Page 18 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay (Spotted Cottage #4)

His deployment, the nightmares, the pressure on his chest when he woke up – it was all a distant memory in this moment, fading as fast as fog. As he walked through his cousin Cody’s hometown, Rick was a kid again.

He’d left the memorial for a short stroll, retracing his childhood steps, floating on the freedom of the endless summer days, running from the movie theater to the public pool to the candy store. Playing baseball in the park. Watching the stars on the trampoline.

As an adult, what did he have to rival that? Life was too complicated. Too many terrible things had happened. What could ever possibly make him feel like summer again?

The candy store was gone, replaced by a vape shop, but the diner stood tall, its light blue booths visible through the window. He used to get milkshakes there with Cody using the money they’d earned mowing lawns.

Rick had his hand on the door of the diner when his chest tightened and he had to bend over, head spinning.

He let go of the door. It was too soon to relive those memories. One day at a time.

Rick strolled back to the memorial. There were twenty people, maybe. His mom was spending most of her time around his aunt, Cody’s mom, and everyone spoke in normal tones, snacking and sipping drinks.

A slideshow of Cody played on a screen, shuffling through memories too painful to look at. Cody dressed as a fireman for Halloween. Cody hanging out of a limo at prom. Cody in his army fatigues, his arm around Rick’s neck.

When it was over, Rick said his goodbyes and walked back to his car.

His mom followed him there. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Of course, Mom.”

She put her hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay to not be okay.”

He shook his head. “That’s not an option.”

“Of course it is.” Her eyes lingered, searching. “There was nothing anyone could have done. You have to know that.”

“Yeah.” He pulled her in for a hug. She got smaller every time he saw her. “It was nice to see you.”

“I mean it, Rick. You know none of this was your fault, right?”

If only it were that simple.

He kissed her on the cheek. “Love you, Mom. Maybe I can host Thanksgiving this year?”

She laughed. “Now that I would love to see.”

He hated to leave her there, standing alone like that. The sting of loss was too acute. He couldn’t look at anyone he loved anymore without terror shooting through his bones. Knowing they could, and would, be gone in an instant.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, tilting her head.

He sucked in a breath. “Yeah. I need to get back to work. I’ll talk to you soon. Can you call me when you make it home?”

She cracked a small smile. “Yes. We’ll talk soon.”

The drive back to the Anacortes ferry terminal ran out the clock on his Mindhunter book. There were similar books in his queue, but he thought it might be good to take a break from serial killers for a while.

At the same time, what if something more light-hearted couldn’t keep his mind occupied? It always went to places he didn’t want it to go.

He started the next audiobook, a thriller with a jewel heist and a kidnapping. It kept him busy until the ferry got to San Juan Island.

The ferry was pleasant and, as he drove off the boat, he called Phil. “Where are you guys?”

“We’re at the tea shop. Addy’s inside with her sister and her mom.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m outside. Don’t worry, I’m watching the doors.”

Rick clenched his jaw. Not good enough. At least he was only a few minutes away. “Everything go all right yesterday?”

“Yeah,” Phil said. “Not much going on. She worked a bit. Took the seaplane out –”

“The seaplane? To go where?”

“Oh man, you’re not going to believe this. Mia Westwood met up with us. You know, the actress? She’s just – wow . She’s a ten.”

“I told you not to leave the island.” Rick jerked the wheel onto Turn Point Road.

He thought by taking the car, he’d keep them out of trouble. How could Addy be so reckless?

“I’m just following orders,” Phil said, an edge to his voice. “That’s what Addy wanted to do.”

Rick didn’t have an answer. He hung up the phone and shoved it into his pocket.

The tea shop rose into view, like an image from a whimsical postcard. He’d kept imagining this moment and the relief he’d feel when he was back.

Instead, his heart rate picked up. Rick pulled into a spot and shut the car off, jumping out of the driver’s seat. Phil stood on the shore, looking out at the water.

Rick had half of mind to shove him into the ocean for being so negligent, but there was more urgent business.

He jogged up to the tea shop and pushed the door open. Marilyn sat in the corner, trapping a woman with wide eyes into a story. Patty was helping customers at the front desk, and Sheila and Addy sat at a table together, heads huddled, voices hushed.

The tension in his chest cracked. She was all right.

Addy looked up, her face lighting with a smile. His breath caught in his throat.

“You’re back!” Addy said.

She stood and, for a second, he thought she was going to throw her arms around him.

He braced himself, but no hug came. “I am.”

“Is everything okay?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Yeah.” He paused. “Actually, no. Phil said you met with Mia yesterday.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Busted.”

“You told me you were going to stay put,” he said.

“I know.” Addy sighed. “But Mia found the guys my mom had talked to! We met them in the neighborhood and I got their real names.”

Blood rushed in his ears. “You talked to them?”

“Yes, and it was fine. Now we can file a police report and –”

“This isn’t a joke, Addy,” he said, cutting her off.

She blinked at him. “Nothing happened, Rick.”

“It could have.” He couldn’t control his voice, booming out of him now. “You can’t go provoking criminals like that. They could have done something to you. They have nothing to lose.”

She waved a hand. “I have to take matters into my own hands sometimes.”

“This is exactly what you’re not supposed to do,” he said.

“I’m not a child, Rick. I can do things.” She walked past him, through the door and into the parking lot.

This had nothing to do with her competence and everything to do with her safety. Where was this coming from?

He jogged after her. “Where are you going?”

“I need to talk to Chief Hank about this,” she said. “Now that you’re back, you can come along. I mean, if you’re ready to go, you can. If you need some time to decompress –”

“I don’t need time to decompress. This is a bad idea. “

She stopped, crossing her arms over her chest. “You think I’m incapable of doing anything, don’t you?”

He scoffed. “That’s not true. I never said that.”

“You’re acting like it.”

Rick sighed. “I’m here to protect you.”

“I don’t need to be protected like this! You’re treating me like –”

“Like you’re being a reckless danger to yourself? Yeah, because you are.”

Her face twisted into a scowl. “That’s such a Shane thing to say.”

She turned and kept walking.

“What are you doing, Addy?”

“I think I can drive myself,” she said, raising her voice. She got into her car and slammed the door shut.

He knocked on the window. “Adelaide!”

She pointed a finger to her ear and shrugged. “I can’t hear you,” she mouthed.

The car reversed and he jumped back. It rolled and rolled, out of the parking lot, rumbling onto the grass, then meandering downhill until it hit a tree with a solid whack .

He ran. “Addy! Are you hurt?”

She dropped the window. “No, I’m fine. My brakes aren’t working!” She pushed the pedal down, the sound hollow and sharp.

Of course, Phil wouldn’t check her car to make sure it hadn’t been tampered with. He was out there looking at the clouds.

Addy turned around, then back to him. “Do you think the tree is hurt?”

He shut his eyes. “Do I think the tree is hurt. I don’t care about the tree, Addy. I care about you. I’m not going to lose you too.”

She stared at him, her eyes wide.

He looked away, pretending to study the back tires.