Cooper's Deale Part 4

"I made your favorite, Tommy," she called up to the tree house. "I got the crunchy peanut b.u.t.ter you like, and grape jelly."

Tommy drooled. It really was his favorite meal, and he came out of his nest and stood on the platform as she put his lunch in the metal bucket, then quickly pulled it up to the landing.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Addy said. "I saw Grandma's lawyer again today, and everything's fine. Tomorrow will be two weeks since Grandma's funeral, and everything seems to be finalized and the house is ours. I'm going to move in and stay for good. I hope that's okay with you."

Tommy bit into his sandwich, thinking about what she said.

He missed his grandma something terrible. He felt all alone, with no one to talk to. Now that Addy was back, he wasn't sure how things were going to be different. She had left him once, and she might do it again. He didn't know if he could trust her just yet, and he might have to give it some time before he was sure.

"Tommy? Is that okay with you?"

"I guess so."

"I also wanted you to know that there's going to be workmen around here for a while, doing some odd jobs but mostly painting the house. You've seen them around lately, but you may be seeing more coming and going. But mostly it will be Dale Olson, and his little brother Jeff too. I know you like Jeff. I just didn't want them to show up without you knowing about it. I didn't want you to be afraid or anything."

"Okay," he said. He didn't really like the idea of having strangers in his territory, especially after those men down by the water had been here. But having Jeff around would be fun. Maybe Jeff would help him figure out what was going on.

He took a gulp of milk and studied the tall gra.s.s and weeds where he had last seen the man in tan and blue, the crane. He still hadn't come out, and Tommy started to think something might be wrong. It kept bothering him, and he wondered if he should say something to Addy. Only he and the three men who returned to the house across the inlet knew about this secret. Surely if something wasn't right, they would have told someone.

He ate the last bite of his sandwich and finished his milk, putting the plate and gla.s.s back in the bucket and lowering it to the ground. If the man didn't come out by tonight, Tommy would go down and see what was going on.

The sun had barely sunk before Tommy climbed down the ladder and followed his usual path to the sh.o.r.e, keeping low to the ground. He was scared when he approached the spot where he last saw the man, but when he got there, he was surprised. He didn't see a thing. He looked real hard at the ground in front of him, with all the footprints and deep grooves in the mud leading up into the brush. Then he followed the trail where the weeds had been trampled down. Finally, he discovered something covered up about halfway by mud, gra.s.s, and a big tree limb.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

After Addy finished was.h.i.+ng the dinner dishes and put them away for the umpteenth time, she decided to get a dishwasher. Her grandmother had considered most household appliances the devil's work and refused to buy anything to make her life easier. These frivolous items cost a lot, and if they broke down, she'd need to spend even more money to have them repaired. As a result, the only modern conveniences in the house were electricity and running water, put in when Addy and her brother came to live with her. The state of Maryland insisted that she install these if she expected to remain the children's guardian.

After Grandma Adelaide added showers and toilets, she continued to expand the house. She still used the outhouse in the backyard and bathed in a wash tub filled with water she heated on the wood-burning stove, but she became enthusiastic about architecture when she realized what fun construction work could be. She did much of the work herself, learning from books she borrowed from the library. It was hard, physical labor, the kind her grandmother was used to and loved. By the time of her death, she had added four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a family room.

And when Tommy decided to stay in the tree house permanently, she ran plumbing, heating, and electricity up the old oak and installed insulation. She expanded his small room and added a tiny kitchenette and bathroom.

Addy dried her hands on the dish towel and stood at the kitchen sink, gazing out into the night to see if Tommy was okay.

Things were going well, with the new tenants and the house already in much better condition. She needed to get her real estate in Oakland on the market and determined to call her realtor in California the next morning. Right now, she hoped her savings and the income from the tenants would be enough for them until the house sold. She considered hunting for another job, but the town was small and businesses scarce, so she knew salaries would be low. Perhaps doing people's taxes might help, but tax season was a long way off. She couldn't leave Tommy alone all day anyway-someone needed be around to fix his meals and keep an eye on him. Fern still worked, and Addy didn't feel right about asking Chauncey.

Staring out the window again, she wondered if Tommy was awake. It was still early. Maybe she should spend some time with him. She wanted to be sure all the changes in his life weren't too much of a strain, and besides, she was a little lonely. She tossed the dish towel onto the counter and wandered out the back door.

"Tommy? Tommy, are you awake?"

Not waiting for a response, she climbed the oak and scrambled to the door, knocking briefly before she went inside.

"Tommy?" She groped in the dark until she found the switch to Tommy's bedside lamp. His bed was empty and Tommy nowhere in sight.

"Tommy, where are you?"

She began to shake and she panicked, thinking something bad had happened to him. Maybe she should call the police. That meant calling Karen, and while her body instantly perked up, her mind rebelled. She forced herself to calm down and think clearly.

She didn't see any signs of distress in the room. In fact, Tommy's bed was neatly made. Could he have voluntarily left his tree house? He never went down, but then, who would pay any attention to him at night when everyone was in bed? She rushed to the window with its open shutters. The half-moon reflecting off the water provided enough light for her to see, and she squinted into the darkness. After a few moments, she detected movement down by the water, and she ran to the platform and stumbled down the ladder.

She sprinted to the pine trees and into the tall gra.s.s dotting the inlet banks, at one point tripping and falling to her knees in the mud. Pausing only for an instant, she scrambled to her feet and trod more carefully near the water's edge.

"Tommy? Tommy, where are you?" Please, oh, please, G.o.d. Where is he? Tommy was her baby brother, whom she had held in her arms as a little girl, if for only a few moments. She had loved him like a favorite doll then, and as they grew older he became her best friend and confidant. When they lost their parents, they had had only one another, and they had defended each other.

"Caw, caw! Over here, Addy."

His voice washed over her so rapidly that her knees nearly gave out. Stepping cautiously into the weedy gra.s.s, she reached an opening where the ground had been trampled and found Tommy standing next to a mound of dirt, a large branch in his hands. She rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank G.o.d you're all right. What in the world are you doing out here? Are you okay?" Her words tumbled out, and she breathed deeply to calm herself. Her sudden release of tension made it difficult to stand.

"I could kill you, Tommy. Don't ever do this again without telling me. It's dangerous. You could drown and I'd never know it. What are you doing out here in the dark?"

Tommy pointed to the mound of dirt. "He's dead, just like Grandma."

Confused, Addy stared at the pile of earth.

"What? Who's dead? What are you talking about?"

"The man with the camera. He was playing hide-and-seek, but he's not very good at it. And look, he's dead just like Grandma. Do you think he's with the angels now too, Addy?"

The night sky and bright moon created a surreal landscape, as though Addy were dreaming or moving through water. She tripped over something-a pair of feet sticking out from the mud. She pressed a fist to her mouth, suppressing the scream and bile that rushed to her throat. Unable to comprehend the horrific scene before her, she stared at Tommy instead, and for the longest time, she tried to process exactly what was going on. He held the branch in his hands, as if he had either clubbed the man with it or was using it to cover up the body.

"Tommy...what...what are you doing?"

He grinned, his teeth gleaming even in the darkness.

"I'm burying him. I tried covering up his head better. It was kind of bashed in, so I put more mud on it. I was going to put some gra.s.s on his legs so all of him would be buried-just like Grandma. But I scratched myself on this limb. I think I got a splinter in my hand too. Can you get it out, Addy?"

He held up his hand and she automatically moved closer.

Holding it, she stared at his palm, unseeing, so she shook her head to clear it. Everything was happening so suddenly, and she couldn't quite grasp what was going on and what Tommy's role in it was. She felt numb yet s.h.i.+vered violently in the warm summer air.

Kneeling beside the body, she felt hopefully for a pulse, but found none.

"Tommy, let's go back to the house so I can take care of your hand."

"But what about him? I need to finish burying him."

"Not tonight. Come on, Tommy. I need to think about this."

Taking his arm, she dragged him along, half leaning on him for support. She started to take him into the house, but he pulled back, insisting on returning to his tree house. She nodded dully, and after getting some first-aid cream, tweezers, and a bandage, she followed him. He sat on his bed, staring at his hands, the bedside lamp s.h.i.+ning brightly like a beacon in the darkness.

Sitting next to him, she said, "Let me see."

His hands were covered in blood, much more than a simple sliver of wood could ever produce. Her heart stopped beating and she couldn't move.

"Oh, Tommy. What did you do?"

"I got a splinter when I accidentally dropped the club on the man. I didn't mean to, Addy. Is my hand going to be okay?"

Addy couldn't keep from shaking. She held on to Tommy's hands, unable to let go of them. Finally, she got up and poured a bowl full of water from the pitcher on the table. Grabbing a towel, she began to wash his hands. The water in the bowl turned bright red, and she scrubbed his hands roughly, trying to rid him of the stain.

"Ow! Addy, you're hurting me."

"I'm sorry." She stilled her hands. Finding a small sliver in his thumb, she removed it with the tweezers, then applied the medication and bandage. "Tommy, listen to me very carefully. You need to stay here in your tree house. Don't leave it for a while, because I don't want you to get your hands dirty. You could get a bad infection. And if anyone asks you about the man down by the water, don't say anything. Even if it's the police, say that you don't know anything about the man. You never saw him before, okay?"

"But if Karen asks, it's okay then, right? She's my friend. And Jeff Olson, he's my friend too."

Addy shook her head. "No. Promise you won't say a word to anyone and that you'll stay right here. I mean it, Tommy. This is very important. Say it."

"I promise."

"Now, go to sleep, and don't climb down again tonight. Good night, Tommy." She kissed his forehead and left him sitting on his bed.

Back in the house, she sat down at the kitchen table, shaking uncontrollably. What should she do? Perhaps call Karen, tell her everything and that Tommy couldn't be held accountable for his actions. He didn't even understand most of what he did. h.e.l.l, he thought he was a bird, had believed it since he was a boy. After his parents disappeared, he had climbed up into the tree house and never budged-at least that's what everyone believed. But he did indeed come down, and for what purposes she could only guess!

She glimpsed her nearby cell phone. She should call Karen.

She'd know what to do. Just thinking of Karen here in the room, with her quiet strength, taking charge of the situation, as she had so many times in the past, calmed her. Karen had been with her when Addy had found out about her parents, and even though they were just children, she seemed to know how to make things right.

And Karen had been her first love, leading her gently into the unknown world of self-discovery. She had s.h.i.+elded Addy against the people shocked by their relations.h.i.+p and defended Tommy from the taunts and fists of other boys. Karen was her champion, like those she read about in fairy tales, and she had believed in her without question.

In that instant, she almost reached for the phone. But she was exhausted and still needed to mentally process the evening's events. What would happen to Tommy if he were arrested and convicted of murder? He would never survive. Addy had to defend him from the real world. Maybe she would be able to think more clearly in the morning. After that, she would call Karen.

CHAPTER NINE.

The sound of tires crunching on the stones in the driveway roused Addy from a deep sleep. She had awakened several times during the night, restless with her secret.

Her dreams had been anxious too, with snippets of visions-the inlet, the sh.o.r.eline, the body, and Tommy's b.l.o.o.d.y hands. The thunderstorm hadn't helped. The rain cascaded down, obscuring her view of the inlet.

Hearing a car door slam, she crawled out of bed and hurried to the window, her mind instantly on alert. Karen was getting out of the patrol car, fresh and crisp in her uniform. Addy's heart thumped painfully, from either relief or anxiety, but she was still glad to see her.

She threw on her bathrobe and flew down the stairs, intercepting Karen before she could knock.

"Mornin', Addy. Sorry to bother you so early."

"No, it's all right, come on in. Let me make some coffee."

Addy hustled into the kitchen, too nervous to ask why she was here. Could someone have discovered the body already and even now the police were on their way? Was Karen here to ease the way for the arresting officers to haul Tommy off to jail? Opening the canister of coffee, Addy spilled half the contents on the floor.

"Hey, are you all right?" Karen knelt and began to scoop the coffee with her hand. Glancing up, she stared at Addy. "You're pale. Are you sick?"

"No, no, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night." She bent to help with the cleanup. Oh, how she wanted to fall into Karen's arms. She wanted to be held and told that everything would be all right. She inhaled Karen's scent, nothing but soap and clean skin, and warm memories crept into her already muddled brain. It felt so good to have Karen in the house again. But now what would happen? "What are you doing here?"

"I was hanging out at the Happy Harbor last night when Dee-Dee mentioned you were turning the place into a boarding house."

"Oh, that." Addy laughed nervously.

"She said you have two tenants, including old lady Bush. Geez, what a nightmare that must be."

"Why, good morning, Deputy."

Fern entered the kitchen, dressed in seersucker and ready for a day at work.

"Oh, uh, good morning, Miss Bush. I didn't see you come in." Karen blushed.

"Evidently. As I recall, you were equally un.o.bservant as a child. I believe you rarely borrowed a book and when you did, well, let me just say that your taste in literature was questionable."

"How do you remember that stuff?" Karen asked, surprise plastered across her face.

"I never forget anything, Deputy. Knowledge sharpens the mind. It's obvious you haven't picked up a book since then."

"I went into the military after high school, remember, Miss Bush?" Karen asked. "The officers there sharpened my mind plenty."

Fern sniffed and scrutinized Karen. "I'm sure that was precisely the correct fit for someone of your...talents. Now, Addy here, she went off to a prestigious university and made something of herself. I'm sure she's as keen as a razor."

"Huh?" The heat rose to Addy's face, and Karen's scrutiny did nothing to turn it down. Fern poured coffee into a thermos and left for work. They were silent for a long while and Addy didn't know what to say, though images from last night flooded her. Tommy simply couldn't hurt any living creature. Surely he hadn't acted intentionally. It had to have been an accident. That's it. That's what she would tell the police.

But why would he have tried to bury the man's body? What excuse would she possibly concoct, other than that she had been an accomplice and tried to cover up the crime? Oh, man, this is getting more complicated than I thought.

"Addy, are you all right?"

"I need to talk to you-"

A shout drew their attention to the backyard. Addy ran out to the screened-in porch to see a small boat moored alongside the dock. Two men, standing near the sh.o.r.e, waved frantically, motioning them down to the water. A heavy lump dropped into her stomach and she felt like she was swallowing sand. Karen hurried out of the porch and into the yard, heading for the men and Addy rushed after her.

"Karen, wait!"

Karen stopped midstride and slowly turned around. It was the first time Addy had called her by her first name, and she s.h.i.+vered slightly. Addy had been acting strangely ever since she arrived.

And now Addy seemed terrified. She almost reached out, but stopped herself, knowing she wouldn't be welcome. Something wasn't right, and she wanted very much to erase Addy's fear, but she would have to make the first move.

"What is it?"

"I...I," Addy stuttered. "I just wanted to say be careful. You don't know who those men are or what they want."

Karen gazed at her for a long time. Did Addy really care for her safety or did she have something else on her mind?