Kelsey closed her eyes, not wanting to hear any more.

“That’s when Neale became a lifeguard—he took over Rebecca’s job.” Donna shook her head with a derisive laugh. “I can’t believe I’d forgotten about all that. It was just about this time last year.”

Chapter 6

“MOM!”

Kelsey paused, listening, relieved when she heard a door open upstairs and the rapid thud of feet down the hall.

“Kelsey—where on earth have you been? I’ve had Justin looking everywhere for you, but he had to go to work—”

“Mom, I’m fine, I just went for a walk. Has anyone heard anything?”

Mom shook her head, running one hand through disheveled hair. “No, honey, nothing. I sure could use some coffee—want to join me?”

Kelsey poured the coffee, trying to think where to start. Donna…the old man at the lighthouse…her feeling of being watched on the beach…the note… With everything else that had happened that morning, it had been pushed completely from her mind. Now she frowned, wondering what to do, and lowered herself into a chair.

“You remember the guy on the boat yesterday? I saw him on the beach this morning, and this girl—Donna—is a friend of his and Justin’s. We went and had some breakfast and talked.”

“That’s nice,” Mom said, but her look was distracted. “Kelsey, they’re calling off the search after today. They’re convinced Beth fell and drowned, and they don’t think they’ll ever find her.”

“Oh, Mom…”

“Eric wants me to stay.”

“I understand.”

“Now look, you can call Jenny and see if you can still go with her folks to the mountains and—”

“Mom, I can’t leave now.” Kelsey scooted forward, her voice urgent. “I just…wouldn’t feel right about it.”

Mom sighed and pulled her close in a hug. “Do you think you can manage on your own? Try to have a good time in spite of everything? I know it won’t be much of a vacation, and Eric thinks you might be better off…”

“Tell Eric not to worry. I’m really okay. I just wish I could help.”

“We all wish that, honey. But no one can do anything because no one knows anything. There’s no proof…” She lowered her voice again and it trembled. “You just can’t give up, can you, if there’s no proof…I mean, it’s not like your father…”

Her voice faded, and Kelsey stared down at her mother’s hands twisting together on the tablecloth. She could feel her own chest tightening, and she got up quickly. She couldn’t tell Mom about the note—not about any of it.

Kelsey jumped as the kitchen door flew open, relaxing again when she saw Justin.

“Oh, so there you are.” He looked relieved.

“I’m sorry, Justin. She walked in a few minutes ago. I should have let you know.” Mom pulled out a chair and motioned for him to sit, but he shook his head.

“I have to get back. I just wanted to make sure she got home okay. How’s Dad?”

“He finally dozed off about half an hour ago. I was hoping he’d sleep a while, but he made me promise to wake him for the search party—”