Murder at the Clock Tower: Gold Strike: A Golden Restoration Mystery Book 1 (Gold Strike Mysteries 3) by Diana Orgain

Author:Diana Orgain [Orgain, Diana]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2021-11-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“Peter,” I said, my voice so raspy it hardly sounded like me at all. I took a sip of my water as the young man wheeled himself to my table. He had a small, sleek wheelchair that allowed him to quickly whip around the other tables, so he reached me in an instance.

“Mrs. Wilson! Wow, I heard you were back in town, but I didn’t think I’d run into you.”

My stomach twisted, and a wave of guilt rushed over me.

Peter had only been fourteen years old when it happened; I hadn’t seen him since the funeral, and that was nearly five years ago. I’d spoken to him a couple of times on the phone and had him a card for his birthday, but I kept him at arm’s length. Steven had saved Peter – that’s what the coroner had told me.

He had drowned himself in the process.

My husband had worked with disabled children as a volunteer sports therapist for years. He and Peter were exceptionally close, and Steven had taken him out to kayak in the nearby river. The floods made the rapids more dangerous than Steven had anticipated. The same river he had kayaked up and down with children like Peter a thousand times before it killed him.

The change in Peter was dramatic. It was the same feeling I got when looking at pictures of Tori’s son. Peter was no longer that scared fourteen-year-old I’d sat with in the hospital, trying to reassure him that Steven’s death hadn’t been his fault. Peter’s kayak had capsized, and Steven had sacrificed himself to get the boy back into the kayak safely. It was hard to believe this young man staring back at me was that same boy who had been the first to mourn with me that day.

“Look at you,” I managed to say after another swallow. “Gosh, Peter, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

He positively glowed. “Yeah, it’s been a while,” he said. “What brings you back to Golden?”

“Work,” I said. “I have been asked to work on the Clock tower’s restoration. What have you been up to?”

“I’m in college now,” he said excitedly, and the thought stunted me. He had to be nineteen now, but I still pictured him as a high-school freshman. “I’m studying investigative journalism.”

“That’s awesome, Peter.”

Peter’s parents joined us. “Peter, she’s having dinner,” his mother warned, but the woman paused and smiled at me. “Hope, it’s really nice seeing you back in town.”

I smiled. “It’s good to be back.”

“We’ll let you eat,” his father said. “Sorry for the interruption.”

“It’s no interruption at all.” I watched Peter zip back through the tavern to a corner booth. I realized how much I’d missed that kid. I’ve probably thought about him more than anyone else. He felt so guilty for not being able to help Steven; I could have been here for him.

I should have been.

But seeing him smiling like that? He was okay, and I knew that now. My airways seemed to open up, and I released tension in my shoulders.

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