Bone Deep (Widow's Island Novella) by Kendra Elliot

Author:Kendra Elliot [Elliot, Kendra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Montlake
Published: 2022-10-17T16:00:00+00:00

9

Despair. Frustration. Fear.

Cate’s feelings ricocheted from one bleak emotion to another. She focused on hope as it fought for territory in her heart, but it was losing ground, making Cate angry. It was too soon to give up hope. But her emotions were out of her control.

It was nearly ten o’clock, and she sat on the bed in her old room in Jane’s house. Her grandmother had insisted she sleep there, and Cate hadn’t argued. The thought of another night alone in her and Henry’s home had made her want to cry. Cate’s mind raced as she stared at the wall, trying to come up with new search avenues out of thin air.

Henry had been gone for almost twenty-four hours, and the investigators had hit dead end after dead end. The men camping on the beach were in their late sixties. Definitely not the men they were looking for. No one had given up, but the investigators’ expressions had grown more troubled by the hour. She crossed her arms on the desk and lowered her head in a fruitless search for peace.

There would be little sleep tonight, even though her exhaustion was bone deep.

“Cate! Can you come down here?” Jane called up the stairs.

She wanted to say no, but Cate stood and headed toward the creaky wooden staircase. Jane lived in the second home that Elias Bishop had built for his mistress, Ruby. It was a small manor and wasn’t as big and ornate as the historic Bishop Mansion, where his wife, Camilla, had lived, but it had more character. It was showing its age, and something always needed repair, but it was a cozy home to Cate.

Jane was at the bottom of the stairs, and she gestured toward the kitchen. “I had nothing to do with this,” Jane said as she passed. Cate frowned, wondering what to expect.

She entered the kitchen and saw Tessa and Samantha seated on stools at the island, devoted expressions on their faces. Cate immediately burst into tears and covered her eyes.

“Oh no!” exclaimed the women.

Cate was instantly engulfed with hugs. These were her sisters. Not by blood but by choice.

“We didn’t mean to make you cry,” said Tessa. “We just thought you’d like some company tonight.” Cate met her stricken gaze and then took in the identical look in Sam’s eyes.

“I’m thrilled to see you,” Cate said, wiping her cheeks. “Ignore my tears. I have absolutely no control over my emotions right now.” Her gaze dropped to the pendant at Tessa’s neck and then spotted the same on Sam’s. She started to cry again, and her hand went to the empty place at her own neck. “My necklace is back at my place.”

Jane had gifted the pendants to the three girls when they were teenagers. It was a heart divided into three pieces with the word Sisters engraved on each one. It was dear to all of them.

The two women pulled her to the island and made her sit. Tessa poured her a glass of water, and Sam looked in the pantry.

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