8 Sandpiper Way (7 page)

“Thank God,” Jack whispered. And then, as if his knees had given out on him, he sank back into his chair.

Tears formed in Grace’s eyes and she hugged Justine. Sniffling, Justine hugged her back.

“I knew it all along,” Charlotte said righteously. She, too, sat down and once again her knitting needles started clicking. “I told you, didn’t I?”

“Olivia’s oncologist has scheduled a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation treatments for her,” the surgeon said.

Grace hardly heard a word after that.

Her friend had always been a survivor. Cancer was just one more obstacle Olivia would surmount with her unyielding grit and determination.

D
ave Flemming left the Bremerton Hospital and drove directly back to Cedar Cove for his meeting with Allan Harris. The attorney had asked to see him before Thanksgiving, but with his busy schedule and the holidays pressing in on him, this was the first opportunity Dave had found.

Harris’s office was off Harbor Street. Dave parked as close as he could, which happened to be two blocks away. At some point over the weekend, Christmas decorations had begun to appear. Evergreen boughs stretched across Harbor from one lamppost to another, strung with twinkling white lights. Every year the holiday season seemed to sneak up on him. He didn’t have time to consider what this added expense would do to the family’s already tight budget. Frankly, he preferred not to think about it.

The wind off the cove was cold and Dave hunched his shoulders against it as he walked up the steep hill to the office. When he stepped inside, Geoff Duncan, Allan’s legal assistant, glanced up.

“Hello, Geoff,” Dave said, holding out his hand. He knew the young man casually. They’d talked once or
twice after Martha Evans’s death. Allan Harris had been in charge of Martha’s legal affairs; he was a man the older woman had trusted.

“Pastor.” Geoff got up, his own hand outstretched. A moment later, Dave turned to a row of pegs and hung up his coat.

Geoff was a likeable young man with a firm handshake. He dressed professionally in a suit and tie, and his demeanor was low-key, unthreatening. A good attribute for someone in a small-town legal practice, Dave thought.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Harris phoned a few minutes ago and is tied up in a meeting,” Geoff said. “He didn’t think he’d be more than fifteen minutes. Would it be possible for you to wait?”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Wonderful.” Geoff rubbed his palms together. “Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea, water?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Thanks, anyway.” Dave strode over to the small waiting area and sat down. No one else was in the office. He rested his ankle on the opposite knee and reached for a three-month-old issue of
Sports Illustrated.

“Actually,” Geoff said, following him. “I was hoping for a chance to talk to you.”

“Sure.” Dave closed the magazine. “How can I help you?”

“I don’t know if Allan mentioned it or not, but I’ve recently become engaged.” The young man’s lips tilted in a pleased smile.

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you.” Geoff’s smile grew wider. “I feel like the luckiest man alive because Lori Bellamy’s agreed to marry me.”

The Bellamys were major landowners on Bainbridge
Island. Dave had heard the name any number of times through the years because of the family’s many philanthropic projects. If he remembered correctly, the Bellamys owned a theater and various prime pieces of waterfront in the downtown area of Winslow.

“When’s the wedding?”

“June,” Geoff said.

“Perfect month for a wedding.”

“Yes.” Geoff lowered himself into the chair next to Dave. “Lori said something about premarital classes. What’s your feeling about those?”

“I highly recommend them.”

“I don’t know.” Geoff didn’t sound convinced. “She seems to think they’re important, but…”

Dave tried to reassure the young man. “They help alleviate problems later on, Geoff,” he went on to explain. “It’s crucial for a young couple to establish the lines of communication
before
they say their vows.”

Geoff shifted a bit and looked away. “Are these classes expensive?”

That was a tricky question. Dave didn’t charge anyone in his congregation for counseling, whether individual or in a class; however, he couldn’t speak for other churches. “I don’t believe they are.”

“Lori’s family are willing to pay for them—along with everything else.” This last part was said with some bitterness. “I don’t mind them picking up the cost of the wedding—that’s traditional—but for the rest, I believe Lori and I should pay.”

Dave approved of his attitude. He speculated that while Geoff made a decent wage as a legal assistant, he couldn’t handle an extravagant lifestyle. But Dave liked
the young man’s sense of honor, his determination to pay his own expenses.

“If you want, I could set you up with a couple of sessions,” he offered. “You and Lori can meet with me and we’ll see how it goes.”

“What would that cost?”

“Nothing.” Dave shook his head. “You can make a donation to the church later if you decide it was worth your time.”

Geoff looked shocked. “Really?”

“Of course. I want you to start your marriage on the right foot.” He paused, thinking a moment. “It’ll probably be more convenient for you to do the sessions in Cedar Cove, anyway, rather than on Bainbridge Island, since you’re working here. What about Lori? Does she work in the area?”

“She has a part-time job at a dress shop in Silverdale. This should be good for both of us,” Geoff said. “I’ll talk to Lori and get back to you.”

“You do that.”

Geoff returned to his desk, and Dave picked up the magazine again. He hadn’t read more than a few paragraphs of an article about steroid use in professional sports before the front door opened and Allan Harris exploded into the room. He was a burly, energetic man.

“Dave, Dave,” he muttered, “sorry to keep you waiting.”

Dave placed the magazine on the nearby table and stood. “No problem.”

Allan shrugged out of his wool overcoat and hung it on the peg next to Dave’s. “Did Geoff offer you coffee?”

“Yes. I’m full up, thanks.”

Allan lifted the glass coffeepot, which sat in an alcove
next to his office, and poured himself a cup. “It’s colder outside than a witch’s—” He stopped abruptly. “Beg your pardon, Pastor.”

Dave didn’t bother hiding his amusement. People seemed to assume he’d never heard or uttered a swear-word in his life, when in fact, he was as fallible and as prone to weakness as anyone else.

Perhaps even more so, he mused, cringing at the thought. He hated what was happening between him and Emily but seemed unable to tell her the truth. After Christmas, he’d fess up. That was a promise he fully intended to keep.

Carefully holding his mug, Allan led the way into his office. He motioned to the visitor’s chair across from his desk, then claimed his own.

“I appreciate that you’re willing to meet with me,” Allan said, setting his mug on a coaster amid the clutter of papers and books.

“I’ll admit I’m curious as to why.” Dave guessed this had something to do with Martha Evans. The elderly woman had died in September. During her last year, Dave had made a point of visiting her as often as he could. In many ways, she reminded him of his own grandmother with her indomitable spirit and sharp wit. She kept a Bible close at hand and had memorized large sections of Scripture.

“I’ve been talking to the heirs,” Allan said.

“Yes?” Dave couldn’t help noticing that the attorney suddenly seemed agitated, rolling a pen between his open hands.

Allan stared hard at him. “Several pieces of Martha’s jewelry are missing.”

“I know.” But Dave didn’t understand what that had to do with him. He’d already spoken to Sheriff Davis and
told him everything he knew about the missing jewelry, which was next to nothing.

“Would you mind going over the details of the morning you discovered her body?”

“Of course not.” Dave hesitated. He’d described it to the sheriff more than once, and had the creeping sensation that Allan was viewing him as a suspect. That unnerved him. “I stopped by two or three times a week to visit,” he began.

Allan nodded, encouraging him to continue.

“That particular day was a Saturday.”

“It was,” Allan concurred.

“She didn’t respond to the doorbell. Martha no longer left the house for anything other than doctors’ appointments. When she didn’t answer, I was afraid something might be wrong.”

Allan dropped the pen and leaned forward. “Did you phone 911?”

The question surprised him. “Not right away. I didn’t want to do that until I was sure…”

“So you went directly into the house?”

“Well, yes. I knew where Martha hid the spare key, so I unlocked the front door and let myself in.” He paused. “I’d done this before,” he added, “since Martha always kept the door locked. It saved her the effort of getting up.”

“She was dead when you went in?”

“Yes. According to the coroner’s report, she died peacefully sometime during the night. When I first saw her, I actually thought she was still asleep.” Although he should’ve been emotionally prepared, Dave had felt a deep sense of loss at the old woman’s death. She’d become his friend, and his confidante.

“How long after you discovered her body did you contact the authorities?” Allan asked next.

This was beginning to sound as if Allan was writing a police report. Dave had answered these same questions the day Martha died, when Sheriff Davis interviewed him, and again later.

“I walked into the bedroom, checked for a pulse and got out my cell.”

“You didn’t use her phone?”

“No…”

“I see.” Allan made a notation on his pad.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, not at all,” Allan assured him. “How long before the paramedics arrived?”

Dave needed to think about that. “Not long. Between five and ten minutes.”

Allan Harris nodded. “Where did you wait for them? Inside the house or outside?”

“Inside.” Actually, he’d knelt at Martha’s bedside and prayed. He met the attorney’s gaze. “Is there a specific reason you’re asking me these questions?”

“Like I explained—” Allan cleared his throat “—Martha’s daughters came by to tell me that several pieces of their mother’s jewelry are missing. They’ve already spoken to the sheriff and are pretty upset. Apparently Martha kept a number of valuable pieces in the house.”

“You don’t seriously think I’d steal from Martha, do you?” Anger rose to the surface and he struggled to disguise how insulted he was by such an accusation. Getting upset might imply guilt, however, so he held on to his temper.

“No one’s saying anything.”

“I didn’t even know Martha had a lot of expensive jewelry.” It wasn’t as if he’d searched the old woman’s cupboards or dresser drawers.

“I believe you,” Allan said, “but the family insists everything was there on Friday evening, when they visited her.”

“If they were so concerned about the jewelry, why didn’t they put it in a safer place?”

Allan shrugged. “I asked them the same question. I gather they weren’t comfortable suggesting it to their mother.”

Dave could understand that. Once Martha made a decision she wouldn’t budge. If she felt her jewelry was perfectly safe at the house, then little would persuade her otherwise.

“None of it was locked up?” Dave asked. He knew Martha kept at least some of her jewels hidden in the freezer; she’d told him so. But he’d certainly never looked.

“Apparently not,” Allan said. “She liked things done her own way.”

Dave was well aware of that, too. “I’m sorry I can’t help you any more. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” He refused to answer anything else. He didn’t like Allan’s implications or the tone of his questions.

Geoff was in the hallway outside the office when Dave opened the door. He seemed startled to see Dave and moved quickly out of his way.

“I’ll call you soon,” Geoff told him. “About those marriage counseling sessions,” he added.

Dave responded with a nod, happy to be about his business. Because he was irritated and needed to calm down, he pulled out his cell and called home. Emily answered almost right away.

“How’s your Monday going?” he asked.

“Okay.” She sounded depressed.

“Just okay?”

“Yeah. What about you?”

“It’s Monday, all right.”

“How about lunch?” she said. “We could meet at the Pot Belly Deli or the Wok and Roll.”

Both were favorites of his but Dave automatically declined. “Not today.”

“Fine.” Her voice was reluctant; she wasn’t pleased and let him know it.

Dave hated disappointing her. “Maybe later in the week.”

She hesitated, then asked, “Where’ve you been all morning? You left the house with barely a word.”

“Sorry, sweetheart, I had to get to the hospital. Olivia Griffin was going in for cancer surgery. Her family’s pretty shaken up, and I felt I should stop by. The morning got away from me because I had to meet with Allan Harris right afterward.”

“Allan Harris?”

“Martha’s attorney. I thought—” He paused, feeling stupid now and annoyed with himself. “I thought she might’ve left something to the church in her will and that was the reason Allan wanted to chat.”

“She didn’t?”

“No…not that I’m aware. Of course, I would never have suggested it to her, but I had the idea in the back of my mind.” His presumption embarrassed him, and he felt guilty for having entertained the notion.

“So what did he want?”

Dave debated how much to tell his wife. He didn’t want her to worry about any of this. “He had a few questions for me.”

“Such as?”

“It was nothing important,” he said dismissively, unwilling to lie.

“You’re sure?” she pressed.

“Absolutely.” Rather than launch into a lengthy discussion, Dave made an excuse and got off the phone. He had somewhere else he needed to be—a place he didn’t want Emily to know about.

M
oving back to Cedar Cove was a mixed blessing, Faith Beckwith decided as she prepared for her first day of work. The Cedar Cove medical clinic had advertised for a part-time nurse and she’d been hired right away. Her entire life had changed in the blink of an eye—or so it felt. It’d all begun with the sale of her home in south Seattle.

A widow for three years, Faith had rattled around the big house in the Seattle neighborhood where she and Carl had raised their family. It really was time to downsize, but she’d assumed that because of market conditions the sale would take months. Instead, the first family who’d stepped over the threshold had made a full-price offer with the stipulation that she be completely out of the house by Thanksgiving. If not for the help of her two children, Scott and Jay Lynn, Faith would never have been able to make the transition to Cedar Cove so quickly. Thinking about the last few weeks—and the way her whole life had changed—gave her a breathless feeling.

Faith would’ve preferred to start her new job after January first, but it became apparent that if she didn’t
accept the position now, the clinic would hire someone else. Faith chose to start work.

With her children’s assistance, she’d unpacked nearly forty years of her life in a rental house on Rosewood Lane, one that belonged to her high school friend, Grace Sherman. Except, as Troy had reminded her, it was Grace Harding now.

While Faith enjoyed living near her grandchildren, it also meant she was in close proximity to Sheriff Troy Davis. Her encounter with him Thanksgiving week had upset her. Living in a town the size of Cedar Cove made such meetings inevitable, she supposed. Still, she didn’t expect to see Troy very often—especially if she was careful and Faith fully intended to be. She hoped to avoid any and all contact with Sheriff Davis.

The man had broken her heart, not once but twice. Okay, to be fair, her mother was responsible for the circumstances that had led to their breakup the first time. They’d been young; nevertheless, she still felt shocked that Troy could ever have believed she’d casually dump him for someone else after he went into the service. In retrospect, she wondered if he’d been so willing to accept her mother’s lie because he was looking for an excuse to break off their relationship. Her mother had made it easy.

The second time she’d mailed him a sympathy card after hearing about the death of his wife, and they’d reconnected. Just when she’d made a commitment to him, to their relationship, he’d ended it. Well, enough was enough.

None of that made any difference now, she reasoned, annoyed that she was thinking about Troy at all.

Faith parked in the clinic lot, collected her purse and her lunch and walked inside, feeling excited—and a little nervous—about her first day. She was assigned to Dr.
Chad Timmons, whom she’d liked on sight. He was certainly attractive, and she imagined he’d broken more than one heart.

Thinking about broken hearts brought her right back to the sheriff. Faith had to forcefully stomp on
that
thought. It might take some doing, but she was going to put him completely out of her life.

The morning went smoothly, and Faith discovered that she fit in well with the rest of the staff. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were apparently the least busy at the clinic, which was why she was scheduled for those two days this month. After the first of the year, she’d be working Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Her morning consisted of routine cases, innoculations and paperwork. She had one last patient to see before lunch—a twenty-nine-year-old woman by the name of Megan Bloomquist. Apparently Megan was distraught because she thought she might be pregnant. It seemed to be a case more appropriate for Pregnancy Crisis than the medical clinic.

“Hello,” Faith said, opening the exam room door. “I’m Faith Beckwith.”

“Hello.” The young woman sat in the chair with her ankles crossed. Her red-rimmed eyes were fearful. “You’re not the doctor, are you?”

“I’m Dr. Timmons’s nurse.”

The young woman nodded, clenching and unclenching her hands.

“I’m here to take your blood pressure and your temperature and find out how Dr. Timmons can help you,” Faith explained. She pressed the thermometer lightly against Megan’s forehead. Her temperature registered and Faith noted it on the medical chart—normal.

Megan sniffled. “I think I’m pregnant and I…don’t know what to do.”

Faith noticed the wedding ring on her finger. “You don’t want the baby?”

“I do…” She covered her face with both hands and started to sob. After a moment she regained some control of her emotions. “Craig and I want children, but…but I had a miscarriage three months ago. I’ve only had one period since then.” She took out a small day planner to check the dates.

Faith felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she noted the details of Megan’s last period. Troy’s daughter was named Megan and she’d recently miscarried. Could it be? How was it that her very first day on the job, Faith would run into Troy’s daughter? She struggled to hide her dismay.

“I took a home pregnancy test and it was positive.” Slowly Megan straightened. “But I just need to be sure, and my own doctor’s booked solid.”

Faith didn’t bother to point out that home tests were pretty reliable these days. She could understand Megan’s uncertainty after having a miscarriage.

She was startled to hear Megan say, “Craig and I decided that it might not be a good idea for me to get pregnant again.”

“Ever?” That seemed a rather drastic decision.

“Well, certainly not this soon,” Megan told her. “We…we were hoping for some definitive word on my health.”

“In what way?”

Megan lowered her head. “I might have MS. It’s in the family and because there might be a genetic link…”

This could only be Troy’s daughter. Looking away,
Faith reached for the blood pressure cuff. “There are tests you can have that will reassure you,” she said briskly.

“Oh, I’ve had those tests.”

Faith waited.

Megan’s shoulders drooped. “The MRI was inconclusive. You see, my mother was diagnosed with it when I was young, and it was after she’d miscarried several times. When I lost my pregnancy it occurred to me that it might be for the same reason.”

Faith checked Megan’s blood pressure and wrote it down. Again, normal. After Troy had used his daughter as an excuse to end the relationship, Faith had done a bit of research on MS, looking at reputable Internet sites and talking to a few doctors she knew.

“It’s funny you should mention MS, because I recently read an article about the latest findings and heredity as a potential cause.” Faith did her best to sound professional.

“You did?” Megan’s eyes widened with interest.

“The article’s about a University of Washington study. It states that the children of people with MS have a one percent chance of inheriting it.”

“Only one percent?”

“The Mayo Clinic site says the chances are four to five percent. Either way, those odds are in your favor.”

The young woman stared at her intently.

“I don’t think you should be this concerned, Megan. Your mother would want you to live your life without this worry hanging over your head.” She gave the girl’s arm a squeeze.

Fresh tears welled in Megan’s eyes. “That’s really wonderful news.”

“There could be any number of reasons you miscarried your first pregnancy. It doesn’t mean it’ll happen again.”

“Craig and I were devastated.” She blinked back tears. “My father, too…”

“It’s never easy to lose a child,” Faith said gently. “I had a miscarriage myself. That was many years ago, of course. Both my children are grown and married with children of their own. Yet even now I sometimes wonder about that lost baby.”

“Losing the pregnancy came so soon after my mother’s death,” Megan whispered brokenly.

“I’m sorry.” Faith took hold of Megan’s hand, and the young woman gripped her fingers painfully hard.

Apparently unable to speak, Megan hiccupped a laugh. “That pregnancy wasn’t planned, either. You’d think Craig and I would know how babies are made. I swear we do…It’s just that…well, we didn’t use the protection we should have.”

“Let’s wait and make absolutely sure you
are
pregnant, okay?”

“Okay. I guess I have to believe that whatever happens, God doesn’t make mistakes.”

“Dr. Timmons will be able to tell if you’re pregnant, and we’ll go from there.”

“Okay.” Megan’s voice was a little stronger now.

“What you need,” Faith said next, “is something to help you relax.” She grinned. “And I don’t mean drugs. Do you have any hobbies?”

“I do some scrapbooking, but I’ve been meaning to take up knitting. It’s so popular now and if I really am pregnant, I’d like to knit a blanket for the baby—if I can hold on to this pregnancy.”

“Think positive.”

“I’m trying.”

“Knitting isn’t hard to learn,” Faith said encouragingly.

“A friend showed me the basic stitches last year. I’m sure I won’t have any problem picking it up again, but I don’t remember how to cast on.”

“There’s nothing to it.”

“Do you knit?”

Faith nodded. Her last project had been socks for Troy Davis. “I’ll leave you now,” she said, lightly touching Megan’s arm. “Dr. Timmons will be in to see you shortly.”

“Thank you. You’ve been very kind.”

Faith managed a smile before she left the room, a smile that slipped as soon as she’d closed the door. What were the odds of this happening? Faith would never have thought that eliminating Troy Davis from her heart and her life would be this difficult.

Her lunch break was an hour long. Faith had brought a sandwich from home and an apple. When she’d eaten, she still had ample time to run a few errands, so she headed for The Quilted Giraffe, the local fabric store. Her granddaughter wanted Faith to sew her a special dress for the Christmas Eve church service.

Faith had chosen her fabric—a green velvet Kaitlyn would love—when Megan Bloomquist approached her.

“Hello, again,” the young woman said, looking far more peaceful now than she had earlier.

Faith knew from the notation Dr. Timmons had made in her chart that Megan was indeed pregnant. That should make Troy happy.

She was doing it again. This constant thinking about Troy had to stop!

“Hello, Megan,” she said cordially, if a bit stiffly.

“It’s all right that I talk to you, isn’t it? I mean, I don’t want to go against medical protocol.”

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry.” Faith felt that her response might have been a bit cool.

“Did you hear that I’m definitely pregnant?”

“I did. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” The young woman’s happiness appeared genuine. “You were wonderful. Thank you for helping me gain some perspective on this.”

“Megan, really, I didn’t do anything.”

“But you did,” she insisted. “I was an emotional wreck when I walked into the clinic and after speaking to you I felt a thousand times better.”

“I’m glad I could help.” Faith pulled the bolt of fabric off the shelf and carried it to a clerk to be measured and cut.

“I’m taking your advice,” Megan said, following her. “Look.” She lifted a small wire basket draped over her arm. Inside were knitting needles, several skeins of a variegated yarn in pastel colors and a pattern book that included a selection of baby blankets.

“You’ll find that nothing calms you the way knitting does. In fact, there are studies that prove it.”

Megan smiled. “You like reading studies, don’t you?”

Faith smiled back. “I guess I do.”

“The lady at the counter said she’d teach me how to cast on,” Megan said, “but she’s been busy ever since so I’ve been waiting around until she’s free.”

“Here.” Faith set her fabric on the cutting table. “I can show you.”

“Oh, thank you!”

Faith removed the needles from their packaging and pulled the yarn free from one of the skeins. In a few minutes, Megan had caught on.

While the woman behind the counter measured and cut
the green velvet, Faith reviewed the pattern instructions with Megan to be sure she understood how to get started.

“I can’t thank you enough,” Megan said when she’d finished.

With their purchases in hand, Faith and Megan walked to the front door together.

“I’d better get back to work,” Faith told the younger woman.

“Me, too. I work at the frame shop on Harbor. If you ever need anything framed, please let me know.”

“I will, thank you.” Faith almost mentioned that her son, Scottie, had recently had something framed at that very shop. But it was best for her emotional health not to encourage a relationship with Troy’s daughter, so she walked away after a simple goodbye.