Noel laughed.“You noticed that, huh?”she replied, experiencing the relief of shared laughter.
“I was okay with it,” he reported, chuckling easily.
Absentmindedly, Noel punched Cavin in the arm playfully just like she used to with Fletcher.“Sorry about that,” she quickly noted.
“I am okay with being a punching bag if you need one,” Cavin offered.“As long as you do not hit much harder than that,” he teased.
Noel realized she probably would have benefited from a punching bag this past year although not a human one.As they approached the walkway along the waterfront, she turned to Cavin.“The truth is I do and don’t know exactly how Fletcher, Lexi, and my parents died,” she revealed in a voice not much louder than a whisper.
Cavin’s facial features initially showed a surprised and then puzzled expression.“Who is Lexi?”he asked softly, remembering hearing Noel reference that name earlier and wanting to place that piece first.
“Keaton’s wife...and Laney’s mom,” Noel offered in explanation.
Upon reflection Cavin suddenly felt terrible for his prior treatment of Keaton.The man irritated him on the night of their introduction, but Cavin had no idea what the guy had been through.Now he understood why Georgia called Keaton’s story a sad one.
Georgia.The mere thought of Georgia instantly brought a cascade of plans back into the forefront of Cavin’s mind and at a time when he would rather not have them.He suddenly recalled the mayor’s and his wife’s invitation to their party this evening.He also indicated to Georgia that he would probably see her there.Thankfully, they never made formal plans to attend the event together nor had he officially committed to joining her for tomorrow morning’s church service when she suggested it.Nonetheless after all of today’s excitement, the invitations completely slipped his mind.
Considering this dilemma, Cavin nearly glanced at his watch to see if time allowed for a late appearance at the party, but he quickly dismissed the idea, deciding it would be rude to interrupt such a serious conversation.
Cavin reached into his pocket and muted his phone, choosing instead to give Noel his full attention for the remainder of the evening.
“All four of our family members died in a tragic boating accident,” Noel explained, instantly bringing Cavin’s mind back to the present.“Levi, Laney, and I were also supposed to be on that boat,” she added with a sniff.
They walked about twenty steps in silence as little waves pressed against the seawall repetitively reminding the structure that it stood in the way of nature.A man fishing on a kayak tossed his hand up in the air acknowledging their presence, and Cavin waved back.Lost in thought Noel never saw the fisherman nor did she hear the hum of the vehicles passing over the very bridge she and Cavin drove over just a short while ago.
The wordssupposed to beechoed in Cavin’s mind as they walked below the bridge.“I am so sorry,” he uttered cautiously.After another moment passed, he inquired, “Where were you instead?”
“Levi and Laney spent the night together at our house the night before our planned weekend camping trip to Shackelford Banks which is an island not far from Beaufort but only accessible by boat,” she explained.“In the early morning hours on the day we were scheduled to leave for the excursion, the three of us became ill with some sort of stomach bug that hit me first.I am pretty sure I picked it up from Rainey and Chelsea because they both became sick right after I’d been at their house a couple of days prior.”Noel paused for a moment, and Cavin could see her jawline tightening visibly.“Fletcher had been away most of the week captaining a fishing trip, so once the kids and I experienced symptoms, I encouraged him not to come home to get us.Rather than cancelling the last planned trip of the season that everyone was looking forward to, I offered to stay home with the kids and ride out our ailments.”She closed her eyes remembering how Fletcher had come home to grab a few things anyway, and before leaving it surprised her when he kissed her.She got aggravated at him and told him he might get sick, but he said the reward outweighed the risk.At the time Noel found it careless, but she would remember that kiss—their last kiss—for the rest of her life.Their lips moved slowly and passionately as if they might never touch again, but Fletcher always kissed her that way.
“Oh my goodness, I bet the kids were bummed,” Cavin replied, not yet fully realizing the weight of the happenstance.“Thank God the three of you did not go,” he added suddenly comprehending the long-term benefit of their temporary sickness.
Feeling tears form around her eyes, Noel stuffed her hands into her pockets.“I sometimes wish we had gone,” she admitted for the first time to anyone other than herself.On several occasions she almost voiced her thoughts to Mrs.Madelyn and Chelsea but then stopped herself because they sounded morbid and might cause unnecessary worry.Why she just disclosed her unsettling thoughts to Cavin, she was unsure but maybe because soon he would be gone, too, like the family members she missed so much.
“Do you think maybe you could have done something to help if you were there?”Cavin asked curiously.
Noel shrugged her chilly shoulders.“I doubt it.Fletcher was a professional fishing boat captain.He knew those waters like the back of his hand.He frequently drove to and from Shackelford even in the dark without incident.He grew up navigating the waters around Beaufort, and there is no one I would trust captaining a boat more than my husband.”
“Then why do you wish you had gone?”Cavin asked, and suddenly the answer struck him like a lightning bolt.“Oh, I understand what you are implying,” he added, not wanting Noel to have to admit the words aloud.
“It’s hard knowing we should have been there,” Noel confessed.
“I imagine.Where was Keaton?”Cavin asked, immediately assuming that since he apparently pawned Laney off on Noel these days, maybe he did the same then to get drunk whenever he wanted.
Noel grew silent, and then the tears pushed their way down her cheeks.
Cavin knew he promised to refrain from physical touch this evening, but he suddenly felt compelled to rub Noel’s shoulder blade gently.They dodged a couple who walked by them holding hands, and Cavin saw the woman look at Noel disapprovingly while whispering something to the man as if crying in public were frowned upon.He considered glaring in their direction but decided to ignore them instead.
When Noel caught her breath, she swiped away the tears with the sleeve of her jacket.“Keaton was driving the boat,” she revealed.
Cavin waited a few seconds considering whether or not to verbalize the thought that immediately came to mind.“Oh, based on what you said a minute ago, I assumed Fletcher was manning the boat.”
“That’s one of the odd things about the accident,” Noel admitted.“Fletcher never let anyone else drive the boat.”
The wheels turned in Cavin’s investigative mind, but he waited for her to continue.
“Keaton won’t tell anyone why he was driving instead of Fletcher,” Noel explained.“The police almost arrested him for withholding evidence.”
“My goodness,” Cavin replied, then another question floated into his mind like a balloon.“How did the police know Fletcher always drove the boat?”he inquired wondering if Noel told them but doubting she would have any reason to have that discussion with the authorities, maybe with her brother but not an investigator.At least not unless there was more to this story or if she suspected foul play was involved.“I hate to ask this but was Keaton drinking?”
