Page 16 of Perilous Healing

“Yeah.”

“Good, saves me a call. I need you both at the lighthouse. Bring Bianca if you can. We’ve got a potential situation.”

“What is it?”

“I’d rather tell you in person. Sheriff Vick will be meeting us here, too, and he’s got some information, too.”

“Okay. Be there soon.” My stomach churns with unease. What could it be? Was there more damage? Someone missing? “They want us at the lighthouse. Seems there’s an issue.”

Michael’s expression mimics the one I know is on my face. “He didn’t say what?”

I shake my head. “Just that Sheriff Vick is involved.”

Since it’sBianca’s right leg that got hurt, I offer to drive. Logically, I know her wound wasn’t even deep enough to need stitches, but I’m still so shaken. Her scream still echoes through my mind. And seeing her pinned beneath that branch, the storm pouring into her house…it’s still too fresh.

After dropping Eloise off with Mrs. McGinley, we pull up in front of the lighthouse. Bianca hasn’t said much this morning, and I haven’t exactly been interested in striking up a conversation.

Words don’t come easily to me, they never really have. Sierra was always the talker. She could make a friend out of anyone. But my lack of conversational abilities are even worse when I’m around Bianca. Likely because I’m constantly on guard, watching what I say.

Before I’m even out of the truck, she’s opening her door and limping up to the front door of the lighthouse. I follow, keeping my distance, but rushing around to pull the door open for her.

“Thanks,” she mutters.

Inside, Lance, Elijah, Michael, and the sheriff are waiting. “Sorry we’re late, I had to drop Eloise off.”

“No problem. How’s the leg?” Sheriff Vick asks.

“Not the worst thing I’ve dealt with,” Bianca replies as she leans back against a desk.

If only they knew how true that was.

“So what’s going on?”

Sheriff Vick reaches into a manila folder and withdraws a photograph. “Any of you recognize this man?” he asks, showing us the photograph.

I recognize him instantly.

As I know Bianca does.

“He was outside the bakery yesterday,” I tell them.

“You saw him?” the sheriff asks.

“I did too,” Bianca adds.

“Who is he?”

“We found his body this morning. We initially thought he might be a tourist who got caught up in the storm, but unless hurricanes are shooting people at point-blank range these days, he was killed before or during. We’ll know soon enough.”

“Someone killed him?” Bianca asks.

Her face is pale.

I flex my hands, wanting to reach out and offer some sort of comfort, but know that I have no business doing so.

“Yes. Normally I wouldn’t involve you guys in this, but I think I might be in over my head. I did some digging, and there was more than one red flag that went up. One in particular connects to a crime boss who’s been dead for quite a while now. It’s all in the folder,” he says.

Bianca’s entire body goes rigid, and she begins to breathe heavily.

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