Tidewater Inn (37 page)

Alec took it and squinted at the tiny lettering, then handed it to Tom. They listened to Vanessa tell them about a lost charm and how this apparent replacement had been in the secret compartment.

“Who is this L person?” Tom asked. “Any ideas?”

“Not a clue,” Vanessa said. “Sheriff, you have to find out who did this to Mom.”

“I'm working on it, Vanessa.”

Alec studied his cousin's expression. He didn't seem to be staring at Libby with suspicion. Maybe he was finally beginning to look elsewhere.

“Ready?” Alec asked. “Bree and Samson should be at the boat by now.”

Bree held the clothing Libby had given her under Samson's nose. The breeze on the water ruffled the dog's thick fur. He sniffed the shirt and whined, then lifted his nose above the bow of the boat. “Search, Samson,” she said.

Libby watched in awe. “Can he really find a person by sniffing the air? I thought dogs sniffed the ground.”

“Samson is an air tracker. A person gives off skin rafts that float in the air. A trained dog can detect them.”

“But it's been almost ten days since Nicole was taken,” Alec said.

“He may still get a scent.” Bree looked away.

Libby stared at Bree. Hadn't she said something about Samson finding someone after two years? Then the memory clicked into place and she remembered that dogs could smell dead bodies for a very long time. A lump formed in her throat, and she prayed the dog would find a live scent. Something to lead them to Nicole.

The boat accelerated across the tops of the waves. It was calm and beautiful today, though humidity hung in the air. Bree's curls were a little frizzy from the moisture. Sea spray struck Libby's bare arms and felt good on her heated skin. She prayed for a sign from God today, anything that would allow her to hope that her friend was still alive.

“How can you tell if he smells something?” she asked Bree.

“He'll bark. I'll be able to tell,” Bree assured her. “Alec, run the boat in a crisscross fashion across the bay so he gets more exposure.”

It seemed they looped back and forth across the water for ages, but glancing at her watch, Libby realized they'd only been at this for two hours. She was beginning to lose hope that they'd find something today.

The dog continued to sniff the air as Alec guided the boat back and forth across the gleaming water. The village of Hope Beach beckoned in the distance. A few people on the pier waved as they scouted the area. Libby waved back, suddenly feeling part of the community.

Samson's ears pricked. He stiffened and barked, straining toward the harbor. “Go that way!” Bree shouted, pointing toward the pier.

Libby's heart pounded. She stood, then nearly fell when the boat accelerated.

“Hang on!” Alec seated his hat more firmly on his head and the boat surged.

Samson was barking frantically. The next instant, he leaped over the side and swam toward a boat. He reached it and tried to paw his way onto it, but it was too high for him.

“That's my old boat,” Alec said, frowning. “I don't use it much, but Zach had it out this morning.”

His boat?
Libby stared at him. Surely he wouldn't have had anything to do with this?

He cut the engine and the craft slowed, then stopped near the dog. He tossed the anchor overboard, then reached down and helped Samson clamber up the ladder. The dog shook himself, spraying water over everyone. He rushed to Bree's side and whined. He strained toward the old boat, a Chris-Craft.

Libby stared at Alec. “What does this mean? The dog is saying he smells Nicole on your boat. Right, Bree?”

“That's right,” Bree said, rubbing Samson's ears. “Let's board the boat and let him sniff around.”

Alec took an oar and maneuvered the two boats close enough together that they could step from one deck to the other. Samson leaped onto the boat and began to bark. He ran to the side of the boat and his barking grew more frenzied. Bree stepped aboard the old boat, and Libby followed her.

“What's he trying to tell you?” Libby asked.

“It looks like Nicole was here or something of hers is here. He's indicating that area there,” Bree said, pointing to the starboard side.

Alec joined them. “That's impossible. She would have had to swim out here and board it. What would be the point?”

“You never use this?” Bree asked.

He shook his head. “Zach uses it sometimes, but he's never met Nicole.”

“That we know of,” Libby said. She'd rather believe Zach had a hand in this than the alternative—that Alec was guilty.

“What are you saying?” he asked.

“Is it possible Zach was involved in her kidnapping?” She didn't want to accuse the boy, especially to his own uncle, but the dog's reaction meant something.

“No,” Alec said, his voice clipped. “I can't believe you'd even think that.”

No one would want to think his nephew would be involved in something so heinous, but Libby couldn't ignore this. “I need to talk to him, Alec. Right away.”

“I won't have you accusing him,” Alec said. “And based on the reaction of a dog? That's ridiculous.”

“Is it? You've admitted that he's been in some trouble.”

“Alec, Samson is definitely reacting here,” Bree said. “This isn't just some mistake. Nicole was either on this boat, or at the very least, she touched it. He doesn't give false positives.”

“Look around,” Alec said. “Let's see if there's any other evidence. I can't accuse the boy without tangible evidence.”

Her lips tight, Libby opened doors and peered under seats. Under the cushion where Samson stood, her hand touched something soft, and she pulled up a ponytail holder. It still held strands of blond hair. “I have to talk to Zach.”

Alec paled. “Don't accuse him of anything,” he said. “There has to be some explanation.”

“That's all we want,” Libby said. “Where is he now?” Zach had left the inn before nine this morning.

“He said he was delivering the supplies for his job and then was going to help do some cleanup around town,” Alec said. “There's a group in the square washing the mud off the stores.”

He started the engine and guided the boat to the dock. Libby grabbed a post as they neared, then threw the rope around it. She was the first to leap to the boardwalk. Maybe they would find Nicole today.

T
HIRTY
-E
IGHT

T
he townspeople were out in force today. Great strides had been made in the cleanup over the past week. Paint shone clean and free of the mud and mildew. Alec spoke to several neighbors as he searched for his nephew. No one had seen Zach, and Alec began to wonder if the boy had lied about where he was going today.

The business district, such as it was, ended at the juncture of Oyster Road and Bar Harbor Street. A few residents were on Bar Harbor, but Oyster Road just led to the fish house. “Let's check the fish house,” he said.

“What's a fish house?” Libby asked, falling into step beside him.

“It's where the fishermen gather and sell their day's catch. Zach likes hanging out there,” he said. “I think he feels close to Dave there. I know I do. My brother was always laughing with the other fishermen in there, swapping fishing stories.”

The low-slung white building was at the end of a pier where rowboats and water jets docked. He stepped over nets and crab pots on the way to the door of the fish house. The scent of fish was strong.

He nodded to the few men outside the door. “Anyone seen Zach?”

“He's out back helping Rolly unload,” one of the men said.

Skirting the building, Alec continued on down the pier, where he found his nephew lifting crab pots off a friend's boat.

When Zach saw him, he frowned. “What's up, Uncle Alec?”

“We need to talk to you. In private.” Alec jerked his thumb back toward the street, away from listening ears. Getting a rumor going was all they needed. Zach was getting enough of a reputation as a troublemaker.

Zach wiped his wet hands on his shorts, then slipped on his flip-flops to follow them. He glanced at Libby, who was studying him. “What? Did I suddenly grow horns?” he demanded.

She looked away. “Sorry. We just need to ask you some questions.”

They reached the road. There was no one in earshot. Alec put his hands in his pockets. “You know Samson is here to look for Nicole?”

Zach glanced back at the fish house with a longing expression. “Yeah. So?”

“He picked up a scent for her.”

That got Zach's attention. “That's good, right?”

Alec nodded. “But the scent is on my old boat. According to the dog, Nicole was on there. So we searched and Libby found something.” He glanced at her.

She held out her hand, palm up to expose the ponytail holder. “This is Nicole's.”

Zach went white. He took a step back, then whirled to walk away, but Alec grabbed his arm. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. “Zach, what did you do?” he whispered.

Zach looked at Alec's hand on his arm. “I didn't do anything. You're always willing to think the worst about me, aren't you?”

“Then how did that hair thing get on my boat?”

Zach bit his lip. “I was going to talk to you about it.” His face worked. Then his shoulders slumped. “I just take her supplies,” he said. “I didn't know who she was until I saw her picture in the paper last night. Then I didn't know what to do about it.”

Libby's face lit. “She's alive? Really, Zach?”

He nodded. “I saw her a couple of days ago. Took her some water and food.”

“Where?” Alec asked. He'd figure out what to do about punishing Zach later.

“A little island northwest of here. I have the coordinates.”

“Who put her there?”

He shrugged. “I was taking the old boat out to fish. Two guys stopped me and asked if I was looking to make some money. The older man told me that he'd had to stash his crazy sister on an island until he could get her into the hospital he wanted. Said she'd tried to knife him and to be careful because she was dangerous. I was only supposed to drop off supplies every couple of days, then leave.”

“That sounds like a fishy story,” Alec said.

Zach's lids flickered and he made a face. “He made it sound plausible. I know now it was stupid for me to believe him, but he gave me all these details and I swallowed his story. And they were paying well.”

“Why didn't you tell us when you figured out who she was?”

Zach looked down at the ground. “It was just last night. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you'd think I had something to do with it.”

“Have they paid you every time you've gone?”

Zach shook his head. “They gave me a thousand dollars to buy food and to pay for my services. They told me what to take her too. I just did what they said.”

“I wish you would have trusted me,” Alec said. “Come with us. We have to get her.”