Murder Returns to the Precipice by Penny Goetjen

Author:Penny Goetjen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penny Goetjen

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Torn between having to leave the inn in the hands of someone other than herself and missing the opportunity to meet Kurt’s parents, Elizabeth decided the latter would have far more potentially regretful ramifications, so she opted to accompany him on his visit. She’d been feeling the mounting pressures of running the inn during a murder investigation and embraced the opportunity for an out. A few hours away without guests or clients to worry about. She didn’t wait for Sam to clear their excursion; she informed the reluctant deputy they’d be away from the inn for the day but available by cell.

After rising early and driving up the coast, they took the ferry out of Boothbay Harbor for the hour and a half ride. As the day warmed, it turned out to be blissfully bright, though cooler on the water. Not a cloud in the sky. No storms appeared imminent—at least not from a meteorological perspective—and the air was unusually calm, which was reflected in the surface of the ocean. They joined fellow passengers along the railing on the starboard side as the boat pulled out of the harbor. Gulls swooped down across the bow as if discerning whether or not the vessel was a fishing boat. Disappointed, they didn’t linger.

Halfway into their journey, the cool air forced Elizabeth to pull her jacket out of her tote, and Kurt scooted closer, guiding the sleeves up her arms from behind. Retreating inside the nearly deserted cabin, they plopped onto one of the benches near the windows. At times, he seemed to be immersed in thought and looked like he was about to say something but decided against it. She let it go. The constant vibrating rumble of the engine felt soothing, nearly lulling her to sleep. Her head landed quite naturally on his shoulder.

Suddenly he pulled his arm away, and she straightened up. “What’s wrong?”

“Elizabeth, there’s something you need to know—something I need to get off my chest if I’m going to be straight with you—and I have to do it before we get to the island.”

“Okay.” She hoped she’d be able to hear him over the noise of the toiling engine.

His gaze wandered toward the windows, out to the open sea. She allowed him the time he needed to gather his thoughts.

“I left out an important detail about what happened to my brother.”

“Okay, I’m listening.” She didn’t dare touch his hand or lay hers on his leg. He seemed to need to distance himself from her, to say what was on his mind.

“So that awful day—that I’ve wished every day of my life I could get back again—I was hanging out with my buddies, and Jamie was hanging with us. I remember the guys were being great about taking turns to entertain him, and he seemed to be having a lot of fun. One of the guys had his skateboard with him and Jamie got on it.” His voice softened. “He got on it and tried to do what the big guys had been doing.

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