Chapter 35
Three texts to Gabby had now gone unanswered. Same with two phone calls.
That was definitely not like the constantly online Gabby. Something had gone wrong. Barnaby knew it. And once again, the damn Lightkeeper Inn was involved.
He floored the accelerator and raced across the sandbar road that led to the eastern end of the island. Normally, the sight of its rugged bluffs and the stately sprawling inn brought him a sense of awe. Today, all he wanted was to get there and find Gabby.
Instead, the first person he spotted was Fiona, who was climbing the slope from the dock—on foot, of all things, dragging her expensive suitcases across the lawn.
The wind plastered her fluttery dress to her slim form.
Maybe those suitcases were anchoring her to the ground, and she’d flit away like a butterfly without them.
She dropped her bags and waved her arms to flag him down. He jumped out of the truck and ran to her side. Resting her hands on her knees, she panted, “Keith. I saw him. He … took Gabby… somewhere.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He was in a boat…and he grabbed Gabby. I texted Luke right away. I…I never thought I’d see Keith again. Why didn’t you tell me he was here?”
“We didn’t know for sure. We needed you to confirm it. Are you sure it was him? Keith Garner, you mean?”
“Yes, yes! I mean, he’s older now, and a lot more beefy. Like ew, I can’t believe I was so crazy about him. But he had those eyes, and that jawline. And he adored me like a goddess. I couldn’t resist that, now could I?”
She plopped down on one of her suitcases. Barnaby grabbed her arm to keep her from toppling over. “What boat was he in?”
She squinted as if trying to summon its image. “It was tied up right in front of my water taxi, but I didn’t see the name. It was blocked by two giant outboard engines, so it’s a fast one.”
“What direction did it go? Toward Harbortown?” If Keith Garner had taken Gabby to the mainland, it would be nearly impossible to find her.
“No. I watched until it curved to the right, around the headland.”
So he was taking her out to sea? Then what?
Dropping her in the ocean? Images of Gabby drowning, shouting for help, thrashing in the water, raced through his mind, and he felt ill.
Ocean rescues were always a challenge, between the unpredictable Maine weather and the temperature of the water, even in the summer.
He realized Fiona was still talking. “I think he was taking her to the lighthouse.”
“Why?”
“We used to go out there a lot. It was so romantic. I lost my virginity to the sound of the waves against those rocks. Also,” she added in a more practical tone, “he was fixated on finding that pirate treasure.”
“Which probably doesn’t exist.”
Fiona shook her head. “He swore it did. He wanted money so Dad might accept him. I thought that was romantic too. Keep in mind that I was only fourteen.”
“I’m not judging, Fiona. I don’t care what you did when you were fourteen. I just want to find Gabby before he does something to her.” He was already busy texting the manager of the Carmichael’s private marina. Get the Sea Siren fueled up and ready to go. Be there in ten.
Fiona gasped. “You think he’d hurt her?”
“He just kidnapped her, didn’t he? You tell me. What do you know about him?”
“He was really strong, good at sports, I liked his eyes…but he was pretty controlling. We used condoms but later he told me he put holes in them because he wanted us to be together forever. Like I wanted to be some child bride.”
Red fucking flags all over the place.
“But he looked so different,” Fiona went on. “He’s put on so much weight, so out of shape, and he’s practically bald. It was only his eyes that I recognized.”
Oh shit. Jesus Christ. Puzzle pieces suddenly fit together in his mind. Were Keith Garner and Detective Hooper the same person?
As a police officer, Hooper could have faked the tox report. As a former island resident, he knew his way around Sea Smoke and would be able to blend in with the fishermen going about their business.
Something Hooper had said flashed back to him. Those old southwest woods are a real jungle. Islanders referred to the “old southwest woods,” but visitors wouldn’t know that. Had he picked up the phrase during his time here, or had it surfaced from the past?
“Fiona, was Keith wearing a badge? Did you notice?”
She closed her eyes to recall the image. “I think he was. He always wanted to be a police officer. That was his dream. But after I…well, something happened that I didn’t want our family to know about.”
The holes in the condoms. “You got pregnant.”
“Don’t tell a fucking soul. Well, I told Gabby but that’s because I lost my cool for a hot second.”
“I won’t, but it’s okay. You were only fourteen.”
“Exactly. I was super-young and I didn’t know what to do. Keith was happy about it, but I freaked out.”
He checked the time. Five minutes until the boat would be ready. He could spare a few more to listen to Fiona’s story. “So what’d you do?”
“I called Annabeth.”
“Annabeth, your mother?” He frowned in confusion. Annabeth hadn’t been part of their lives from such an early age.
“Yes, that Annabeth,” she said wryly. “Isn’t she your mother too?”
Right…Fiona hadn’t been caught up on that part of the story. “Why’d you call her?”
“Well, she used to be a nurse before she met Dad. Didn’t you know that?”
“No. I didn’t.”
That changed things. If Annabeth had medical knowledge, she would have known exactly what to do in that hospital room with Sophie.
“I looked it up. She went by her maiden name then, Annabeth L. Evans.”
Elle Evans. My God. Maybe he had heard that before, because it had rung a tiny bell when he’d read that name in the visitor log.
Hadn’t his father said something about “elevens,” and being too late? In some part of his mind, John Carmichael must remember all of it.
“I figured Annabeth could give me some good advice, and she did,” Fiona went on.
“What was it?”
“She said to find that old witchy lady in the southwest woods. She knew a lot about her, I was kind of surprised. I joked about Annabeth being a stalker, but she didn’t think it was funny.
I think she must have told Dad, because the next thing I knew, Keith and his whole family were gone. Kicked off the island.”