settled against the seat back. “She’ll try to keep me from being paroled when the time comes. I wanted to put a little fear into her so maybe she’d think twice about testifying against me.”

“Claire’s a really good person. She never meant to hurt anyone. And she’s going to have a baby. You’ll be a great-uncle.”

His expression didn’t change. “Not my blood. She belongs to Dellamare and always will. She’s not like you, Kate. You grew up here. You belong to the woods and ocean. This is your place and always will be.”

“I’m leaving,” she blurted out. “I’m going to go with Drake.”

He nodded as if he’d expected it. “But you’ll be back. This place never lets you leave, not permanently.”

Maybe he was right, but she was finally ready for a great adventure. “Thank you for saving me, Uncle Paul. You saved all of us—Drake, Luke, Claire, the baby. And even Drake’s nieces. That terrible man intended to kill them too. If you hadn’t shown up, we’d all be dead.”

His gaze darted away, and he cleared his throat before he glanced back at her. “I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, Kate. Not ever. You tell your man that he’ll have to answer to me if I ever hear he made you cry.”

Her eyes welled with tears as so many memories flashed through her mind. He’d been a great uncle to her. She reached for the door handle. “I’ll tell him, Uncle Paul.” Blindly, she thrust open the door and stumbled out. Conflicting emotions tore at her chest. Love, grief, guilt, anger. Everyone had good and bad in them. She prayed someday Uncle Paul would find his life and worth in God.

*

The sun was low in the sky, highlighting the cliffs in gold and red, as Drake walked along the edge of the water with Kate and the girls. The children skipped ahead with Jackson to gather sea glass in their buckets. He was going to talk to Kate about the future. It wasn’t going to be as rosy as he’d tried to make it out. He didn’t want to lose Kate, but he dreaded telling her about his phone call this afternoon.

She stopped and smiled up at him. “You’re very pensive all of a sudden. Still reacting to everything that’s happened? I know it’s hard to accept such evil in the world. I was in the same place when I realized what my family had done to Claire and to Luke’s mother.” She tucked her arm into his. “We’ll get through it together.”

“I know we will.” He tried to put confidence in his voice.

He loved the shape of her face, all sweet curves and gentle planes. He hated to spill the words trembling on his tongue, but he straightened and held her gaze. “I’m going to have to go back to Boston sooner than I expected. We just got a big order for my new drone from one of the biggest electronics stores in the country. I’ve finally figured out the modifications on the one for the Fish and Wildlife Service, too, and Lakesha is about to have a heart attack over being left to deal with all this alone.”

“How wonderful!” Her smile faltered only a little before resuming at full wattage. “When do you have to leave?”