The Inn at Angel Island (37 page)

She stared straight ahead, watching the narrow road fly by in the beam of the truck ’s headlights. It was so dark out there.

No houses or lamps on the road to light the way. If Will was all alone out here tonight, he had to be cold, hungry, and scared by now. She hoped they would find him soon.

The trip to the cliffs seemed longer than usual, though Daniel was driving as fast as he dared. Finally they reached the spot. He pulled over to the side of the road and parked behind Peter’s car. He shut off the engine and grabbed the flashlight as he got out. Liza jumped out her side and ran over to her brother, who stood at the edge of the road, waiting for them, holding his own light.

“I don’t see the bike around, but I’d rather not waste time looking,” Peter said. “I’m just going to climb down there and look in the caves. I think I can remember my way around, even if he’s gone deep inside.”

Liza really hoped that was not the case. “You start down. We’ll follow,” she told her brother.

“Right, go ahead. I have a strong light for me and Liza,” Daniel said.

Peter started down the side of the cliff. It was hard enough to climb down in broad daylight and very tricky in the dark. But Liza didn’t complain. She followed Daniel, who was holding out the light for them.

Just a few yards down, her foot caught on a root, and she lost her balance. Daniel turned and caught her with his arm around her waist. “Are you all right?”

Liza nodded quickly, caught off balance now by his nearness.

“I’m fine. My foot caught on something.”

“Here, hold my hand.” Without waiting for her answer, he took her hand in his in a warm, steady grip, holding the light out for them with the other.

They started down the hill again. Daniel’s strong hold on her hand helped to steady her steps and also steadied her nerves. She trusted him, she realized.

Down on the beach, they were greeted by the crashing sound of the waves on the shoreline. The tide was coming in, almost at its peak. Sea foam swept up to the big rocks at the bottom of the path, filling their shoes with cold, salty water.

The same beach that looked so inviting in the sunlight now looked ominous in the dark.

They were a few yards from the entrance to the caves, and Liza silently sent up another prayer.
Dear God, please let us find him.

“There’s Peter.” Daniel pointed farther up the beach to where Peter stood waving his flashlight near the entrance to the caves. They ran over to meet him.

“Let’s go in this one. It’s the most obvious place,” Peter said. He started in to the largest of the caves, and they followed.

Liza quickly remembered to pull up the hood on her jacket. She knew most bats were harmless but still hated the idea of one even brushing by.

They entered the first chamber and walked in a few feet. Peter cupped his hands around his mouth and called for his son. “Will? Are you in here? Answer me, please . . .”

His voice echoed off the stone walls. They stood very still and listened for an answer—but only heard the sound of water dripping into puddles.

“Will? Please . . . if you’re in here, please answer,” Liza called. She had meant to leave it all up to Peter but found she couldn’t help herself.

Daniel gazed down at her with a sympathetic look and put his arm around her shoulders.

A few tense moments of silence passed. Liza sensed her brother’s optimistic hopes quickly fading, and her heart went out to him. It was dreadful to see him in so much pain.

“Let’s walk a little farther,” Daniel suggested.

They walked deeper into the caves, ducking their heads to cross into another chamber. The ceiling of the second cave was higher than the first, and Daniel flashed his light around curiously. Then they suddenly heard the furious flap of wings.

Everyone ducked and covered their heads.

Daniel leaned over and shielded Liza with his body. She pressed her head to his chest and squeezed her eyes closed. His embrace lasted just a moment but somehow gave her back the bit of hope she had nearly lost.

“Will? Are you in here?” Peter shouted again. “If you can hear me, please answer.” He paused. “Nobody’s mad at you, Will. We just want you to come home. You’re not in trouble, honest,” he said in a more desperate tone.

They stood very still, listening again. Liza didn’t even dare breathe. But once again, only the sounds of the falling water and the ocean surf out in the distance could be heard.

Peter caught her gaze. His face looked drawn in the dim light. “I guess I was wrong. I guess he’s not in here,” he said quietly. “Just wishful thinking.”

“Maybe,” Liza said, not wanting to agree. She felt so sad for him. “There’s got to be something we—”

But before she could finish her thought, she heard a scraping sound nearby. She jumped, moving closer to Daniel. He quickly swung the light in the direction of the sound. Liza expected to see some creepy, nocturnal animal emerging.

Instead, she saw her nephew, standing in the opening that led to the next cave.

Dirty, wet, and sheepish-looking, Will came toward them and then just stood there. His head slowly lifted, and he looked at his father first, then at Liza and Daniel.

“Hey, guys . . . What’s up?”

Chapter Fifteen

P
ETER gasped. “Will! Thank God!”

He seemed so overcome, Liza thought he might faint. He staggered toward his son and wrapped his arms around the boy.

“Will,” Liza said, hardly able to speak. “Thank goodness you’re all right . . . You are, aren’t you?”

“I’m okay,” he said. He glanced at his father. “I’m sorry, Dad. I—”

Peter hushed him. “That’s okay. We’ll talk about it later. Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine. As long as you’re all right.”

With his arm around Will’s shoulder, Peter led him out of the caves and back up the hill. Liza was glad she had brought the blankets and quickly ran to Daniel’s truck to retrieve them. She carried them over to Peter’s car, where Will sat shivering in the front seat.

Daniel was giving the boy a quick examination to determine whether he needed to go to a hospital.

A few moments later, he said, “Well, he’s chilled and a bit dehydrated, but I don’t think he’s been overexposed. If we get him home and get him warm, give him plenty of fluids and some food tonight, he should be fine.”

“Good. I don’t really want to take him to a hospital,” Peter admitted. “I don’t want to let him out of my sight.”

Liza leaned into the car and covered Will with the blankets, wrapping one around his legs and another around his shoulders.

“I—I can’t seem to stop shivering,” her nephew said, sounding embarrassed.

“You will,” Liza said. “I promise.”

A few feet away she heard Peter on the phone, calling the police officers first and then Claire, sharing the good news.

 

 

PETER ushered Will from the car into the house, adjusting the blankets that clung to the boy’s shoulders. Liza got out of the truck, and Daniel walked around from the other side to meet her.

Liza saw Claire standing in the doorway at the top of the steps, her sturdy silhouette outlined by the warm light from within. As Will came closer, Claire stepped out to meet him, then smothered the boy in a comforting embrace, one that briefly took in Peter as well.

As they walked into the house together, Liza remembered how Claire had been waiting there the first night she returned. Even then, not knowing her at all, Claire had been ready to welcome her home. Just as she was there now for all of them.

Liza began to head for the house, then noticed that Daniel hung back. “Guess I’ll say good night,” he said.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

Daniel looked down at her and stuck his hands in his pockets. “Thanks, but it’s late. And it’s going to be hard enough for Peter and you to talk to Will without strangers around.”

“You’re not exactly a stranger,” she replied. “But I know what you mean. Thanks . . . Thanks for everything. We really appreciated your help today.”

He shook his head. “It was nothing. I was glad I could help. At least there’s a happy ending to the story, right?”

“Yes, to this one,” she said, thinking of the Hardys. Now that Will’s little drama had concluded, she and Peter would have to return to the dilemma of what to do with the inn. What had Claire told her to remember? Worry not.

Daniel gave her a curious look. She was tempted to tell him about the Hardys . . . to tell him everything. But they had all had enough stress for one day. It was best left for tomorrow.

Instead she asked, “Will you be back to work?”

“Bright and early. Tomorrow could be my last day.”

She didn’t like hearing that but nodded. “Okay. See you then.”

He looked about to walk away, then stopped. “Is there something on your mind, Liza?” he asked quietly.

“Um . . . no. It can wait.”

“Okay . . . but there’s something on my mind.”

He stepped closer and put his hands on her waist. Then he lowered his head and kissed her. Liza leaned into him, feeling his warmth and strength. Savoring the sensation of his lips on hers.

Liza felt breathless when they parted. She slowly stepped back and gazed up at him.

“Good night,” he said quietly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She smiled, unable to speak for a moment. “Good night, Daniel,” she said finally.

He turned and walked back to his truck, and Liza headed for the house, feeling a bit light-headed and glowing with happiness, as if a low, steady flame had been lit somewhere deep in her heart.

She simply loved being with him. It didn’t seem to matter where they were or what they were doing. It was all good, as Will would say. She was going to miss Daniel so much when she left. But she didn’t dare think about that now.

 

 

LIZA found Peter and Claire in the kitchen, fussing over Will. The boy sat at the head of the table, still wrapped in the blankets but practically inhaling a bowl of soup and a big sandwich. Claire stood at the counter, fixing more food for him.

Peter sat at Will’s side, just staring at his son. “Now you’re sure you don’t need to see a doctor? Nothing hurts? You don’t feel dizzy or weak?”

“I’m okay, Dad. Honest,” Will managed between mouthfuls.

Peter nodded. “All right. You get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll see how you feel in the morning. Daniel said you need to drink a lot of liquids. You might be dehydrated.”

“He did? How does he know stuff like that?”

“He’s trained as a first responder, EMS,” Liza said. She walked over to Will and slung her arm around his shoulder, then planted a big kiss on the top of his head. She dropped down in the seat on his other side, across from her brother.

“You scared us to death, Will. The Cape Light bloodhounds were out, trying to sniff down your trail.”

Will’s eyes widened in surprise. “They were?”

Liza laughed. “Not quite . . . but almost.”

“We were worried sick,” Peter cut in. “Where were you all day, Will? We didn’t know what had happened to you.”

“I don’t know. Just riding the bike around.” Will shrugged. “It’s a pretty small island, I’m surprised you didn’t see me.”

Liza’s gaze narrowed, recalling how she had searched her assigned area for hours, even on foot. “It’s hard to find somebody who doesn’t want to be found, even in a place as small as this.”

“How did you end up in the cave?” Peter asked. “Were you hiding down there all day? I checked in the morning. We didn’t see you.”

“I didn’t go down there until it got dark. I got a flat on the bike, and I left it on the side of the road behind some bushes. I was near the caves and felt pretty cold, so I thought it would be a good place to stay for the night.”

“Was it?” Peter asked, meeting his son’s gaze.

Will smirked. “It was pretty creepy. All the bats and spiders and stuff.”

A good story to tell his friends though, Liza realized. A tale to swap when they boasted about their camping trip.

“So, why did you do it, Will?” Peter asked, his tone almost pleading. “Can you just tell me that?”

Liza sat back and looked at her nephew. He had stopped eating and was staring at the table, avoiding his father’s gaze.

Peter just waited, and Liza gave him points for patience.

Will shrugged. “I don’t know . . . I just felt like it.”

Peter let out a frustrated sigh. “You just felt like it? That’s all the answer I get? After what you put us through today?”

Liza gave Peter a quick look and shook her head. It wasn’t going to help if he went off the deep end and lost it.

“It must have been more than that, Will,” she said. “Can you just try to tell us how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking about right now? We were terribly worried, but we’re not mad, honestly.”

“We just want to understand,” Peter told his son.

“We really do,” Claire chimed in. “How can we help if you don’t tell us what’s wrong?”

Will slowly raised his head. He looked around at all of them. “I . . . I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

“I won’t be. I promise. Just tell us,” Peter said quickly.

Will looked at him, seeming doubtful. But then he stared straight ahead and said, “I don’t want to go back to Tucson. I want to stay here.”

Peter sat back as if someone had slapped him. “You want to stay here. Because you don’t want to come live with me half of the time, is that it?”

Liza saw him struggling to keep an even tone.

Will shook his head. “That’s not it. That’s not it at all. I would come live with you part of the time, but I just hate the way you and Mom are always fighting about it. Fighting over me. You’re so angry all the time. You make me feel like it’s all my fault.”

Peter looked shocked. “Of course it’s not your fault, Will. Your mom and I breaking up had nothing to do with you. We both love you very much.”