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Back The Lighthouse Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. PART ONE
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. PART TWO
  13. 12
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 18
  18. 19
  19. 21
  20. 22
  21. 23
  22. 24
  23. 25
  24. 26
  25. 27
  26. 28
  27. 30
  28. 31
  29. 32
  30. 33
  31. 34
  32. 35
  33. 36
  34. 37
  35. 38
  36. 39
  37. 40
  38. 41
  39. 42
  40. 43
  41. PART THREE
  42. 44
  43. 45
  44. 46
  45. 47
  46. 49
  47. 50
  48. 51
  49. 52
  50. EPILOGUE

Kevin took a deep breath, turned the engine on once more, released the parking brake, then flicked his indicator in the direction of Seabrook.

“What do you say we head back into town and stop by the bank, see if this crazy idea is even going to be possible.”

Amy nodded her head, letting slip a quiet squeal of excitement. “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this . . .”

“Neither can I,” Kevin laughed. “Believe me, neither can I.”

50

50

After speaking with the manager of the local bank, and after a few calls to realtors back home, the logistics of purchasing the ranch proved to be more straightforward than Kevin had expected. Through sheer good luck and timing, he and Helen had bought in what had become one of Portland’s most sought-after neighborhoods; that, combined with the payout from Helen’s life insurance policy (it was pressed upon every officer in the force to take out comprehensive policies for both them and their spouse), and the fact that the bank had given Mr. Porter a period of clemency and was yet to formally serve the foreclosure notice—meant that Kevin didn’t need to wait around. He was able to approach Roger without delay and make an offer direct.

But rather than jump to any sudden decisions, Kevin and Amy decided to stay in Seabrook one more night. They checked back into the hotel and spent the night in vigorous discussion. During a light dinner, they even made a pros-and-cons list in which every potential issue was noted down, every pitfall objectively weighed and considered. But by the end of their deliberations, they were in unanimous agreement: this wild idea of theirs was a leap worth taking.

•••

After a short interlude back in Portland in which Amy caught up with friends and Kevin managed to convince Jack to keep the case open a short while longer, they returned to Seabrook and visited Roger at the ranch. Sitting out on the porch in two low-slung wicker chairs, Kevin delivered the news that state police would indeed be taking a second look at his son’s disappearance, and that the green light had been given for another search, this time over land and sea. The news was met with heartfelt relief.

“Thank you so much, Detective. But you didn’t have to come down here to tell me this.”

“Roger, I’ll level with you—there’s another reason why we’re here.” Kevin eased forward in his chair, broached the subject of the ranch’s impending sale, and asked whether Roger would consider bypassing the foreclosure and accepting an offer direct.

“An offer? From who?”