“Sure. I mean, it doesn’t look the same now after all these years, but you’ll be able to get a general idea.”
With a quick stop to grab their coats and boots, the trio traipsed out of the cottage making their way to what was left of the main lodge and the manager’s unit where Ginger Wynn, Harlow’s mother, had been staying the night of the fire.
Walking single file along the side of the structure, David led Harlow and Caleb to the back of the building.
A narrow path separated the charred walls and crumbling foundation from a thick row of towering shrubs.
Harlow picked her way over the uneven path. “I don’t remember the shrubs being this tall.”
“Lottie and I keep them trimmed, but they’ve grown in leaps and bounds the last couple of years. I’ll probably remove them and start over once the new structure is finished.”
“By the looks of it, you’ll have some serious landscaping to tackle,” Caleb said.
“A project Dad won’t mind one bit,” Harlow said. “Both he and Lottie have green thumbs.”
“If I recall correctly, so do you.”
“You should see the photos of Harlow’s flower gardens she designed around the monstrous mansion she and Robert are selling.”
“Monstrous mansion?”
“More like a museum,” Harlow said. “My favorite part was the gardens.”
“I take it you don’t miss Malibu?”
“Not a single iota.”
“You mentioned buying Lighthouse Lane,” Caleb said. “How’s it going?”
Harlow made an unhappy sound. “It’s not. CClifton LLC has a contract on it.”
Caleb’s brows furrowed. “CClifton LLC?”
“Correct. Maybe the Clifton family is expanding operations and is looking for an investment property to renovate,” David said.
“Asa and Trish Clifton are thinking about putting Clifton Manor on the market and moving to Arizona. I doubt they’re interested in purchasing a project.”
“So maybe CClifton is Cheyenne.”
“Cheyenne hasn’t mentioned it to me. Why would she want Lighthouse Lane?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Harlow said. “I’m sure she wouldn’t buy a property based solely on the fact that I was interested in it.”
Caleb didn’t respond, but judging by the expression on his face, he had his own thoughts about the matter.
“It could be a weird coincidence and someone else named Clifton wants the place,” Harlow said.
David rounded the side of the building, one without windows or doors. The only thing visible was a dryer vent cover sticking out of the wall.
Caleb eased past David. Placing his hands on his knees, he examined the charred piece of plastic. “You had a washer and dryer in the manager’s unit?”
“More than one, along with a pair of freezers, some storage shelves and a water heater.”
Harlow stood watching as Caleb gently lifted the melted flaps. He removed a flashlight from his jacket pocket and beamed the light inside. “You think the vent cover is some sort of clue?”
“Maybe.” He finished inspecting the cover and lowered his gaze, studying the ground. “The tracks in the photo went all along this wall.”
“Correct,” David said. “Like Harlow and I mentioned, no one should have been back here. There’s another vent cover farther down.”
