Page 51 of The Beach Cottage
“You have some questions to ask me? While we wait for the tea, why don’t you tell me what you’re curious about? Shoot.”
Penny outlined the situation and then asked him the question on all of their minds. “Do you know anything at all about my grandmother’s murder?”
His eyes narrowed. “Mary Brown. Wow—that name brings it all rushing back. Of course I recall her death. It was a hard time for everyone on the island. Sent a shockwave through the community—something like that doesn’t happen often. In fact, I think that’s the only time I can recall a murder here.”
“Anything you know would be helpful,” Bea added. She was still adjusting to the fact that the man in front of her was polite, well-spoken, charming and seemed happy to see them even though he didn’t know them. He was a completely different man to the one Rowan had described. Maybe she’d filled in the blanks of his description with her own interpretation. Or perhaps Rowan’s teenaged angst had given him a warped perspective. Whatever it was, this man was not the tyrant or the violent, angry villain Rowan had made him out to be.
There was a loud rapping on the doorframe that startled the group.
“Well now, who could that be?” Buck stood to his feet, excused himself and hurried to the front door. He soon returned with Rowan on his trail. “Look who I found.”
“Rowan, what are you doing here?” Penny asked.
He arched an eyebrow. “You didn’t give me a chance to finish our discussion on the phone.”
She stood and embraced him, and he whispered something in her ear that Bea couldn’t hear. Then he sat behind Penny, his hand on her shoulder. Bea watched them a moment, wistful. Penny’s smile widened, and her face reddened. She was clearly delighted to see him. Bea loved that her friend was so happy. She only wished she could feel the same way instead of the knot of sadness that filled her gut every time she was reminded that she and Aidan had a gulf of missed opportunities between them.
“Let’s see. I was just about to answer your question,” Buck continued, settling himself back into his armchair. “I recall it was bad weather. A lot of rain, wind, maybe even some hail, if I remember correctly. And Mary, Ruby and the family were all isolated at the beach house over there on the southeastern coast of the island. They have neighbourhoods over there now, but back then, it was just the beach house. Completely alone in the middle of nowhere. We used to go out there to spend time together, swim, surf, fish and snorkel. It’s a lovely place, really, although a little too crowded for my tastes now.”
“Did they question anyone over the murder?” Bea asked.
“Oh, of course. Everyone. They questioned me and every single other person they could find. It was a big deal. And the population of the island was much smaller back then. So we all had to speak to the authorities, you know, when they managed to make their way here. I believe there was an issue with the ferry, so they had to come by boat through that rain.”
“The police came from the mainland?” Taya asked. “So they didn’t know any of the people they were interviewing?”
“That’s right,” Buck replied thoughtfully. “And they had their theories, I guess. But it never amounted to anything. I knew most of the people who lived here back then, and I couldn’t imagine a single one of them doing it. Although obviously someone was responsible. It’s hard to believe, that’s for certain.”
“Where in America are you from?” Evie asked.
He smiled. “Indiana, born and bred.”
“When did you move to Coral Island?”
He scratched his balding pate. “Let’s see. It must’ve been around nineteen eighty-two. Something like that, anyhow.”
“Do you miss it?” Penny asked.
“Not really. I did for a while, but it’s been so long now, I don’t think about it much. And who could find a better place to live than Coral Island?”
They all smiled at that. Bea agreed—she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else now that she was home. It was the only place she truly felt like herself now that her life in Sydney was over.
After they’d exhausted all of their questions, they rose to leave. The women waited outside while Rowan and his stepfather spoke together in low voices in the entry to the small house. Finally, the two men embraced, and Rowan stepped outside to join them with red-rimmed eyes. He took Penny by the hand silently, and the two of them walked up the pathway towards the road where his SUV was parked.
“Well, thank you. Goodbye!” Bea called to Buck, hurrying after them.
“He was different to what I thought he’d be,” Evie said, coming up alongside her.
“Very,” Bea agreed.
“What do you think that was about?” Taya asked, dipping her head in Rowan’s direction.
“Hopefully, mending fences,” Bea replied. “Sometimes teens misjudge people. Happens all the time.”
“It seems his stepfather wasn’t the monster he thought. In fact, he’s extremely friendly, from what we saw today,” Evie said. “It’s nice to see something work out for a change.”
“Yes, it is,” Taya agreed.
Twenty-Three
