Lighthouse on the Lake: A Birch Harbor Novel by Elizabeth Bromke

Author:Elizabeth Bromke [Bromke, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B084VSBJ2C
Publisher: Publishing in the Pines
Published: 2020-04-08T23:00:00+00:00

***

“Oh my gosh,” Clara whispered. “She sounds like one of my students.”

Megan’s throat closed up involuntarily. Hearing and seeing her mother’s words was at once morbidly fascinating and heart-wrenchingly painful. “What do you think she’s talking about? Who’s Gene?” Megan asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Kate flipped the page. “Let’s find out.”

Chapter 21—Amelia

They spent the next hour poring over vague entry after vague entry, searching for clues. The name seemed vaguely familiar to Amelia, but she couldn’t quite pin it down.

Soon enough, they were burnt out. Every line seemed to hold some suggestion of what the first entry hinted about. Though they didn’t get through the whole thing, it was clear that there were wide gaps in when Nora had decided to write—not only because of the chronological expanse between entries but because she’d torn many, many pages out. Perhaps the entries she’d torn out were the most specific ones. The most revealing. Wrought of truth and emotion, like those four she’d left with Michael.

There was no other specific mention of Gene. Yes, some romantic pinings, but each of those did not name anyone, and each felt, well... like it was about a different man. Or boy, in the earlier cases.

“Let’s take a break,” Amelia suggested. “We’ve learned nothing more than the fact that Mom was a girl with a secret. Lots of secrets, probably.”

Clara slid from her seat and took her mug to the sink, rinsing it dutifully. “I agree. I’m ready to hit the beach for a walk or something. It’s officially summer. Let’s act like it.”

Megan checked her wristwatch. “All right. Sounds good to me. We have lots of time before Brian and Sarah get in, and I have nothing to do.”

“Well, I have a lot to do,” Kate complained, her expression sour. “And I have company coming.”

“Company?” Amelia asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

Kate glanced away, clearly suppressing a smile. “Matt is helping me get started on some things around here. I can’t wait around to get started. I need income now.”

“What about your realty job? And your house? What’s the latest on those?” Megan piped up from her squatted position at her bag. She’d been rummaging for a bathing suit, apparently. Of them all, Megan was treating the day like a vacation. It put Amelia in the mood to rent a kayak and head out on the open water.

Holding up her palms and now smiling broadly, Kate confessed, “I quit. And I dropped the price on the house. I’ll need to get my furniture out here soon, probably. My old boss said they’re expecting to get some nibbles today.”

“That’s great, Kate,” Amelia offered sincerely. She was happy for her older sister. After a lifetime of doing what was expected of her (generally speaking), it was nice to see the Type-A Perfectionist making choices that only she wanted to make. In fact, Kate was even more enjoyable to spend time with. Some of her neuroses and anxieties had seemed to subside in favor of a relaxed attitude, generally.

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