Page 22 of Birdie by the Bay (Wynn Harbor Inn #2)

Things moved fast. Squad cars arrived within minutes. The officers split up, each of them heading in different directions.

“I hope they catch whoever it is.”

“Me too,” Harlow said. “I plan to press charges, or at least Dad will.”

Vic stayed close by her side near the front door, keeping his hand in his jacket pocket, the one she knew held a handgun.

One…two…five…ten minutes dragged by.

Tink. Harlow snatched her phone from her lap. It was a text from her father. The police stopped at Aunt Birdie’s place and asked us to stay put until they give us the all clear.

Same here, she texted back.

More tense moments passed. Harlow was beginning to suspect that the trespasser had somehow managed to escape. “It had to be a reporter,” she finally said. “Because of the camera strap and how he was hiding.”

Had the paparazzi become desperate enough to travel to Mackinac Island to snap photos of her? Depending on the circumstances, some photographs were worth big bucks and sold for thousands of dollars. Harlow was a hot commodity and her recent accident put her at the top of the “most wanted” list.

“One, two, three, four.” Vic counted heads. “The entire Mackinac Island police force must be here.”

“The more the better. The trespasser’s first mistake was stepping foot on the property. Wynn Harbor Inn is wrapped up pretty tight. The only way they’ll be able to escape is by hopping over the fence or jumping in the lake.”

A trio of officers dashed past.

“I think they’re closing in,” Vic said.

“I hope so.”

A commotion off to the side caught their attention. A cluster of cops appeared, escorting the man they’d caught on the surveillance footage toward the exit.

“They got him.” Harlow lifted her hand, giving Vic a high five. “One down. Who knows how many more to go.”

An officer crossed the street and made his way to the cottage. “Ms. Wynn?”

“Yes?”

“I’m Officer Tate. I wanted to let you know we apprehended the trespasser. It appears there was only one.”

“Thank you,” Harlow said. “I’m almost positive he’s a professional photographer. I was wondering if you could question him, to find out who he’s working for.”

“Sure.” Tate put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. The escorting officers and suspect came to an abrupt halt, waiting for the cop to make his way over.

Harlow watched as Tate began motioning toward them.

The trespasser shook his head.

“Do you recognize him?” she asked.

Vic squinted his eyes. “No. Never seen him before in my life.”

“Me either. He doesn’t look happy.”

“The cops are taking his phone,” Vic whooped. “I’m liking these local cops.”

The man jerked his arm, watching while the officer tapped the top.

Officer Tate held the phone up.

The man shook his head.

David, Lottie and Aunt Birdie appeared.

“What’s going on?” her father asked. “I thought they had already hauled the guy off to jail.”

“I asked Officer Tate to find out who he’s working for.” Harlow craned her neck. “He’s after something.”

Finally, the escorting officers and intruder left, disappearing around the corner as they made their way toward the road.

After they were gone, Tate returned to the porch.

“We noticed you checking his cell phone,” Vic said.

“I asked him who he was working for. He refused to answer me, which got me wondering what he was trying to hide.”

“It had to be one of the larger tabloids,” Harlow said. “They’re the only ones who would pay to send a photographer to Mackinac Island to hunt me down.”

“It wasn’t a news organization.” Tate flipped open his notepad. “It was a person. The man told me Robert Barbetz hired him to take pictures.”

Harlow’s jaw dropped. She stared at the officer in disbelief. “My husband hired him?”

“He claims he was working on a special project and needed photos of…”

“Of me doing something Robert could use against me.” Harlow’s eyes flashed with anger. “I want to press charges.”

“So do I.” David placed a light hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Throw the book at him. What’s the guy’s name?”

“Dwight Skinner.”

Furious, Harlow sped into the house and made a beeline for her room where she promptly dialed Robert’s cell phone number.

As expected, the call went directly to voicemail. “Hello, Robert. Dwight Skinner was caught trespassing on my father’s property and is being taken down to the Mackinac Island police department to be booked. Good luck getting those photos of me you wanted.”

Harlow could feel a hot heat creep up her neck. He had done it. Robert had pushed her over the edge. “The next time you hear from me will be through my attorney.”

She ended the call and promptly dialed Nigel’s cell phone number.

“Hello, Harlow.”

“Hello, Mr. Beckworth. I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“Not at all. I’m getting ready to board my plane. Did you forget something?”

“Robert hired someone to snoop on me and take pictures.”

“He thinks you’re lying about your injury?”

“Maybe. Who knows with him. The police caught a man Robert hired trespassing here at Wynn Harbor Inn. I’ve made my decision. I would like to file for divorce.”

“I see. I’ll have my associate’s office in California proceed with the paperwork.”

Harlow thanked him. She ended the call and tossed her phone on the bed.

Knock. Knock. “ Hey, Harlow. Are you okay?” Her father’s concerned voice echoed from the other side of the closed door.

She crossed the room and opened it. David, Vic, Lottie and Aunt Birdie stood on the other side, their faces all mirroring the same somber expression.

“I’m livid, but otherwise fine.”

“Are you sure?” Aunt Birdie asked.

“Positive. For a minute, I thought maybe…I thought maybe Robert and I could go in for marriage counseling to figure out what went wrong. But now…can you believe it? He’s spying on me, digging up dirt so he can try to take me to the cleaners.”

“I don’t know your husband,” Lottie said. “But I know you. You’re a good person, Harlow Wynn. Unfortunately, good people tend to get taken advantage of.”

“As Harlow knows, I’m not a fan of Robert Barbetz. I never have been, not from the moment I met him,” Vic said. “I hate to say it, but he’s been using you. Now that he has a new up-and-coming star under his wing, he’s gearing up and getting ready to move on.”

She briefly closed her eyes. “Deep down I’ve known things weren’t right between us. Him sending in a spy is the last straw.”

“This too shall pass,” Aunt Birdie said. “Your father, Lottie, Eryn, Vic…we’re all here to help you weather this storm.”

David hugged his daughter. “You can count on it.”

The end.