Free Lullaby (A Watersong Novel) by Amanda Hocking Page B

you,” Brian murmured, sounding distracted and dazed.
    The funeral home director was wheeling the casket out the back doors so they could load it into the hearse, and Brian turned back to watch Bernie’s departure as Dean walked away.
    “We should get going if we want to be in the procession,” Harper said.
    Brian nodded and shoved the lawyer’s business card in his back pocket.
    Neither of them said anything about Bernie’s will as they walked out to Brian’s truck. In fact, neither of them said anything at all as they followed the hearse out to the cemetery. They were the only car in the procession, and other than the pastor, they were the only people who watched Bernie’s coffin be lowered into the ground.
    Harper was shocked that Bernie had left them the island, and she assumed her father felt the same way. But it did make sense, since he had no real family here, and Brian was one of his closest friends.
    That also made her feel guilty, when she realized how little she’d seen Bernie lately. Before they went out to his island this past weekend, it had probably been months since they’d visited him.
    Harper didn’t want to see them pour the dirt onto his coffin, so she turned around to head back to the truck. As she did, she spotted Daniel standing several feet away, leaning against a bald cypress tree.
    Harper walked over to Daniel, but her father lingered behind a few minutes. She wasn’t sure if Brian was paying his final respects to Bernie or giving her a moment alone with Daniel.
    “What are you doing here?” Harper asked.
    “I read about his funeral in the paper,” Daniel said. “I thought I’d come check it out.”
    “You seem a little underdressed for a funeral.”
    Daniel glanced down at his outfit. He wore a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up over a faded Led Zeppelin T-shirt, and his jeans had a hole in the knee.
    “At least I put a shirt on,” Daniel teased. Harper had once commented on the fact that he never wore a shirt, or so it seemed whenever she saw him on his boat.
    “Hello again, Daniel,” Brian said, walking up behind Harper.
    “I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Fisher.” Daniel stepped away from the tree and held out his hand.
    Brian shook it quickly and nodded. “Thanks,” he said. “Did you know Bernie well?”
    “No, not really.” Daniel shook his head. “But I knew that Harper was close to him, so I wanted to see how she was holding up and offer my condolences.”
    “That’s very thoughtful.” Brian eyed him, as if he weren’t quite sure what to make of Daniel, then turned his attention to Harper. “I really hate to do this, but I have to get back to work.”
    “I can give her a ride,” Daniel offered. “If you need to get going.”
    Brian’s eyes flitted over to Daniel before looking to Harper to see what she wanted to do. Her father would just be going home to change for work and then leaving right away, so it wasn’t as if he needed her to go with him. And she wasn’t really looking forward to spending another day alone in the house.
    “You go ahead, Dad,” Harper said. “Daniel can take me home.”
    Her father hesitated before nodding. “Okay. I’ll see you later, then.” He leaned over and kissed Harper quickly on the temple before walking away.
    “So…” Harper said once her father had left. “Do you often peruse the obituaries for funerals?”
    “No.” Daniel stepped away, walking among the headstones, and Harper fell in step with him. “I’ve actually been checking the paper a lot for any info on Gemma.”
    “Oh, yeah,” Harper said. “I’ve been doing the same thing.”
    “So you haven’t heard anything from her yet?” Daniel asked, watching Harper as she spoke.
    “No. Alex has gotten a couple e-mails, but they’ve been false leads so far.” She sighed. “I have no idea where she is. And I don’t know what I’ll do if she never comes home.”
    “I hate to break it to you, but … you’ll live,” Daniel said