Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
The truth was never simple…
Finn's words rang through my head as I walked out of the pub and got in my car.
Maybe he was right about that. I had a personal truth that was very complicated and one I still didn't know what to do about. But that wasn't a problem I was going to solve today.
If Finn and the sheriff weren't going to follow up on the ring, I needed to do that. I picked up my phone and called Tyler. "I need to talk to you. Are you still with Becca?"
"No. I'm in line to get a coffee at the Daily Drip in Hanover."
"Hanover?"
"It's the town next to Stonecross, five miles south. Becca was teaching a class at the community center here. Want to come and meet me? Or I'll be back in about a half hour."
"I'll meet you. It's on the way to Seabrook, and I can visit Tessa after we talk. I'll see you soon."
Fifteen minutes later, I walked into The Daily Drip, a no-frills coffee house with a half- dozen tables, most of which were occupied by people sitting at computers. Tyler was at a table by the window, and I joined him with a smile.
He pushed one of two coffee cups in my direction. "It's Italian roast, with space for cream if you want it."
"Thanks. I'm good with this. How was your conversation with Becca?" I took a sip of the coffee, feeling immediately warmed and energized. "This is good."
"Better than anything I've had in Stonecross," he agreed. "Becca told me that Anna's last name is Franklin. She spent four days at the inn before she left. Two of those days, she took Becca's yoga class. I guess you were at one of those classes."
I nodded. "I was. Anna Franklin isn't an uncommon name. It might take some work to find her."
"I did a cursory search on my phone and found at least fifty," he said. "Becca also said that Anna mentioned she was from Chicago, that she'd heard about the inn from a friend. And that she'd really needed to get away from her life."
"Another woman who wanted to get away from her life," I murmured. "Seems to be a common theme."
"According to Becca, Anna arrived with bruises. Someone hurt her before she got to the inn. She said she felt like Anna was constantly looking over her shoulder."
"That's what I thought, too. Maybe she was hiding out at the inn until she felt safe to go somewhere else."
"I'm sure that's what Ellen and Ray would say."
I studied his face, his rather handsome face, I thought idly, shaking that out of my head as soon as I could. "Exactly what they would say," I agreed. "I should have knocked on Anna's door that first night when I heard her crying. I was just so rattled that first night. I was spooking myself out."
"Why were you rattled?"
"It was a long day of driving," I said vaguely.
"Or was it because you were going to the inn where a woman your age had stayed before never being seen again?"
I was grateful for the out he'd just given me, because I didn't need to tell him it had also felt strange to be in my grandmother's house, a woman I had never known and still didn't really know.
"That's true," I said belatedly. "This is the first time I've ever tried to walk in the footsteps of a victim. "
"It should probably be the last time. You're not an investigator, Cassidy. You don't have a personal stake in the victim. Why make yourself a target to increase your podcast ratings?"
"It's about finding answers for Natalie's family and for Jessica's, too."
"She doesn't have any family that I know of."
"But she has you, her friend."
He stared back at me.”Right."
"Which is why I need to ask you something. You told me Jessica was divorced, that she had gotten out of an abusive relationship."
"That's correct."
"Would she have still been wearing her wedding ring?"
His gaze flickered. "What are you talking about?"
"According to the man who found Jessica's boat, he also found a diamond ring; that sounds like a wedding ring."
"That wasn't in the police report."
"Finn said his friend Nathan kept the ring to sell. He didn't tell anyone he'd found it."
"Except Finn."
"And Tessa, too. I guess Nathan likes to boast, especially to pretty girls, and it came out when he took Finn and Tessa to see where he'd found Jessica's boat. I wondered why she'd have her ring if she was divorced."
"I don't know," he muttered, a frown creasing his lips. "Did Nathan sell the ring?"
"I don't think so. Finn said he told the sheriff about it this morning, but he wasn't interested in pursuing it. He also thought Nathan was a liar."
"I need to talk to Nathan. If he lied about the ring, what else did he lie about?"
"I don't know. I'm hoping Tessa will be able to tell me more when her head is a little clearer. I think there's a chance Nathan drugged her."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because of the condition she was in. Finn told me Nathan started to panic when he realized how much he'd told Tessa, especially after Tessa told him about our podcast. Finn said he left them alone on deck when he went to make a call, and that Tessa was unusually sleepy when he got back.
He thought it was just the sun and the alcohol. "
"Do you think Nathan put something in her drink?"
"Yes, so she wouldn't remember their conversation. And it worked. She said the day is hazy."
"I'm going to drive to Cork Harbor and talk to Nathan," Tyler said decisively as he got to his feet.
"Wait. Let me see if Tessa is awake. If she's not, I'll come with you. I want to talk to Nathan, too."
"Okay."
He waited as I called Tessa. Her phone went to voicemail, so she must have turned it off while she slept. I left her a quick message and then followed Tyler out the door. "Should we take two cars?"
"Let's take one. I'll bring you back when we're done, since it will be on your way to see Tessa later."
"Okay." As I got into Tyler's car, I felt good about taking a proactive step forward.
I wanted to hear from Nathan exactly what had happened yesterday, because I wasn't sure I trusted Finn's version.
Not that I could necessarily count on Nathan to tell me the truth, but at least I could hear what he had to say and decide for myself.
Cork Harbor was about forty-five minutes north of Stonecross, and as Tyler merged onto the coastal highway, I settled back into my seat, watching the ocean appear and disappear through breaks in the trees.
The silence between us felt comfortable, which surprised me.
I barely knew this man, yet here I was, on my way to confront someone who might have drugged my best friend.
"How did you get into architecture?" I asked, partly because I was curious and partly because the quiet was making me tense.
"I always loved houses. Even as a kid, I'd draw floor plans, imagine what it would be like to design a home."
"That's sweet. Did your parents encourage your dreams?"
His jaw tightened slightly. "My parents died when I was twelve."
"I'm sorry. How did that happen?"
"House fire. My brother and I were at summer camp."
"Oh my God. I'm so sorry." The words felt inadequate, but what else could I say?
"Marcus was only eight when it happened. We went into foster care after that." He changed lanes to pass a slow-moving truck. "We managed to stay together most of the time, but there were a few years when we got separated. Those were the worst."
I thought about what that must have been like—losing your parents, losing the only family you had left, being completely alone. "When did you get back together?"
"When I turned eighteen, I became his legal guardian. We were on our own after that. I worked construction during the day, went to community college at night. Got a scholarship to Yale eventually. Marcus lived with me the whole time."
"That must have been hard on you."
"He's my brother. I couldn't let him live with anyone else."
"Do you see a lot of him now?"
He hesitated, then said, "Not that much."
"Tyler…"
"What?"
"I looked you up. I know your brother is awaiting trial for fraud and some other charges."
He shrugged. "I should have figured you'd do that."
"You could have told me."
"It's a difficult situation. Marcus is completely innocent. He was set up."
His words puzzled me. "If that's true, then why aren't you trying to help him?
Why are you looking for Jessica?" I'd no sooner asked the question when I realized I already knew the answer.
I knew why Tyler had stumbled over calling Jessica his friend.
"Jessica is part of your brother's problem, isn't she? "
He didn't answer right away, then said, "Yes. She is. She ran away because she was scared. She knew Marcus was innocent, and she was afraid she'd get set up along with him. I need to find her because she's the only one who can prove my brother didn't do what they said he did."
It all made so much more sense now. As I processed what he'd told me, another idea occurred to me. "If she ran away from that situation, is it possible she's still running? Maybe she did get off that boat and disappear by choice."
"It's possible," he admitted. "Or someone else found her and made sure she couldn't come back and tell the truth. I have to know, either way, so I can help my brother. He's my only family, Cassidy. I have to save him. He would do the same thing for me."
"I understand. I wish you'd told me sooner."
"It doesn't change anything. I still need to find her and make sure she's safe. Then I'll have a chance to convince her that telling the truth will protect both her and my brother."
I was impressed with his loyalty to his brother. He'd put his whole life on hold to save him and also Jessica. "Then we better find her."
He gave me a smile. "It does feel good not to be doing this completely on my own."
"I feel the same way. I have to admit I'm a little jealous of your relationship with your brother. I always wished I had a sibling, especially after my mother died."
"How old were you?"