Page 166 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

“I recollect searching through a few layers of dead leaves—a little soil too. Thought I might have been onto William’s treasure.”

Nate stepped back, taking several pictures of the space he planned to search. “How long would you say the locket had been out here?”

Captain Bob shrugged. “It’s hard to tell.”

“Just a guesstimate.”

He fiddled with his bandana beneath his wool hat, tugging it farther down on his head. “I sure would hate to give you the wrong answer.”

“Right now, I don’t have any answers so I’ll take whatever you can give me.”

Bob nodded. “Then I’d most likely say a couple years or so.”

Nate put the camera back in the bag. “When we talked the night I caught you coming in off the ferry, you told me you thought it had been ten or fifteen years since you dropped the locket off at Just Antiques.”

Captain Bob nodded again. “That’s right.”

“Could it have been longer—maybe twenty years ago?”

Captain Bob frowned as he scratched at his long beard. “I guess it’s not out of the question. You’re awfully curious about this locket.”

“It’s an odd place to find jewelry.”

Captain Bob shrugged. “Probably some kids out here screwing around. Lots of privacy. Not a bad place for some young Casanova to charm his lady out of a roll on the blanket and lose a necklace in the process.”

Nate made himself smile as he used his boot to push around the leaves and brush covering the forest floor. “Could be.” But a twentysomething woman with a preschooler wasn’t likely to have been out here tromping around among the rocks and thick tree roots on a hot July afternoon. “We’re pretty far out.”

“Couple miles off the path.”

Nate turned a slow circle. “Not too many people head out this way.”

“No. Mostly locals hiking or hunting, I imagine.”

Nate rubbed at the hair standing up on the back of his neck as Captain Bob’s words hit home. Tourists didn’t walk out here. Not with the legends of Old Man Brewster falling into his well and the easy accessibility of trails close to town. Visitors came to the island for the water and amenities, not a stroll through the forest. “Locals,” he said, trying to wrap his head around the idea of someone he knew harming a beautiful blond with a little girl. He wanted to dismiss the thought but he couldn’t. Nothing was off the table at this point. He glanced around again as fat snowflakes started mixing with the rain, then looked at Captain Bob petting his dog. “Should we head back?”

“Sure.”

Nate set the pace on the way through the woods, wanting to get back to the station and give Sanchez a call. They had a lot to talk about.

~~~~

Callie glanced at the time on the stove clock as she put the double chunk cookies Molly had brought over on a pretty floral plate. She turned from the counter, forcing herself to smile as she walked to the table in the mansion’s huge kitchen when all she wanted was for Nate to call. He’d promised to let her know when he and Captain Bob made it back from their trip to Brewster’s Forest. It felt like she’d been waiting for centuries when in actuality it hadn’t been more than a couple of hours. “These look amazing.”

Molly wiggled her brows. “They are amazing. It’s a new recipe I tried out this morning.”

“Thanks for braving the press and the weather to bring them over to us.” She looked out the huge picture window toward the spectacular ocean view as the snow continued to mix with the rain.

“Are you kidding? My profit margins are up one hundred fifty percent since Monday. The least I could do was close up and come say hi now that I can actually get to you without a police escort.”

Callie looked at her friends. Molly had closed early and Gwen had taken a personal day. “You two are the best.”

Gwen grabbed a cookie. “You and Nate are doing me a huge favor by staying here. I actually slept last night knowing that the big bad sheriff was just down the hall. Besides, I wanted to stay home and keep you company.”

Molly snagged a cookie and plucked a chocolate chunk from the top. “So, how are you holding up?” she asked Callie.

Callie shrugged. “I’m doing all right.”

Gwen’s left eyebrow winged up.