The Unrelenting Tide (Islands of Intrigue: San Juans - Christian Romantic Suspense) (2 page)

Pain knifed through her right foot. She gasped and looked down.

A gash across the top of her foot seeped blood.

She grimaced.
Great start to the day, Devynne. Just great
.

Chapter 2

The growl of Carcen’s truck out in the driveway grated in dissonant contrast to the purr of her sewing machine. So he’d arrived. Good. She’d felt jittery and tense all morning – getting up every ten minutes to check on Marissa, double check that they were alone in the house, and verify that the doors were still locked. Maybe now, with Marissa off at the game with Carcen’s parents she would be able to get some work done.

“Rissa! Uncle Carcen’s here to take you to the game!”

“Yay!” The thunder of small feet pounded down the stairs from the top floor.

“Don’t open the door till I get there!” Sighing, Devynne threw the quilt piece she was working on over her shoulder and stood. Pain flamed through her foot and she snatched a breath. She’d been using it on the sewing machine pedal, but apparently standing on it was a different matter altogether. Gritting her teeth and forcing herself to walk as normally as possible, she made her way up to the middle level.

She stopped at the top of the stairwell just in time to see Marissa launch herself into the arms of her uncle, who had just stepped through the kitchen door. Her heart gave an extra thump and she reminded herself to batten down her emotions.

But as she watched Carcen blow a raspberry against Marissa’s neck, she cringed and aggravation with her daughter washed through her. She leaned a shoulder into one wall. What if it hadn’t been Carcen? She should have come upstairs quicker and made Marissa wait until she was a hundred percent certain it was Carcen at the door. In their small community Marissa had a bad habit of throwing the door open to whoever rang the bell. She’d talked to her about it a hundred times, but it looked like she’d have to talk with her again.

Carcen bumped the door shut with his foot and swung the four-year-old around and around.

Marissa clung to him tightly, giggling all the while, her dark curls swirling about her face.

When Carcen finally stopped his dizzying twirl, the little girl gazed up into his face, her large, brown eyes wide with excitement. “Do it ‘gain, Uncle Cawce. Do it ‘gain.”

Carcen threw back his head on a laugh.

Devynne’s heart squeezed and gave a double-thump that she did her best to ignore. Carcen was so much like Kent had been, yet so different at the same time. The same lithe, athletic form. The same sense of fun-loving humor. The same curls, but blond more than brown. When would the sight of him quit bringing pain? And when had it started making her wonder what it might be like to be in a man’s arms again? Her face heated and she was glad all his attention was focused on her four-year-old.

Now he gaped down at Marissa. “Do it again?!” Hugging her close to his chest, he staggered past Devynne into the living room, pretending to be drop-down-dizzy, the little pixy swaying crazily in his arms. “I can’t even walk straight!”

“Yo’ silly, Uncle Cawce.” Marissa cupped his stubbled cheeks in her tiny hands and looked him right in the eye. “Are you weally gonna play the meanest team in the lake?”

He chuckled, a deep rumble from his chest, and glanced over at her as he set Marissa on her feet.

Devynne suppressed her own humor, remembering that when he had called to ask if Marissa could accompany him and his parents to the basketball game he had emphasized to Marissa that she would have a great time watching his team pulverize the ‘meanest team in the league’.

“League, honey, not lake.” Devynne stepped fully into the living room and smoothed the girl’s curls as she spoke. “A league is a group of teams that play against each other. And what have I told you about opening the door?”

Marissa hung her head. “I pulled back the cuwtain and see’d it was Uncle Cawce befowe I opened it.”

Carcen nodded his agreement to that statement.

She sighed. “Well, if you’re going to watch Uncle Carcen’s team play the meanest team in the
league
you’d better go get your shoes on.”

Wide eyed, the little girl rounded her mouth in a silent ‘oh’ as she glanced mischievously down at her wiggling toes. Peeking up at her uncle through her bangs, she rolled her eyes as if to say ‘oh my goodness she’s right’ and quickly whirled, racing to the third floor without a word.

Carcen turned the full force of his breath-stopping-blues on Devynne, his face suddenly turning serious. He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his slacks, his purple Friday Harbor High School polo stretching taut across his shoulders. “How are you?”

“Fine.” A noose of dread cinched around her chest and she met his gaze for only a second before she looked down, knowing what his next question would be.

“Why don’t you come with us?”

She smiled placatingly, answer ready. “I can’t this time. I have this quilt I need to finish for Mrs. Abernathy’s new cabin.” She gestured to the piece on her shoulder. “It’s the last one she ordered and I have to have it done soon. Maybe another time.”

Her gaze flickered to his for a scant second, yet in that brief moment she saw the truth on his face. He knew. She started up the stairwell. “I’ll go make sure her shoes get on the right feet.”

She just couldn’t bring herself to go out. The old fears always rode her hard. Always the feel of someone watching her. And that didn’t even take into consideration the guilt over Kent’s death, which most likely had been her fault.

She sighed as she trudged up the tan, carpeted treads, trying not to limp even as pain throbbed.

Grandma used to say trouble came in packs. So true. Hers had been rolling in, one wave after another, for the last seven years. An unrelenting tide of pain and misery.

She knew for Marissa’s sake she probably needed to get out more. But when it came to getting back into the swing of life it was simply easier, and safer, to keep to herself. After that terrible day at Island Grocers she had felt guilty - somehow unfaithful - going out and enjoying herself when Kent wasn’t around to enjoy life with her. Now, she dreaded the looks of pity and curiosity she was sure to get from everyone. Things were easier when she kept to herself. Not to mention diminishing the likelihood that someone might recognize her.

She had joy enough right here at home.

Even now, she smiled as she eased the weight off her foot and leaned in her daughter’s doorway, watching her try to fasten her sandals.

Tongue caught between her teeth, little face scrunched up into a mask of concentration, she attempted to thread the small metal clasp into the correct hole, then rolled her eyes in frustration. Never mind that the shoe was already on the wrong foot.

Devynne knelt before her. “Here look. This shoe goes on the other foot. See the toe of the shoe? Your big toe goes here at this pointier part. Let Mom help you so you won’t keep Uncle Carcen waiting.”

Marissa pushed herself to her feet and scampered over to sit in Devynne’s lap. She held up one pudgy foot at a time and Devynne worked the shoes over stubborn heels and fastened the clasps. Shoes on, the tyke turned and hugged her tight. “I wuv you, Mama. Want to come?”

Devynne smiled softly, but she suddenly sensed Carcen in the doorway behind them. She glanced over her shoulder.

He leaned there, arms folded, a slight frown puckering his brow.

How was it he always walked with stealthy, cat-like silence? She rarely heard him approach, but could always seem to sense when he was there. Right now she could feel the disapproval rolling off him in waves. He had voiced, on more than one occasion, his opinion that she should quit feeling sorry for herself and start living again.

She sighed, turning back to Marissa. Maybe he had a point. But…
If he knew the whole story he’d likely feel differently
.

Stroking the child’s hair, she shook her head. “I can’t this time, Honey. You go and have fun with Uncle Carcen. You don’t get to see his boys play ball very often. And be good for Grandma and Grandpa, OK?”

Marissa’s lower lip protruded and she hung her head down until her chin touched her chest.

“Honey—”

Carcen cut her off. “Hey, none of that. If you are coming with me, we can’t have your lip hanging out. Especially not so far. My star player might trip on it while he’s dribbling down the court. Then the meanest team in the lake might beat us.”

A solitary giggle escaped as Marissa glanced up at her uncle. “The
league
, Uncle Cawcen, not lake!”

“Oh! Right!” He tossed her a wink. “Why don’t you go down and wait for me by the door. I left my coat on the table and you might even find a piece of gum in my pocket.”

Marissa was gone in a flash and Devynne climbed wearily to her feet. On the pretense of cleaning up the room, she began to gather some of the clothes scattered about, keeping her back to him and hoping he would just go this time without making a big deal of her not coming. But she could feel his gaze drilling her from behind. She moved to pick up a sock in the far corner then paused to straighten the pieces to the doll house Marissa had been playing with all morning.

“If you just ignore me long enough I’ll have to go away, is that it?” His voice was a low growl but she heard the concern around the edges.

The concern was almost her undoing. Devynne pinched the bridge of her nose, willing herself not to allow the tears until he left. “Don’t do this Carcen. I
can’t
come. I have
work
to do. Maybe next time.”

“That’s what you’ve said for the past several years, Devynne.” His tone dropped to a soft murmur touched with disheartenment.

She swallowed hard and pushed strength into her knees. “Yeah? Well, for the past several years I’ve been trying to make a
living
for Marissa and I. I’ve been busy.”

“What happened to your foot? You’re limping.”

She tensed. No way could she tell Sheriff Carcen Lang she’d thought there was an intruder in the house and in her panic had dropped her gun on her bare foot. Her heart gave an extra thump and she reminded herself to hoist up her self-control. If he even had a hint of what her morning had been like he would morph into cop-mode faster than his star player could sink a three-pointer.

“I dropped something on it.” She waved a hand to indicate it was no big deal and prayed he’d just let it go.

Carcen hesitated. She hadn’t hidden her tears as well as she probably thought she had. But he needed to get going.

He folded his arms, unfolded them, glanced at his watch, and then folded them again. Stubborn woman. How was he ever going to get through to her? He just wanted her to be happy again. “I have to go.” Reaching out he pulled the pink Barbie pajamas off the end of Marissa’s bed, tucking them under his arm. “I’ll be back later this evening.”

Her back still to him, Devynne nodded. “OK. See you then.”

He knew her well enough to detect the note of relief edging her voice.

She could be relieved for now. But come tonight they were going to have this out, once and for all.

Chapter 3

Devynne stayed at her sewing machine all through the afternoon and well into the dinner hour before a headache made her realize she hadn’t eaten anything since her coffee and toast that morning.

Stretching, she surveyed her day’s work. Most of the quilt top was assembled. She just needed to add one border and then do the binding. And it was beautiful. Even Mrs. Abernathy would be hard pressed to find something to complain about on this quilt.

Satisfaction eased through her. Despite the woman’s grumpiness, she was quite influential. A good word from her and Devynne could expect several more orders from the woman’s bridge club friends.

As Devynne took the stairs up to the kitchen, her foot pulsed pain with each step. But the further she went the less it hurt. Maybe she should take a little walk to work out the kinks from tightened muscles.

In the kitchen she assembled a sandwich and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter. Slipping into her Mary Jane water shoes, and grabbing up her keys, she stepped out onto the midlevel deck and locked the door behind her. The rest of the house was already locked up – she’d made sure after Carcen left with Marissa.

Taking a big bite of ham and pickles on whole-wheat, she paused to stare out over the Salish Sea. The day couldn’t be more beautiful. Through the softly swaying branches of the evergreen trees in her back yard, the sun glinted off the calm lazuline water below. Both Shaw and Orcas Island were plainly visible, dark green against the lighter backdrop of the sky.

From where she stood, she could have tossed a pebble and it would have landed in the water. Below her the waves teased at the shoreline, their soft rhythm a soothing symphony against the counterpoint of birdsong and rustling wind.

The stairs at the side of the deck led down to the side yard where a sloping path extended down to the lowest level of the yard. She took the stairs and the path slowly, savoring the sun warming her shoulders, and the breeze taking the edge off the heat. Far out in the water a black and white orca crested and blew a geyser into the air, then disappeared with a slap of its tail. Near her on the path a squirrel chattered and she tossed him the last corner of her crust. He cocked his head, angling her a cautious look before darting out to snap up the scrap and scamper back to safety.

A sigh eased from her lips and she sank down onto the wooden, half-log bench Kent had built in the back yard. She closed her eyes tipping her head back to relish the breeze’s caress, the constant slapping of the waves against the floating dock, the cry of a gull. She searched for the bird and found it, wings spread wide, cavorting with the currents of air high overhead. Off to her right the familiar green and white
Evergreen State
ferried by, her decks high off the water.
Must not have too many riding the inter-island route today
.

Some of Devynne’s tension eased. She and Marissa really should have moved to a smaller place by now. Or at least rented out the big house and moved into the small guest house at the back of the property. But this, this little taste of heaven and privacy, she could never seem to let it go. Five minutes down here, or out on any one of the home’s three decks with the 180 degree view restored her strength. Gave her the energy she needed to be mother, entertainer, spiritual guide, provider.