ʺVery!ʺ
She ran toward him, kicking up the frothy surf. They held hands facing each other, as wave after wave rushed at them. Each time a wave receded, she felt him gripping her hand harder. ʺYou donʹt like the undertow.ʺ
ʺIt scares me more than a breaking wave,ʺ he admitted. ʺIt feels like the ocean wants to pull me back into the darkness.ʺ
ʺI wonʹt let the ocean have you,ʺ she said. ʺNothing can make me let go.ʺ
ʺHow did I ever get this lucky? I must have done something really good in my life.ʺ ʺYou did many good things.ʺ He laughed. ʺNo, I know it!ʺ she insisted.
Laughing still, he lifted her left hand and kissed her on the knuckle.
ʺAnd I believe in something much more than luck,ʺ she said.
ʺYour angels,ʺ he guessed. ʺYouʹve nearly made a believer out of me… Nearly.ʺ
They waded back to shore and followed their own footprints, returning to the path through the dimes. Halfway up the wooden steps, at the landing with the facing benches, Guy reached up and caught Ivy by the elbow. ʺCan we stop? I want to take a look,ʺ he said.
Together they gazed out at the sea and sky, a black and silver eternity.
ʺI feel like weʹre floating in midair,ʺ he said. ʺHalfway between heaven and earth,ʺ Ivy replied.
Guy turned to her. Holding her face with both hands, he tilted it up to him, then bent down to kiss her low, in the tender notch of her collarbone. His mouth moved up to her throat, softly pressing against it. ʺI love you. Ivy.ʺ
She rested against him. ʺAnd I love you.ʺ Always have, she said silently.
ʺI thought Iʹd lost all that a person can,ʺ Guy said. ʺBut I told myself that things couldnʹt get worse — without an identity, there was nothing left to lose. I was wrong. Iʹm terrified now that I will lose you. If I lose you, Ivy—ʺ
ʺHush!ʺ She stroked his cheek with her hand. ʺIf I lose you, it would have been better to drown.ʺ
ʺYouʹre not going to lose me.ʺ He shook his head. ʺBut if something should come between us—ʺ
ʺNothing can,ʺ she said. ʺI promise you, nothing in heaven or earth can come between us.ʺ They turned to climb the rest of the steps and walked slowly around the inn, his arm around her waist, her arm around his. There was no need to speak, no desire to.
Ivy didnʹt want to think about what had occurred in the past or what lay in the future. Tristan had come back to her. To live in the present forever was all that she wanted. All that she had ever wanted was here and now. ʺLuke McKenna?ʺ
Startled by the deep voice, Ivy looked up and was surprised to see two police officers. Guyʹs head jerked around and his arm let go of her.
ʺYouʹre under arrest,” the man said. ʺYou have the right to remain—ʺ
Guy took off, racing for the trees. The officers spun around, flashlights on, but he slipped between the pines and melted into the darkness. The younger officer, a woman, set off in pursuit. The heavyset man stayed with Ivy, arms folded, studying her.
Her mind was reeling. Luke, she thought. His name is Luke. And he had known it — she had felt him react when the officer spoke his name. How long had he known it — since the carnival? Before?
The police officer turned to glance over his shoulder, and Ivy followed his eyes.
Will stood halfway between the cottage and barn.
ʺAre you aware of how much danger you were in?ʺ the man asked Ivy. ʺDo you realize what Luke McKenna has done?ʺ
She stared at the officer and said nothing. A cool breeze blew off the ocean, chilling her. ʺLucky for you,ʺ the officer continued, ʺthat your friend alerted us.ʺ
Ivy glanced toward Will, then fixed her eyes on the officerʹs face. “What is Guy — Luke — being charged with?ʺ
The manʹs heavy chin and jowls rested against his uniform collar. He was sizing her up, as if he thought she might be faking ignorance. ʺYou have no idea?ʺ
ʺNo,ʺ she said, looking him straight in the eye. ʺMurder.ʺ
IVY DOUBLED OVER AS IF SHE HAD TAKEN A FIST IN the gut. She could barely walk to the cottage door, and finally reaching it, sank down on the step.
A few minutes later, the female officer returned, winded. I couldnʹt catch him,ʺ she reported between gasps. ʺHeʹs in good shape and knows the area better than me. Of course, I could have used some back‐up.ʺ
The older officer replied, ʺI didnʹt hear his bike take off. And we know where heʹs living. Weʹll get him.ʺ
Then he nodded toward Ivy. ʺI want you to take her in and get a statement. She doesnʹt seem to know anything.ʺ
ʺHow old are you?ʺ the woman asked.
ʺEighteen,ʺ Ivy said, assuming that would keep them from contacting her mother. ʺWeʹre not charging you with anything, we just want to ask some questions. Even so, you have a right to have a lawyer present.ʺ
I donʹt need a lawyer.”
ʺWant to bring your friend along?ʺ the woman suggested, gesturing toward Will, who was approaching them. Will to the rescue, Ivy thought, Will to the rescue one more time. ʺThanks. I prefer to go alone.ʺ Will stopped in his tracks.
ʺOkay, my carʹs in the lot.ʺ
The older officer stayed behind, waiting for assistance in picking up the motorbike. Ivy followed the police car in her Beetle. At the small station she was led to a room that reeked of burnt coffee and the artificial butter of microwave popcorn.
ʺCan I get you anything — water, coffee, tea?ʺ the police woman asked, pouring herself some muddy coffee, then mixing in dry lumps of creamer.
Ivy shook her head.
ʺMy nameʹs Donovan,ʺ the officer said, sitting down at a table across from Ivy.
ʺRosemary Donovan.ʺ She handed Ivy a card with her name, badge number, and phone number, then opened a folder. ʺIʹve got some questions.ʺ
Slowly, painfully. Ivy answered all of them — how and when she met Luke, how he left the hospital, and what he had told her about his past — nothing. The final question was the most difficult for her: What had she observed about him when she was with him?
Ivy stared at the coffee rings on the table between them. What could she saythat she had observed his kindness toward a stray cat?
That when Guy— Luke — kissed her, she nearly wept at his tenderness?
How could someone who had seemed so loving be a murderer? How could he have acted so convincingly? Gregory is here. Remembering the message from the Ouija board, Ivy went cold all over.
Gregory had come back, just as Beth said. And Lacey was right: Slipping inside Guyʹs mind, Gregory could easily persuade, tempt. After a long silence, Donovan asked, ʺAre you in love with Luke?ʺ
Ivy felt sick. How could she have fallen in love with a heart haunted by Gregory? She dropped her head in her hands. ʺIs there something you want to tell me?ʺ the officer asked quietly.
ʺNo.ʺ
ʺMaybe you want to ask some questions,ʺ the woman suggested. Ivy looked up.
ʺWho was killed? Why do you think thatʺ—she hesitated, then made a determined effort to use his real name—ʺthat Luke did it?
How did Will know Luke was wanted for murder?ʺ
ʺWill OʹLeary?ʺ Donovan checked the file. ʺHe contacted the hospital in Hyannis, telling them about a patient who had skipped out on them. OʹLeary supplied the patientʹs first name, and the hospital contacted the local police, who contacted other municipalities.
A match was made and we realized we were investigating a person who had more than unpaid medical bills on his record. ʺAs for the victim—ʺ She handed a photograph across the table. Ivy gazed down at a girl with dark hair and dark eyes, eyes with a spark of mischief in them. ʺHer name is Corinne Santori.ʺ ʺHow old?ʺ Ivy asked. ʺNineteen. She was a former girl friend of Lukeʹs. One friend said they were secretly engaged. She broke it off and he was furious.ʺ