Page 49 of The Glass Dolphin

“The display came down,” Jean said. “No one seems to even know what the significance of it was.”

Life had moved on, just as it always did. Kristen had cycled through enough seasons to know that each storm would blow over, another wave would come, and somehow, she’d still be standing there.

“Weknow,” Clara said, shooting Jean another sharp look. “And we have to do something about it.”

“What would you like me to do, dear?” Kristen asked. “Call her? Pester her?”

“I’m just saying,” Clara said. “Maybe we should be a little more proactive on this.”

“I trust Alice,” Kristen said. “This isn’t her only case, and she’s working on it.”

The doorbell rang at the same time someone knocked. All three of them turned toward the door, Kristen with a pounding heart. Then the door opened, and a tall, gorgeous brunette entered.

Alice.

“Hey,” she said with a smile. “Look who I found lurking around outside.” She moved out of the way as Robin entered, shaking her head.

“Oh, it smells good in here.” Robin came forward, but she could read a room particularly well, and her footsteps faltered before she could cross the living room. “Oh.” She looked at Jean, then Clara, and finally Kristen.

“What did we interrupt?”

ChapterEighteen

Clara only semi-regretted bringing up the lighthouse. She and Jean had been discussing it to death, but everyone seemed afraid to approach her mother about it.

Clara wasn’t afraid.

“Alice,” she said. She still held the knife she’d been using to spread white frosting over sugar cookies. She dropped it at her decorating station and went into the living room. “We were actually just talking about you.” She sent a swift look toward Robin. “And the lighthouse.”

“Great.” Alice didn’t miss a beat. She also seemed far too smiley for Clara’s liking. “Who wants to help me bring in the files?” She scanned the room, got no takers, and laughed. “All right. I’ll get them myself.”

She turned to leave the condo, and Clara got herself in gear. She hurried after Alice with, “I’ll come.”

“Clara,” her mother said, but Clara ignored her.

“Put the cookies out,” she said when she reached the door. “I’m just going to help her carry in some files.” She might say a word or two, and everyone in the room knew it. Clara had lived large parts of her life with her opinions out in the open, and as she’d matured, she’d learned to contain the thoughts inside her head. Not everything had to come out of her mouth anymore, a level of maturity she prided herself on.

She caught up to Alice and said, “I can carry something.”

“Things seemed a little intense in there.” Alice didn’t turn her head to look at Clara, but she felt her eyes on her all the same.

Clara didn’t want to throw her mother under the bus. At the same time, she really liked Alice too, so she didn’t want to sound accusatory toward the woman helping them. “Yeah.” She sighed. “It’s my fault. I get a little intense sometimes.”

“You?” Alice grinned at her as she stepped off the curb and into the parking lot. “I can’t imagine that, Clara.” She laughed lightly and nudged Clara with her hip. “Was it about the lighthouse?”

“Yes,” Clara said. “It’s eating me alive, and Mom just goes about baking cookies.” She stopped at the back of Alice’s SUV. “And she broke up with Theo.”

Alice sucked in a breath and stared at Clara while the liftgate lifted. “She did? When?”

“I don’t know,” Clara said. “She just told me and Jean.”

Alice faced the condo building, then looked into the back of her car like she’d lost something important and had no idea where to start looking for it. “Her and Theo.” She shook her head and pointed to a file box on Clara’s side. “I need that.”

“Is this full?” Clara reached for it, and with how easily it moved when she pulled it toward her, she reckoned it was not full.

“No,” Alice said. “It just keeps things separated for me.” She picked up a much smaller filing system—almost an accordion, with several slots for papers and packets—and stepped out of the range of the liftgate. “I could’ve gotten it all.”

Clara didn’t move so Alice could lower the back of her SUV. She met the other woman’s eyes, familiar impatience burning within her. “Tell me out here,” she said, her voice almost hoarse. “Are we going to lose the lighthouse?”

---