he drove to the big pier. We think he meant to drive off but the old posts cracked. Maybe that gave him an idea.”
“So he stole the underwater chain saw.”
“Right. Your dad’s office was close by and it was empty.”
“Everyone was out taking care of the storm.”
“They were. Kenneth stole the saw and the handcuffs and some duct tape, then went back to the car. He opened the trunk and saw that Summer Hill was beginning to wake up. The rain was coming down hard then. He handcuffed her, taped her ankles and—”
“I know,” Terri said. The tears were beginning to come. “She struggled while he went underwater and cut the posts.”
Nate held her tightly.
She pushed away from him. “He came back and bought a cabin here! He was here every year. He was watching and listening.”
“Yes,” Nate said. “He was. We think he was trying to find the bowl.”
“Dad was so angry that he got rid of all Mom’s things. But Aunt Aggie hid the bowl.” She looked at Nate. “Was he that greedy? He wanted to sell it? He needed money? After all these years, it wasn’t like it was evidence.”
“But it was,” Nate said. “That’s what I found out from the museum curator. The bowl is two parts. The top with the dragon screws off. When Kenneth hit Leelee, he used only the upper half of the bowl. And remember your grandmother said he was tidy? Seems that after he hit her, he screwed the two halves back together.”
“Are you saying...?” Her eyes opened wide.
“Inside the bowl are fingerprints and hair and...” He shrugged. “Other stuff. It contains evidence of what he did to your mother.”
Terri flopped back against the bed.
For a while, they sat together, holding each other.
Nate spoke first. “Do you realize that it’s over?”
“Over? I think it has just begun. There will be a trial. My grandmother said—” She looked up at him. “I have a grandmother.”
“Yes you do and she’s a very nice lady. When her son left her house so abruptly, suitcase in hand, she knew something had happened. She searched his computer and found the news about the car being brought up.”
“Maybe the reporters did us a favor.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. Are you ready to greet the world? Thorndyke has already called twice this morning to ask if you’re all right.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That you’re with me so of course you’re the best you can be.”
Terri laughed, but she made no move toward getting out of bed. “Everything has changed, hasn’t it?”
“More than you know.”
“What does that mean?”
“I sort of blackmailed Della. I told her that if she wanted to stay my deputy, she had to change the gossip about you.”
“Gossip?” Terri was pushing him to elaborate.
“First of all, your mother running off with another man. She’s the one who fanned those flames so she had to change it. Turn it all around.”
“She agreed?”
Nate swallowed. “Della said... No, I shouldn’t tell that.”
“What?” Her question was a command.
Nate rolled his eyes. “Della ordered a dozen DNA kits. She said that if anyone ever again said something bad about Leslie Rayburn, she’d collect samples from cups, tissues, whatever, and she’d publicly announce who fathered what kid.”
“That’s terrible and probably illegal.” Terri tried to suppress a laugh but couldn’t.
“Remember Ryan Murphy?”
“How could I forget?” Terri said.
“Della found him and she’s paying for him and his family to fly here for a three-day vacation at beautiful Lake Kissel with the stipulation that he confess the truth of what he and Hector said to you back in high school. What caused you to strike out.”
“He won’t like doing that.”
“I’m happy to say that you’re wrong about that. He is now the father of two little girls and has a better understanding of what happened that day. He said he looks forward to setting the record straight.”
When Terri didn’t reply, he pulled back to look at her. “You okay?”
She nodded, then whispered, “Billy?”
“He and Kris Lennon are going to tell everyone the truth.”
Terry drew in her breath. “He might lose his job. If he isn’t the pastor of St. Anne’s, people will blame me.”
“Remember Mr. Cresnor? Seems that he made some calls—and I think some donations. Your yo-yo boy’s job is safe. I think the official stance is that only a sinner can truly understand the sins of others.”
“Poor Billy. That will hurt him.”
Nate kissed her. “That you think of others before yourself is only one of the reasons I love you.”
She moved her leg over his.
“Oh no!” he said. “The temptation of your legs is too much for me to resist.”
She was kissing his neck.
“Rowan bought Stanton House from the mayor.”
“No.” Her kisses were moving downward.
“He’s hired Stacy to oversee the restoration and to decorate the place. Knowing those two, the whole house will be white.”
Terri’s face disappeared under the covers. “Anything else?”
“That about covers it. But you need to—” He drew in his breath.
“I guess it won’t matter if we’re late,” he murmured, then closed his eyes.
* * *