“I kept quiet because I wasn’t sure what I found was important. Now, I know it is significant. I plan to search the area again, because I’m sure I didn't find all of…of it.”

  Mabel frowned. “What are y’all talkin’ about?”

  “I don’t want to say, exactly.” Nina spread her hands. “Not until I’m sure. Anyway, I’m revisiting the scene at the lake this Friday night.”

  Lily’s eyes narrowed. “Why at night?”

  “Because I want to recreate what I think happened.” Nina’s gaze took in the entire group. “The weather report predicts rain, just like the night Ellie died. Besides, if I go during the day, I might attract attention. I don’t want anyone to know what I’m doing.”

  “Then why are you telling us?” Selma sat back and folded her arms.

  Nina had an answer ready for that question. “Because I’ve kept you informed all along, I thought you’d like to know my latest plan.” True—more or less.

  Mabel shook her head. “Sounds dangerous.”

  “Don’t go to the lake alone.” Lily’s brows lowered. “Like Mabel says, your plan’s trouble.”

  “I agree.” Selma’s vigorous nod set her topknot dancing.

  “I’m with them.” Jessica swept an arm in an arc that included the others.

  “I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine.” Nina flashed what she hoped was a reassuring smile and then pressed a forefinger to her lips. “But, remember, you must keep my plan a secret.” After the committee meeting ended, Nina sought out Lorna, the resident she encountered in Nurse Sheryl’s office and also her seat partner on the trip to Skookioomie Falls. Hopefully, with her penchant for gossip, Lorna would pass on Nina’s plans to everyone she encountered. She found her in the basement recreation room working a jigsaw puzzle. Nina slipped into a chair beside her. “Hello, Lorna. How are you this evening?”

  The woman’s thin lips folded into a smile. “I’m doing pretty well, except for my feet. They hurt all the time.”

  “I’m sorry you’re having problems.”

  “Sore feet are why I spend a lot of time sitting here.” She pointed toward the half-worked puzzle. The box showed a picture of a covered bridge surrounded by large, leafy trees. “Do you like working puzzles?”

  “I haven’t puzzled much since I was a kid.” After scanning the pieces, Nina selected one and placed it on the bridge’s roof. The piece didn’t fit.

  “No, no, that part goes here, with the tree.” Lorna took the piece and, despite her gnarly fingers, quickly found its home. She picked up two more and added them to the same area.

  The tree took shape. “Wow, you’re good.” Nina sat back and smiled.

  “You do enough of these puzzles, you develop an eye.”

  They chatted while working, and then Nina casually mentioned her plans for Friday evening.

  Lorna’s eyes glowed. “I hope you find some new clues.”

  “Me, too. Oh, and please keep my plans to yourself.”

  Lorna put a finger to her lips. “Don’t worry, dear. I won’t tell a soul.”

  Not wanting Lorna to know she hoped for just the opposite, Nina hid a smile.

  ****

  The following day, Nina ate lunch with Stephen at Claire’s Deli. The first part of the meal was spent discussing the upcoming issue of The Richmond Review.

  Then, during a lull, Stephen put down his fork and leaned forward. “Moving on to this weekend, I’ll pick you up on Friday at five.”

  Nina finished a bite of her spicy tuna sandwich and wrinkled her brow. “Pick me up?”

  “To attend the Home Show at the Event Center. We set the date two weeks ago.”

  He gave her a steady look.

  “Oh, I remember.” She hadn’t thought of the Home Show when she made plans for trapping Ellie’s murderer. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t go, after all.”

  Stephen frowned. “Why not?”

  “Well, the truth is, I did forget about the show, and I arranged to be at Marley.”

  Stephen folded his arms. “Doing what, if I may ask?”

  He could ask, but she wouldn’t answer—not truthfully. He’d disapprove of her plan. “My library committee, you know.” She waved a hand.

  “Meet with them on Saturday night.” Stephen picked up his coffee cup and sipped.

  Nina shifted in her seat. “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” He looked over the rim of the cup.

  Should she cancel her plans for Friday night and accompany Stephen to the show? No. She’d worked hard to set the trap. If she backed out now, she’d be letting down Ellie. “Finding a time when we can all get together is difficult.”

  Stephen put down his cup. “I especially wanted you to help pick out furniture for the deck. Although I can knock down walls and remodel, I need assistance with decorating.” He tilted his head.” But you aren’t really interested, are you?”

  “Stephen, I keep reminding you the house is yours, not mine.” She strove to keep her tone patient.

  “I expect the house to be ours someday.” His mouth turned down. “But maybe I’m kidding myself.”

  The coldness in his voice hurt. “Please don’t jump to conclusions about our future just because I can’t attend one home show.”

  He folded his arms. “Our problem is more than missing the show.”

  Nina’s stomach tensed. “You’re referring to my not wanting to see Dr. Young, aren’t you?”

  “Your reluctance is part of the problem. But I don’t like what’s happening between us lately.”

  “Well, neither do I.” A few moments of tense silence slid by. Her meal forgotten, Nina stared out the window at the people passing by on the sidewalk.

  “We shouldn’t discuss our problems here.”

  Stephen’s comment drew her attention, and she turned to face him. “I don’t want to talk about our disagreements, period. We just go ’round and ’round and never resolve anything.”

  “I don’t want to fight, either.” He set his jaw. “Look, neither of us is happy with the situation. Maybe we should take time off and give our relationship a rest.”

  Nina’s heart skipped a beat. “Not see each other?”

  “Yeah, for a week or so…or maybe longer…”

  A knot formed at the nape of her neck. Absently, she rubbed the sore spot. He wanted out of the relationship. A week would turn into a month, a month into a year, and a year into forever. “A time out is a good idea.”

  His eyes widened. “You think?”

  “Yes, for both of us. A week—or so—then we’ll reassess.” Holding her breath, she waited for his reply.

  Several seconds passed, and then he said firmly, “Deal.”

  Her stomach in a knot, Nina stared at her plate. “I don’t want to eat any more. I’ll head back to work.”

  “I’ll stay and have another cup of coffee.”

  Her hands shaking, Nina folded her napkin and put it on the table. She took her wallet from her purse.

  Stephen put out a hand. “I’ll get the check.”

  Shaking her head, she counted out the money for her half of the bill, plus a tip.“Goodbye, Stephen.” Nina stood and with leaden steps headed for the restaurant’s front door.

  What would happen now? Was a time out really a good idea? Or was their relationship over?

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Tears welled in Nina’s eyes, blurring the landscape on her walk to Seaview Library. She pulled a handkerchief from her purse and blotted her eyes and cheeks. She couldn’t break down now, not when she must return to work and face her staff as well as the public.

  Somehow, she performed her duties the remainder of the day. At home, she listlessly picked at leftovers. None had any taste, and she had no desire for food, anyway. She mulled over what happened at lunch and came to the conclusion she could never be the person Stephen wanted, and he would never understand and accept her the way she was.

  Separating now was better than later. Instead of relief, though, all she felt was a sad emptiness. Talking to Jessica might help, but Nina didn’t want to bother her now that she was involved in her new romance with Joe McGarrity. Nina had other women friends, but no one she wanted to share this particular problem.

  Dr. Young came to mind. Maybe she should have made a second appointment with the therapist. She was kind and understanding the night Nina visited her office.

  The following day at work, she looked for text messages from Stephen. When none arrived, her spirits sagged. At home, she received no texts or calls. She could phone him. No, let him make the first move.

  On Thursday, the storm the TV weatherman promised blew into town. The rain suited Nina’s mood and was exactly what she wanted for her experiment at Marley. She put aside worries about her and Stephen’s relationship and concentrated on making plans for Friday night.

  On Friday morning while eating breakfast, Nina pulled out her notes and with dogged determination read them once again. The answer to Ellie’s death was here somewhere—she just needed to find it. Moments later, the clue she hoped for stared her in the face, and her heart beat faster. The information was there all the time, but she missed seeing it. Now, she put together a scenario of how the murder occurred—and why. Yes, the scheme made perfect sense.

  Her first impulse was to call Stephen and share her news. Then she reminded herself they were taking a so-called relationship break. She sat back and mulled over her choices. She could take the information to Detective Russell and let him handle the situation. But what if she were wrong? She still needed proof and would follow her plan to flush out the culprit.

  By midmorning at the library, last-minute doubts again set in. By afternoon, she barely concentrated on her work. What if her plan failed? The murderer might not have heard about her upcoming visit to the lake. Or, the murderer might not care, dismissing Nina’s investigation as harmless. A cloud of depression enveloped her. She was crazy. She was stupid. She was nothing more than a busybody.

  Yet, after dinner, she methodically prepared to go to Marley Manor. She put on a lightweight rain jacket and pants and traded her low-heeled pumps for rainproof boots. After checking to make sure her cell phone was charged, she tucked it and a small flashlight into the jacket pockets.

  The rain beat steadily on the windshield during the drive to Marley. Once there, Nina bypassed the entrance and instead searched for the dirt road leading to the woods on the lake’s opposite shore. She found the road, turned onto it, drove a little farther, and then pulled off and parked. When she switched off the headlights, darkness quickly closed in. Nina sat for a moment, watching the rain trickle down the windshield. Did she really want to go through with this crazy scheme?

  Straightening her shoulders, she stepped from the car and locked the door. Pulling up the collar of her jacket, she started out, making her way through the soggy underbrush toward the lake. If she gauged correctly, she would soon connect with the path leading to Marley.

  After a couple wrong turns, she found the trail. In the distance, around a curve of the lake, the lights of Marley shone bravely through the rain. A single light burned on the roof of the boathouse and another at the end of the dock. Had only six weeks elapsed since Ellie met her death there? The time gone by seemed much longer.

  Nina neared the Marley property, and the tall pine and fir trees thinned. Overhead, propelled by a stiff breeze, gray clouds scudded by. She left the path and hiked several yards into the sparse underbrush. Shielded by the bushes, she continued on toward the boathouse and the dock. She hoped the murderer would soon appear and put an end to this ordeal.

  Thinking the person might be hiding inside, Nina studied the boathouse. The building was dark, except for the light on the roof, which beamed on the slanted ramp leading from the double doors to the lake. The doors were closed. The windows were opaque with reflected light, concealing anyone who might be on the inside looking out.

  Underneath the dock, several canvas-covered boats huddled against the piling. Was the murderer hiding in one?

  She crept as close to the boathouse as she dared then ducked behind a large rhododendron. Peering through the wet foliage, she shifted her gaze from the path, to the boathouse, to the dock, and back again.

  The minutes crawled by. Nina strained her eyes until a headache threatened. Despite changing her position every few minutes, her calf muscles cramped, and pain spiraled up her spine.

  Perhaps the murderer waited for Nina to show herself first. Maybe she must toss out more bait to bring about a conclusion. She straightened to make a move when she saw someone pushing a walker along the path. Who could that be? He—or she—wore an ankle-length coat with a hood that hid the person’s face. Then the light from the boathouse shone on the walker, illuminating chrome legs and a basket between the handles.

  A pink basket.

  Shock rippled through Nina. Only one person at Marley had a walker with a pink basket—Lily Ciliano. What was Lily doing here? Was she crazy? Then she remembered Lily’s warning when Nina told the library committee about tonight’s plan. “Don’t go to the lake alone.”

  Was Lily here to help Nina? How much help could she be, hampered by her walker? Whatever the reason for Lily’s presence, Nina must remove her from harm’s way. Plus, the woman could very well ruin her plan.

  Before she stepped from behind the bush to reveal herself, she had another thought. What if Lily was Ellie’s killer? Could she possibly be? She thought back to what she knew about Lily and Ellie’s relationship. Not much. Lily was critical of Ellie and her reliance on Dr. Ravensbarger, but her censure would hardly justify murder.

  Did the two have a history that preceded their days at Marley?

  No, Lily was not a murderer. She was here tonight because of her misguided concern for Nina. She must be removed and quickly. Nina sprang from her hiding place and scrambled across the grass. “Lily!”

  Lily stopped and turned.

  Running to the path, Nina closed the gap between them. “What are you doing here?”

  Mumbling, Lily hung her head.

  Nina reached out a hand. “Come on, let’s go home.”

  Lily raised her head.

  In the light from the boathouse, instead of Lily’s familiar features, Nina saw a face with evil eyes and a twisted mouth. A shiver snaked down her spine, and she jumped back. Too late.

  With a mighty roar, the person lifted the walker and struck Nina. The metal legs hit her head and then landed with full force on a shoulder. Nina reeled backward. Pain spiraled down her neck and arm and into her back.

  Still holding the walker her attacker lunged again. Nina threw up her hands to ward off the blow. The walker struck her left arm with a heavy thud. A bone cracked like a matchstick, and pain shot through her shoulders and back. Clutching her injured arm, she crumpled to her knees. “Stop, please, stop!”

  Another assault met her pleas. Pain traveled along nerve endings to every part of her body. Before Nina could rise to her feet, another blow landed, this time on her head. “Help!” A spray of fireworks flashed before her eyes.

  She must have lost consciousness for a while, because her next awareness was of being dragged by the feet across the ground. Bumping over stones and ruts jolted her awake. Where was her captor taking her? Her entire body, particularly her left arm, burned with pain. She wanted to scream but something filled her mouth.

  She raised her head enough to glimpse her attacker. The figure now wore what looked like a wet suit. Form-fitting leggings and jacket outlined sturdy legs and a solid torso. A hood still hid the person’s features.

  Nina’s captor dragged her into the lake.

  Would she drown? Nina groped under water with her right hand and found a rock. She heaved the rock at the hooded head. The missile bounced harmlessly off the person’s shoulder.

  He—or she—whirled, eyes blazing behind a diver’s mask. “Bitch!”

  Water closed over Nina’s legs. Her plastic rain suit was no protection against the icy chill. Soon water covered her stomach, her neck, and the back of her head. Water mingled with the rain on her cheeks, causing her to shudder. Her gag was yanked off. “Is t-this how you m-murdered Ellie?” she choked out.

  “Ellie was easier,” came the terse reply, and then the assailant’s rubber-gloved hand covered Nina’s face and pushed her into the water.

  Holding her breath, Nina lashed out with her right arm and kicked her legs, thankful for all the athletic club workouts that made her strong. With all her might, she struggled to free herself from the hand that kept her face submerged.

  Nina’s head throbbed, and her lungs were ready to burst. Just then, the hum of a boat’s motor drifted across the water. Who would be out on the lake on a night like this?

  A commotion broke out above the water’s surface. Voices shouted and water splashed.

  With a last, desperate effort, she aimed another kick at her captor. The hands gripping her head suddenly fell away. Someone reached into the water, grasped Nina’s arms, and pulled her to the surface. She opened her mouth to breathe in air—blessed air.

  She vaguely was aware of being pulled into a rowboat. Relief flooded her. Lying on her back in the bow of the boat, she looked up and through watery eyes recognized Wally, wearing a sou’wester rain hat. What was he doing here? He’d come to find Lily. No, her attacker wasn’t Lily.

  “Does she need CPR?” Joe McGarrity peered over Wally’s shoulder.

  “N-no, I’m o-okay.” Nina’s chattering teeth made speech difficult. Plus, the rocking motion of the rowboat hurt her arm.

  “Don’t let the other one get away.” Wally waved toward Joe.

  “Not to worry.” Joe shook his head. “I whacked him over the head with my oar and tied him to the boat so we can tow him in.”

  Nina closed her eyes and gave herself up to the motion of the boat gliding through the water. When the boat landed on the shore, Joe and Wally, their arms woven together to make a seat, carried her over the rocks to the sand. Jessica, holding open a blanket, waited to meet them.

  “G-Gran, w-what are you doing h-here?” Nina cradled her injured arm, biting her lip against the pain.

  Jessica wrapped the blanket around Nina and patted her shoulder. “You didn’t really think we would let you confront a murderer all alone, did you? How badly are you hurt?”

 

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