Page 38 of Murder in the Lighthouse

“We’ll find someone who can translate.”

Her face split into a grin. “The sooner the better. Websleuths need a websleuth. Jade might know someone.”

Lucien nodded as he watched her take out her phone to text Jade. He saw the determination on her face. She needed answers, closure, and a sense of identity that had long eluded her. The road ahead seemed uncertain and fraught with challenges, but he knew now—saw it written on her face—she was fully prepared to face whatever surprises lay ahead.

Brogan discovered thatfinding a Swedish translator, let alone one familiar with genealogy wasn’t easy. But thanks to Jade’s connections in Santa Cruz, she talked to a university professor, Amalie Lockney, who taught Danish and Scandinavian culture for over two decades. Fortunately, Amalie dabbled in family genealogy on the side and was fluent in Sweden and Finland’s regional dialects and other Nordic Germanic languages. Amalie found the situation fascinating and agreed to track down all the Brittas who fit that timeframe and age group.

Once they agreed on a fee, Brogan felt elated. She hung up, knowing she’d made the right move. She angled toward Lucien, who stood at the stove stirring pasta for dinner. “Hiring a professional is the way to go.”

“Now we wait. That’s the hard part.”

“Like waiting for Trish Vosberg to return your call.”

“If I haven’t heard from her by morning, I’m calling every number I have again. I’ll keep calling until—”

“She takes out a restraining order,” Brogan cracked as she dragged a crusty chunk of Italian bread through the spaghetti sauce to give it a taste test. “Yum. That’s tasty. I like it when you cook.”

She leaned into him to nibble his ear.

“You are hungry.”

“I’m in a good mood. Do you realize I’ve made more progress today since learning about the DNA?”

Lucien chuckled at her playful mood, his heart feeling lighter seeing Brogan's spirits lifted. He turned to face her, a twinkle in his eyes. “It’s not easy opening up old wounds, but you’re facing it head-on.”

His heart swelled with affection for this determined woman beside him. He turned off the stove, wrapped his arms around her, and held her close. “I’m proud of you, Brogan. You’re not just sitting back and waiting for answers to come to you. You’re out there seeking the truth, piece by piece.”

Brogan leaned into his embrace, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over her. “I don’t have much choice. If I sit around and wait—”

A faint ding coming from Lucien’s phone echoed through the room. “I set up a notification if Truthseeker22 replied.”

“It’s after seven o’clock. What happened to Trish Vosberg returning your call during normal business hours like a typical cop does with an unsolved murder? I guess it’s different when it pertains to her sister. I’ll have to remember to tell Birk he was wrong.”

“He’s rarely wrong,” Lucien pointed out as he swiped through to the blog post where the notification had popped up. “Yep. The new comment is from Truthseeker22.”

Lucien’s heart raced as his eyes scanned the words on the screen. The comment was cryptic, as usual, but this time, a subtle shift in tone caught his attention.

If you think you know the killer, meet me at your designated spot tomorrow afternoon at two. Don’t be late. If you’re wasting my time, I’ll know it. I’ve already checked you out. I can tell you’re in way over your head.

“Well, that isn’t very nice,” Brogan remarked, reading the latest comment over Lucien’s shoulder.

“Maybe not, but at least she’s willing to hear us out.”

“I’m beginning to think this isn’t such a good idea,” Brogan muttered, concern lacing her voice. “It feels like we’re walking into a trap.”

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow one way or another,” Lucien replied, his mind already strategizing the meeting with Truthseeker22. His jaw tightened in anxious determination. “Look, I know it’s risky, but we need to take this chance. Otherwise, we have nothing. If we expect to find Bethany Heywood, it might be the break we’ve been waiting for.”

She gave him a resigned look, knowing that arguing further would be futile. “Fine, but we need to be careful. I don’t trust this cop one bit. If that is indeed who we’re meeting.”

“We’ll be cautious,” he assured her, his eyes reflecting his resolve. “We won’t go in blind. Birk and Jade will be there, watching the whole thing play out.”

“We should have Birk film the meeting.” When he gave her a sharp look, she added, “In California, it isn’t a crime to film a cop.The First Amendment and all that.”

“Not a bad plan.”

Lucien turned his attention back to the stove and dinner. While he got the food ready, Brogan set the table. But her thoughts lingered on the mysterious commenter and the fate of Bethany. “Do you suppose this Trish Vosberg even cares that there’s another victim out there that hasn’t been found? Bethany is one of her own. Why isn’t she beating down the door to locate Bethany?”

“We’ll ask her directly. How’s that sound?”

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