Waterfront Weddings (61 page)

The chief studied Alanna with a hard look. “Stay out of the investigation. I know it’s a challenge for you to leave things to the police. But we have it under control. You getting in the way doesn’t help your case.”

Alanna opened her mouth, but Jonathan raced to answer. “Thank you for your help, Chief. We’ll head out now.” He grabbed Alanna’s hand and pulled her from the room and out of the police offices.

“What are you doing?”

“Saving you from doing or saying something that will get you in trouble.”

Alanna shielded her eyes as they stepped into the sunlight.

“Let’s get this bike turned back in and head home. Then we’ll grab dinner, fish on the dock.”

“You want to let it drop?”

“We’ve done enough getting in the way, don’t you think?”

She shook her head, and his hope of keeping her distracted from the murder and mess evaporated. “There’s too much. . . . Somehow this ties together. Grady’s death. The property. Mr. Hoffmeister’s murder. Even the foundation books.”

Jonathan disagreed. “There’s no reason to connect Grady’s death and Mr. Hoffmeister. Eleven years is too long.” He sighed, wishing he’d never suggested the bike ride. He’d thought it would be a quick trip and a romantic time pedaling around the island. Now he’d leave sorting everything out to the police.

Alanna sank onto a bench. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked wrung out. Worry lines crossed the bridge of her nose and forehead as she studied her hands. She seemed oblivious to the flowers and other details that would normally bring her pleasure. She didn’t even seem curious to know how the Painted Stone was doing without her in its slot across the street from City Hall.

“Come on, let’s head back.”

She startled, as if he’d pulled her from deep thoughts. “What am I going to do, Jonathan?”

“We’ll forget about this for a little while. Let the police do their job.”

“What if it’s so tangled they can’t find the real murderer? What if I’m easier to focus on?”

“Then we’ll show them you didn’t do it.”

“Without an alibi?” Her voice rose, and then she stopped. She glanced around then seemed to gather herself. “You’re right. I can’t do anything right now. It’s Sunday evening.” Her stomach grumbled. “Guess I am hungry.”

“Let’s get something to eat and go from there.” He led her to one of the island’s restaurants, but the meal was quiet. Alanna couldn’t seem to rouse from wherever she’d disappeared. Her fears seemed to envelop her as she pushed the food around her plate.

Jonathan scooped food in his mouth as fast as was polite. Maybe she needed to get back to the house. Maybe in her home she’d find sanctuary and lose the clouds building on her face.

“Jonathan.” The young voice pulled Jonathan’s head up. Jonathan smiled at the grinning body torpedoing down the aisle toward him. Then he caught the resignation on Alanna’s face. Before he could say anything, try to explain, the torpedo flung himself into Jonathan’s arms.

Dylan.

Alanna turned toward the adorable boy. She might not like the way Jaclyn had claimed Jonathan, but she had to admit Dylan was the image of the little boy she’d love to have someday. The blond curls made her want to pull him into her lap for a squeeze.

“Where’s your mommy?”

He grinned up at Jonathan, his tiny teeth barely filling his mouth. “She’s outside talking.” He climbed in Jonathan’s lap, and a look swept Jonathan, a mixture of love and distance.

Jonathan wasn’t hers. He belonged to Jaclyn and Dylan. Alanna swallowed against the pain and launched to her feet.

“Where are you going?” Confusion laced his words.

“I need to get home, and I know you need to spend time with this cute little guy.” She forced a smile. “Thanks for your help and being a friend, Jonathan.” She ducked her head and hurried from the restaurant, brushing past Jaclyn talking on her cell.

She could check on the studio, but honestly, after everything that had transpired, she didn’t care if it still stood. Patience had closed, and Alanna could check sales in the morning. What she needed right now was solitude. Her life seemed to erupt more each day, losing the carefully defined shape and parameters she’d crafted around it.

It would take a long time to walk home, but the fresh air and solitude would help her sort through the latest developments.

One, her heart fully belonged to Jonathan. After everything that had happened today, and the way it had trembled when she thought he was in danger, she couldn’t deny the truth. Her heart remained fully committed to Jonathan. Pressure squeezed her chest as she turned up the hill next to Fort Mackinac. Her steps slowed as she tried to catch a deep breath. Instead, it felt like the sobs would explode from her, and she couldn’t let that happen. Not here.

Two, the murder investigation remained outside her grasp. Anytime she tried to do anything about it, she only mucked up the situation. She should thank God she wouldn’t spend the night in the tiny Mackinac jail.

Three, she couldn’t walk away from the mysteries surrounding Grady’s death and the paintings. She might know Trevor had painted many of the landscapes, but she couldn’t help him if she didn’t understand what happened to Grady. And this was too central to her life to leave alone. She had to find the truth. For Trevor and for herself. After eleven years, she longed to walk away from the mess and somehow find peace.

Four, the day’s events had reinforced that she couldn’t orchestrate things on her own. In fact, when she tried, disasters happened. She needed to turn the tangled web of problems over to God. So much easier said than accomplished.

After a long hike, she finally reached the sanctuary of her parents’ home. She slipped through the house, grabbing a glass of iced tea, then hurried to the back porch. As the shadows cast by the trees teased across the yard, she felt drawn to the dock. She sat at the end, letting her feet dangle off the edge, toes skimming the top of the water.

She closed her eyes and let the quiet sounds of cicadas and bullfrogs bounce around her, punctuated by the occasional bird-song. She tried to grab hold of the moment, clearing her mind of everything that happened. Maybe if she refocused, her subconscious would untangle the mess of facts and inferences.

Alanna tipped her chin up, fighting the tears that pushed against her eyelids.

She wanted Jonathan back.

And she couldn’t have him.

All the ways he’d cared for her slipped through her mind. In the last two weeks, he’d continued to treat her with respect. He’d treated her like a treasure, standing beside her when she confronted her mother and pushing her to acknowledge the truth.

He’d stood beside her even as he challenged her to break free from the past. He stood separated from other men she knew in the way he put her first.

Yet he belonged to another.

She could only imagine what it would be like to be the focus of his love and attention. The tears escaped as she admitted she’d walked away from him when she abandoned Mackinac. Would life have separated them anyway? She’d never know.

All she knew for sure was he wasn’t hers. She pulled her knees to her chest and lowered her head to the top.

What now, God?

Could she walk away from Jonathan and Mackinac?

As she considered the idea, she knew it wasn’t possible. She still had to fight for Trevor so she could end the lies her family lived. And she had to untangle the allegations between Mr. Tomkin and Mr. Hoffmeister.

Then she’d leave.

Jaclyn hadn’t smiled when she entered the restaurant and found Dylan on his lap. Still, Jonathan didn’t apologize. It wasn’t his fault the boy adored him. Frankly, it felt good to have the little man chattering on his lap, filling him in on a disjointed account of his day.

“Then I caught a frog.” He spread his hands. “He was this big.”

“Impressive.”

“I know! Hi, Mommy.”

Jaclyn smiled at her boy, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Hey, Dylan. Are you bothering Jonathan?”

“You know he’s not a bother.”

“I don’t know anything right now.” Dark circles undergirded her eyes. Had he caused her lack of sleep? “Dylan, we need to go home.”

Dylan stuck out his lip and wrapped his arms around Jonathan’s neck. Jonathan swallowed but slowly extricated himself from Dylan’s grip. “You’ve got to obey your mom, Dylan.”

“I want to stay with you.” The lip extended even farther.

“Not today.” Jonathan glanced at Jaclyn. “You okay?”

“Always am.” Her jaw firmed, and she studied him. “We’ll be okay regardless of what you decide. Don’t take too long. I won’t wait forever.” She tugged Dylan free. “Time to go, bud. We’ll go walk around the fort again.”

Jonathan watched them leave. Earlier this afternoon he’d been absolutely certain that Alanna was the one he wanted. Then Dylan came back.

He couldn’t fall in love with a two-year-old. There had to be a connection, a love for Jaclyn, or it wouldn’t work. Loving one without the other wasn’t fair to Jaclyn. He had to tell her. But as Jaclyn walked outside, Dylan looking behind, he didn’t know how to change things.

Somehow he had to find an honorable way to let Jaclyn know where his heart lay. And then he had to tell Alanna.

He might as well walk by the office and grab a file before heading home. As he walked by I’m Not Sharing, the fudge shop remained cloaked in darkness. Someday it would reopen, but right now it was a shell. Mr. Hoffmeister had been the lifeblood of the store, especially after Ginger had decided to stop working there. Jonathan wondered if he had any succession plan or if the business would eventually peter out and close.

Too bad he didn’t want a fudge shop.

Jonathan raced upstairs, grabbed the file, and headed back down. When he passed the foundation, Gerald strode out.

“Covington.”

“Hello, Gerald.”

“Heard there was excitement up at the Hoffmeister place.”

“You could say that.”

“Now that he’s gone, I’ll get to build my house without all his noise. It’s amazing how much he gummed everything up.”

Jonathan picked up his pace, and Tomkin kept up. “It was his property.”

“Not after he sold it to me. If he didn’t want it changed, he shouldn’t have subdivided. His rigid thoughts constricted any creativity.” Gerald shrugged. “At least now I can do what I want within those silly Victorian restrictions. Can’t say I’m fond of people telling me what to do. Any thoughts on the festival?”

“Been working on a couple other projects, but I’ll have something to you soon.”

“Good.” Gerald slapped him on the back. “See you later.”

“One question.”

Gerald paused with a slight frown. “Yes.”

“Have the police talked to you about Hoffmeister?”

“Of course. Especially with our dispute. Glad I had a solid alibi. After they confirmed it, they said I’m clear.”

“That’s good news.”

“Yes.” Gerald cleared his throat. “We may not have been the best of friends these last couple years, but we’d known each other a long time. There was a reason I bought that lot close to him. Thought it would be nice to be closer to a friend. Wish I’d known what a bad decision that would turn out to be. Well, see you later.” He nodded at Jonathan and then strode down the sidewalk.

Jonathan watched a moment then continued toward home. Sad how a dispute over a house had effectively ended a time-tested friendship. By the time he reached his section of the woods, dusk had fallen and he was glad he hadn’t waited longer.

As soon as he entered his cottage, he headed for the sink. The glass of water tasted great as it slid down his throat. Something caught his attention outside on the dock. He pressed his face against the window trying to see through the darkening sky.

The shape was too big to be a small animal or bird, and it wasn’t moving.

Jonathan threw the plastic glass in the sink, where it bounced as he hurried toward the dock.

T
he shape didn’t move. With only a few steps to go, the shape turned into a person, and he slowed down. Alanna?

His pulse spiked, from racing or concern he didn’t know. Still he stopped. If she were asleep, he didn’t want to surprise her, but if she was in trouble, he couldn’t wait to see if she’d move on her own.