Chapter 5
Clara and James left the hiking trail, their hands still entwined. Her heart was soaring. It was crazy to go from such a low that morning to feeling so good by the afternoon. The logical side of her was telling her to be cautious. Don’t fall head over heels for him. Unfortunately, her heart laughed in the face of logic.
As they settled into a cozy corner of the cafe, they ordered two Pepsis and BLTs. Clara had a sudden realization. In all the years she’d been married, her husband never once held hands with her in public. Maybe when they were dating, but it didn’t last long. The simple gesture was so romantic. It made her feel like a teenager in love. Another thing her husband never did was spend time with just her. They went to dinner or attended the occasional work function for him, but they never went hiking or spent time one-on-one.
“Everything okay?” James asked.
She smiled at him. “Everything is great. Tell me about your grandfather.”
James sighed and got a sad look in his eyes. “My grandfather is not ninety-eight. It wasn’t until the last couple of years that he started to decline. I had to put him in a home, which he hated, but we both knew it was for the best. I couldn’t give him the care he needed.”
“What about your parents?”
“My mother passed away about ten years ago. My father lived another two years before he died. My grandfather is my only living relative. I don’t have any brothers or sisters. There are a handful of cousins strewn about the country. My grandfather wants, no, he needs closure. He needs to know what happened to his big sister before he passes away.”
Clara did a little mental math. “How far apart in years are your grandfather and Eleanor?”
“Fifteen years. Same father, different mothers.”
“Is he, well, you know, does he have all his faculties?”
“He does,” he nodded. “For the most part.”
“What does your grandfather believe happened?”
James sighed like a man with a heavy weight on his shoulders. “He thinks Samuel”s family killed his sister. After Eleanor disappeared, Samuel was sent away. At least, that’s what he thinks. There have been rumors, but nothing concrete. My grandfather wants answers before it”s too late.”
Clara, moved by the sincerity in James”s eyes, felt a sense of purpose. The desire to help this aging man find closure tugged at her. “Let”s do it. Let”s try and solve this mystery for your grandfather.”
“He has always said the Wentworth family knows what happened to his sister,” James went on. “He refused to ever come back to Watch Hill. He hates this place. He is convinced the whole town was in on his sister’s disappearance.”
“That’s horrible,” Clara gasped. “Why? Why does he believe that?”
“Things were different back then,” he shrugged. “There was a very clear class division. His family was dirt poor. He has some pretty horrible stories about the way they were treated back then.”
“I can only imagine,” Clara nodded.
“I came to Watch Hill to learn as much as I could. If what my grandfather believes is true, that other people were involved or at least had knowledge, they might still be here.”
She wrinkled her nose. “James, that was so long ago. I can’t imagine anyone from that time is still alive. It’s a miracle your grandfather still is.”
“I know,” he said with disappointment. “I should have done this earlier. I just never understood how important it was to my grandfather. I almost don’t want to find out the truth and tell him.”
“Because it will hurt him?”
He looked her in the eyes and slowly shook his head. “No, because that’s the only thing keeping him here. He can’t let go until he knows. There’s really no good reason he’s still alive. It’s sheer determination. When I tell him, I just know he’s going to go. He’ll have his resolution.”
Clara reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” he said, his subdued voice barely audible above the buzz of the café. “It”s almost like an old detective story, isn”t it?” He tried to laugh, but it came out more as a strangled hiccup.
Clara squeezed his hand gently, trying to offer some semblance of comfort. “It is,” she said in agreement. “But every story has its resolution. And every person deserves their own, too.”
James nodded and smiled weakly. “You”re right, Clara. Thank you.”
The waitress arrived with their drinks and sandwiches then and they released each other”s hands.
“This looks good,” Clara said with her stomach rumbling.
She took a hearty bite of her sandwich. James took a bite, nodding with approval.
“So, where do we start?” James asked. “Is it back to Victoria”s house for a little casual breaking and entering?”
“Shh,” she giggled. “I seriously cannot believe I did that.”
“Me either, to be honest. It”s crazy what you”ll do for your family.”
“I am hoping for a happy ending, but I think we both know it isn”t likely.”
He slowly shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. I don”t think so.”
“You mentioned the necklace,” she said, casually bringing it up.
“My grandfather said there were rumors about a necklace Samuel gave Eleanor. The necklace disappeared when Samuel did. The theory is whoever has the necklace would know what happened.”
“That”s what I read in Victoria”s journal,” Clara nodded. “She searched for the necklace but didn”t find it… at least I don”t think she did. That”s why I want to find the other journals. I”m wondering if maybe she did find it. That would solve everything.”
“Then I guess we know what we need to do,” he said.
“You”re a bad influence.”
He winked and took another bite.
This man was going to be trouble for her. But the best kind of trouble. After their lunch, James drove them back to Watch Hill. He dropped her off with the promise to call her the following day.
Once inside, Clara checked her phone and saw Allison called. It was time to tell Allison what she had done the night before. She was going to sandwich it in between the good news about her relationship with James getting back on track.
“Where have you been?” Allison asked. “I stopped by. You had me worried. Your car was in the driveway.
“I was with James.”
“He”s back in town?”
“Yes. Allison, I”m going to tell you something and you are probably going to want to lecture me, but maybe don”t.”
“Does this have something to do with James?”
“Yes.”
“Clara!” Allison gasped. “Did you? I mean, did you guys?”
“No! Shame on you. Not that at all. It”s worse. or better depending on how you look at it.”
“Oh, no,” Allison muttered. “What did you do?”
“I broke into Victoria”s old house.”
There was silence on the other end of the line. Clara could almost hear the gears turning in her friend”s mind. “You did what?”
“There”s more,” Clara said. “I found Victoria”s journal. It had this crazy story about Samuel and Eleanor, a lost necklace, and rumors of a scandal. James thinks it connects to his grandfather and he wants to find out the truth.”
“You”re kidding,” Allison said, her voice strangled.
“I wish I were,” Clara replied. “But I”m not. And now, we”re working together to find the truth.”
“When did he get back?”
“Well, that”s another part of the story. He busted me.”
“Busted you doing what?”
“He broke into the house as well,” Clara confessed. “He caught me. Or I caught him. We caught each other. It turns out neither of us is very good at subterfuge.”
“But both of you are very good at getting into trouble,” Allison retorted, sounding a bit more amused than Clara was expecting.
“Well, that”s true,” Clara admitted. “We seem to have a knack for it.”
“And what are you going to do now?” Allison asked, her tone serious once more.
Clara sighed quietly. “We”re going to find the other journals,” she said resolutely. “Victoria”s entries tell me she was on to something. There”s still so much we don”t know. We need the rest of the story.”
“Clara, be careful with all of this,” Allison warned.
“I know,” Clara assured her friend. “We will. The next time we break into the house, we”ll be more careful.”
“Oh, Clara,” she groaned. “I don”t know if I want to hear this. I think that makes me an accomplice or accessory.”
“I promise, if I”m interrogated, I will never give up your name.”
Her laughter echoed through the phone.