Charmaine couldn’t see his reaction, but she heard a grunt. “I suppose that’s true, but it’s not the same. You don’t know the whole story.”
“I don’t want to know the whole story. At least, I’m not sure I do. I want to believe you’re innocent, but the evidence says otherwise.”
“Does it?” he asked. “I don’t think so. I think people have twisted the evidence to make it seem like I’m guilty because they wanted a patsy. But the police never pinned this thing on me all those years ago, and they’ve all but admitted they don’t have the evidence now. I’m sure they’ll find a way to put me behind bars anyhow, but it won’t be right. It’ll be to appease the community, nothing more.”
“Who is Samuel Gilmore?”
Buck hesitated. His voice was quieter when he spoke. “That was me, a long time ago.”
“Why did you change your name? What are you running from?” Penny’s voice trembled.
“I came here to support Betsy. She was alone with her son. I wanted a fresh start. That’s all there is to it. You wouldn’t understand. And this isn’t the time or place…”
“If you didn’t kill my grandmother, who did?”
Charmaine peeped around the corner to see Buck shrug. He crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Don’t give up on me. That’s all I’m saying.”
“I don’tknowyou,” Penny objected, but her tone had softened.
“That’s my fault.”
“Why didn’t you ever try to find me, to talk to me?”
“Your mother didn’t want me to. She said it would confuse you, and after the way things worked out, I don’t blame her. She thought I was a murderer. She didn’t want anything to do with me.”
“And after she left the island?” Penny’s voice rose in pitch.
“By that time, it was too late. I didn’t think you’d want to know me, and I convinced myself we were both better off keeping things the way they were. I shouldn’t rock the boat. I saw you every now and then—seemed to me you’d built a good life for yourself. I’m proud of what you’ve done, putting together that animal refuge. It’s really something.”
“Thank you.” Penny hesitated and swiped at her cheek with one sleeve. “But I wanted to know my father. All my life, I’ve longed to know you. I asked Mum over and over about you, but she lied and said you were gone. It could’ve been different. There’s been fallout: I don’t know how to love. I’m married, but it’s hard to accept intimacy from a man because I was rejected by you for so long. You’ve messed me up—do you know that?” She sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve again.
Charmaine’s heart ached for Penny. If only she could give her a hug. But she wasn’t supposed to be listening in on this conversation. Perhaps she should try to sneak away, but it wasn’t likely she could do that without being seen.
“What can I do to make things better?” Buck let his hands fall to his sides, fists curled and yet impotent.
“Nothing. There’s nothing you can do. I need time to think.” Penny sighed, then walked away, leaving Buck standing alone in the street.
He glanced at Charmaine, meeting her gaze for a single moment with a pained expression, then he strode off in the other direction. After a few moments, Charmaine stepped out from her hiding place. She shouldn’t have listened, but she didn’t want to embarrass Penny by walking past. And now she’d overheard a private conversation. Somehow Charmaine had missed the fact that Betsy’s criminal brother was also Penny’s father. This town was so confusing at times. Just when she thought she was getting a handle on how everyone was connected, something like this happened to push her off balance all over again.
She hurried to Bea’s café and found a table at one of the windows that looked out on the street. She wasn’t sure where Penny had gone, but maybe she’d see her if she walked by and she could say something — but what could she say to comfort her new friend after an exchange like that? She didn’t know, but she wanted to be there for Penny the way Penny had been for her since she arrived on the island.
“Hey, Chaz. Can I get you something?” Bea held a pencil poised above a small notepad.
“I’d love a Caesar salad and a smoothie, please.”
“How are you? You look a little pale. Have you been working too hard again?”
“I’m fine. A little hungry, that’s all.”
“Well, I’ll get that order in and you’ll be eating in no time. You’ve got to take care of yourself, you know.”
“I know. Thanks, Bea. Hey, quick question…”
Bea leaned on the table. “What is it?”
“Have you seen Brad lately?”
“He’s right over there.” Bea pointed across the café to where Bradford sat at a table with his laptop in front of him. Shoulders slightly hunched, he leaned forward and tapped at the keyboard. The computer looked tiny next to him, and the chair much too small for him. An empty coffee cup sat on the table beside the laptop.
