Chapter 32
Harper watched as the ferry pulled out of the dock and was nearly out of sight.
Murphy sat quietly for a bit and then jumped in with the fishermen who were unloading the morning pull.
They were getting ready to batten down their rigs in preparation for the storm.
The wind had picked up considerably since Harper and Murphy’s dawn run; there was no way they’d have been able to go now.
“So you’ll be joining us.” A voice from behind Harper made her jump and swallow a yelp.
Harper turned to see Nigel, again having arrived silently, though the commotion on the dock was a better cover than his usual stealth.
“You really have to stop scaring me.” Harper smiled. “I am.”
“We are all so pleased,” Nigel said with sincerity in his formal tone. “I will send Anna down to fetch you before lunch. We will want to close the roads this afternoon as a preemptive measure.”
Harper nodded. “I’ll only be a couple of days, tops.”
Nigel nodded. “We will see. No need to rush.” With that cryptic message, he turned and drove back up the hill to the manor.
“Harper!” Murphy called from the dock.
Harper turned to see Murphy pointing at a crate and grinning. “Those repair parts came in. Just in time.”
Harper rolled her eyes. “Great. Just in time for a record-breaking storm and the decimation of my team.”
“I’ll put these in West Dock storage for now. No need to go back around today,” Murphy called.
Harper nodded. “Sounds good. Maybe after the weekend, this weather will clear and we can do some work.”
With a wave, Harper walked back to the village to pack her overnight bag.
The invitation to Bell Manor was just for the storm, which, according to GeoRata and NOAA, was due to clear Sunday night, but Nigel’s response hung in her mind.
There was a change in the air, Harper could feel a difference.
As she walked through town, Hedy waved to her from the grocery, Harper waved back and saw Bennie nod her direction from the diner counter.
She wasn’t an outsider anymore, just like that, and it had nothing to do with Kyle or the others.
Something had turned a corner; Harper just couldn’t quite place what.
At the house, Harper packed her bag. On impulse she packed everything as though she were never returning to the little house.
She wondered if the impulse was what Carli called “weird psychic,” or if she was more rattled by last night’s events than she cared to admit.
Harper closed her duffel bag and sat on the bed.
Polly jumped up next to her and stared at her.
“Oh, Jesus, Polly. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t even think of leaving you behind. You okay here?” Harper asked as she stroked the cat’s ears.
In response, Polly curled up on her bag and stared at her with large eyes.
Harper sighed. “I’ll ask, okay? I can’t imagine you’re unwelcome; after all, you’re a local.”
A knock at the door made Harper jump. Polly just stared at her, unrattled.
“You ready?” Anna asked, glancing up at the clouds filling the sky.
“Yeah, look, I forgot about Polly,” she said bluntly.
“Bring her. I figured you were, they’ll never even notice another cat at the manor, besides …” Anna started and stopped.
“Besides …?” Harper prodded.
“You’ll just have to see,” Anna said. “But trust me, one more cat is nothing. Gatsby needs to learn to share anyhow.”
Harper went into the bedroom and grabbed her bag with one arm, and tucked Polly under her other. Anna chuckled softly at the sight.
“Hello, Polly. You’ve been fed well around here.” She took the cat and held open the door.
In the cart, Polly curled up on Harper’s lap, utterly nonplussed by the disruption.
“The cats on this island freak me out a little,” Harper said as Anna pulled out of the driveway.
“Can’t imagine why,” Anna replied dryly.
“They understand every single thing we say, don’t they?” Harper said, looking down at her lap.
“Possibly. Can’t confirm that, but that one more than most, Polly’s been around for a while. She’s a bit of a legend in the village.” Anna glanced over as they drove through Main Street.
“I haven’t seen a single dog,” Harper said absently as she stared out the window.
“They’re around, but they’re outnumbered,” Anna responded. “Glad you’re joining us. Sorry about your team.”
“So am I, but Kyle was in a bad way last night. Between the earthquake and …” Harper stopped herself. Saying it out loud sounded just crazy enough that Anna might drive her back to the house and leave her and Polly to the storm.
“And?” Anna glanced at her curiously as they approached the twisty manor road.
“Not sure how to phrase it, but he saw something that freaked him out last night, even before the earthquake,” Harper said carefully.
“Lots of things to freak a person out on Bell,” Anna replied. “You don’t seem too shaken by it,” she observed.
“I’m not, which is even stranger,” Harper said.
“Not really. Bell has a way of weeding out those who don’t belong here. The fact that you’re not on that ferry on your way back to civilization right now speaks volumes.” Anna threw Harper a look that made her flush. She turned her face, willing her pale skin to not betray her.
The gates of Bell Manor loomed in front of them, even more impressive in the daylight, and familiar.
Harper was hit with a sense of déjà vu so strong she felt disembodied, as though she were watching the scene from above.
The rattle and clang of horse and carriage, a cold night, her hands and feet numb from the cold, but her core warm, safe, scared, and hopeful.