aback by her anger and Gabe wondered if Blackheart had warned him, or if he felt guilty enough already that he was expecting it. Softly he said, “I’m sorry, Patrice. I’m not going to stand here and make excuses. I’m just sorry. Blackheart told me you grew up not knowing much about her and that breaks my heart. You were her world. There was nothing in this life she adored more than you. She was a good woman, and an even better mother, and you deserved to know about her.” He reached into his pocket and came out with a key ring. Patrice watched, curiously as he took a small key off the ring and held it out in her direction.
“What is that?”
“It’s the key to a storage facility in Camden. I’ve given Blackheart the address. I’ve had it for over twenty-five years. It’s filled with your mother’s things...your things now, if you want them.”
Patrice looked at the key for a long time and then finally, with a shaky hand, she reached out and took it. Gabe watched her clutch it hard in her hand, and he wondered...and hoped...that having some things that belonged to her mother would go far to fill the void she had since she’d found out about everything. There was a long, awkward silence before the man said, “She’d be proud of the way you’ve grown up. Blackheart tells me you’re a nurse now; she would have loved that.” He nodded then and when Patrice still didn’t respond, he held his hand out to Blackheart and Blackheart shook it. He turned to leave and that was when Patrice whispered, “Why? Please, just tell me why you didn’t care enough to go out there when she died...to find out what happened to me.”
The man turned back to her and Gabe could see the tears swimming in his green eyes as he said, “Because I was young and stupid. I was juggling two lives and when Kasey died I lost one very important one, but if I had gone out there and admitted to that, I would have lost everything. I wish my explanation sounded less horrible and selfish, but that’s the truth, anyway. I’m sorry, Patrice.” He didn’t wait for her to respond to that, but judging by the look on her face, that was probably a good thing. He gave another nod to Blackheart and headed back to his office. Blackheart waited several seconds and then said:
“It seems to me like he’s telling the truth when he told me he has no idea who, if anyone, would have wanted to hurt her. There’s an inn in the town where that storage is, and she worked there for a bit. Paul called the owners for me and they’re expecting us in about two hours.”
Patrice looked up at him then. “Us?”
Blackheart nodded. “Yeah, you and me.” Gabe felt her grip on his hand tighten and as Blackheart climbed on his bike alongside Lowlife and Le Pirate she whispered:
“Thank you.” Blackheart nodded at her and said:
“It’s only five miles up the road. Follow us, and we’ll stop at the storage facility first.” She nodded again and that time, almost imperceptibly, Gabe thought maybe she gave her father a smile too. It gave him hope to think that maybe the two most stubborn people in the world could forge some kind of treaty...maybe there was hope for world peace yet.
On the short drive from Lincolnville to Camden, Maine they were treated to the sight of beautiful, green mountains lurking behind the entrance to a state park, and Gabe found himself missing his bike. This would be an amazing ride on his Harley, especially with Patrice hugged up behind him. The entrance to the little seaside village is marked by a sign that announces that it is known as the “Jewel of the Maine Coast” and as they drove further into it, it was instantly apparent that the sign wasn’t exaggerating. Gabe didn’t know much about architecture, but the buildings looked old and well kept. The little business district looked like a place that even he’d like to take a walk, buy an ice cream cone, and do some shopping, and he had never been much of a shopper. There were lots of restaurants too, advertising steak and seafood and homemade clam chowder. They passed a harbor with some of the nicest-looking boats Gabe had ever laid eyes on. He hadn’t told Patrice, but he had never been any further out