“I’ll meet you there. I’ll stop at Smokey’s and get you a rib sandwich and some coffee. I’m sure you haven’t eaten.”
She opened the door. “I’m not sure I can eat anything.”
Karl zipped his jacket as the wind picked up. “I’ll get something anyway. You may be at the sheriff’s for hours.”
She hoped not. The events had already played through her head a million times, and the thought of recounting it many more times was almost too much to take. But she owed this to Clarence. She’d make sure he received justice.
Chapter 3
The motion-detector light came on as Zach stepped out of the truck and approached Shauna’s front porch. A full moon hung over the tops of the trees surrounding her five acres. Her house, a contemporary cedar home with soaring ceilings and prow-shaped windows, had been built in happier times in the first year of her marriage to Jack. His throat tightened at the memories here.
He settled into an Adirondack chair on the porch and waited. An owl swooped low over the treetops, and he could hear the distant sound of the surf. No neighbors were nearby, something he often worried about since Jack died. Not that Shauna would listen to his concerns.
The peaceful evening was in sharp contrast to the horror of a few hours earlier, and he wished he could erase the memories of that burned-out shell of a building. The lights switched off as he sat waiting. He pulled out his phone and opened his voice mail messages, then clicked on Jack’s name.
His friend’s laughing voice rang out. “Hey, buddy, you’re late.” Voices droned in the background. “I already ordered the pizza so hurry up before it gets cold.”
The ache of missing his friend spread through his chest as Zach listened. The message ended, and his finger hovered over the next-to-last call from Jack, then he laid the phone on his knee and stared off into the darkness.
Zach had nearly died diving to explore that old wreck last week. Had he actually wanted to?
Bubbles rose around his mask as he kicked hard toward the bottom. There it was, just as he’d been told. The ghostly outline of the old Diamond Knot wreck. Getting here had been challenging since he faced a large swell that had combined with the choppy waves in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The current changed on him at the last minute too, nearly pulling him off course.
But he’d persevered, and now the wreck, covered in white anemones, was right there in the emerald-green water. He stopped to admire some sponges growing on the hull, but that capricious current took hold of him again and spun him around. He reached out and grabbed part of the hull, but it collapsed under his grip.
When he tried to withdraw his right hand, he couldn’t move it. Several pieces of debris had trapped his wrist. A drop of blood floated in the water where something had pierced his skin. A large wolf eel peered at him from inside the hull and seemed to smirk at his predicament.
Not yet panicking, he looked around. He had stupidly come by himself, but surely there was another avid diver or two nearby. But the only things with fins close to him were schools of yellowtail rockfish. A movement drew his attention to his right, but it was just an octopus propelling by.
He tugged again on his hand, but it didn’t budge. He reached for his knife with his left hand, but it was an awkward angle and he dropped it, then tried to grab it again. He couldn’t reach it from here. He tried to pry back the part of the hull trapping his wrist, but it didn’t even wiggle.
Zach glanced at his gauge. Only five minutes before he had to head for the surface. He had to slow his breathing. He was using up his oxygen too quickly. With renewed determination, Zach worked on the hull again, trying to pry it back with his fingers. No use.
He ceased his attempts and looked around at the beautiful scene. Jack would have loved this. And Zach didn’t need to struggle. Maybe Jack would come to greet him as he died. His friend wouldn’t blame him for the fall. Jack was happy now, dancing in heaven and seeing even more beautiful sights than the bright fish flitting by.
Why fight? Wasn’t this what Zach wanted all along, to shed the guilt robbing him of every bit of joy in life? Maybe he’d even come down here alone hoping peace would find him. No one but his mother would mourn him, and he rarely saw her anyway. She had her own life since Dad died, and she wouldn’t miss him. Shauna sure wouldn’t either.
A light caught his attention to his left, and another diver swam down toward him. If Zach stayed motionless, maybe the guy would swim on and not even see him.
He blinked and shook his head, then waved his hand at the diver. As the diver took out his knife and freed Zach’s hand, he pushed away those crazy thoughts.
Zach shook off the memory as headlights pierced the darkness and turned into the driveway. Shauna was home.
Shauna’s white Dodge pickup rolled to a stop, and she got out. The lights came back on, and Zach let himself stare at her. He’d always thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her nearly black hair hung in a curtain down her back. Only about five two, she barely came to his chest. Because of her size it was always fun to see her behind the controls of her helicopter.
Since Jack’s death, he’d rarely looked into her sea-green eyes, and he missed that. Now the accusation in them was always too painful.
Most of the time, he held the guilt at bay by keeping busy. Firefighting, skydiving, scuba diving, whatever it took. His dad had been an adrenaline junkie too, so it ran in the family, which hadn’t ever seemed like a bad thing. No one had ever looked at his dad the way Shauna looked at him.
She stepped onto the edge of the porch and stopped. “Anyone there?”
He rose from the chair at the naked fear in her voice. “Shauna, it’s just me.” He emerged from the shadows. “Sorry I scared you.”
“What are you doing here?”
He’d upset her. “Just making sure you’re okay.”
She stiffened. “Of course I’m okay. Thanks for your concern, but I’m exhausted. Good night.” She turned back toward the door.
“Wait. I-I just wondered what the sheriff had to say.”
The tension in her shoulders relaxed a bit as she turned back to face him. The warm glow of the porch light illuminated the pale skin that was such a contrast to her dark hair. “Just like everyone else, he thinks it was an accident. He could barely restrain himself from patting my shoulder and saying, ‘There, there,’ when I told him about the explosion I heard. He thinks he knows best. I had to remind him I’d been in the navy and had plenty of experience with explosions.”
He suppressed a grin. She didn’t suffer fools easily. “A fire inspector will determine what caused the blast so that will tell us a lot.”
“I know.” She hugged herself in the freshening wind. “I expect he’ll be back to talk to me tomorrow.” Her eyes widened, and she raised her hand to her mouth. “I just remembered the box!”
“What box?”
“Clarence gave it to me.” She darted down the steps to her truck and opened the passenger door. When she turned toward him, she carried a large Priority Mail box. “Clarence wanted me to mail this to Lucy. I should have told the sheriff.”
Zach thought that very curious. “Why didn’t he do it himself?”
“I’m freezing. Come in, and I’ll make some coffee while I tell you about it.”
He barely held back a gasp. Maybe she really was thawing toward him. Or maybe she just needed a sounding board tonight, and he was okay with that. He followed her inside where she led him to the kitchen in the middle of the open living space. It hadn’t changed since he was here last, the morning Jack had died. The hardwood floors gleamed in the glow of the spotlights in the tongue-and-groove ceiling. The furniture was gray leather and comfortable enough that he’d fallen asleep on it a few times over the years. The sleek gray cabinets were a beautiful contrast to the marble counters and hickory floors. There were touches of red in the small appliances.
She put down the box on the farm-style table, then went to the coffee grinder and prepared the co
ffee.
He picked it up and shook it. “Did he give you any hint of the contents?”
“No, he didn’t act like it was that important. He said he would have mailed it himself, but he had to disappear for a while because it was too dangerous.”
His ears pricked at that. “He actually used the word dangerous?”
She tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ear. “He even bought a disposable phone and gave me the number.”
Unease stirred in his gut as the aroma of coffee began to fill the kitchen. Could someone really have planted a bomb in Clarence’s house?
“He’s been teaching me aerial photography since I could use a second source of income. I’ll have to figure out something else now.” Color rushed to her pale cheeks, and she turned back toward the coffeepot and poured java into two mugs before joining him at the table.
Was she having financial trouble? She wouldn’t tell him even if he asked. Jack had been an accountant and a good one. How could he have left her in a tough financial situation?
He placed the box on the counter, then wrapped his cold fingers around the hot surface of the mug she handed him. “Maybe you should take the box to the sheriff. It might be important.”
She took a sip of her coffee, then shook her head. “Clarence seemed adamant that I deliver it to Lucy, and I want to honor his wishes. I doubt it has anything to do with his murder.”
“If it was murder.”
Her green eyes flashed his way, and her lips flattened. She glanced at her watch. “It’s ten. She’s probably still up. Maybe I should just take it to her.”
“Shauna, listen to me. The sheriff needs to review the contents.”
She jutted out her chin. “Lucy can give it to Everett. She needs to have it first. I promised Clarence.”
He sighed. She’d always had that headstrong way about her. “You look like a stiff wind would blow you over. Get some rest tonight and deal with it tomorrow.”
She took another sip of coffee and stared at him over the rim of her cup. “I wouldn’t sleep anyway. I think I need to go over there and make sure she’s okay.”
He pulled out his cell phone. “Let me call her first.” The phone rang in his ear, then went to voice mail. “Lucy’s not picking up.”
“Don’t bother leaving a message. She probably doesn’t want to talk. Let’s just head over there.” Shauna grabbed his mug and poured both of their drinks into thermal cups. “I’ll let you drive.”
She was actually letting him come?
The condo complex where Lucy lived on the outskirts of Port Angeles had seen better days, and the bright lights lining the walkway clearly showed the structure’s age. Built in the 1960s, the shingle siding had gone from a soft weathered gray to black and splitting apart. The door seemed a little crooked as well, and the scent of fish from someone’s dinner lingered in the air.
Shauna paused outside the entry and listened. No sound arose from the other side of the door marked 311, though a dim light flickered through the condo window.
Zach was a comforting presence beside her, but she still couldn’t believe she’d asked him to accompany her. She’d really needed someone to bolster her flagging courage, and her weakness confounded her. The last person’s help she needed was his, so what had gotten into her?
He reached past her and pressed the doorbell. As it chimed inside, her stomach tightened and moisture flooded her eyes. She swallowed the thickness in her throat and squared her shoulders. She knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of a visit like this.
The door opened, and Lucy’s reddened eyes locked with Shauna’s. “You heard?” Lucy burst into fresh sobs and leaned against the door frame. “He can’t be dead. I was going to go home this weekend.” Her curly brown hair stood on end as if she’d raked her hands through it many times.
Shauna embraced her, and Lucy wept on her shoulder. Lucy’s thin shoulders, clad in a baggy sweatshirt, shook with the storm of grief tearing through her. Shauna couldn’t hold back her own tears.
Lucy finally released her and stepped out of the way. “Come in. I need a tissue, and so do you. Zach, thanks for stopping by.”
The place was tiny. The living room was about ten feet square and ended with the countertop on a peninsula where the kitchen started. There was barely enough room for the worn brown tweed sofa in it. It was a dreary place to have heard the news. A partial bowl of soup sat congealing on the faded Formica counter.
Shauna accepted the tissue Lucy handed her and mopped her face before blowing her nose. “Want me to fix you some tea or coffee? Are you hungry?”
Lucy gestured to the sagging sofa. “I couldn’t get anything down my throat, honey, but if you want something, help yourself. You too, Zach.”
“Nothing for me.”
“Me neither,” Zach said.
Shauna settled on the sofa and glanced at Zach as he sat on the other end. He had the box in his hands.
Lucy sank onto an ottoman and buried her face in her hands. “Who told you?”
“I called it in.” Shauna told her what she’d seen. “I wanted to come tell you, but the sheriff wouldn’t let me. He said he needed to be the one to break the news.” She glanced at Zach. “Clarence gave me something for you. He’d told me to mail it, but under the circumstances, I wanted you to have it right away.”
“H-he talked about me?” Lucy’s eyes grew luminous with moisture again. “I always loved him. I just needed time to myself to accept what had happened to Darla. The good Lord forgive me, but I blamed Clarence for her death. I always thought he was too hard on her and that’s why she turned to drugs. Alone in this dinky little place, I realized I was wrong. I tried to call him today but got his voice mail.” Her voice grew choked, and she dabbed at her eyes again. “It wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t my fault. Darla chose her own path, as we all must.”
Zach leaned forward. “He knew you’d return to him, Lucy. I had lunch with him two days ago, and he told me you’d be back any day and that you would always love him.”
Her hazel eyes searched his face. “You think he meant it? He really knew I still loved him?”
“I’m positive.”
“How could the house just explode like that?” Lucy pushed her curls out of her eyes.
Shauna started to mention her suspicions about a bomb, but one look at Lucy’s ravaged face changed her mind. She didn’t need to hear that now.
Shauna reached over and took the box from Zach, then handed it to Lucy. “He didn’t mention what was in this—just asked me to mail it to you.”
Lucy exhaled and stared at the box. Her brown fingers began to pluck at the tab holding it closed. “Guess we’d better see what’s in here.”
The glue resisted her efforts, so Zach ripped the box open. Lucy pulled out the contents. Dozens of pictures, a key to something, a pink book closed with a clasp, and a map of the Olympic National Forest.
Lucy ran her fingertips over the book. “This is Darla’s journal. I wondered where that had disappeared to.”
Several of the pictures looked familiar to Shauna. “These are some of the aerial photographs I took a couple of months ago when he first started teaching me.”
Lucy picked up the key. “Any idea what this unlocks? It’s not a house or a car key.”
Zach held out his hand. “May I?” She nodded and handed it to him. He rolled it around in his fingers and looked at the numbers on it. “I’m not familiar with a key like this.”
“Safety deposit box maybe?” Shauna guessed. “Is that everything in the box?”
Lucy upended the box, and something fell to the worn beige carpet. A silver chain with some kind of black pendant glimmered in the lamplight. Lucy reached down to scoop it up, then held it under the light. “It’s a necklace. How peculiar.”
“Can I see it?”
Lucy dropped it into Shauna’s palm.
“I think I’ve seen this before, but I’m not sure where.” Shauna turned the pendant over to examine the front
of the round black stone. An inlay of abalone flowers decorated either side of the imprint of a hummingbird. The pendant was large, about four inches across. A sick feeling coiled in her belly. It couldn’t be the same one, could it?
“You look as though you’re about to faint,” Lucy said. “Are you all right?”
“M-my mother had a necklace like this. It’s a Haida hummingbird. Mom called it a symbol of health, and she never took it off. I asked my dad about it once, and he said it was missing when her body was found. It couldn’t be the same one, could it?”
Seeing the jewelry again had brought back the pang of losing her mother all over again. That horrific time was something she usually pushed out of her mind, but it took extra effort to do that tonight and focus instead on her dim memories of the funeral. Had her mother been wearing the necklace in the casket?
No matter how hard she tried, Shauna couldn’t remember. She’d only been eight, and her most vivid memory was how her father had fallen on top of the casket. He’d been drinking, though at the time she only knew his eyes were bloodshot and he didn’t talk clearly.
“And if it is, why did Clarence have it?” Zach frowned.
“It’s very strange,” Lucy said. “Since Darla’s journal is here, maybe all these things belonged to her, and he found them somewhere.”
Shauna couldn’t tear her gaze away from the necklace. “But how would Darla have obtained my mother’s necklace?”
“If it is hers.”
She nodded at Zach. “True. There might be thousands of necklaces like this out there. Maybe it means nothing.” But it didn’t feel like nothing. It felt hugely important, life-changing even.
Zach cleared his throat. “The sheriff will want to look at the contents.”
“Especially if Clarence was murdered.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Shauna wanted to call them back. She hadn’t meant to upset Lucy even more.
Lucy’s hazel eyes went wide. “Murder? I assumed it was an accident with his chemicals.”
“The explosion felt bigger than something accidental to me,” Shauna said.