Chapter Two
Maggie Holbrook stood in the expansive kitchen of her hilltop home, surveying the chaos of her family’s Sunday dinner preparations.
Through the wide windows, the view of the harbor below was breathtaking: fishing boats bobbing in the water and the vibrant hues of fall leaves painting the town in fiery reds and golds.
This was the heart of the Holbrook family legacy, the land her late husband, Wes, had cherished and the home they had built together from scratch.
At her feet, Flounder, her scruffy, aging Golden Retriever, sat attentively, his tail wagging expectantly as he waited for any stray morsels to fall from the counter. Maggie bent down to scratch behind his ears. “Patience, boy,” she murmured with a smile.
“Maggie, where do you keep the extra napkins?” called out Katie, her oldest son Oliver’s bubbly and petite wife, her cheerful voice cutting through the noise.
“Bottom drawer near the pantry, dear,” Maggie replied, glancing over her shoulder.
She wiped her hands on her apron and turned back to the stove, where a bubbling pot of her signature seafood stew competed for space with roasted vegetables and a freshly baked apple pie cooling on the counter.
The house smelled heavenly, a mix of savory and sweet that always seemed to calm her nerves.
Oliver, dark-haired with an air of authority, was leaning against the kitchen island, recounting details of a recent case to anyone who would listen. As a defense attorney, he was always full of stories, though tonight’s seemed particularly thorny.
“The evidence isn’t great,” Oliver admitted, adjusting his glasses. “Clyde Peterson may be a lousy neighbor, but aggravated assault is a serious charge. And those vandalism accusations? Circumstantial at best. The prosecution’s case is hanging by a thread.”
“Come on,” Maggie’s youngest son, Sandy, said from across the room, his voice quiet but firm. Sensitive and exceedingly handsome, Sandy rarely jumped into debates, but when he did, his words carried weight. “The guy’s a known troublemaker. Half the town thinks he’s guilty. Why waste your energy?”
“Because it’s my job,” Oliver replied, his tone edged with exasperation. “Everyone deserves a fair trial, Sandy. Even Clyde Peterson.”
Katie, always eager to steer the conversation to lighter topics, interjected with a teasing grin. “Speaking of notable men in town, has anyone met Dr. Bradley Comstock yet? He’s the new dentist. Handsome, tall, and with the softest hands.”
Maggie raised an eyebrow. “What about Dr. Lawry?”
Katie shrugged. “Lawry’s nice, but how old is he now? Last time I went for a cleaning, his hands were so shaky, he stabbed my lip with that scaler thing he uses. He drew blood!”
“He is getting on in years, but he’s been my dentist since I was a teenager,” Maggie said wistfully.
“Maybe it’s time he retired,” Katie said. “You know, to make room for a new generation … someone whose gorgeous blue eyes instantly put you in a trance.” She chuckled. “Honestly, Oliver, I might need another appointment soon. I may have a loose filling. Or something.”
Oliver rolled his eyes but didn’t take the bait. “I’m sure you’ll think of something. Glad to know dental hygiene is alive and well in Halibut Cove.”
Katie’s laughter was infectious, and for a moment, the room was filled with warmth and easy conversation. Maggie smiled to herself. These gatherings were her favorite, even when they came with their share of complications.
Jill, Maggie’s only daughter and the town’s police chief, was unusually quiet tonight.
She sat at the far end of the table, her sharp gaze occasionally darting toward the window as if expecting something to go wrong.
Maggie’s heart ached for her. Since Jill’s divorce, the tension between her and her only child, Audrey, had only grown.
Maggie suspected Jill worried that Audrey blamed her for the breakup.
Maggie, however, understood both sides. She knew how hard it was for Jill to watch her ex-husband’s new life in Portland, complete with a young wife and baby boy.
And Maggie’s close relationship with her granddaughter certainly didn’t help matters.
Audrey had recently decided to live with her grandmother instead of at her mother’s house in town.
Maggie suspected Jill might feel like the odd man out.
Audrey arrived late, her cheeks flushed from the cool evening air. “Sorry, Nana,” she said, planting a kiss on her cheek. “The diner was a madhouse. And of course Chips Hogan showed up just as we were trying to close.”
“You’re here now, sweetheart. That’s what matters,” Maggie said, squeezing her hand.
Jill’s eyes flicked to Audrey, her expression guarded. Maggie decided to step in before things turned tense. “Audrey, help your mom set the table, will you? The sooner we eat, the happier everyone will be.”
Audrey nodded, though the interaction was brief.
Maggie sighed inwardly. She wished Jill and Audrey could find the same ease with each other that she shared with her granddaughter.
The sound of the front door opening cut through the bustle. Cord, Maggie’s middle son, burst in, his boisterous energy filling the room.
“Sorry I’m late,” he announced. “You all know Phoebe …”
He gestured to the young woman beside him, her bright red hair catching the light, an eager smile fixed in place. Phoebe Barker. Maggie’s eyes immediately landed on the glint of a diamond ring on her finger.
Cord cleared his throat dramatically. “She said yes. We’re engaged.”
A stunned silence rippled through the room.
Phoebe lifted her hand with theatrical flair, flashing the ring. “Surprise!”
Oliver looked like he was gearing up for an objection, but Maggie raised a hand to stop him before he could get a word out.
“Welcome, Phoebe,” she said warmly, though her spine straightened just a little. “We’re glad you could join us. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Holbrook,” Phoebe said, sidling closer to Cord, who proudly slipped an arm around her waist.
Maggie crossed to them, offering a kiss on Phoebe’s cheek before adding, “How are your parents? Bert and Rhonda still down at the marina?”
Phoebe nodded, clearly pleased. “They are. Busy as ever.”
Despite the cordial words, Maggie could feel the temperature shift behind her.
The skepticism from her other children wasn’t subtle.
Everyone had heard of Phoebe—her name floated around town often enough, not always with flattering context—but few had actually spent time with her.
Maggie suspected this was the first time most of them were seeing her in the flesh.
She turned and clapped her hands. “Well, come in, both of you. Dinner’s almost ready.”
Katie, ever the diplomat, broke the ice. “Phoebe, that’s a lovely sweater. Is it cashmere?”
“Yes,” Phoebe beamed. “Cord bought it for me.”
Sandy ambled over to give his brother Cord a hug. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d convince some poor unsuspecting girl to marry you.”
Cord erupted in a loud laugh and slapped his brother on the back as they embraced. Sandy then turned to Phoebe. “I hope you know what you’re getting into marrying into this family.”
“I certainly do,” Phoebe chirped, grabbing Sandy by the shirtsleeves and pulling him into her, his chest crushing against her ample bosom.
Sandy’s eyes widened in surprise as Phoebe tried to kiss him on the lips.
He quickly turned his head, avoiding a direct hit.
Her lips pressed against his left cheek instead, leaving a slight lipstick stain.
Maggie noted the inappropriate gesture but kept mum, especially since Cord did not seem to notice.
Still, she worried about the pace of this surprise engagement.
They had only been dating a few months on the down-low, but Cord could be impulsive and pigheaded.
It would be the wrong move to register any disapproval at this point.
As the conversation moved forward, Maggie noticed Jill’s phone buzzing on the table. Jill glanced at the screen, her expression tightening. “Excuse me,” she said, rising from her chair. “Work.”
Maggie watched as Jill stepped into the hallway, her voice low but urgent. When she returned a few moments later, her expression was grim.
“I have to go,” Jill announced. “There’s been an incident.”
Audrey’s eyes widened. “What happened?”
“Chips Hogan,” Jill said, grabbing her coat. “He’s been found dead outside the pub.”
“What?” Audrey gasped.
A shocked silence fell over the room. Maggie felt a chill run down her spine. Chips had been at the heart of Halibut Cove for years, a gruff but lovable fixture of the town. She crossed herself instinctively, murmuring a quiet prayer for his soul.
Jill’s voice broke through the stillness. “I’ll keep you updated,” she said, already heading for the door.
As the front door closed behind her, Maggie’s gaze drifted to the window, where the lights of the harbor twinkled in the distance. An uneasy feeling settled in her chest. Tonight’s dinner had begun with warmth and laughter, but it had ended with a shadow cast over them all.
And Maggie couldn’t shake the sense that this was just the beginning.