Death on the Coast, M Comley [book club books TXT] 📗

Brendon turned her way once he heard the door. “Lucy.”

“What’s wrong? Why are you all here?” Even to her own ears, her tone was riddled with uncertainty.

Brendon seemed a bit nervous and his gaze shot toward Tina and their mother for encouragement. “Lucy, something’s come up. I came to tell you about it and found your mother and your sister were already here, waiting for you.”

“We came to talk about my wedding, Lucy. You seem to have forgotten about it,” Tina said, disgruntled.

Sheila’s arm snaked out, her hand nudging Tina’s knee. “We can talk about that in a minute. I think the officer has something important to say.”

“Lucy, my guys went back up to comb the grasses for something they might’ve missed.”

Lucy’s eyes grew huge. “It’s about Mark, isn’t it?”

“They didn’t find him, if that’s what you’re afraid I’m going to say,” he reassured her. “But, they did find something. Lucy, Mark’s cell phone was lying in the grass, and next to it was a length of the same blue rope we found on Angie.”

She drew in her breath as his words hit home. “I should’ve seen that when I was up there before,” Lucy said.

“We’re fairly sure it was put there recently, Lucy. The thing is…” he hesitated, “the rope was tied into a noose.”

“I see,” she responded, her mind whirling. Why would someone do that? Are they warning Mark? Me? Is it a symbol that he’s dead somewhere?

“Mom, Tina, I’m going to walk Brendon out to his car. Mom, would you mind making coffee? I’ll be right back.”

Sheila appeared surprised, but nodded. She set her glass on the coffee table, but not until she’d emptied it. “I guess so. Yes, I guess I can do that.”

Brendon held the door for her as she reached again for her tissue and dabbed at her eyes. He seemed thoughtful, awkward even. They walked across the lawn. Lucy leaned against the front of his squad car.

“What do you think is going on?” she asked. “Don’t hold back, I want to know the truth.”

“Honestly, Lucy, we don’t know what to think. This whole thing is a mess. We’ve got, as you know, a handful of leads, but they’re not going anywhere. Now, as for Mark… do you have any reason to think he had some connection to Angie?”

Lucy shrugged and stared down at the ground. “Mark has been acting strangely for a while, Brendon. I won’t lie. I really don’t know what to think.”

“I see. Do you think…” He struggled to say the words that would hurt her. “Do you have a reason to believe he wasn’t being faithful?”

Again, she shrugged, kicking at the gravel on the drive. “If he was, then we’re done.”

They were speaking in code, and both of them knew it. Things between them had sparked their hearts, but they both understood it was entirely inappropriate, given the circumstances.

“Guess I’ll let you get back to your mom and sister. I’ll be in touch if anything new develops.” Brendon turned to pull open the car door. Lucy, her arms folded across her chest, took a step back. She was hurting, but not for the reason others would assume.

“Hey, Brendon?”

“Yes?”

“That stuff about Mark…can you keep that between us for now? I don’t know. Maybe I’m being superstitious, but for the moment, he’s my husband, and I have to stand by him until I know there’s a reason not to.”

Brendon nodded. “I get it. I’ll keep it to myself. But hey… I hope you’ll trust me enough to mention anything you’ve run across and might be keeping to yourself.”

She looked up. “I have impressions, suspicions, and the fuel of gossip, but nothing concrete enough to voice openly.”

He frowned. “Whatever that means.”

“It means…if I have something worth repeating, I’ll tell you.”

“Deal.” He saluted her and buckled up his seat belt, then started the engine.

She went toward the porch and watched him leave. His brake lights saddened her as the aura of being within his circle of strength faded away. How she longed for a strong man she could rely on and trust.

She kicked herself for not divulging what she knew about Dewhurst’s double identity. Why is it so hard for me to trust anyone?

15

She entered the house again, a little reluctantly, knowing that Tina and her mother were waiting for her. Lucy noticed the swell in Tina’s tummy, telling her that the pregnancy was on track, which supported the couple’s idea of getting married sooner rather than later in her eyes.

Lucy took the coffee mug her mother held out to her. “Mmm… that smells good.”

“Not much a good cup of coffee won’t fix,” Sheila commented.

“There are some Brits who might disagree with you,” Lucy returned, knowing she sounded short. “I’m sorry. It’s just been so much.”

Tina’s eyebrows met in sympathy. “I know it must be horrible. When I think how you must feel…” She got up and hugged Lucy. “I haven’t wanted to bother you, but my big day is getting nearer.”

“I know, and I’m feeling guilty about it. I’ve set aside everything that was important to me.”

Tina exchanged a knowing look with Sheila over Lucy’s shoulder. “Don’t give it another thought. Mom stepped in, and I’m actually in a good place. But, under the circumstances, with Mark missing…”

Lucy spun around, her hands on her hips. “What are you saying?”

Tina cringed and glanced at Sheila for support. “Only that maybe, under the circumstances, you’d rather not be there? The gossip?”

“Tina, you’re acting as though I’ve murdered him. Mark is perfectly fine. He’s just missing, probably figuring out his life somewhere. He’s been quiet and moody lately.”

Sheila nodded. “Certainly, dear. We just thought…”

“Never mind what you thought. I’ll be there on Tina’s wedding day, and from this point forward, I’m stepping up as I should have from the beginning of this mess. Now then…” She picked up an envelope and a pen from the end table and sat. “What remains to be done?”

“I took care of most of it already,” Sheila volunteered.