Cry in the Night (19 page)

His mother might think she’d been dreaming.

Though the idea tempted him, he had to make sure she was all right. She was his mother, after all. Maybe he could talk her into keeping quiet. He ran back to the living room and laid the wet towel over her forehead.

She stirred, and her lashes fluttered, then opened. Her gaze was fuzzy until it focused on his face. The awareness in her eyes sharpened. “Rob?” Her shaking hand found his cheek. “I am dreaming,
kulta
?”

He forced himself to remember why he was here. “No, you’re not dreaming. I’m really here.”

She struggled into sitting position. The cloth fell from her head to the sofa. “Rob, you are alive?”

“Alive and kicking.” He attempted a smile, but the ramifications of revealing his presence to her slammed into him.

She was going to want to know why he was back after all this time. And where he’d been. He couldn’t tell her anything.

Her eyes narrowed. “Where have you been? Why did you let us grieve you?”

“It’s complicated. I’ll explain everything later. But for now, you have to keep quiet. Don’t tell Bree.”

His mother’s face grew stricken. “Bree. She and . . . and Kade.”

“I know she’s remarried.”

His mother’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh
kulta
, this is so painful for you. It will hurt Bree too.”

He shrugged. “I’m fine and she seems happy enough.”

“She grieved you for many months, my boy. For a year she searched for the plane, for your body and that of Davy’s.”

“Did she ever find the plane?”

She nodded. “Who was in it if not you?”

He wasn’t prepared to answer her questions yet. He rose, pulling away from her clinging hands. “I can’t talk about it now. Wait for my timing. Don’t mention this to Bree. Please?”

Her nod held obvious reluctance. “Very well. But I will not hold my tongue for long, Rob. You must tell the truth. To all of us.”

He brushed a kiss across her soft, powdered cheek. “I’ll be in touch.”

She called after him, but he couldn’t make out her words, and if he stopped to ask what she’d said, he’d never be able to leave. It was all he could do to walk back the way he’d come, to leave the place he’d once called home.

There was nothing he could do about it now but play the hand he’d dealt himself.

This poor child needed some clothes. Bree had alternated the three sleepers, but she was tired of doing laundry every day. Another outfit or two wouldn’t hurt. The sun shone brightly on this Wednesday morning. The sun wouldn’t have enough power to melt the piles of frozen waves in the lake though.

Naomi was already at the Suomi Café with Matthew in a back booth. The toddler was in a booster seat and chewing on a biscuit. The rich scent of
pannukakku
,
pulla
, and jam donuts teased Bree’s nose. She was famished.

The waitress, Molly, saw Bree enter with Samson and the baby. “I’ve got breakfast for you, my fine boy,” she said, smiling at Samson. “The leftovers of a chicken omelet have your name on them. That’s okay, eh?” she asked in her thick Yooper accent.

“You’re a doll, Molly.”

“I’ve already put in an order for
pannukakku
. Coffee’s on the table, eh.” She hustled off to the kitchen.

Bree walked toward the booth, but it was always like walking a gauntlet. Everyone wanted to greet Samson, and today they all asked questions about the baby. She finally reached the booth where Naomi sat waiting.

“I didn’t think you’d be here yet,” Bree said, putting Olivia’s carrier on the table. She took off her coat and slid into the booth.

“Donovan had to go in early today, so I got around quickly.” She poured coffee into a cup and scooted it toward Bree. “Coffee’s fresh.”

“I need it.” Bree dumped creamer and sugar into her coffee and took a sip. “Fortification for shopping. You know how I hate it.”

Naomi rubbed her hands together. “I love it.” Her gaze went over Bree’s shoulder. “Hey, there’s Anu.” She waved. “Anu, back here!”

Bree half-turned and smiled at her mother-in-law. Anu looked a little pale, and her smile was halfhearted, but she walked back to join the women. Dressed in crisp navy slacks, every pale blonde strand was in place this morning.

Naomi moved over so Anu could sit. “I love those slacks. I wish I could look so put together.”

Anu smiled. “You must come by the shop. We have more colors of this same style.”

“Good morning,” Bree said, smiling. Anu hadn’t yet looked at her, and unease began to work its way up Bree’s spine. There was something rather off-putting about her mother-in-law this morning.

“I did not expect to see you girls here so early,” Anu said. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sipped it. “I stopped by your house, my Bree, but I missed you there. I wanted to borrow some thimbleberry jam.”

“Did you find it?”

Anu shook her head. “What are you girls doing out so early?”

“Breakfast out sounded good. Then we’re going shopping for Olivia. I’m tired of seeing her in the same three sleepers. I thought we might come by your shop and see what you’ve brought in from Finland.”

Anu smiled but still didn’t look at Bree. “I have many new things. Stop and see.”

Molly approached with a plate of leftovers for Samson and food for Naomi and Bree. “You want what Bree’s havin’, eh, Anu?”

Anu nodded, but Bree noticed her smile was still strained. Once the waitress left, she leaned forward. “You okay, Anu? You don’t seem quite yourself this morning.”

Anu stared into her coffee cup. “I . . . I did not sleep well,
kulta
. Many thoughts troubled me.”

“Rob?” Bree asked, barely daring to breathe.

When Anu raised her gaze, tears shimmered in the depths of her eyes. “I remember so much about my son. But perhaps what I remember is a mother’s longing. I’m sure he had many faults I did not see.”

Bree raised her brows. In Anu’s eyes her son had been pretty wonderful. Bree had tried not to go to Anu when she and Rob had problems during their marriage. “He was a good man,” she said. “You can be proud of him.”

“I am not so sure,” Anu whispered. She gulped some coffee, and her hands shook.

Had Anu seen the biker who so resembled Rob? Bree reached across the table. “Why all this talk about Rob? Have you seen that guy?”

Anu clutched Bree’s fingers. “What guy?”

She shouldn’t say anything, but it was impossible to keep the words back. “I’ve seen a man around, one who looks so much like Rob he could be his twin.” Her fingers itched to pull out the pipe, but she wasn’t willing yet to accept what it meant.

“You didn’t tell me that,” Naomi said, her voice accusing. Matthew’s biscuit fell to the floor, and Samson gobbled it up. Naomi scolded the dog, then got another biscuit for the toddler when he began to cry.

“I’ve tried not to think about it. It’s a little disconcerting,” Bree admitted. “I’ve wondered if someone is playing a game with me. It can’t be Rob. We buried him.”

“Perhaps that is it,” Anu said, setting her coffee down. Some sloshed onto the table.

Bree thought Anu whispered, “Maybe I dreamed it,” but she wasn’t sure. Anu was normally the strong one, the rock everyone else leaned on. Something had disturbed her in a way Bree had never seen.

Anu’s blue eyes focused on Bree’s face. “You saw Rob’s remains, did you not, my Bree?”

Bree shifted at the uncomfortable subject. She didn’t like to relive those days. “Mason showed me the clothing left in the grave with the bones. The jacket was the one you bought him for Christmas that last year.”

“Of course, of course,” Anu murmured.

Anu was raising doubts in Bree’s own mind. She’d been certain the other night that the man was Rob, but in the cold light of day, she knew it was impossible, pipe or no pipe. Now, talking it out with Anu reminded her again of the positive ID on the clothing. How certain Mason had been when he saw the bones.

Bree reached over and squeezed Anu’s hand again. “Do you want me to work at the shop for you today? Maybe you need to get some rest.”

Anu’s smile was forced. “I am fine,
kulta
. I will go to bed early this night. My mind, it plays tricks on an old woman.”

“You’re not old,” Naomi broke in. “I hope I look like you when I’m your age.”

Amusement crinkled the edges of Anu’s eyes. “Such a backhanded compliment.”

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Naomi rolled her eyes and took a bite of her omelet.

Anu patted her hand. “This I know, dear girl.” The shadows cleared her eyes, and her smile seemed genuine this time.

Bree watched her through the rest of the meal, but Anu had managed to throw off whatever troubled her. When the women paid for their food and stepped outside into the sunshine, she heard the rumble of a big truck. All her certainty rushed to form a lump of doubt in her throat. She tensed and turned to look, but only a man and woman in a beefed-up pickup rumbled past. Red not white.

She wanted to laugh, but the haunted fear had returned to Anu’s face, and Bree knew the expression mirrored her own. What was happening to them that they saw ghosts where none existed?

She took a tremulous breath and managed a smile. “We’ll walk along with you to the shop.”

“Very good,” Anu said. “Come, Samson. Grammy has some treats for you.” The dog padded at her heels.

Bree found herself staring at every male she passed and wondering if he was the man she mistook for Rob. They passed the jail, and she waved at Mason. He waved back but didn’t stop before running up the steps, so something must be up. She wondered if it had anything to do with Victor. Or maybe Pia’s death.

Anu unlocked the door and let them into the shop. The scent of new clothing mingled with yesterday’s cardamom bread. Bree set the baby carrier on the floor, then went to the racks of baby clothing first. Anu didn’t carry much infant clothing, but Bree picked out two new sleepers and a little cotton dress that would be cute when the weather broke.

If she still had Olivia.

Anu gave a choked sob, then turned and vanished through the bathroom door. The lock clicked.

Bree went to the door and shook it. She heard the unmistakable sound of Anu vomiting. “Anu, what’s wrong?”

After a few moments, Anu’s voice came through the door. “You go now,
kulta
. We will talk later. I am sick. The flu, I think. I will go home when Eino gets here. Go now.”

Bree didn’t believe for a minute that Anu had the flu. Was she going crazy or had a ghost taken up residence in Rock Harbor?

Did a ghost drive a pickup? Or leave footprints in the snow beside a well-known pipe? She didn’t want to face those questions when the answers might turn her life upside down.

15

THE ROAR OF THE SNOWMOBILE SHUT OUT THE THOUGHTS in his head. Kade rode his machine along the groomed snowmobile trail. He managed to stay focused enough to note where shrubs needed to be trimmed back and where low branches overhung the trail. Reaching the pavilion at the end of the trail, he shut off the engine, then dismounted and walked down to the frozen pond to check out the report of a dead deer.

He saw the evidence in blood on the snow, but the carcass was already gone. Wolves, from the tracks. After jotting the incident down in his log book, he rode on to headquarters.

His gut tightened when the brick building came into view. Leaving the snowmobile in the corral designated for the machines, he walked into the building. Nodding at the receptionist in the public display area, he went through the door marked PRIVATE and down the hall past the bank of offices to his own space at the end of the hallway. Inside his office, he shut the door and dropped into his chair. He’d made it to safety. So far.

Before his relief had a chance to jell, he heard his boss’s familiar tap at the door. The knot that formed in his belly nearly made him sick. “Come on in, Gary.”

Landorf pushed open the door and walked in. His brows were drawn together, and the way he avoided meeting Kade’s gaze made the acid churn even more. Maybe today was the day.

Gary dropped into the chair opposite the desk. “You check out that dead deer report?”

“Yep. Wolves already disposed of it.”

“You got that grant application ready?” Landorf said with no more small talk.

Kade swallowed hard. “Yeah, but I have to tell you, I’m not comfortable with skewing the numbers.”

“It’s not a big deal, Kade. Don’t sweat it.” Landorf held out his hand. “I’ll look it over and give it back to you to send in.”

Kade handed it over. “It’s weak without proof of a litter.”

“Couldn’t find that den?”

He shook his head. “I guess they were lying.”

Landorf already had his nose deep in the grant papers. “Take one more pass out there. If you still don’t see anything, we’ll send this in as is.”

If everything worked out, the grant would be approved, and Kade would be called back to the park service before the grant money was gone. He should have been more forceful with Gary about lying on the application though.

Landorf didn’t have anything else to say, so he backed out of Kade’s office. Kade grabbed his coat and headed to the truck. His cell phone rang. He glanced at the display and saw it was Lauri and flipped it open. “Hey, kid sister.”