Page 27

He’d noticed that she liked dessert after every meal. One cookie, one piece of chocolate. Never a lot, just a bite of something sweet. He’d had a fresh load of groceries delivered that morning, including a bag of chocolates and a package of cookies.

Just for her. Because…because he liked her.

“If you think the murders were related to something Charles was doing, do you have a theory about what that was?”

“At this point, all I have are guesses.” He finished his last bite of noodles, then unwrapped his own chocolate and popped the whole thing into his mouth.

How much should he tell her? How could he share what he knew without telling her where the information came from?

“There were rumors at the time of their murders about a smuggling ring here in Shadow Cove.”

“I never heard that.”

“You were a child, and it was a long time ago. I’ve heard people refer to the group as “The Network.”

“Who? What people?”

“Just…people.”

“You can’t tell me?”

“No.”

She squinted, studying him closely. “So you have talked to people in town.”

He considered the question and answered carefully. “I’ve heard from a few, yes.” That was honest enough. He’d heard the term from the murderers themselves. “I believe that the smugglers used the dock on the property, the place where the men were unloading the other day.”

“The Haunted Inlet.”

“The…what?”

“That’s what locals call it. And this is Mystery Mansion.”

“I didn’t know that.” How…disconcerting. The home that was the site of all his greatest memories, along with the most horrifying event of his life, had been reduced to a couple of creepy nicknames.

Brooklynn’s head tilted to the side. “I’m surprised that the people who told you about The Network didn’t mention the town’s monikers for this property.”

“The point is that what you witnessed confirms the information I received. The Network is back and operating again.”

“Who told you that?”

He considered various answers and decided to stick with the truth. “I received an anonymous note.”

“That’s weird. Why would they send it to you? Because you’re related? But wouldn’t they send it to Marie? The grandmother?”

“Whoever sent it must’ve heard I was researching what happened here.”

Another lie.

The sender had addressed the note to Forbes at the Ballentine Enterprises office.

But who’d sent it? And why?

Brooklynn sucked in a breath, her eyes widening. “Oh, wow. The person you talked to must’ve told someone you were investigating. Or maybe that person sent the note? That means…that means they’re involved somehow.”

“If so, then why would they tell me?”

“But if they aren’t involved, how do they know?”

“No idea.” His tone was short because she was asking all the questions he’d yet to answer.

Why would someone involved alert him? But if they weren’t involved, then how did they know? And why him? Why not tell the police?

Brooklynn stood and stretched, gazing out at the ocean. “It feels so good to be outside.”

Standing quickly, he touched her arm. “Don’t go to the railing.”

“I know.” She glanced up at him, her voice gentle. “Thank you for this. I didn’t realize how much I needed it.”

“No problem.”

Her smile was shy. “You went to a lot of trouble for my sake, and it means a lot.”

He wasn’t sure what to say to that.

“Did you request old police files?” she asked.

At his nod, she turned back toward the view.

“Maybe someone in the records office told someone.” She tilted her head to the side.

“Ian Prescott would have known, or his secretary, but she’s in her seventies and a strong believer.

She’s been teaching Bible study at my church as long as I can remember.

I can’t imagine her being involved in anything nefarious. ”

“What about the mayor?”

“He seems like a good guy, but he’s a politician, so…” Brooklynn shrugged. “How would I know?”

“More likely it was someone at the police department. That’s where I made the records request.”

“Is that why you don’t trust them?”

“It’s one reason.” The bigger reason was that none of them had found out who’d killed his family. And…he’d always had the sense that one of them had worked with The Network, though he couldn’t explain why he believed that.

So many of his memories surrounding the murders were murky, so he had to trust his instincts.

“Truth is,” he said, “I have very few definitive answers at this point.”

“But you must have theories.”

“Nothing that’s panned out.”

Brooklynn wandered to the wall and leaned against it, her gaze on the horizon. He stayed beside her, just in case she forgot and stepped forward. They couldn’t see the shore from where they stood, just the dark water and the blue sky.

He needed to tell her the truth. Not that the truth would offer much more information.

He didn’t know who’d tipped him off about The Network.

He didn’t know who’d been involved back then, nor who was involved now.

Though he’d been looking for answers for weeks, he knew little more than he’d known when he arrived here.

It was frustrating beyond belief. It was even more frustrating to not know who’d tipped him off. Was it someone who wanted to help?

Or someone who wanted to expose him?

He’d worried that was the case, but after staying in the house for weeks, he no longer thought that. If he’d been lured here by murderers, they’d have killed him by now. He’d come face-to-face with Network members, and he was still alive, so he doubted the note had been sent by enemies.

Besides, if enemies knew who he was, then they could’ve taken him out from his Boston home.

Grandmother had been careful to leave no trail after she’d legally changed Forbes’s name.

But somebody knew who he was.

Grandmother was still sharp, but a nurse at her retirement home had told him she’d had a few memory lapses. Had she told someone?

He couldn’t imagine her sharing a secret she’d kept for so long. And even if she had, how would the information have gotten to the person who sent him the anonymous tip?

The package he’d received had included photos of the house and the inlet, along with a typed note that read simply, They’re back. Don’t miss your chance for justice .

Forbes had craved answers since he was eight years old, but he hadn’t even known where to start.

Finally, he had an opportunity to bring his family’s murderers to justice—and the strength to come back to this house and face all its ghosts.

Brooklynn had gone quiet, but now she looked up at him. “If the men I photographed the other day work for this network, then…then that means they could be the same people who killed the Ballentine family.”

“That’s my assumption.”

“Wow.” She sounded shocked by her theory. “I mean, I knew they were dangerous, but…” She blinked a couple of times, then gazed at the beauty surrounding them. She licked her lips, swallowed. “You’re saying the people who followed me murdered three people? Including a child?”

Rosie had been eighteen, so not technically a child, but close enough. “Not the same people,” he said. “Remember, the murders happened almost twenty-five years ago. The people you photographed were too young.”

“You think they work for the same people?”

He was convinced of it. Brooklynn looked frightened, but she needed to understand the peril she was in. “Even if they’re not the same people, they’re dangerous, considering how they searched for you. And what they did last night.”

“Lois is lucky to be alive.”

Brooklynn wasn’t wrong. The thing was, Forbes didn’t understand why Lois was still alive. These weren’t exactly merciful people. But maybe this new…generation, so to speak, was less vicious than the last. Or… “Maybe they thought she’d be more useful alive than dead.”

“Which means she’s still in danger. This is all so convoluted. I thought it would all just…just blow over. But it’s not going to, is it?”

He shook his head, unsure what to say. It seemed Brooklynn was just now coming to terms with the seriousness of the situation. Her optimistic disposition had tricked her into believing all would work out, all would be well.

In Forbes’s experience, nothing worked out for the best. Nothing went well.

She covered her mouth as if the horror had just occurred to her.

“Lois could’ve…she could’ve died , and she’s still in danger.

” Brooklynn’s eyes filled with tears. “I feel terrible. I shouldn’t have allowed my curiosity to get the best of me when I heard those voices.

But”—she waved toward him, her pitch rising to a squeak—“you’re right.

I’m nosy. I should’ve just minded my own business.

And now Lois is in danger. My sisters, my parents.

Thank God they weren’t in town. Everything’s all messed up. ”

Her eyes reddened, and tears dripped down her cheeks.

He didn’t think, didn’t consider the ramifications, just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

She came willingly, burying her cheek against his chest. As if his hug opened a crack inside her, the tears turned to weeping. She circled her arms around his waist and held on.

“None of this is your fault, Brooklynn.”

“Lois is in danger because of me.” Her volume was low, her pitch high. “They’re all in danger because of me.”

She wasn’t concerned about her own safety, just that of her loved ones.

“There’s nothing wrong with being curious.” Unlike hers, his voice was husky. She was feeling overwhelmed with guilt. He was feeling overwhelmed with a thousand other emotions, many of which were inappropriate, considering the situation.

She could worry about others all she wanted.

He worried about her.

It felt right to have her in his arms, as if she belonged there. As if she'd stepped into a void he hadn’t even known existed. Kind and cheerful. Even when her life was at risk, she thought of others first.

She made him want to be a better man. She made him want to be worthy of her.

He inhaled her scent, floral and distinctly Brooklynn. A subtle scent that overpowered his senses. “You couldn’t have known. You’re the one who’s in danger. You’re the one those killers are after.”

The words didn’t help. Her tears turned to sobs that wracked her body.

He was terrible at this comforting thing. “I’m just saying, you have to keep yourself safe. Worry about yourself.”

That was how the world worked. Take care of yourself. Let others take care of themselves. Because when you tried to help others, you just screwed it up.

Life had taught him that. He couldn’t solve anyone else’s problems, and when he tried, he only made it worse.

It couldn’t happen with Brooklynn. He had to figure out how to keep her safe.

He was going to take care of her whether she liked it or not.