Tidewater Inn (31 page)

She let the binoculars hang down from her neck. “Now what?”

He pulled out a currents chart he'd brought. “The only other place where her body might have washed ashore is here.” He stabbed a finger to the north of the lighthouse ruins.

“We were there the other day. We walked right past.”

“It was flooded then, but the water has gone down now. I'm going to anchor offshore and see if we can find anything.” He avoided saying the word
body
.

She swallowed hard. “Okay.”

He squeezed her hand. “I won't leave you.” He saw Bree turn her back as though to give them more privacy.

Libby stared at him. “Are you for real?”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn't think men like you existed. Strong, steady, spiritual. I think I must have dreamed you.”

Her admiring amber eyes brought heat to his cheeks. “I'm just an ordinary guy.”

“You're anything but,” she said softly. She looked past him to the shore. “Do you think Brent is behind this, Alec?”

He'd hoped she wouldn't ask. Not until he poked around a little more. “It's possible,” he admitted. “The money he was promised for the land could corrupt anyone.”

“Ten million.”

“How'd you know that?”

“Poe offered me the same thing after I arrived.”

“What did you tell Poe?” He couldn't keep the dislike from his voice.

“You've met him?”

“Once.”

“You don't like him.”

He pressed his lips together. “He's out for his own interests.”

She sighed. “Isn't everyone?”

“The Bible teaches God first, then others, then self.”

“I don't think I've met anyone who followed that.”

“Your dad did.”

“We're not talking about my dad but about Poe.”

He shrugged. “He makes money brokering deals for investors in New York. You could probably get more money if you asked for it.”

“Would you sell it?” There was only curiosity in her voice.

“No way. Your dad was adamant about preserving Hope Beach. He owned enough property to keep out most investors. And his influence swayed those who might have sold out. He also snapped up houses for sale, then gave them to deserving families.”

Her eyes widened. “You're kidding! He gave away
houses
?”

“Property is cheap here. He wanted to keep the town for the fishermen, the little guy. If he let a market boom start, the only people who could afford to live here would be rich tourists who come for the summer.”

She fell silent, her gaze still on the shore. “Poe said I didn't have long to decide. That if I waited too long, his investor would just move on to another property.”

“There
is
no other property of its size with beachfront. The state owns much of the shoreline. They'll have your property, or the resort idea is toast.”

“That does make it more valuable. How much more do you think I could get?”

She obviously hadn't listened to a thing he'd said. He wasn't sure he had the words or the inclination to dissuade her. If she couldn't see the ramifications of her actions, then she had more of a mercenary heart than he'd thought. “Another five million. Maybe ten.”

“You're mad at me,” she said. “I'm sorry, but I have to think of my future too. If I keep the inn, how will I even afford the upkeep? There's no money to do the repairs that it needs.”

“Some of the men from town would help. I can swing a pretty good hammer.” But when he remembered how much needed to be done, he knew his offer wouldn't make much difference.

He motored toward shore. Change was coming to his small island whether he liked it or not.

T
HIRTY
-T
WO

A
crane swooped low over the water and caught up a wriggling fish. Gulls screeched overhead as Libby waded ashore.

“I love this place,” she said. “It's so peaceful here.”

Bree and Samson had already disappeared from sight. There was no one around but Libby and Alec, and she found herself walking closer than necessary to Alec. If she had the courage, she'd hold his hand. Her gaze went to the lighthouse ruins. The maritime forest beckoned but not as much as the ruins did.

“You're a historian,” Alec said, smiling. “If there's a ruin around, you're content.”

“Exactly right.” She stepped close to the lighthouse foundation. “What secrets are hidden here? Wouldn't you like to know? The men who manned this lighthouse saved lives, but I'm sure they had hidden heartaches too.”

She would rather daydream about lives gone by than face why they were here. What if they found Nicole's body in this place? Glancing at Alec, she saw he understood. Words seemed unnecessary between them. She'd never been with anyone who was so in tune with her.

The wind ruffled his hair. “Can't you just imagine Blackbeard coming ashore where we did?”

“I'd like to live out here,” she said. “Maybe I could have the inn moved to this spot.”

“Way I hear it, this spot is right where Poe's New York investor wants to build his resort.”

She frowned. “Here? I thought it was going to be where Tidewater Inn is standing.”

“Who knows. Rumors are floating all around. Ask him.” He nodded toward the water.

While they'd been talking, another boat had anchored and sent a dinghy ashore. Poe stepped out of the rubber raft. He shook sand from his shoes, then headed toward them with a set smile.

Libby suppressed a sigh. They didn't have time for this.

“I was told you might be out here,” Poe said, stopping when he reached them.

His face was pink with sun, but it only enhanced his good looks. Libby was sure he knew it too. “You came all this way to find us?”

His smile never faltered. “It's a lovely day.”

“I haven't had a chance to think about your offer,” she said. “I do have some questions though. Where exactly will the resort be built?”

“He has plans for this entire stretch of coastline.”

“Even here? This is almost sacred ground,” she said.

“Oh yes, most certainly here. With all the legends about Blackbeard, he'll want to capitalize on that. Maybe a wedding chapel.” He dismissed the topic with a shrug. “That's not our concern though. We simply need to come to an agreement. I realize you're still looking for your friend, but my client is growing quite insistent. I suspect he'll move on to another idea if you don't make up your mind.”

“Nicole is dead,” Alec said.

Libby opened her mouth, then closed it again. Protesting wasn't going to change anyone's mind.

He blinked. “Y-You're sure? I haven't heard anything about that. Where was her body found?” Tugging at his tie, he shifted his feet in the sand.

Why would he be so agitated? Was his client that eager to get her land?

“Her belongings were found,” Alec put in.

The tenseness seemed to go out of Poe in a rush. “I'm so sorry.”

The words seemed sincere, so she decided to accept them at face value. “You understand that selling this property has been the last thing on my mind.”

“Of course. But as I said, my client is growing impatient.”

“There is no other land for him to buy here, so quit harassing the lady,” Alec said. “You and I both know this is his only shot.”

Poe's lips flattened and his nostrils flared. “Her father was the one opposed to selling. I'm sure others in town would be willing to let their property go for the right price. Her brother was quick to agree.”

“This is the only stretch of beach that can be purchased. The rest is state land.”

Poe shrugged. “My client has connections. If he wants state land, I suspect he could get it.” He turned to Libby. “I'm prepared to make an offer of twelve million. But we must sign the deal this week.”

“What's the rush?” she asked. “I told you I need to think about it.”

“These things take time, and my client wants to start construction this fall.”

“I'm sorry, I'm just not prepared to make a decision.” If only he would just leave. They had an unpleasant search to make and he was in their way.

“Very well. I'll check back with you in a few days.”

She watched him walk stiffly away, then clamber back into the rubber raft. She turned to study the peaceful setting. “So this place will be gone. That makes me sad.”

“You have the power to stop it,” he said.

“Not really. That's a lot of money to walk away from. I don't think I can do it. I see it upsets you, but I suspect you've never been poor. I think of all the good I could do with that money. And the pantry will always be full.”

“My family wasn't wealthy, Libby,” he said. “But I don't believe money solves everything. If you don't have money problems, you have health issues or personal problems. God uses whatever means at his disposal to mold and shape us.” He took her arm and turned her back toward the ruins.

She'd never thought of it that way before. But she still couldn't see letting go of such an unbelievable sum of money.

They poked through the ruins for an hour without seeing anything of import. On their way back to the boat, she heard a shout. Bree was jumping up and down and waving. Libby broke into a jog.

“Look at this,” Bree said, pointing to the ground. “Have you been down there?”

“What is it?” Libby asked, stooping to lift away some bricks. “It looks like a door to the cellar.”

“This area used to have a lot of brick heaped up. The storm surge must have moved enough of the debris to reveal the trapdoor,” Alec said.

“You didn't know it was here?” Libby asked. She shoved several bricks out of the way. “We might see things that haven't seen the light of day in decades. Can we take a look?”

He began to help her and Bree move bricks. “Probably nothing important, but if you want to explore, we can.”

The flashlight in Bree's hand pushed back the shadows and showed water in the bottom of the hole. A rickety ladder descended into the darkness. “Musty,” Libby said, wrinkling her nose.

“You can hold the light,” Bree said, handing it to her.

Libby peered past her. “Wonder what's down there? When do you suppose the last people were in here?”

Alec flipped on his flashlight. “Late eighteen hundreds maybe. That's when the whole place came down.”

Her pulse sped up. No telling what she might find down there.

“There might be rats or spiders,” he warned.

She stopped. “I'm not afraid.” But her quivering voice told a different story, so she cleared her throat and forced strength into her tone. “They'll run from us.”

He gave her a skeptical glance, then shrugged. “I'll go first and make sure it's safe.”

He put the handle of the flashlight in his teeth and began to climb down the ladder. Libby heard the ladder groan several times and held her breath, but the rungs held. His feet splashed into the water, and she trained her light on him to see how deep it was. The water came to his calves.

“It's not too bad,” he called up. “I'll hold the ladder if you're sure you want to come down.”

“I'm sure,” she said. She tucked her flashlight into the waistband of her shorts and began to step down.

Even the ladder felt damp. The musty odor filled her head. She climbed down until she was standing in knee-high water that made her shiver. It was colder than she expected. She plucked her flashlight out and flipped it on. With a little more light, she felt more confident.

“Stay,” Bree told Samson. She joined them in the cellar.