“Rose,” Dr. Neill said, glancing down at her, his eyes shining, “I think that things just started to make sense.”

And Rose looked, and she saw what he meant—a blue car pulling into the driveway, beside the tall boxwood hedge.

“Mommy!” Rose shouted, as she flew out the front door and went tearing barefoot across the manicured lawn, straight into the arms of her mother.

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

It didn't take long to pack up and get on the road for Hubbard's Point. Liam had been ready ever since the night before. He had pretty much made up his mind the minute he read Patrick's message. When an idea was right, it was right; the important thing was that Lily felt good about it too.

“What changed?” he asked, driving along Route 1, holding hands with Lily across the seat.

“I came to my senses,” Lily said. “Everything was happening so fast, I hardly had time to think.”

“He can't do anything to us,” Liam said.

“Who can't?” Rose asked from the back seat.

“Rosie, Rosie,” Lily said, turning half around, sidestepping the question. “Wait till you see who's waiting for you at Hubbard's Point.”

“Nanny!” Rose said. “Dr. Neill has her picture on his laptop!”

“Patrick took it,” Liam said, glancing at Lily. Spotting a service station up ahead, he turned in. The gas gauge was down below a quarter full.

The three of them got out of the car. While the attendant filled the tank, Rose wanted to go into the store. Liam and Lily followed her, arms around each other. The shop was odd and quirky, a wood frame building that looked as if it had once been a house. Several boats were parked out front on trailers, some with For Sale signs.

The building's front porch had benches and rockers, racks of local papers, and a bulletin board covered with business cards, notices, and pictures of boats for sale. Another board was filled with pictures of fishermen holding up prize catches—ten-foot makos, fifty-two-inch stripers, a fourteen-foot blue shark.

Inside, the wide floorboards creaked under their feet. A soda fountain ran along the right-hand wall, and the front of the store was filled with bushel baskets of local produce. Lily grabbed a cart and loaded it with fresh tomatoes, basil, corn, and squash. Rose ran toward the back of the shop, and suddenly squealed.

“What is it?” Liam asked as he and Lily hurried back.

“Look!” Rose said, pointing.