A sudden creaking made her scream—she put her hand to her mouth and backed up, feeling the boat groan beneath her feet. It wasn’t safe here—she had to get out. The floor tilted, and she whirled around to the old brass-bound chest to steady herself against it.

The first thing she saw was the knife.

Kelsey had never seen a knife that long or that ugly. Something thick had dried on the blade and had never been cleaned off, and the point looked dull and nearly blunted. Whoever felt the tip of this knife would die a slow, painful death…

In mingled horror and fascination she leaned forward. Now she could see something else there, puddled beneath the knife—something dark…dark red…

She reached out to touch it.

Something stuck to her fingers and clung as she drew back in alarm—something that streamed and flowed and ran down her arm…

Only it wasn’t blood.

It was a scarf.

A long red scarf that she had seen before. In a picture on the mantel in Eric’s cottage.

Beth had been wearing it around her neck.

“No…” Kelsey whispered, “Oh, no…”

There was a scurrying in the corner, and she wheeled around, screaming again as a huge, mangy rat fixed her with shining eyes.

Kelsey dropped the scarf and ran.

Chapter 16

WHAT AM I GOING to do? Kelsey slammed the cottage door and leaned breathlessly against it. Go to the sheriff? Tell him he can go right down and pick up his murderer? No, Donna was probably her best bet, only Donna was working and she wouldn’t see her till tonight. For a second, Kelsey thought of going over to the restaurant, then remembered she didn’t know the name of it or how to get there. Should she finally tell Justin what was going on? Neale? He’d be furious with her, she knew, but at least he already believed that Beth had been murdered. Skip? But he would only accuse her of playing another joke on him…

Going to the mantel, Kelsey picked up the photograph, staring at Beth and the red scarf. She hadn’t made a mistake. She knew the scarf was Beth’s. She knew Isaac had killed her. But why?

“You’ll just end up getting hurt…” She could call the sheriff. Leave an anonymous tip, then hang up before anyone could trace the call. She went into the kitchen and reached for the phone. It rang just as her hand closed around it, jolting her out of her skin.

“Kelsey? Hello? Is anybody there?”

Kelsey’s hands were shaking so badly that she could hardly hold the receiver. “Mom? Is that you? Oh, Mom, I’ve got to tell you—”

“Listen, honey, I only have a second. Eric’s in the hospital. Kelsey, can you hear me? I said Eric is—”

“I hear you,” Kelsey said numbly. “What happened?”

“The doctors don’t think it’s anything serious—he collapsed, but he’s resting now.”

“Collapsed—”

“His heart, honey. They’re sure it’s from all the strain, but they want to keep him a couple days. Just to make sure. Will you tell the boys?”