“It’s got to be radioactive.”
Maddie told me about the stone last year, but I didn’t think too much of it. Nathan had never mentioned it to me, and it’s been in police custody since they found it among the things that Mark stole from Nathan.
“It’s theonlything that makes any sense. And even that’s a stretch.” I add.
This new information about Dr. Clark concerns me. There’s got to be more than archaeological research at stake to get his kind of attention.
“It’s going to get dramatic around here fast if these guys are told the project is on hold again. Garrett’s already in a foul mood because his daughter’s coming here to the inn. Geesh. He’s going to be intolerable.”
“I didn’t know he had a daughter,” I say. “Why in the world is he upset?”
“Well… she’s not exactly coming here to visithim. A film producer has hired her to film the Drop. She’s a nature documentarian. Garrett’s out of his mind. He’s been plotting all week about ways to sabotage her. I feel bad. He’s convinced it’s too dangerous for her to dive in the caves.”
“For a father, it is, isn’t it?”
Maddie pulls herself out of the pool. “Yeah. I’ll try not to get involved, but with Garrett…”
“Good luck.”
“Right.”
She wraps a towel around her waist and hobbles over to the desk, yanking open her snack drawer—packed to the brim with granola bars, dried fruit, and jerky. “I’m starving. Want one?”
“No thanks.” I laugh, remembering those days of cravings and swollen feet.
“You and Natalie are still coming to the picnic on Saturday, right?”
“There’s no way she’ll let me miss it.”
“Good. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. I’m bringing corn casserole. Sandy’s bringing fruit salad, and Hannah’s got the honey-cut ham.”
“Natalie’s baking chocolate chip cookies.”
“Perfect! Let her know Aunt Maddie can’t wait.”
My alarm bleeps. It’s time to get back to work.
“They’re closing the investigation,” Maddie blurts out as I say goodbye. “I’m sorry. They’re about to return Nathan’s belongings.”
“Oh.” Her words hit me like rocks, obliterating the fragile walls I’d built to keep the grief contained. “They’ve cleared you, right?” I ask.
“Self-defense,” she says. “They believe me.”
I shiver as I picture Maddie in the underwater caves of Carter’s Drop, dragged deep into them where Mark thought no one would ever find her. When she got too close to the truth about what he did to Nathan, he tried to silence her. She escaped. He didn’t.
“They officially ruled Nathan and Elaine’s deaths as homicides.” Maddie adds, “No conclusions about Mark’s motives. I don’t think they care about why he did it since he’s… gone.” She stops.
“At least it’s over,” I say. “Thank you for keeping me out of it.” Maddie didn’t tell the police about Mark’s motive because his motive was me. He had wanted what his best friend had, and he killed for it.
“As soon as they release Nathan’s things, I’ll give them to you. They belong with you.”
“Thanks.” I swallow the ball in my throat. Turning my head away, I try to will back the tears that are teetering at the edge of my lashes. Quickly brushing away the ones that escape, I turn back. Shouldn’t I want to have more of Nathan’s things, to hold on to more pieces of him? But I don’t. I don’t want any more reminders of the man I’ve lost.
“And this.” She pulls a leather-bound notebook out of her desk drawer. Dark brown with a wraparound strap and deckle-edge paper. I recognize it right away—Nathan’s personal journal.
Slowly, I take it from her. “His diary.”
She gazes at me with sad brown eyes. Carter’s eyes. The same ones that Nathan and Natalie share with her.
