Page 18 of Out of Time (Undaunted Courage #3)
TEN
AS SHE APPROACHED THE LAKE, pepper gel in hand, Cara surveyed Micah’s cabin tucked back among the trees.
The man was nowhere in sight.
Nor had she spotted him on any of the walks she’d taken over the past two weeks. Natalie’s groundskeeper knew how to keep himself scarce. Once he’d finished the kitchen fire repairs, he’d melted back into the shadows of the woods and disappeared.
Fine by her.
The occasional distant light bobbing through the trees at night through her cottage window—evidence of Micah’s nocturnal wanderings, no doubt—was disquieting enough.
She continued past the cabin, keeping it in her sights as she hiked at a brisk pace.
All appeared quiet. The crude basket Micah used for produce deliveries was in its usual place beside the front door, and the small wooden cage still rested atop the stump of a large tree that must have towered over the cabin at some point.
The resident rabbit she’d glimpsed inside had to be one of the injured animals Natalie had said the groundskeeper attended to.
As she left the cabin behind and began to circle the far edge of the lake, Cara raised her face toward the blue sky, letting the warmth of the sun seep into her skin.
The high temperatures from the late-summer hot spell had abated, and on this end-of-September afternoon there was a touch of fall in the air.
What a glorious day.
Best of all, the translation work was progressing at a faster pace now that she and Natalie had settled into the groove of working together, and there’d been no more drama on the estate. Her benefactor’s dizzy episodes appeared to have been an anomaly, as had the fire.
It seemed the rest of her stay here would be smooth sailing.
Even her social life had picked up, thanks to Steven.
A smile curved her lips as she watched a hawk soar overhead on a wind current.
During her stay, Natalie’s cousin had come every weekend to see his older relative, even arriving once late on a Thursday to extend his visit.
And he had begun lingering until she got back from Cape on Sunday afternoons.
Their hikes around the lake together were always enjoyable, as was the conversation they shared over glasses of iced tea after their return. Conveniently provided by Natalie.
While there was no real zing between them, he was a pleasant man.
Cara rounded the edge of the lake and started down the path that wove among the trees bordering the water on the far side.
The only thing that could have made the past couple of weeks better?
A visit from the sheriff.
Barring another disaster or medical emergency, however, he’d have no excuse to stop by. And Natalie had endured more than her share of those this month.
Cara sidestepped a large rock.
Too bad she hadn’t crossed paths with him on her trip to town yesterday—ostensibly to restock her supply of bagels, if anyone had asked.
No way would she have admitted that her real motive had been the hope of another chance encounter with the sheriff, like the one she’d enjoyed the day of Natalie’s doctor visit.
It was just as well that they hadn’t met, though. Letting herself get interested in a man who lived two hours from Cape wouldn’t be prudent. He was GU, as her brother had once termed a woman who lived too far away to consider dating. Geographically undesirable.
Steven, on the other hand, was safe. Because much as she enjoyed his company, the lack of sparks between them suggested they had no long-term future. If that happened to—
At a sudden movement a few yards ahead to her right, she jolted to a stop, fingers tightening on her pepper gel.
A nimble doe sprang up onto the narrow path from the steep bank that led down to the water. Stopped. Looked at her.
Odd.
All the deer she’d encountered on the property had bounded away the instant they’d noticed her.
This one didn’t move.
And it was blocking the path.
Would taking a step or two forward convince it to bolt?
Worth a try.
She edged forward, but the deer didn’t budge.
Huh.
Maybe she should barge ahead and hope the doe would take off.
But what if it didn’t? What if this animal with the big, soulful eyes attacked her instead?
Unlikely—but why take the risk?
So unless there was an off-trail option to skirt the deer, she’d have to retrace her entire route or wait for it to leave.
She inspected the hill to her left, which slanted up. Too steep to traverse.
Turning her attention to the right, she peered down the short slope to the water. It wasn’t quite as vertical as the incline on the left, but—
Wait.
What was that?
She changed position to get a clearer view between the branches of the trees.
Was that Micah’s boat, caught in a tangle of reeds and tall grasses on this shallow edge of the lake?
Yes, it was.
How strange.
Why would he let his boat drift into such a difficult area to access?
At a sudden rustle to her left, she swung back toward the deer.
It was bounding away, up the trail.
That was a plus. She’d be able to finish her walk without backtracking.
Yet instead of continuing on, she looked again at the boat, a shiver of unease rippling through her.
Something didn’t feel quite right.
Should she—
Oh!
Cara’s heart stuttered as she homed in on a floating object that was peeking past the far side of the boat.
Was that a ... hand?
She squinted at it.
Dear God.
It was a hand.
Pulse pounding, she scrambled down the embankment, clutching at branches and bushes as she half slid to the edge of the lake. Holding on to a tree trunk for balance, she leaned out. Grabbed the edge of the boat. Jockeyed it aside.
And almost lost her lunch.
A man was lying on his stomach in the water.
But she didn’t need to see the face to know his identity. The shirt and shaggy hair were familiar.
It was Micah Reeves.
“WHERE IS SHE?” Brad vaulted out of the squad car and tossed the question to Larry, who was standing on Natalie’s front galérie.
“The professor?”
“Yes.”
“Inside.” He motioned behind him. “She stayed by the lake until we arrived, but she was pretty shaken up. I brought her back up here. Alan’s with the body.”
“Is the coroner en route?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go down to the lake after I get a statement. You can stay here to direct the coroner.” He took the steps two at a time, gave a perfunctory knock on the door, and let himself in.
The living room was empty, but a soft murmur of voices came from the back of the house.
He strode that direction, stopping on the threshold of the kitchen.
Natalie and Cara sat at the table, a subtle hint of new-paint smell lingering in the air.
Brad gave the fire-damaged area a cursory scan.
It had been restored to pristine condition.
But his main focus was the two women at the table.
While Natalie’s complexion was pale, Cara’s was pasty. Shock had dulled her eyes, and even from several feet away, he could tell she was trembling.
He moved to the table and sat beside her, calling up every ounce of his willpower to resist the temptation to fold her hand in his. “You okay?”
Her breath hitched, but she nodded.
“Ms. Boyer?” He transferred his attention to the older woman. “How are you?”
“Devastated. I know most people didn’t care for Micah, but he and I had an understanding.
He took excellent care of the property, and I always felt like he watched out for me in his quiet way.
Such a gentle soul, with his love for animals.
” Her voice caught. “I can’t believe he’s gone. Do you have any idea what happened?”
“Not yet.” He pulled out his notebook and refocused on Cara. “I have to ask a few questions.”
“Okay.”
“If you don’t need me, would you mind if I lie down?” Natalie grasped her cane. “One of my rare headaches is coming on, and if I don’t deal with it fast, it will last for hours.”
He stood. “I can catch up with you later if necessary. The only question I have at the moment is whether Micah had any next of kin who should be notified.”
“If he did, he never shared their names with me. There may be some personal information in his cabin, though.”
“I’ll swing by there.” As she rose, slowly traversed the room, and disappeared down the hall, he turned to Cara. “Would you like a glass of water?”
“No, thanks.”
He retook his seat and opened his notebook. “Let’s start with what led up to you discovering the body.”
With a nod, she launched into her story.
Brad took notes as she talked. Her account was so precise and detailed he didn’t have to pose a single question or ask for any clarifications. Not surprising for a woman who spent much of her life doing meticulous research.
“After I called 911, I waited by the lake for someone from law enforcement to arrive.” As she concluded, she drew a shuddering breath. “What do you think happened to him?”
He closed his notebook. “We’ll have to let the coroner weigh in. A number of factors could have been involved. A heart attack. A fall that knocked him out while he was trying to extricate the boat from the reeds. A cerebral hemorrhage.”
“But he was relatively young, and he fished in that lake all the time. Why would he venture into the reeds?”
“Who knows? But accidents—and fatal medical issues—can happen without warning.”
Her brow crimped. “I know, but this feels off to me.”
“How so?”
“From what I’ve heard and observed, Micah wasn’t sloppy or careless.
Case in point.” She motioned toward the impeccably repaired wall.
“You can’t even tell there was a fire, and he cleaned up the kitchen every night while he was working.
It was pristine in here. As for health issues .
.. I suppose that’s possible, but with all the physical work he did, I imagine he was in excellent condition. ”
True as all that might be, no one was immune from catastrophe ... as a job in law enforcement verified every day.
“I’ll pass all that along to the coroner.” He slid his notebook back into his pocket and stood. “I’m going down to the lake. Would you like me to walk you to your cottage?”