Rock Harbor Series - 03 - Into the Deep (22 page)

“I can’t imagine her being capable of hurting anyone.”

Molly put Bree’s coffee on the table. “I couldn’t help overhearing,” she said. “I’m thinking you would want to know what happened here a couple of days before Phil died, eh?”

“What did you see?” Mason asked.

“I try to stay out of our customers’ business, but sometimes you just can’t, eh? Phil and Denise have been coming in several times a week ever since they moved to Rock Harbor. They didn’t get along real well, but they had a lot of pressures with the babies and all. But a couple of days before he died, they really got into it here.” Molly shuffled, distress on her face.

Mason took out his notepad and pen. “Can you remember exactly what was said?”

“She told him she wished she’d never married him, that he was a weasel and not a man.”

“Could you tell what the fight was about?” Bree asked.

“It sounded like she wanted him to loan her brother some money. He called her brother ‘shiftless and no good,’ which really got her going. He finally slammed out of the café and left her here with the kids.”

“Did she say anything to you?” Mason was busy jotting down everything Molly said.

“She just cried awhile, then when she got ready to leave, Phil came back in and apologized. They acted like nothing was wrong as they left, but it bothered me to see the kids crying and upset.”

“Everyone fights sometimes,” Mason said. “But I’ll check it out. You want to come talk to the men now?” he asked Bree.

She nodded and got up.

But no matter how much she begged, the men turned stony faces to the wall and refused to answer any of her questions about Samson.

17

C
assie rubbed her burning eyes and pushed away from her microscope. The nursing home had called when Dad got fractious, and she’d arrived late last night to find him in quite a state. He’d been pitiful, dressed in three layers of clothes and carrying a packed suitcase. He hadn’t known where he was going. He was getting worse.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Her sister had been no help. Bree didn’t seem eager to welcome her new sister with open arms, and Cassie reminded herself how much of a shock it must have been to hear the truth. At least she and Davy were coming to dinner tomorrow. Hopefully Dad would be having a good day. And if Bree never warmed up, well, Cassie had dealt with being unwanted before. It wouldn’t be anything new. Her mother hadn’t talked to her from the time Cassie was five until she’d died when Cassie was ten.

She was just turning back to her microscope when a rumble started under her feet. It built until the beakers on the counter rattled, and one fell to the floor, shattering into sharp pieces. An earthquake? Cassie jumped up, crunching through the glass to the door. In the hall, workers were running toward the entrance. Her mouth dry, she fell into line with the rest. Maybe the mine had caved in somewhere, and they were all trapped here. She tried not to think like that as she exited into the reception area.

“What happened?” Yancy asked. No one seemed to know.

Yancy Coppler’s forehead glistened with perspiration as he went to the door. “Maybe it was just an earth tremor,” Cassie said. “We need to get out of here just in case.”

Nora Corbit clapped her hand over her mouth and moaned. “We’re all going to die.”

“Don’t be silly,
chiquita
,” Lola Marcos said. She went to the door and yanked on it. It opened easily, and she went through the air lock to the other door. It opened also, and a collective sigh of relief echoed through the reception area.

The relief turned to consternation, however, at the sight outside the mine. Hundreds of people marched in front of the mine, most carrying signs like “No Genetically Altered Plants” and “Keep the Environment Safe.”

The crowd saw them and charged toward the door. Cassie yanked a stunned Nora out of the way and slammed the security doors into place seconds before people began pounding the metal door with their fists. “Back inside!” she shouted, ushering the rest of the employees back into the reception area. She shut and locked the second door. “Chito, call town for help before these nuts get in here.”

The slight-built man nodded and went to the phone. “The line’s not working,” he reported moments later.

“Cut?”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Anyone have a cell phone that works here?” Cassie looked from face to face, but everyone shook their heads. She’d forgotten to recharge her own cell phone. She fought a rising sense of panic then took a few deep breaths. “They can’t get in here, and they can’t stay out there all night. The mosquitoes will run them off.”

“What if we tried talking to them—explaining what we’re trying to accomplish here?” Lola suggested.

Cassie grimaced. “You ever heard of reasoning with an angry mob?”

“It’s worth a try. We don’t have anything to lose. But be careful,” Yancy warned.

“Go out the hidden side door,” Chito said.

Cassie nodded and went down the hall to a small hallway that led to the left. The others followed her. When she reached the door, she
held up her hand. “Listen.” From the other side of the metal door she could hear fists pounding. “They’ve found this exit too.”

“They seem to be getting madder,” Nora said fearfully.

With no way to communicate with the outside world, Cassie felt like she was trapped under water without her air tank. “There’s no reason to panic,” she said, as much for her benefit as anyone else’s. “We have food and drink in the vending machines. We’re not going to starve. We’ll just wait it out.”

“I have to get home to my family,” Chito said. “My wife and I are invited to a dinner party in our honor tonight. I have to be home by five.”

Cassie glanced at her watch. “It’s almost that now. When you don’t show up, will your wife come looking for you?”

Chito looked away. “Probably not. She’ll just think I got involved in work and forgot. She will try to call, but the phone is out.”

“What if they’re out there all night? There’s nowhere to sleep in here.” Nora paced nervously.

Cassie didn’t relish the idea of sleeping in the straight chairs or on the floor herself. What did the protesters think they’d accomplish by this? The lab wasn’t going to close up shop and go away.

The rumble came again. It seemed to emanate from the direction of the growing chamber. Dread froze Cassie’s limbs. “The growing chamber!” She turned and ran down the hall to the door at the end.

“Wait, Cassie, don’t go in there!” Yancy shouted. He grabbed her as she wrenched at the door. A puff of dust flew from under the door as the rumble continued. Cassie stood on tiptoe and looked through the window into the chamber. Smoke and dust billowed in clouds and she couldn’t see the plants at all.

“My plants,” she whispered.

Yancy pulled her away from the door. “I think a bomb has gone off in there,” he said. “It’s not safe.”

Cassie’s eyes burned, but not from the dust leaching into the hall from the growing chamber. She wouldn’t cry, not in front of her
colleagues. They were looking to her for leadership and strength. But right now, the last thing she felt was strong. Their work of months had just been destroyed.

Samson snarled and saliva dripped from his muzzle. Jonelle watched sadly as the big dog staggered around the pen, lunging at the stick Zane prodded him with. The drugs seemed to have done their work all too well.

Zane laughed and poked the dog again. Samson grabbed the stick in his mouth ferociously.

“Bring me the video camera,” Zane called. “I want some film of him like this to circulate. Those bets will come pouring in.”

Jonelle brought the camera to him. “Aren’t you afraid he’ll kill Bruck?”

“Nah, it’s all show. Bruck’ll make mincemeat out of old Samson here. This dog has been a pet too long.”

Jonelle longed to do something to save the dog. But it was probably too late.

Look, Mommy!” Davy pointed out a small deer crossing the road in front of them.

She slowed the Jeep and allowed the animal to meander to the other side. “Are you excited?”

Davy nodded. “Can I hold the baby eagle?”

“I don’t imagine that would be good, but we’ll ask Kade how much they can be handled. I’ve never seen an eaglet myself.”

Bree tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. Her breakfast with Kade this morning had been canceled, and the amount of disappointment she’d felt had surprised her. She wanted to speed to the wilderness center but forced herself to do a sedate forty-five.

“Timmy wanted to come too. He cried when Aunt Naomi said no.”

“We could have brought him. I should have told Naomi it was okay.” Bree pulled into the Kitchigami Wilderness Preserve parking lot. The lot was nearly full with campers, motor homes, and SUVs. She heard the sound of children from the lot behind the baby-wildlife building. She let Davy and Charley out of the Jeep, and they followed the noise.

Kade was demonstrating how to feed baby raccoons. The partially grown coon was perched on his shoulder with its tail curled around the ranger’s neck. When he finished, the children moved to the next display.

Kade turned, and his face lit up. “Hey, I was beginning to wonder if you were coming.”

“Can I pet the baby eagle?” Davy pulled his hand from Bree’s and ran forward.

“Sorry, buddy. He doesn’t like being handled. He might peck you.” Kade ruffled Davy’s hair.

The little boy stuck out his lower lip and pulled away. “You’re mean! I want to pet him.”

“Davy, mind your manners,” Bree said.

“Sorry, chief. You can pet the deer though. I’ll even give you some food for him.”

Davy ignored the offer. He ran down the bark pathway to the aviary. “Can I pet these birds?”

“I know one who likes to be handled.” Kade turned and whistled. “Mazzy,” he called.

A squawk came from the birch tree behind him. A flutter of black feathers swooped from among the leaves and settled on Kade’s shoulder.

“She’s still hanging around? I thought she had forgotten you.” Bree picked up a piece of corn and held it out to the starling.

“She probably would if I’d quit calling her and feeding her. I should have let her go fully wild, but she’s like my kid.” Kade put his finger under the bird’s feet, and Mazzy stepped onto it. He held the bird out to Davy. “Put your finger out, and she’ll come to you.”

Davy giggled and held out his finger. The starling hopped onto it
and perched. “Her feet feel funny. What did she eat when she was a baby?”

Charley barked at the bird, and Kade laughed. “I found her on the ground before she even had feathers,” he said. “I fed her watered-down cat food for weeks until she could eat on her own.”

“Can I keep her?” Davy asked.

“She doesn’t like to be in a cage. She gets to town quite a bit. Next time you’re going into the Suomi with your mom, call her name and see if she’s around.”

Charley barked again, then Mazzy squawked. She lifted from Davy’s hand and disappeared into the tree again.

“Mazzy!” Davy called.

The bird squawked but refused to come back. “Sorry, big guy,” Kade said. “She’ll come back when she’s hungry again.”

“What else do you have here right now?” Bree asked, starting down the path toward the other pens.

“Some deer, a badger, and an owl.” He lifted Davy over the fence and handed the little boy a bucket of corn. “Whitey likes corn,” he told him. Davy ran to feed the little deer. Charley whined and put his paws up on the fence. Kade petted him. “He’ll be back in a minute.”

“You’re doing a good job here,” Bree said.

Kade flushed. “Thanks.”

Bree couldn’t keep her gaze from lingering on his face. “How’s Lauri?”

“Okay. She’s talking about keeping it.”

“And you don’t want that?”

“I keep trying not to think about what I want. She’ll lose the rest of her childhood if she does. And I’m not sure she’s ready to be a mother.” He glanced at her. “I have to be honest and say I’m not sure I want the responsibility I know will fall on me. She’s almost grown, and I could begin to think about my own life, my own future. My own family.”

The plea in his blue eyes made it difficult for Bree to breathe. She
knew he wanted a future with her. “The right woman wouldn’t mind helping to raise her baby,” she said.

“How would you feel about it?”

The intense blue of his eyes darkened, and she knew the question was more than rhetorical. “I’d be okay with it,” she whispered. She’d be more than okay with it. She loved babies, but she wasn’t about to bare her heart that way. She’d told Lauri she couldn’t adopt her baby on her own, but perhaps that responsibility would be different if it were shared with Kade.

The expression on his face was a heart-stopping mixture of yearning and tenderness. He took off his hat then took a step toward her. Her chest tightened. Before he reached her, Davy called to him.

“Hey, Kade, I want out. I have to go to the bathroom.” Davy danced around the pen, then tried to climb the fence by himself.

Kade’s face darkened with disappointment, but he turned with a good-natured shrug. “I need to get out on rounds in the forest anyway.”

Bree didn’t know if she was relieved or disappointed when he went to grab Davy from the pen.

I love this color!” Naomi laid a garnet-red shirt over herself and pirouetted. She wanted to forget her troubles and just enjoy the day.

“It brings out your hair and eyes,” Bree agreed. “I’d look hideous in it.” She glanced out the window. “Wonder what all that’s about?”

Naomi joined her at the window. The pharmacist Terry stood talking with Marika. He had his hand on her arm and was gazing down at her with a yearning expression on his face.

Anu came up behind them. “It’s probably nothing. I believe they dated in high school.”

“It looks like something,” Naomi said.

“How far do you think Terry would go for Marika? Far enough to change a prescription?” Bree asked.

“I can’t believe that of Terry,” Naomi said. But there certainly
seemed to be something to the couple. Marika gave the pharmacist another pretty smile, then got in her car and drove away. “Forget it,” she said, turning to Bree. “We’re shopping. What do you like here?”