Page 33 of Perilous Tides (Hidden Bay #2)

“Thanks for this. I need coffee if I’m going to function. That was a rough night.” She dug into her scrambled eggs, then looked up at Cole. “You?”

“Same. Do we know where we’re going?” he asked.

“You know, you don’t have to pretend I’m controlling this investigation.”

“I’m not pretending. I’m letting you take the lead. I don’t know what I don’t know.”

“After the rough night with little sleep, I can’t begin to understand what that means.” Other than she was in trouble if she couldn’t understand.

He snorted a laugh. Cole. Actually snorted. Then he finished off his eggs and bacon. “You’ll figure it out.”

Done with lunch, this time Jo took the driver’s seat be cause, as Cole put it, she knew her way around, having grown up in Lansing.

She drove northwest from Detroit toward Lansing, which would take them about an hour and a half and put them in Lansing around two.

Much later than she wanted to start the fact-finding part of her day, but flying across the country was never easy.

She and Cole talked about life in general terms. She shared with him about her life in Michigan. How she’d gotten her BA in studio art at Michigan State University, then had worked and trained with Mom on the forensic side of things.

Cole got a text and read it. “Detective Sanders is asking to meet.”

“I guess you’ll have to break the news to him,” she said. “Did he tell us we needed to stay close? You know, because sometimes the police tell people not to leave. He didn’t say that, did he?” Because she couldn’t afford to get on the wrong side of the law for any reason.

“I don’t think he’ll be happy,” Cole said.

“As if you really care. I got the sense you didn’t like him,” she said.

“What’s not to like? He’s thorough. He’s invested. He doesn’t hold punches.” Cole sounded matter-of-fact, just like Detective Sanders.

“Then why don’t you like him?”

“Same reason you don’t,” Cole said. “I think we’d probably be best friends under different circumstances.”

“Seriously?” She didn’t get the feeling Cole had many friends. But she obviously had him wrong on several points.

“Possibly.” Cole texted. Replying to Sanders?

“What did you text him?”

“Can’t meet today.”

“That’s it? You didn’t add that you could talk on the cell phone after you’re done with appointments, unless it’s something urgent, in which case you can call him now?”

“No need,” he said.

“Well, try to wait to call him until after we meet with Becky and then Detective Wilson,” she said.

“My thoughts exactly.”

Finally, they arrived in Lansing, and Jo drove them to Becky’s neighborhood.

She navigated down Maple Street and parked in front of Becky’s parents’ house.

Mr. and Mrs. Stobbe. Becky was still single when Jo left.

Did she have a boyfriend now? Engaged? Or had she married while Jo was in hiding?

A pang hit her chest. Maybe Jo had found new friends, but she’d left old ones behind. It wasn’t fair.

“I looked it up, and they still live here.” She got out and Cole joined her.

“No one followed us,” he said. “But if they somehow know that we’re here, they might guess where we’re going. Allison tells me that Merrick is resourceful enough to potentially find out we bought tickets and what flight we were on.”

“ Now you tell me a guy who plants bombs and who the feds are after could have known I was flying to Michigan?” But really, she’d suspected as much.

She took the two steps up onto the porch and then, at the door, rang the doorbell. A few moments passed, and then the door opened to reveal a woman in her late fifties.

Mrs. Stobbe’s eyes widened, and she gasped as her face lit up. “Jo? Oh my goodness ... Jo!” She stepped forward to embrace Jo. Then she held her at arm’s length, tears filling her eyes. “Well, don’t just stand there, come on in. You and your friend.”

She followed the woman inside but gave Cole a glance. He was looking over his shoulder. He was as bad as she was, but for good reason. At least no cars had passed or parked since they’d arrived.

“Can I offer you tea?” Mrs. Stobbe asked.

Jo shared a look with him again. “No, actually, I wish we could stay that long. We have an appointment with a Lansing detective. When this is all over, I’d love the chance to visit and catch up. Actually, I’m looking for Becky.”

Mrs. Stobbe’s expression dropped.

Jo’s chest tightened.

“Oh, Jo, you don’t know.”

“Know what?” Her breaths quickened. She blinked back unshed tears.

Mrs. Stobbe grabbed Jo’s hands and held them.

“Becky passed on. She’s with Jesus now. Oh, honey...” The woman pulled Jo into another hug, more concerned for Jo than her own pain, since Jo was only now learning about her daughter’s death.

Jo closed her eyes and tried not to break down in front of Mrs. Stobbe, but she couldn’t help the shudders.

She resisted sobbing. At the moment, it was beyond her to grasp this news.

How could she have missed that when searching for Becky?

An obituary hadn’t even come up. Jo should have been more diligent.

Maybe she hadn’t wanted to stalk her friend, or she was more afraid of what she might find.

Jo stepped away from Mrs. Stobbe and wiped at her eyes. “I’m so sorry to hear this. I ... I didn’t know. I missed her funeral. I missed everything .”

“Now, don’t you blame yourself. Becky explained that you’d had to leave and hide. That you were in danger. She missed you terribly, and she hoped that one day you would reach out to her again, and now here you are.”

“And Becky’s gone. Can I ask ...? No, never mind. I shouldn’t ask.”

“You want to know how she died.”

“Yes.” Jo hung her head.

“Sit, Jo, please. I’ll get you a cup of tea.”

Jo did as Mrs. Stobbe directed her. Looked like they were having tea after all, but this news had shocked her.

She could berate herself later for not trying harder to keep in touch with Becky.

For not searching the internet for her friend to make sure she stayed out of the news, but the thought of doing that seemed entirely too morbid.

As for Cole, he remained standing and peered at the pictures.

While she waited for Mrs. Stobbe to return, she glanced at the images on the wall, taking in a young family and their daughter and her two siblings.

Becky’s family. A bigger framed photograph stood out on the fireplace mantel.

Becky was so young and beautiful. Cole acted like the news of her death disturbed him too.

He hadn’t even known her. But maybe it was enough to watch things unfold and learn that Becky had died.

Mrs. Stobbe returned with a tray of tea and chocolate chip cookies. Cole moved to sit next to Jo. They had just under two hours before their meeting with the detective.

Jo lifted the cup to her lips, embarrassed that her trembling hands were causing the china to clink. She sipped at the hot liquid. She’d always been a coffee girl, but she wasn’t going to turn down the tea. Besides, she’d had enough coffee.

“The chamomile tea should settle you a bit,” Mrs. Stobbe said. “Becky died of a rare form of cancer. A brain tumor.”

I didn’t know. Why didn’t she tell me ? Because I disappeared.

Jo tried to prevent her lips from quivering. Mrs. Stobbe’s concern for her nearly undid her.

“Oh, Jo, please. Becky wouldn’t want you to be in so much pain.”

“I didn’t know. I could have been here with her if I hadn’t been a coward and run away to hide.”

“Now you listen to me, young lady, Becky thought you were brave. That you were a hero. She would have told you, but she didn’t know how to reach you.

And at the same time, she said that she wouldn’t endanger your life by even trying to find you.

She loved you. She told me that if I ever saw you again, to make sure you knew not to blame yourself for not being here.

Becky knew you well enough to know you would try. ”

Mrs. Stobbe forced Jo’s chin up. Forced her to look her in the face. “Now, you promise me that you’ll do right by Becky and stay safe. Stay hidden for as long as you need. Promise me.”

Jo didn’t want to promise, but how could she refuse? “I’ll try.”

Mrs. Stobbe gave a wan smile. “And I love you too, dear girl. You were my Becky’s best friend. You’ve been through a lot. Don’t you spend one second carrying another burden.”

Mrs. Stobbe drank from her own teacup. Chamomile for her too? “Now, you said you don’t have much time. I won’t pry, but what can I do to help since Becky isn’t here?”

“I don’t think there’s anything you can do.” The news had left her completely distraught. Why hadn’t she prepared herself for the possibility?

“But what would you have asked Becky?”

The woman was persistent.

“Mrs. Stobbe,” Cole said.

He probably suspected that in her current state of mind, Jo had lost her ability to ask the question, the reason they’d come here. And he would be right.

“Jo shared with me that Becky had taken some of her boxes from her apartment after she left. She had planned to hold on to them until Jo returned. Do you know where they are?”

“Becky had moved out after you left, Jo, but then she moved home when she got sick, and we kept her room the same. The extra boxes are up in the attic. I don’t know if the things you speak of are up there. But you’re more than welcome to look.”

“I’m going to get some fresh air while you search for your things.” Cole stood. “I’ll give you some privacy. Are you okay to do this?”

Jo stood too. Could she do this? She had to see this through. They were here, and she wouldn’t get another chance. She wished Cole would just join her. “Uh ... really, it’s fine ... you don’t—”

He held his hand up. “I need to make a call.”

With the look he gave her, it finally registered. He was in protection mode and wanted to check things outside. Maybe he’d heard a noise.

“Oh. Okay.” She rubbed her lips together. “I’ll let you know if I find anything interesting.”

And she hoped that he didn’t find anything interesting. The last thing she wanted to do was bring danger to Becky’s parents. They’d certainly been through enough, losing their daughter.

In three years, Jo had lost too much.