Page 21 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay (Spotted Cottage #4)
Within a week of the brake cutting incident, calm returned to the island. Sheila was suspicious of it. How could people who were willing to do something like that to Addy just…disappear?
Sheila wasn’t going to let it go. She kept talking about it, but Addy kept refusing to engage. She brushed off Sheila’s concerns, saying that it might have been a tit-for-tat on their part. She had threatened them, they had threatened her. It was over.
Addy had always been optimistic, overly willing to look to the future. It drove Sheila mad sometimes, and it had only worsened with Rick emboldening that little sister of hers.
He installed cameras, motion detectors, and alarms. He hounded the company he worked for and alerted Chief Hank and every officer on the islands.
Posters with the guys’ faces were up in the grocery stores, at the ferry landing, at the farmer’s market.
Online, he’d made several threads about the guys and the community was all over them, bubbling with excitement over the drama.
Sheila was grateful for Rick. His stare could be unnerving, and sometimes when she spoke to him he didn’t hear her at all,
but he took the job of protecting Addy seriously. That was what mattered.
Addy still wanted to do her work at the tea shop, but Rick had put his foot down. It was too risky, and Sheila agreed.
Instead, he set up a table for her on Russell’s back deck. It overlooked the water and was more comfortable for working than the lounge chairs.
Sheila did her work there, too. They were only days away from transporting Lottie out to the sea pen, and it was all hands on deck.
Mackenzie was working tirelessly from the mainland, making sure everything was moving smoothly and they wouldn’t have any surprises.
Sheila had gotten pulled into planning some of the welcome festivities.
Working like this was fun, though. It was nice to have time alone with Addy. They hadn’t spent this much time together since they were kids.
That’s what they were doing, working and enjoying morning coffee, when their mother showed up unannounced.
“I can’t believe you wouldn’t let me stay here,” she said with a sigh. “It’s stunning.”
“Mom!” Addy stood and gave her a hug. “How did you end up on this side of the island?”
“Lawrence gave me a ride,” she said, waving a hand.
“I didn’t even hear you sneak up.” Sheila set her coffee mug down.
“Don’t worry.” Rick stepped out from behind her. “I spotted her immediately.”
“And you didn’t warn us?” Sheila murmured.
He smiled but said nothing.
“How’s Lawrence?” Addy asked. “What’s he doing on the island?”
“He’s helping me move back,” Marilyn said simply.
Sheila bit her lip. Could it be true? Was their mother going to leave them alone? “Moving back where?”
“Back to the house,” she said with an impatient sigh. “Apparently the whole thing was a misunderstanding, and now we can move back.”
“What?” Addy tilted her head. “Who said you could move back?”
“Flex Knock! They called and told me there was a mistake in accounting. They apologized and said we could come back to the house.”
“Why would they call you?” Sheila asked. “The contract was under Lawrence.”
She scowled. “I didn’t come here for a hundred questions. I came here to say goodbye.”
“What about your money?” Addy asked. “Did they mention that?”
“No, but I know you’re working on it,” Marilyn said, picking a piece of fuzz off her coat. “For now, it’d be nice to settle in. It’s too loud here and I hate being away from Lawrence.”
The poor old sweet man she’d abandoned? Sheila had to clench her teeth to keep her mouth shut.
“I’m happy for you,” Addy said slowly, “but it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Maybe I should talk to Flex Knock.”
“I don’t want you messing this up for us,” Marilyn snapped. “I’ll throw a housewarming party in a month or so and you’ll be invited. All right?”
A housewarming party? Sheila and Rick met eyes. They were thinking the same thing. There was no way Addy was going to be going to a housewarming party, not right under the noses of the guys who wanted to hurt her.
Of course, she would insist it was fine.
“Well, best of luck, Mom,” Addy said. She gave her another hug.
Sheila got up and gave her one too. “Talk to you later.”
“Goodbye, girls! Goodbye, silly little island! I hope I never see you again!”
Island life wasn’t for everyone. Sheila was thankful for that.
Once she disappeared, Rick took a seat on the lounge chair.
“Seems suspect,” he said. “That suddenly they’re letting her move back into the house.”
“Yeah…” Addy said, chewing on the cap of her pen. Her eyes were focused in the distance.
“I think your mom is right, though,” he continued. “We need to let it go.”
She snapped her eyes to him. “What about the money she lost?”
“That money is long gone,” Sheila said. “They were probably trying to scare you off, and now they’re trying to placate Mom, hoping it’ll go away.”
Addy frowned. “Maybe.”
Sheila shot Rick a look. He was watching Addy with heavy eyes, his lips hard and set. He knew she wasn’t going to give it up.
Sheila was more than happy to, though. Their mom had gotten scammed, and that was a real shame, but there was nothing to be done. She had a place to live. She had a nice boyfriend. What more could she want from life?
The real excitement, and the newcomer she’d been waiting for, was about to arrive.