Page 71 of Echoes at Driftwood Cottage

“Why me? Why didn’t you just knock on the door then?”

“Because when I saw you that Saturday morning unloading your van, I lost my nerve. Plus, there’s another more significant reason. Are you a natural redhead? Because Hallie didn’t have red hair. That’s one detail I’m absolutely sure about.”

“I see. Natural redhead here, freckles and all. Tell me something, Will. I’m curious. What brought you to me? Why were you hanging around Driftwood Cottage? Why were you watching me unload my van? Is there something special about that house in particular?”

“In addition to looking for Hallie using traditional methods, I run a blog. But when I’m not blogging, I pay the bills as a reporter for the Oregonian. Keeping the blog is a way for me to tell my story. It started out as therapy. If you go back to the beginning of the blog to one of my first journal entries, I asked people to contact me if they had any information about Hallie. Two weeks ago toward the end of May, I received an anonymous tip through the blog. I traced the IP address back to Pelican Pointe. That’s when I decided to take a leave of absence from my job. This anonymous source told me to look at you—Rowan Avery Eaton. They said you could be my sister Hallie.”

Rowan dropped her head into her hands. “I have no idea why anyone would do that. They probably pranked you. And if you knew my hair didn’t match Hallie’s then why did you feel the need to break in anyway?”

“For the record, you left the back door open. Once I saw you at your boyfriend’s house, I decided to tick all the boxes before leaving town. Make sure for my own benefit. Understand?”

“No stone left unturned,” Rowan uttered with a nod. “I get it. But you’re still here.”

“Because I got another anonymous tip on the blog from the same person. I don’t think it’s a prank. Someone around here thinks you’re Hallie. And for a reporter, it’s too tempting not to stick around and find out what’s going on.”

“I’d ask you to come to dinner tonight, but Daniel has his grandmother coming into town for a few days. Where are you staying?”

“I’m at the B&B, north of town.”

On a whim, she made a snap decision. “Oh, hell. You don’t seem that dangerous. Come for supper anyway. Your being there will make a great icebreaker and conversation starter. Then again, Daniel could boot you to the curb. Or me. But I need to know the significance of the midway point. What’s Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz got to do with anything?”

The smell of sizzling peppers and fajita spices filled Daniel’s kitchen as Rowan threw together a stir-fry. She steamed rice, tossed together a salad, put out warm flour tortillas, and had dinner waiting when he walked in the door with his grandmother.

Maureen Albritton Cardiff was a delightful woman, tall and refined, with a faint Louisiana accent, who insisted Rowan call her Mamie. She wore a pale pink jogging suit and tennis shoes for comfort.

Rowan greeted her with a smile and introduced Will, explaining the break-ins and why he was there. “This guy could be our missing ingredient to the mystery.”

“A man who thinks you’re his long-lost sister is our missing ingredient?” Daniel cracked as he dropped Mamie’s bag in the entryway.

Mamie moved further into the foyer. “Don’t be rude, Daniel. I don’t mind sharing a meal with this young man. In fact, I find his story fascinating.” Sending a glance toward Rowan, she added, “Daniel caught me up on your situation on the drive from the airport. You and Will have such intriguing childhood mysteries. I can’t wait to hear if they’re connected. And to think I considered Daniel’s circumstances unusual.”

Daniel patted his grandmother’s shoulder and pointed to the table already set. “Shall we eat? Not everyone needs to know about the Cardiff family drama.”

“Hush, dear, I’m from Louisiana we don’t air our dirty laundry. We either bury it in the backyard or sweep it under the carpet.”

Rowan sputtered with laughter. “What difference does it make? We’re all friends here. If not for my red hair, I could be sitting next to my brother.”

Will chuckled and lifted his wine glass to Rowan. “We decided to join forces. I think it’s wonderful because I could use all the help I can get to find Hallie.”

“We’ll all join forces,” Mamie suggested, sauntering into the dining room. “It’s the only way to get the job done satisfactorily. After all, in my day family stuck together. Not so much anymore, especially on the Cardiff side. But that’s for another discussion.”

“What if you don’t have family?” Rowan prompted.

A slow smile crossed Mamie’s face. She cast her eyes around the room. “But you do. You’ve found a like-minded, close-knit bunch right here. Family doesn’t have to share blood. You make the most of people willing to go into battle with you. That’s a rare, precious gift these days.” She pointed her finger at Will first, then Rowan. “Combining forces isn’t enough. Action speaks louder than words.”

“Which brings me back to Will, who was about to share the significance of Pelican Pointe and the shipwreck,” Rowan prodded. “Were you not? Pelican Pointe is midway between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz.”

Will took in Daniel’s dismissive demeanor. “I can see you’re not sure about me yet. I don’t blame you. I just want to find my sister. The Celestial Moon went down somewhere between the two cities. Debris from the boat washed up as far north as Half Moon Bay and as far south as Santa Cruz. It’s that simple. I’m not here for any sinister reason. All I want is to find my sister. I’m convinced someone in this town knows something about Hallie.”

Daniel held out his hand. “And all Rowan wants is to find out where she came from. We could help each other.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for,” Will said.

Mamie plopped into a chair. “Now that that’s settled, it brings up a touchy subject. Daniel told me to leave it be, but I find it fascinating. What’s this I hear about a ghost in Pelican Pointe?”

Daniel looked embarrassed. “I mentioned Scott Phillips.”

“Who’s Scott?” Will asked. “And why would you think he’s a ghost?”

---