They'd both independently chosen to protect their children from the potential complications of their shared romantic past, but in doing so, they'd created a situation where Willa and Rad, two young adults who somehow fate had thrown together to be working closely together in professional capacities, had absolutely no idea that their parents had once been married to each other.
Holt covered the completed salad with plastic wrap and placed it carefully in the refrigerator, smiling despite his complicated emotions when he noticed how meticulously organized the interior space was. Either Willa had inherited June'severything-must-have-its-proper-place habits, or June had been systematically reorganizing her daughter's kitchen during her recovery stay. Knowing June's personality as well as he did, it was probably both factors working together.
As he closed the refrigerator door with a soft click, Holt found himself thinking that maybe it was finally time to have a completely honest conversation with both Willa and Rad about his and June's shared history. They were adults, after all, and they'd be working together in various professional capacities as the investigation continued. It would be significantly better for them to hear the truth directly from their parents than to discover it accidentally through old photographs or town gossip.
The thought of actually having that conversation made him genuinely nervous, but it also felt like the right thing to do from an ethical standpoint. Secrets had a persistent way of surfacing at the most inconvenient and potentially damaging moments, usually in the most hurtful ways possible. Holt also knew that it might be time he told June another secret he’d been carrying for many years that had haunted him and plagued him with guilt.
Holt made his way back toward the patio, planning to find June and suggest they discuss telling their children about their shared past sooner rather than later. But as he passed through the comfortable living room, he caught sight of the deck through the sliding glass doors that led to the outdoor entertaining area.
June and Dean stood together at the far end of the deck, engaged in what appeared to be an intense, deeply private conversation. As Holt watched with growing discomfort, they walked down the wooden steps together and headed toward the beach, their heads bent toward each other in the intimate posture of people sharing intimate thoughts.
Something sharp and entirely unwelcome twisted painfully in Holt's chest.Jealousy, he recognized with uncomfortable clarity and more than a little self-directed irritation. He had absolutely no right whatsoever to feel jealous about who June chose to spend her time with, no legitimate claim on her attention or affection after all these years of separation.
But watching her walk away with Dean brought back all the old insecurity and possessiveness that he'd thought he'd successfully outgrown decades ago.
He forced himself to take a deep, steadying breath and deliberately look away from the beach. It was none of his business who June spoke to or went for a romantic walk on the beach with. She was a free woman who could spend her time however she chose, and he had no standing whatsoever to object to her friendships or personal relationships.
"Holt!" Noah's voice called from near the barbecue setup, effectively snapping him out of his unproductive brooding. "Come join us over here. Lucy has some really interesting ideas about promoting Sandpiper Shores, I think we can all get behind.”
Grateful for the distraction from his increasingly complicated personal feelings, Holt made his way over to where Noah, Tom, Rad, Lucy, and his mother had gathered in a loose conversational circle, drinks in hand and expressions animated by the kind of genuine civic enthusiasm that made small communities function effectively. A trickle of laughter caught his attention, and he turned his head to see Ace and Willa at the barbecue, arguing playfully about how Ace was cooking. Again, that overprotective fatherly type instinct nearly overwhelmed him. He had to physically force himself not to march over there and demand to know what Ace’s intentions toward Willa were.Holt remembered seeing Ace out with Tom’s daughter, Sienna, the other night, so he put his protectiveness down to that. Ace was clearly trying to charm Willa while dating Sienna. Holt would try to protect anyone from that pain and humiliation.
"We were just discussing various strategies for attracting more business investment and younger families to the area," Lucy explained, pulling Holt out of his thoughts and drawing his attention back to the group he’d joined. "The town has so much natural beauty and authentic character to offer, but we need to find creative ways to market our advantages without compromising the essential qualities that make this place special in the first place."
"It really is a delicate balancing act," Tom agreed. "We want sustainable growth that enhances what we've built here, but not rapid development that overwhelms our infrastructure or fundamentally changes the character of the community."
"Tourism could definitely be part of the long-term answer," Mina suggested, her years of local business experience informing her perspective. "But we'd need to be very selective about the kind of tourism we actively encourage. Family-friendly, environmentally conscious visitors who respect and appreciate what we've worked to preserve here."
For the next ten minutes, Holt found himself genuinely engaged in the discussion, his mind occupied by practical concerns about economic development strategies, infrastructure improvements, and comprehensive community planning. It was a welcome distraction from more personal preoccupations, and he genuinely appreciated the way the conversation revealed different facets of the people he was gradually getting to know better in his hometown.
The animated discussion was suddenly interrupted when his phone began buzzing insistently in his pocket. Holt pulled it out and saw June's name flash on the screen, and his heart immediately lurched while a strange sense of concern and a growing dread gripped him.
Holt stepped away from the conversational group, pressing the answer button as an inexplicable but powerful sense of impending crisis settled heavily in his stomach.
"June?" he said, his voice automatically sharp with worry. "Is everything okay?"
"Holt, thank goodness you answered," June's voice came through the phone connection, tight with unmistakable anxiety and barely controlled fear. "I've been trying to call everyone, but no one's answering their phones. Please get Carmen, Willa, Tom, Ace, and Lucy together. You all need to get into town right now."
"June, slow down and tell me what's happening," Holt said, alarm shooting through his entire system as he registered the genuine panic in her voice. "Where are you? What's wrong?"
"We’re at the veterinary clinic, we came here to check on Margo and Lacey…” June's voice cracked slightly with emotion. "The clinic… it’s… it’s on fire.” A trembling pause. “The fire department is here fighting it, but they're having serious trouble getting inside the building.”
“Okay…” Holt breathed. “I’ll round everyone up.”
“Holt, hurry,” June’s voice dropped and was filled with fear. “We think Lacey and Margo are trapped inside."
10
LACEY
The large standard poodle lay on the examination table, panting heavily and clearly distressed. His owner, Mrs. Baxter, stood nearby with her two young children, all of them looking worried as Lacey carefully examined the dog.
"When did Chompers start showing these symptoms?" Lacey asked, gently palpating the dog's abdomen while Margo held him steady.
"About two hours ago," Mrs. Baxter replied. "He was fine this morning, but after our walk in the park, he started vomiting and couldn't seem to get comfortable. He keeps trying to lie down, then getting up again."
Lacey nodded, her trained eye taking in the dog's distended abdomen, rapid breathing, and obvious discomfort. The symptoms were classic, and she had a good idea of what they were dealing with.
"Did he eat anything unusual during your walk?" Lacey asked, continuing her examination.
