Page 81 of Echoes at Driftwood Cottage

“You’re lying,” Tansy charged.

“Mom!” Julie scolded. “For once, just listen to what she has to say.”

Rowan leaned in closer. “Why are you so sure that I’m Hallie?”

“Because right after that boat accident hit the news, you showed up in the middle of the night. After that, they told everyone that you were their granddaughter, Gwynn’s daughter. They repeated that story to anyone who would listen. But I never believed a word of it. Gwynn never had a daughter before that night. And then there was Jim. He was always a sneaky bastard bringing unsavory people into his house. Drugs. That’s how Gwynn became addicted. They kept a steady stream of people picking up drugs. I almost packed up and moved because of it. I had Julie to think about. She was an impressionable teenager back then. I didn’t want her around those kinds of lowlifes, coming and going at all hours of the day and night.”

“I don’t blame you. But you didn’t move. What happened to make you reconsider?” Rowan prompted.

“After you came on the scene, things quieted down. The ruckus stopped. People quit showing up at all hours. That boat went down north of here and those two decided to keep the little girl. That was Hallie. That’s all there is to it. Even when Gwynn took you off on her wayward adventures, Jim and Lynette never acted the same after that. They changed. Their whole demeanor was different. Even their attitude toward Gwynn seemed different. They tried to get her off the drugs.”

Rowan took Tansy’s hand in hers. “I appreciate you sending those messages. Will appreciates you contacting him. That’s how cases like this get solved—help from the public—neighbors like you. Daniel and I plan to help Will find the real Hallie. We think she’s still out there somewhere. But it isn’t me.”

“Are you certain?”

“I’m positive. For one thing, I have natural red hair. Hallie’s hair was light brown. Remember seeing Hallie’s photos on Will’s blog taken when she was little? Her hair is a different color than mine. Her eyes are a different color. I’m not Hallie, Mrs. Perkins, because my DNA doesn’t match up with Will Snelling’s. We both took DNA tests. They don’t match. I’d tell you if I were Hallie. I promise I would.”

“Listen to her, Mom,” Julie said. “She’s trying to tell you the truth.”

“What did you mean you weren’t Lynette’s real granddaughter? I got that part right, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. I took a DNA test and discovered I didn’t belong to Gwynn or Lynette. I’m still trying to find out where I came from. When I find out, I’ll give Julie a heads-up. How does that sound?”

Tansy nodded. “I didn’t like Jim and Lynette in the early days. No need to lie at my age.”

Rowan got to her feet. “I understand why. No one wants a drug dealer for a neighbor. You don’t need to worry about that from me.”

“I can see that,” Tansy said with a smile. “You’re different from Lynette. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

After saying goodbye to Julie, they stepped outside Tansy’s home and stood on the lawn. But Tansy’s words kept ringing in Rowan’s ears. “It’s weird how I latched onto Lynette after she let me move in here.”

“She was your lifeline. No matter what she’d done, she was the only reliable person you had in your life at the time,” Daniel interjected, looking across the street at the commotion taking place in Rowan’s driveway. Eastlyn stood next to the pickup, waiting for the tow truck driver to hook up the Dodge Ram. “Something’s going on.”

Rowan called out to Eastlyn. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Sorry, Rowan, I knocked on the door, but no one answered. I’m here to collect Jim’s old truck. We’re towing it to the lab for forensic examination.”

By this time, Rowan and Daniel had joined Eastlyn on the pavement. “Really? You think that old thing could yield a clue after all this time?”

“You never know. It’s possible. It looks like it still has the original upholstery. I’m sorry.”

“You’ve said that already. It isn’t necessary. I get it. Do you need the keys? They might come in handy down at the lab.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

“No problem,” Rowan said, reaching into her jeans pocket and pulling out the key. “Will you take it apart?”

“I’m not sure what they’ll do. I won’t lie, they might.”

“Okay. Well, let me know if you find anything useful.”

“Of course. The Chief has us all scrambling with assignments. For the next forty-eight hours, we’re treating this like it happened two hours ago.”

“I hope he wasn’t too mad about us talking to the former members of the commune.”

“I can tell you he wasn’t overjoyed. But what concerned him the most was learning about the people at the party, especially getting to them before they hire a lawyer. Colt’s touching base with them now with the help of deputies from the county. Look, I need to get going. I have a to-do list a mile long. That means I’ll need to check in soon after dropping the pickup off at the lab.”

“I understand. I’ll talk to you later.” Rowan stood in the driveway next to Daniel and watched Eastlyn follow the tow truck down the street and disappear around the corner. “That’s what happens when you make an impulse purchase. You do something stupid like buy an old truck because you’re feeling sentimental.”

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