“Is it too late to call you?”
“Not at all.The kids just went down.I’m settling in to read a bit.”
“What are you reading?”
“The Light Between Oceans.”
“I’ve read that.It’s devastating.”
“I’m on my second time through, which probably says something unflattering about me.But Isabel makes choices I understand, even when they’re wrong.”A beat.“You didn’t call to discuss a book, did you?”
“Not tonight.I need to ask you a question, and I need you to tell me if it’s inappropriate of me to ask it of you.”
“Yes, I turn thirty in a month.No, I’m not looking forward to it,” she said humorously.
Startled, he laughed.He replied, “My mother made it crystal clear to all us boys never, ever, to ask a woman her age.”
“Smart woman.”
“She’s the best,” Gray said warmly.
“What’s your question?And yes, I’ll tell you if it’s inappropriate,” she said more seriously.
“I need to find someone who knew the Shoemacher barn well.Went inside it regularly.Can you think of anyone like that who’s still in the area.”
“Besides Lucas Shoemacher?”she asked.
“Correct.”
“Why?”
“I need to ask them a question about the building.”
She was quiet for a moment.He could practically hear her considering pushing for more details and deciding not to.“The stable hands and trainer who worked there left after the fire.The farrier who used to trim all the horses in this area retired and moved away a few years ago.That really only leaves the Shoemacher kids.”
“Would any of them talk to me?”
“Honestly?I’m not sure.The fire devastated that whole family.Lucas ordered his kids never to speak of it again.He may not be an easy man, but his is their father.I expect they would be protective of him.”
“Any chance one of them less close to Lucas than the others?Maybe has a chip on his or her shoulder?”
Another pause.Longer this time.
“The youngest daughter.Eloise.Everyone calls her Ellie.”Bonnie’s voice had gone careful and he sensed she was choosing her words carefully.“She had a huge falling-out with Lucas right after the fire.Left Cobbler Cove and has never been back.As far as I know, she and Lucas haven’t spoken since.”
“Do you know what the falling-out was about?”
“Not specifically.But Ellie loved those horses.She practically lived in that barn.After the fire ...”Bonnie trailed off.“I think it broke something between them that was already fragile.”
She was exactly the kind of person who would know every inch of the barn.
“Do you have a phone number for her?”
“I do.”Bonnie hesitated.“But Gray—let me call her.She knows me.I was friends with her older sister, and Ellie and I always got along well.A stranger calling out of the blue to ask questions about the worst thing that ever happened to her?She’d hang up on you before you got two sentences in.”
Bonnie made a good point.People didn’t open up to strangers bearing hard questions.
“Would you be willing to ask her if she’d be open to talking briefly with me?You don’t need to tell her what it’s about specifically.Just that I’m looking into the fire and have a question about the barn.Just one yes-no question.It’ll take her two seconds to answer it and then I’ll leave her alone.”
