Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
PRESENT DAY
Ian
I watch Josie run out of the dining room, confusion and cold dread washing over me.
Just a moment ago, I turned from my conversation with Garrett to whisper something to Josie, who was sitting on the other side of me.
Except that I never got the words out because I noticed her eyes were glued to the contents of the box I picked up for Madeline at the jeweler’s.
According to Madeline, it’s the same design of a favorite necklace that Josie lost as a teenager.
I wondered if I picked up the wrong thing because Josie’s hands were shaking and her face was frozen in shock. My gaze flew to the box, and my heart nearly stopped at the sight of the delicate starfish pendant.
I’ve seen that design before—it’s the same as the starfish necklace I found on the dock the day my dad died.
The necklace I flung into the ocean to hide the evidence.
The necklace that I was certain belonged to the woman my dad was sleeping with.
It has to be a coincidence that Madeline gave that same design to Josie.
There’s no way that Josie was on the dock with my dad that weekend he died.
There’s no way Josie is the woman that drank the second cocktail in the glass I also flung into the ocean.
There’s no way that Josie was the woman sleeping with my dad.
It could be a common design. It’s a starfish, we’re in a beach town.
Except that it has the exact same delicate lines etched across the starfish’s legs. And Josie was staring at it like she wanted to throw up. She snapped the jewelry box shut with the same speed that her mouth tipped into a too-bright smile.
“Thank you, Madeline,” she said buoyantly, tucking it into her purse.
“I can’t wait to wear it.” She lunged to her feet and threw her arms around her sister, her smile growing wobbly the second her face was out of Madeline’s view.
“I’m just going to run to the restroom to try it on.
” And then Josie tucked her purse under her arm and hurried out of the room, her heels clicking across the wooden floor.
I’m still staring at the door where Josie disappeared when Madeline leans over to me. “Thank you for picking that up for me.”
I clear my throat. “It’s a beautiful gift,” I say, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “You said Josie had one when she was a kid?”
She nods. “Our dad bought it for her when she was born, and Mom gave it to her when she was thirteen, so it was really special to her. But then she lost it right before our family left Sandy Harbor, which was a really hard time for all of us.” Her face creases with concern. “Did she seem upset by it?”
The last thing I want is for Madeline to worry on the night before her wedding.
“No, I’m sure she’s just moved,” I murmur, hoping to smooth things over, but I’m sure my own face is pale and drawn.
“I’m sure she’s feeling a lot of emotions coming back here.
And then to receive such a thoughtful gift, one that reminds her of all those memories of your childhood together… ”
Madeline gives me a hopeful smile. “Do you think so?”
I nod, but my head is buzzing. She lost it right before our family left the island.
Josie left the island about a week after my dad died.
It had to be her necklace on our dock. I remember sitting there staring out at the water, feeling like my life was ending.
And then all of a sudden, she was standing in front of me, and for a moment, the sun came out.
I thought she was there to see me. That she’d snuck past the reporters and security guards at the gate to check on me and cheer me up.
Was she looking for her necklace?
Was she my dad’s mistress and trying to hide the evidence?
I need to get out of here. I need to find her and demand answers. But Madeline leans across Josie’s empty seat to give my arm a squeeze. “Thank you for all you’ve done for Garrett and me.”
This is my best friends’ wedding. I can’t cause a scene.
I force a smile on my face. “I love you guys,” I say, and because I mean it, I’m able to make it sound sincere.
Garrett draws Madeline’s attention away for a moment, and I do my best to casually stand.
“I’m going to run to the bar,” I say to nobody in particular.
“Anyone want anything?” The evening is winding down and thankfully, I get a few head shakes in response, because I have no intention of going to the bar.
I have to find Josie. I don’t want to jump to conclusions.
I slip out of the room, but before I can cross the bar area to wait for Josie outside the bathroom, I spot a woman in an emerald-green dress outside on the deck. It’s her. She’s staring out at the water, and my heart constricts.
I knew Josie then, and I know her now. There must be another explanation. There must be. But then she turns, and her entire body tenses. A man steps out of the shadows. He’s tall with sandy-colored hair.
Sam, the security guard from my family’s estate. The guy I saw here earlier today. Was he lying when he said he was here to see Sylvia? Maybe he was really looking for Josie. My mind whirrs. What is happening right now? How would they know each other…
Unless they met when she came to the house to see my dad.
Unless she really was the woman who left the necklace in the gazebo.
Heart pounding, I step through the open French doors onto the deck, but Josie and the guard are too focused on each other to notice me. I slip behind a pillar as their voices drift in my direction.
“Look,” the security guard says, holding out a hand. “I just need to talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Josie says, and I hate the way her voice shakes. I want to run out and slide an arm around her. To tell her that everything will be okay, but I have no idea if it will.
“That day—” Sam begins, but Josie cuts him off.
“You need to leave me alone,” she hisses.
My spine stiffens, and I don’t care what’s going on or who this man is, if he’s upsetting Josie then I’m going to toss him out on his ass. I’m about to step out of the shadows when Sam’s voice drifts over.
“I know you were there on the dock with Christopher,” he blurts out.
Josie gasps, but I can barely hear it over the ringing in my ears.
I lean a forearm on the pillar to hold me up because my knees are about to buckle.
I’d hoped the necklace was a coincidence.
It’s a design sold in a local shop, so lots of people might wear a necklace like that.
She lost it at the same time I found one on our pier where my dad died—that could be a coincidence too.
But my family’s security guard from that time recognizing her, standing here, telling her he saw her on the dock… Could there be any other conclusion to draw than the fact that she was there to see my dad? That she was the woman drinking cocktails with him and…
I close my eyes. I can’t think about whatever else they might have done.
I cared about her so much back then. I believed I was falling for her and that we might have a chance to be something special.
Was she just using me to get to him? Was it his money she was after?
And when he died—she had no more use for me and took off.
She didn’t even stay long enough to go to his funeral.
This can’t be. None of this makes any sense.
I gaze across the deck at Josie and watch as the ocean breeze teases her copper hair.
I remember the way she connected with Ellery and helped her to deal with her sadness over the dance.
Her laugh as she splashed me in the water at the motel.
The way she looked at me with such anticipation that first time I kissed her on the sailboat.
And last night. Could she have faked everything?
I don’t believe it. There has to be some other explanation.
I step out of the shadows.
Josie whirls around to look at me, her face stricken. “Ian. How much did you hear?”
“Enough to know that there’s something going on, and I want to know what the hell it is.”