Chapter 13 June
JUNE
The house felt too quiet without the familiar sounds of her granddaughters’ chatter and laughter.
Grace and Becky had been so apologetic about their sleepover plans with the Peltz sisters, not wanting to leave when June and Carmen had just arrived.
But they’d arranged to stay with Katey and Zoe weeks ago, before anyone knew June would be coming for an extended visit.
Honestly, June was grateful for the solitude after the emotional upheaval of the day. Between the long drive from Miami, fainting on the beach, and coming face to face with Holt after thirty-eight years, she felt wrung out like an old dishrag.
She settled onto the living room couch with a cup of chamomile tea, the television tuned to an old black-and-white movie that she wasn’t really watching. Her mind kept drifting to the image of Holt’s face when he’d caught her on the beach, the way he’d said her name as if no time had passed at all.
The distant wail of sirens had been a constant backdrop for the past few hours, reminding her that somewhere in the darkness, a fire was raging through the forest near the campgrounds.
Every news update made her stomach clench with worry for Willa and Carmen, both of whom were somewhere in that smoky chaos doing the jobs they’d dedicated their lives to.
June’s phone buzzed with a text message, and she jumped, her tea sloshing dangerously close to the rim of her mug. It was just a weather alert, but her nerves were so frayed that every sound seemed amplified.
She switched channels again, hoping for an update on the fire, but the local news was still running their regular programming. In a town the size of Sandpiper Shores, emergency coverage was limited to what the volunteer radio station could manage.
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway made June’s heart race. She set down her mug and hurried to the front window, hoping to see either Willa’s SUV or Carmen’s sedan. Instead, she watched in growing dismay as Andy climbed out of an unfamiliar pickup truck, followed by Tyler and Holt.
June’s legs felt unsteady as she made her way to the front door, her pulse hammering in her throat. She took a deep breath and opened the door just as the trio reached the porch steps.
“Hi, Gran,” Andy greeted her, his face streaked with what looked like soot. “Mom said it was okay for Tyler to stay over tonight. His great-grandmother is helping at the clinic with all the people from the fire.”
June forced a smile, trying to ignore the way her heart lurched every time she looked at Holt. “Of course, sweetheart.”
“I offered to help with the investigation,” Holt explained, his voice carefully neutral. “They’re short-handed at both the police and fire departments right now.”
June nodded, recalling Willa’s mention of staffing challenges. Fire season always stretched resources thin, and several experienced firefighters had recently taken positions in larger cities. The Fire Chief was supposed to arrive in a few days to discuss recruitment and training with Willa.
“That’s very thoughtful of you,” June managed, hoping her voice sounded steadier than her legs felt.
“We’re going to get cleaned up,” Andy announced. “We smell like smoke from the fire.”
Alarm shot through June like electricity. “You were at the fire?”
“We just stopped by,” Andy said, his expression growing serious. “I wanted to make sure Mom and Aunt Carmen were okay.”
June’s heart squeezed with understanding. Of course, he had. Despite his teenage bravado, Andy was still a boy who’d lost his father to fire, who lived with the constant awareness that his mother faced danger every time she went to work.
“How are they?” June asked. “There hasn’t been any news about the fire on television.”
“They’re fine,” Andy assured her, crossing the porch to give her a quick hug. “They’re going to be fine, Gran.”
The solid warmth of his embrace steadied her more than she’d expected. “Thank you for checking on them, sweetheart.”
June pulled back with a theatrical grimace. “Tyler wasn’t kidding about the smoke smell.” She laughed despite her anxiety. “You really do reek. Both of you, go get cleaned up.”
The boys headed inside, leaving June alone on the porch with Holt. He stood at the bottom of the steps, holding two paper bags from what appeared to be Teacups Coffee Shop.
“I brought some food,” Holt said, lifting the bags slightly. “Margo thought you might not have eaten, and I know teenage boys are always hungry. Especially as our meal was interrupted when they evacuated us from the restaurant.”
“Thank you,” June replied automatically, then caught herself reaching for her purse. “How much do I owe—”
“Margo sent them,” Holt interrupted, his jaw clenching in a way June remembered all too well. He’d always hated it when people tried to turn his thoughtful gestures into transactions, as if kindness required immediate repayment.
“I should get going,” Holt continued, his tone cooling noticeably. “I told Chief Morrison I’d come back and walk the fire site with him and the investigation team.”
“With Willa?” The question slipped out before June could stop it, her maternal instincts overriding her determination to maintain emotional distance.
“Yes, she’s the Fire Captain,” Holt reminded her, then paused, something flickering across his expression. “Don’t worry, June. I won’t tell her our little secret.”
June’s blood turned to ice water. “What secret?”
“About us being married before,” Holt said, stepping up to hand her the bags. “It seems none of your family, except your sister know that.”
Before June could respond, Andy’s voice echoed from inside the house. “Gran! Do you have any shampoo? Mom forgot to buy a new bottle, and I’m out.”
June accepted the bags with slightly trembling hands. “Yes, look in my bathroom cabinet.”
“Thanks,” Andy called back. “And thanks for bringing me home, Director Dillinger.”
“You’re welcome, Andy,” Holt replied. “Tell Tyler I said goodnight, and I’ll pick you both up in the morning for fishing as promised.”
“Cool!” Andy’s enthusiasm was audible even from upstairs.
“Fishing?” June’s eyebrows rose despite her emotional turmoil.
“Yes,” Holt said with a slight challenge in his voice. “You’re welcome to come. I remember you used to enjoy fishing off the rocks at Sandpiper Point.”
The memory hit her unexpectedly. The lazy summer mornings when they were teenagers, sitting on the sun-warmed rocks with fishing lines trailing in the clear water, talking about everything and nothing while the world felt infinite with possibility.
“I...” June swallowed hard. “Thank you for the offer, but I can’t.”
“If you change your mind, the invitation stands,” Holt said with a casual shrug that didn’t quite hide the disappointment in his eyes. “I should get going.”
“Thank you for bringing Andy home,” June said formally. “And for the food.”
“My pleasure.” Holt paused at the top of the porch steps, his expression softening. “Willa and Carmen really are okay, June. The fire is contained now.”
The compassion in his voice caught her off guard, reminding her of why she’d fallen in love with him all those years ago. Behind the professional competence and FBI authority, he was still a man who cared deeply about protecting the people he loved.
“Thank you for letting me know,” June said quietly, relief flooding through her.
“Goodnight, June.” Their eyes met and held for a moment that stretched longer than it should have. “Despite the shock of it all, it’s been good seeing you again.”
His voice had dropped to that low, intimate tone she remembered from their most private moments, and June felt her composure crack slightly.
“Goodnight, Holt,” June managed. “And please... be careful out there.”
He gave her a tight smile and a small nod before turning and walking back to his pickup truck. June remained on the porch until his taillights disappeared around the corner, clutching the bags of food and trying to steady her racing heart.
Inside, she unpacked the containers in the kitchen, setting out the food and treats for the boys when they finished their showers. Her mind churned with the implications of Holt’s presence in Sandpiper Shores, of their unavoidable proximity, of the thousand ways this summer could go wrong.
She’d come here to rest and recover from her accident. So far, rest seemed to be the last thing she was getting.
Two hours later, Willa finally came home, looking exhausted and smelling strongly of smoke. Andy and Tyler had already gone to bed, the portable air pump for Tyler’s mattress still sitting in the living room where June had been preparing to put it away.
“Hi, Mom,” Willa said as she entered, her voice hoarse from breathing smoke. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” June replied, studying her daughter’s soot-streaked face with maternal concern. “How are you?”
“Tired,” Willa admitted, pulling off her fire department jacket and hanging it by the door. “Completely wiped out.”
“The boys are asleep,” June told her. “There’s food in the oven for you and Carmen. Speaking of which, where is your aunt?”
“Still helping Dr. Tanner at the clinic,” Willa said, then caught a whiff of herself and wrinkled her nose. “Good grief, I stink.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything,” June teased gently, then stepped forward to wrap her daughter in a careful hug. “I was so worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Mom,” Willa assured her, returning the embrace despite her concerns about the smoke smell. “Now you’re going to smell like a campfire too.”
“I don’t care,” June said fiercely, holding her daughter close despite the sharp pain it sent through her healing ribs. “I don’t get to hold my baby often enough.”
Willa pulled back with a tired smile. “Let me get cleaned up and then eat something. I’m starving.”
“I’ll warm your food and make you some tea,” June offered.
“That would be wonderful.” Willa breathed thankfully.
Twenty minutes later, June sat across the kitchen table from her daughter, watching Willa eat with the focused intensity of someone who’d been too busy to remember food for most of the day.
“Was anyone hurt in the fire?” June asked.
“A few minor injuries, mostly smoke inhalation,” Willa replied between bites. “Could have been much worse if it had spread toward the residential areas.”
“Do they know how it started?” June’s brow furrowed curiously.
Willa’s expression darkened slightly. “It was an illegal camper. Someone set up in the forest without permission and didn’t properly extinguish their campfire.”
“That’s terribly irresponsible.” June’s brows shot up, a shudder running through her that she had to suppress as the thought rushed through her mind? Isn’t that how the fire ten years ago was started?
“The problem is, we can’t find whoever was camping there,” Willa continued. “They vanished so we couldn’t question them. Either they evacuated when they saw the fire spreading, or...”
“Or they’re still missing,” June finished, understanding the implication.
“Exactly. We’ll have search and rescue teams out there at first light.” Willa suppressed a yawn.
They talked for a few more minutes about the response efforts and Willa’s team, but June could see exhaustion weighing heavily on her daughter’s shoulders. As Willa finished her meal, she suddenly looked up with a puzzled expression.
“Mom,” Willa said, her brow furrowed in concentration. “Have I met Director Dillinger before?”
June’s heart stuttered. “No, sweetheart, not that I know of. Why do you ask?”
The answer that came next sent shockwaves through June’s already fragile composure.
“Because when I met him today, he seemed so familiar to me. Like I’d seen his face somewhere before, but I can’t place where.” Willa’s brow furrowed thoughtfully.
June stared at her daughter, slightly stunned. “Maybe he just has one of those faces,” she said weakly.
“Maybe,” Willa said, but she didn’t sound convinced. “It’s strange, though. Usually I’m good with faces.”
June forced herself to smile and changed the subject, but inside, her mind was racing.
As she helped Willa clean up and said goodnight, June couldn’t shake the feeling that her peaceful summer of recovery was about to become something far more complicated and unsettling than she’d ever imagined.
The truth, it seemed, had a way of surfacing no matter how deeply you tried to bury it.