the town and some of the people , like Maggie. ”
We’d overlooked something. “Until we find this creep , I’m not leaving you alone.”
“There’s no need for you to r earrange your life .” She toyed with the handle of the cup on the table in front of her. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time now.”
I ran my hand down her arm . “This warrants being taken seriously . I’m call ing in Zack Johnston , a detective with the Mariner Bay police force. I want his analysis of this case. He should be able to give me some pointers in profiling this guy. ”
“ If someone did have a vendetta against Anne , I might find a clue in her files . ” She pi cked up the tray from the floor . “I’ll clean up first.”
“Talk to Maggie . I’ll handle this .” I balanced the tray on the corner of the table, stacked the dirty cups on it and put it in her storage room .
As we left , I tipped my hat to the Indian statue outside the antique s shop . “Some d ay he and I need to have a chat. ” In response to my comment, h er azure eyes shimme red and I reached for her hand . I t fit perfectly into mine.
Chapter Ten
Since arriving in Serenity Cove , I’ v e had this sensation of peering into the looking glass—longing to step thr ough. T he past c lings to my thoughts li ke overgrown honeysuckle vines— still , t he future bids me come. If I choose hope, will I find it? ~ Journal e ntry
Once t he summer visito rs arrived, Serenity Cov e quickly filled with a b ustle of activity. The town took on a new energy . The shore became crowded with sunbathers, a nd water sports like windsurfing gave the water a colorful new look. T he parking slots on Main Street overflowed , and the benches outside the shops were put to use by tired shoppers and people watchers .
The sunset created a candlelight ambiance over the town, as Logan an d I slipped into a window booth inside Rubi’s Diner. I gazed across the street, and the closed bookshop had taken on a n eglected appearance. The flower beds surrounding the shop were in desperate need of a manicure. Thankfully, there hadn’t been any destruction or defacing of the shop for the past couple of weeks. It was time to return to some kind of normalcy.
“You’ve babysat me enough . I’ll be fine on my own , and I do have my furry protector.” I hoped the lightness of my comment might win his agreement. Too much togetherness was pushing things in a whole new direction.
“Not a chance. I have no intention of allowing this lowlife to catch you alon e .”
The now familiar stubborn set of his jaw told me there was no use arguing— I didn’t even go there. We finished our meal and strolled back to the apartment.
W e settled in for another evening . I stretched my legs out on the cushions of the sofa , my little girl curled up next to me . “Tell me abo ut you and Maggie growing up here . ”
Logan lounged on the other en d of the sofa placing his stocking feet on the ottoman. “It was phenomenal . ”
“Serenity Cove is amazing, so that’s easy to believe. ” I shifted my position . H e noticed and turned more toward me.
“ Life was n’ t perfect . Our father died while stationed in Beirut . Suicide bombers detonated two truck bombs in a n attack on the American Marine barracks. My father was one of two hundred twenty marines killed .”
“The eighties, right ?”
“ He died October of eighty-three. At that time , it was the largest one-day death toll for the United States Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima. I remember him, how he carried me on his shoulders. And playing catch in the front yard. A lthough a lot of my memories are vague.”
“So y ou and Magg ie were quite young . ”
“ Maggie was six. I was seven . We were lucky enough to have grandparents w ho stepped in and helped . There were days M om stayed in bed or sta red at the waves for hours. Sh e loved us, but grief took her to places I don’t ever want to know
Frances and Richard Lockridge