By the time Kate reached the turnoff onto Highway 1, the tears had stopped flowing. A sense of rightness settled over her. She was leaving Downeast Maine herself, so how could she expect Claire’s life to stop and never change? Change was good. Last week’s sermon about how adversity helps people grow was a good example. God would go with them both.
She slowed the car when she reached Machias. A crowd was gathered around the sheriff’s office and jail, and she slowed even more, then slammed on her brakes when she recognized her uncle standing in cuffs beside the sheriff.
She parked at the curb, ran the windows down partway, and leaped out. “Stay,” she told her dog.
Using her elbows and determination, she fought her way through the throng crowding the steps to the brick building. “Danny!”
The sheriff turned and saw her, then motioned for his deputies to part the crowd to let her through. “I was going to call you as soon as I had him in a cell.”
Her gaze went past him to Uncle Paul, who looked older and more shrunken than the last time she’d seen him. Had he been eating? Defiance was in the slant of his mouth and the depths of his eyes.
She looked back to the sheriff. “Can I talk to him for a minute?”
“Ayuh, but only for a few minutes. I want to get him processed.”
“Where’d you find him?”
“A Coast Guard cutter hauled him aboard. He was trying to swim from Folly Shoals to the peninsula.”
She gasped. “That’s three miles in the cold water.”
“Only Paul would be so cocky.” He told one of the deputies to put Paul into the backseat of the sheriff’s car, then let Kate slide into the front seat where she could talk to him in private through the bars.
She closed the door behind her and turned to face her uncle. For a long moment they stared at one another as if waiting for the other to speak. She finally cleared her throat. “Everyone thought you were out of the country.”
He still wore camo clothing, but it looked stained and ragged, as if he hadn’t changed it in the weeks since she’d seen him. Though he was only in his midforties, he looked older somehow.
He held her gaze. “I saw that guy watching you. I couldn’t leave once I knew he was up to no good.” His lip curled. “A deputy ought to uphold the law. I knew something bad was coming down, and you were walking around with your head in the clouds, oblivious to everything around you, the way you always do.”
Her cheeks heated. “You risked being captured for me?”
“You’re my blood. Your mama would want me to take care of you.”
“Is that why you killed Jonas first?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want to risk him getting away and coming after you later.”
“Have you talked to Mother?” He and her mom were in separate prisons.
He shook his head. “Tried to call her once, but she was in detention.” He yawned. “Looks like I’m going back to the clink. At least I’ll get three squares and have a bed to sleep in. Been hunkering down in the woods all this time.”
“Why did you steal from Claire?” The question had been burning in her mind ever since she’d found out what he’d done.
His eyes went flat. “I didn’t want her to ever get to feeling safe.”
“She’s your niece too. Part of me, Uncle Paul. She did nothing wrong.”
He settled against the seat back. “She’ll try to keep me from being paroled when the time comes. I wanted to put a little fear into her so maybe she’d think twice about testifying against me.”
“Claire’s a really good person. She never meant to hurt anyone. And she’s going to have a baby. You’ll be a great-uncle.”
His expression didn’t change. “Not my blood. She belongs to Dellamare and always will. She’s not like you, Kate. You grew up here. You belong to the woods and ocean. This is your place and always will be.”
“I’m leaving,” she blurted out. “I’m going to go with Drake.”
He nodded as if he’d expected it. “But you’ll be back. This place never lets you leave, not permanently.”
Maybe he was right, but she was finally ready for a great adventure. “Thank you for saving me, Uncle Paul. You saved all of us—Drake, Luke, Claire, the baby. And even Drake’s nieces. That terrible man intended to kill them too. If you hadn’t shown up, we’d all be dead.”
His gaze darted away, and he cleared his throat before he glanced back at her. “I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, Kate. Not ever. You tell your man that he’ll have to answer to me if I ever hear he made you cry.”
Her eyes welled with tears as so many memories flashed through her mind. He’d been a great uncle to her. She reached for the door handle. “I’ll tell him, Uncle Paul.” Blindly, she thrust open the door and stumbled out. Conflicting emotions tore at her chest. Love, grief, guilt, anger. Everyone had good and bad in them. She prayed someday Uncle Paul would find his life and worth in God.
* * *
The sun was low in the sky, highlighting the cliffs in gold and red, as Drake walked along the edge of the water with Kate and the girls. The children skipped ahead with Jackson to gather sea glass in their buckets. He was going to talk to Kate about the future. It wasn’t going to be as rosy as he’d tried to make it out. He didn’t want to lose Kate, but he dreaded telling her about his phone call this afternoon.
She stopped and smiled up at him. “You’re very pensive all of a sudden. Still reacting to everything that’s happened? I know it’s hard to accept such evil in the world. I was in the same place when I realized what my family had done to Claire and to Luke’s mother.” She tucked her arm into his. “We’ll get through it together.”
“I know we will.” He tried to put confidence in his voice.
He loved the shape of her face, all sweet curves and gentle planes. He hated to spill the words trembling on his tongue, but he straightened and held her gaze. “I’m going to have to go back to Boston sooner than I expected. We just got a big order for my new drone from one of the biggest electronics stores in the country. I’ve finally figured out the modifications on the one for the Fish and Wildlife Service, too, and Lakesha is about to have a heart attack over being left to deal with all this alone.”
“How wonderful!” Her smile faltered only a little before resuming at full wattage. “When do you have to leave?”
“Immediately.”
“Just like that?” She pulled her arm out of his.
He took her hand. “Can we talk about my initial idea of leaving the kids with you while I travel back and forth on the weekends?”
Her blue eyes grew luminous. Tears? She was taking this all wrong. His fingers tightened on hers. “I want to marry you. A marriage shouldn’t be spent mostly apart. Forget I ever mentioned that idea.”
Her lips parted, and her eyes crinkled in a broader smile. “I think that’s the most prosaic proposal I’ve ever heard of. What, no bended knee, no declaration of everlasting love?”
He grinned and took her by the shoulders, then turned her to face him. “I love you now and forever. I think you already know that. I’m not good with flowery words. But I’ll always be by your side, Kate. You’ll never have to worry about being someone you aren’t. I love you just the way you are. I love the way you try to take care of people. I love the fierce loyalty you show to family. You’re smart, funny, and beautiful inside and out. But I mostly love the inside beauty you show. You’re tenacious and strong. The girls will be too.”
She blinked and several tears rolled down her cheeks. “I think you’re pretty darn good with flowery words. I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. I love you enough to leave Maine and go with you wherever you want me to.”
He was so busy trying to figure out how to tell her he wanted her to think about going to Boston that it took a second for her words to register. The breath whooshed out of his lungs. “What? Boston? Are you sure?” Idiot. He shouldn’t be trying to talk her out of it.
“I’m positive. Claire says it’s time for me to fly, and I think she’s right. I might be a little awkward like the puffins when they try to take off, but I’ll keep at it until I’m airborne. I’m not saying you won’t come home sometimes to find me crying, but I’ll be all right. This is what we need to do for us and for the girls.” Her grin slanted up at him again. “I take it that’s a marriage proposal too?”
Still stunned, he blinked and nodded, then grabbed her and swung her around. The feel of her in his arms was as right as the ocean foaming on the rocks. He was never going to let her go. He set her down and pulled her into a kiss. Her soft lips under his were warm and pliant, giving and taking as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
He pulled away and looked down into her face. “Soon?”
“As soon as I can get a wedding dress and plans pulled together. Don’t think I’m going to a justice of the peace, mister.” She wagged her finger at him. “I want a wedding with all the trimmings. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but I want us to get married in the blueberry barrens where I grew up with my sister standing up for me.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. How long?”
“Late October? I want us to savor our engagement. I’ll have to find a place to live.”
“There’s a house for rent in my neighborhood. I’ll snag it for you.” His chest felt as though it might explode from the bubble of joy expanding in it. He gave a whoop and lifted her in his arms again.
The girls looked up, then came running to them. Jackson barked and ran in circles around them.
“What’s wrong, Uncle Drake?” Emma’s hazel eyes were round.
“Kate’s going to marry me. She’s going back with us to Boston.” Drake set her on the ground.
Phoebe slipped her hand into Kate’s and looked up at her. “Are you going to be our new mommy?”
Kate knelt beside the little girl and drew her into a hug. “I wouldn’t want to replace your real mommy, and we’ll make sure we always talk about her and go to see your grandparents. No one can really replace your mommy and daddy. But I love you very much, and I’m going to take care of you the very best way I can.” She held out her other hand for Emma, who leaped into her embrace and put her arms around Kate’s neck.
Drake dropped to his knees, too, and embraced the three of them. “I know it’s going to take us a while, but we’re going to be a family.” The best kind of family—one that was held together by love.