Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (3 page)

T
he crimson leaves of the blueberry barrens merged into the gorgeous gold and magenta of a Maine sunset. The rich color looked bountiful, but Kate fought the sting of tears as she looked at the fields. The red leaves held few marketable blueberries. She'd counted on the area's bees to pollinate her fields, but her gamble hadn't paid off.

Claire shaded her blue eyes with one hand. “Let's check the other field. It can't be as bad as this one.”

“It's worse. I checked there first. I should have rented honeybee hives. It's my own fault.” Kate held up her hand as her sister started to speak again. “And no, I won't take any money from you. I've been thinking about getting a job anyway. Maybe it's time I looked for a life apart from the barrens. Shelley mentioned it when she left a couple of weeks ago.”

Shelley's words about leaving this area came back to haunt her, too, but Kate pushed them away. Nothing could induce her to leave Downeast Maine. It was home and always would be. If she'd been sharper and more aware of things right after her stem-cell transplant eighteen months ago, maybe she would have made a different choice about the bees. But it was no use crying over it now. She had to figure out a way to survive until next year.

A frown formed between Claire's eyes. “But you love growing blueberries. It's been your life. We'll figure this out together.”

“I've just tried to make the best of it. It's not my first choice of a career, and it's not all I can do either. There are other jobs out there, ones I might really like. I'll give it some thought.”

Claire pressed her lips together and looked away. Kate knew what she was thinking. There weren't many jobs in this depressed area other than fishing, lobstering, and serving tables—all careers Kate wasn't qualified for. She'd tried serving tables once, and she was fired after a day for dropping three trays and being brusque to customers who were too fresh.

God always provided a way out of her difficulties. He wasn't going to fail her now. And the thought of leaving these blueberry barrens behind felt a little like a fresh start—something she desperately needed. But that didn't mean she'd have to leave Claire to find a new profession.

Claire tucked a blonde lock that had escaped her updo back into place. “You could let me pay you to take over planning my wedding. I'm about to pull out my hair.”

“You're quite competent to plan your own wedding, and you know perfectly well that everything has been done. I don't want your money.” Kate turned to stare back over the fields.

The two had been separated for most of their growing-up years. Claire had been raised with the best of everything in Boston while Kate had stayed here on the blueberry barrens. She'd never thought to leave this place of rocky shores, but maybe she would have to.

The thought brought a lump to her throat. She would do anything she could to stay near Claire, even if it meant waiting tables. Her sister was the most important thing in her life.

Kate gazed at the empty cottage across the road from the one she occupied. It had potential with its steep gabled roof and dormers. “What if I fixed up the cottage and rented it out? Is that a stupid idea?” The thought filled her with energy. If there was one thing she loved, it was decorating and home-improvement projects.

Claire's eyes widened. “That's a great idea! You don't have a mortgage, so it would at least provide you with a little money to live on. I could give you the money to fix it up.”

“Only if it's a loan. I can pay you back after harvest next year. It won't take much, maybe two thousand or so. I can do a lot of the work myself.” Her thoughts raced through what needed to be done: fresh paint, new hardware on the cabinets, fresh bedding, and some decent used furniture. “There are never enough rentals for tourists this time of year with the blueberry festivals coming.”

“Luke and I will help.” Claire shaded her eyes with her hand and looked toward the road as her fiancé's new black truck rumbled to a stop. “He's right on time.” She waved as Luke Rocco climbed out of a big Dodge four-by-four. “I'll see you later. Lunch tomorrow at the hotel?”

“You bet.” Kate hugged her and waved at Luke, a dark-haired, handsome man in his early thirties.

He draped his arm around Claire and gave her a lingering kiss before escorting her to the passenger side of his truck. A wistful pang struck Kate. She was unlikely to ever have a man look at her the way Luke looked at Claire. Kate could never have a child, and what man would want a wife as barren as these fields?

She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. That didn't mean she couldn't have a full life though. She was alive, and two
years ago she'd thought she was facing the end. She'd found her twin sister, a sister she'd only dimly remembered as a “secret” friend during her childhood. Kate had nothing to complain about.

The sun fell fast, plunging the landscape into darkness. The lights of her house beckoned, and foliage snapped under her sneakers as she picked up her pace. A cup of coffee and a square of dark chocolate would raise her spirits. She'd put on a CD and belt out her favorite songs along with Adele while she fixed dinner. After dinner she'd play an old movie and cuddle up with Jackson, her new twelve-week-old furball.

She whistled for her golden retriever and smiled when he shot around the side of the house toward her. She knelt to rub his fuzzy pelt. “Good boy. Did you miss me? I bet you're hungry.”

He yapped at her and raced for the back door. She started to follow, then paused at the front of the yard to pick up an empty Coke bottle someone had tossed out. Flatlanders, most likely. She went to the side of the house and squinted in the dark until she made out the vague shape of the trash can. Hadn't she left on the porch light?

She tossed the bottle in the trash, then saw a hoe she'd left leaning against the house. She grabbed it and carried it toward the gardening shed. There was always something to do around here.

A strangled scream rang out from down the vacant road. Kate turned to investigate but saw nothing but an owl flap its wings as it soared into the sky. Maybe it had been a luckless rabbit caught by the bird. Why was she so jumpy this evening?

She examined her mood and realized she'd been on edge for weeks. It was little things she'd noticed, like an unlocked door when she'd been sure she'd locked it and sounds outside the
window. Chemo brain was not for the weak. Shaking her head, she turned toward the back door.

A figure ran around the edge of the house and tried to dart around her to get away. Kate acted on instinct and brought the hoe up like a baseball bat. She swung the sharp edge at his head. He rolled away, but the hoe still connected with his left bicep. Jackson's ears came up, and he barked.

The man let out a howl and managed to jump to his feet as she swung the hoe at him again. The blade hit him in the back as he disappeared into the looming darkness.

Kate's legs were like pudding as she ran for the back door. Once inside, she locked the door and leaned against it with her hands shaking. This intruder hadn't been her imagination. She pulled out her cell phone and called 911.

* * *

Claire stood with Luke in Kate's kitchen. The clock in the living room chimed eleven times as the teakettle began to shriek. In spite of the late hour, she was wide awake from worry. She pulled the kettle from the heat, then turned to Luke and lowered her voice. “I don't want her staying here by herself. Who knows why that guy was hanging around here.”

Luke was the best man she'd ever met. Loyal, caring, and strong. She still couldn't believe she was going to be lucky enough to marry him. Living here near her sister was a dream come true. This was the spot she'd longed for all her life even though she hadn't realized it.

His thick black hair was damp and uncombed since he'd
come here straight out of the shower after she called. His warm brown eyes met hers. “We're here for her, honey. You think she'd move in with you if you insisted?”

“She's so independent.” Claire heaved a sigh and poured steaming water into the teapot. “I suppose she's had to be without any real support. Back me up when I ask her, okay?”

He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned in to brush his lips across hers. “I always back you up.”

His touch never failed to speed up her pulse. She cupped his cheek. “I know you do. Let's go interrupt the party. I'm sure she's told Danny over and over what happened. She probably needs the break by now. Grab those, would you?” She indicated the plate of brownies by the sink. She'd found them in a container on the counter, and they looked freshly baked.

Danny and his deputy looked up when she and Luke entered. Jonas Kissner knew Kate well from school and would be sympathetic, as would the sheriff, who treated Kate like a daughter. They both must have been off duty because they were in jeans and T-shirts. They'd probably been called from a relaxing evening at their homes.

Claire set the tray she carried on the coffee table. “I thought a little break would be good. Kate has been through a lot the last few weeks. You're probably about done questioning her, right?”

“We are.” Jonas reached for the teapot and poured out a cup, then sat back with it in his hand. His burnished-red hair gleamed in the lights. “It's after eleven. We checked all through the house, and everything seems to be untouched. There were footprints in the mud out back. I think maybe it was probably just a flatlander who got lost and cut through your yard on his way back to his truck, and you scared the tar out of him, Kate.”

“I hope you're right.” But Claire's heart sank when she saw how calm Kate was. If she thought there was no danger, she wouldn't budge from this house, and Claire wasn't at all sure the deputy was right. She offered him the tray of brownies, and he took two.

“You found the brownies,” Kate said. “They're made from okra, eggs, and sugar-free chocolate chips. Healthier, you know.”

The men exchanged dismayed glances, and Jonas took a cautious bite. His pale-green eyes widened. “Pretty good for being healthy.”

Kate had been on a health kick ever since she'd begun recovering from the aplastic anemia that had nearly killed her, and while most people rolled their eyes and humored her, Claire wanted her to do anything that gave her comfort and courage. It had to be hard never to know if that disease might rear its wretched head again.

Claire handed her sister a cup of chamomile tea. “I think you should move in with me for a while.”

Kate's blue eyes crinkled in a smile as she took the tea. “You're getting married soon, and I'd just have to move back out again. I'm not living with newlyweds. Besides, you heard Jonas. It was likely a lost tourist. Once I really thought about it, I realized he wasn't really attacking me, just trying to get past me.” She looked at Danny. “I'm sorry I bothered you two. I'm a little skittish since finding the two on the cliff, and I overreacted.”

“Better safe than sorry.” Sheriff Colton's red handlebar mustache quivered as he nibbled the edge of a brownie. He smiled and took a bigger bite. “But I think it's fine to stay home, Kate. Be vigilant of course. But I don't think the guy was trying to get in your house. There are no muddy footprints by the door, and the prints we found came from the woods. If a flatlander comes
by the station to say he was attacked by a crazy woman with a hoe, I'll just point out he was trespassing and any woman would defend herself.”

Claire pressed her lips together and met Luke's sympathetic gaze. He shrugged and grinned. He liked Kate, but what man would want his new sister-in-law living with them right after they got married? Not even Luke, the symbol of male perfection in Claire's eyes. But she couldn't quell her uneasiness. This road held no other residents with the other cottage empty, and some maniac could break in without a soul nearby to hear her scream.

She suppressed a shudder and took a sip of her tea. “Kate is thinking about renting out the cottage down the road.”

“Is it worth renting out?” Danny mumbled past his mouthful of brownie.

“It's a good, solid cottage,” Kate said. “It just needs a little TLC. I could probably rent it for a decent amount to a tourist.”

“At least you wouldn't be alone out here,” Luke said. “If you got scared, you could run to the neighbor's. Or call. It would put your sister's mind at rest. Mine too.”

“Good idea.” Jonas rose and grabbed his hat. “I'd better be heading home so you can all get some rest. Sorry you had such a scare, Kate.”

She rose to walk him to the door, and Claire followed with Luke and the sheriff. Kate opened the door. “Thanks for coming so fast. I promise not to cry wolf again. Next time I'll think it through.”

“You didn't cry wolf. We want to know if there's a problem.” Jonas smiled down at her. “And anytime I get to see my old friend is a good day.”

“Call us if you need us.” Danny put his Boston Celtics baseball cap on his head and went out the door behind Jonas.

Kate stepped onto the porch behind Claire and Luke. “I feel pretty foolish about now. I'm sorry I kept you up so late.”

Claire hugged her until the stiffness left her sister's shoulders. “Don't you dare apologize. You're supposed to call me for anything. Get some rest, since it's clear I can't coax you into coming home with me.”

But walking to her car, Claire still felt a deep sense of unease at leaving her in the dark night. She turned with her hand on Luke's truck. “I'm going to send out a security guy tomorrow. If you're going to live out here, you will have a security system. Don't even try to argue me out of it.”

Standing in the wash of the light spilling through the doorway, Kate looked small and vulnerable. “I won't try to talk you out of it. See you tomorrow.”