Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
T he next morning Jenna was up early, acutely aware of how quiet the house was with no workers around. She poured her coffee and went out on the deck, looking to escape the silence.
As she gazed out at the endless expanse of water, the rhythmic crashing of waves provided a soothing backdrop to her thoughts. Jenna chided herself silently. She’d spent years on her own, navigating life single-handedly. And she’d been fine. Perfectly fine. There was no reason to suddenly feel so vulnerable and dependent. She took a sip of coffee, its warmth spreading through her chest, and resolved to shake off these unexpected feelings.
A pair of pelicans flew overhead, their wings flapping in perfect harmony as if they belonged together. She set her coffee mug on the railing and cut across the sand, pausing at the water’s edge. She let the frothy foam of the waves lap at her feet. The pink hues of the morning sky stretched before her and she sucked in a deep breath of the salty air. A person could get used to mornings like this.
She finally turned around and went back to the cottage, her mind racing with things she wanted to get done today, wondering what time Second Finds opened so she could talk to Dale. Maybe she’d drop by Coastal Coffee and have some breakfast first. She glanced at her watch, certain she’d missed Nash by now. Beverly said Nash was always her first customer, and she’d been open for over an hour by now.
She debated on driving or walking, but decided her ankle still wasn’t up for that long of a walk. She drove to Coastal Coffee and parked near the entrance. As she walked inside, Beverly and Maxine motioned her back to the counter. She threaded her way through the tables and slipped onto a stool at the counter.
“Well, look who’s here. I do believe it is Nash’s date to the concert,” Beverly teased.
“Yes, I’m certain you’re right.” Maxine agreed with a smile.
“Good morning,” she said, ignoring their teasing. And it just proved Marly’s point that the whole town would know she was dating Nash now.
“Nash was in this morning but just smiled at me when I asked if you two had been out on another date after the concert.”
“That’s the only one.” She glanced up at the chalkboard over the counter. “I think I’ll have a cinnamon roll today. And coffee.” She hoped that would change the subject.
Beverly poured her a cup of coffee. “Bet he asks you out again soon.”
Just then, Miss Eleanor walked up to them. “Good morning.” She nodded at them. “Jenna, did you enjoy the concert at the gazebo?”
Did everyone in town know she was there? “I did.”
“Good. That Nash is a nice young man.”
She tried again to change the subject. “I’m headed over to Second Finds after breakfast. Found a few clues in the letters I found hidden in my cottage.”
Miss Eleanor frowned. “You found hidden letters in the old Weston place?”
“I did. And a photograph of a couple.”
“Dale mentioned that you came by and showed him the photograph you found. He’s been looking into it,” Maxine said.
“If the letters were hidden, don’t you think that meant they were private?” Miss Eleanor raised an eyebrow and sent her a disapproving look.
A look that immediately brought back her feelings of guilt for reading the letters. “I… I was hoping to figure out who wrote them and maybe give them back to their families. I’d think at the very least the family would appreciate the photo being returned.”
“Some things are better left in the past. And some things should remain private.” Miss Eleanor’s words were more a command than a comment. With a dismissive nod, she turned and headed to her regular table.
“I better go get her fresh cream for her coffee.” Maxine hurried into the kitchen.
Beverly leaned close. “Don’t worry about Miss Eleanor. She has… opinions. About almost everything. And she’s very protective about the island’s history.”
“Maybe she’s right. Maybe I should have left the letters unopened.”
“Or maybe the family will be very grateful to have the photograph you found if the letters help you figure out who they are.”
Dale’s face lit up with a warm smile as Jenna stepped into Second Finds. The shop’s familiar scent of old books and polished wood surrounded her, a comforting welcome after the tension at the coffee shop with Miss Eleanor.
“Jenna, there you are. Glad you came by. I’ve been trying to figure out who the people are in the photograph. Not having much luck. But I did come up with a little hint.”
“Oh?” Her curiosity was aroused.
“I do think in looking at the background, it was taken near the ferry landing. There’s a corner of a building in the photo and I think it might be the old building that used to be there.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and the strange thing is that the painting Beverly found had a building just like it, only it wasn’t exactly ours. Though maybe the painter just took some liberties with it and it was ours.”
“I read some more of the letters from the box.”
“Did you find out anything?”
“I’m afraid I didn’t find out much. But one of the letters was written in different handwriting. I think it was a woman’s penmanship. And she mentioned a Milton in the letter. Said he was the lighthouse keeper. I think he was the go-between for them. She mentioned he might lose his job because a letter was found by some kids and he wouldn’t say anything about it. The town started to distrust him because of his silence.”
“I do have some books and papers on the history of the lighthouse. Let’s go take a look at them.”
She followed Dale into a backroom filled with boxes and books. “I know it looks like a mess, but I do have a system.” Dale laughed as he headed over to a shelf and pulled out a box, setting it on a large wooden table that dominated the center of the room. “There are records of the ships coming in and going out. Major storms. And somewhere, I’m certain there was a list of the lighthouse keepers.”
They both grabbed some papers from the box and started going through them, carefully examining each document for any clues. After an hour of meticulous searching, neither of them had found anything substantial. Dale frowned, his brow creasing in concentration. “Let me check one more box. I have a feeling we might be overlooking something.”
He brought another battered box to the table, its corners worn and edges battered from years of storage. Reaching in, he pulled out an old book with yellowed pages and falling apart at the binding. He opened it gently, and a smile spread across his face. “This is what I remember. It’s notes from the lighthouse keepers. There are newer books in the box too, but this one is from the nineteen twenties. It might give us a clue.”
She stood and peeked over his shoulder. He ran his finger down the page, then turned and looked at the next page. After a few pages, he paused and tapped his finger on the weathered page. “There. There it is. Milton Carlisle.”
“Carlisle.” Surprise colored her tone. “As in Nash Carlisle?”
“I would guess so. Their family has been here on the island for a long time.”
That was not what she wanted to hear. Not someone from Nash’s family. She was not going to go looking into his family’s past. What if she found out something that they didn’t want to know? Something that was better kept a secret. It was one thing to think about trying to solve the mystery when it was strangers. But if it involved Nash’s family?
What if she discovered some long-kept secret? Or worse, what if she only scratched the surface, leaving half-truths and misunderstandings in her wake? She couldn’t risk repeating past mistakes because she didn’t do enough research. What if it happened again?
Where was her resolve to never investigate someone ever again? Had she not learned her lesson?
She turned to Dale, forcing a smile. “I really appreciate your help.”
“I’ll still keep looking into the photo for you.”
“Ah… I’m beginning to think that’s not a good idea. Maybe Miss Eleanor was right, and some things are just meant to remain in the past.”
“Maybe. But I find the history of Magnolia Key absolutely fascinating.” Dale set the worn book gently on the table. “If you change your mind and want to do more research, just let me know. I’m always happy to help.”
She managed a weak smile before leaving Dale poring over the old papers. She stepped outside onto the sidewalk as the sun beat down on her, throwing a spotlight on her choices.
Well, here’s a choice she could make. She could abandon this whole investigation. She never should have opened those letters and read them. It had all been a mistake from the very start. There was no way she was going poking into Nash’s family.