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“Is the big snake in Wanchese the one we saw in the wildlife refuge?”
I didn’t answer.
“Was that really you in the story I’ve been hearing?”
I grimaced and twisted my neck to look at her. “What did you hear?”
“That some guy was raping a woman he found by the docks, and the snake ate him.”
“It was me, but that’s not what happened. The rape part, anyway.”
She sank back into her seat. “I should hope not. You would tell me about something like that, right?”
What kind of world had I descended into that nearly getting raped had fallen to the bottom of my list of concerns? “If I got raped, you’d be the first person to know.” It wasn’t entirely a lie, but it wasn’t entirely the truth either. I had to accept that and push the guilt aside. Things were only going to get worse.
Chapter10
Claire drove my car to my apartment. I changed before I dumped my laundry in the backseat and drove her home before heading back to the inn. My apartment didn’t have a washer and dryer, so I used the commercial units at the inn. One benefit of working without pay.
We kept the small kitchen in the guest house stocked with drinks and a few snacks for the guests, so I set up some snacks and drinks at the main house too. I’d changed all the linens and freshened the bathrooms earlier, so after straightening a few things up, I had nothing left to do but wait.
I found myself standing in the doorway to Daddy’s office. I wondered for the umpteenth time where he could have hidden his notes about the curse. I didn’t even know what I was looking for. A notebook? A journal? Folded papers? Claire and I had looked through all the drawers and obvious places, but what about the less obvious ones? Daddy had never been an overly suspicious person before he started losing his memories. But as his sickness spread its roots, he had become paranoid. He could have hidden his notes during one of his delusional states.
The office still seemed the most obvious place to look. Maybe the actual hiding spot was really obscure. I lifted a large framed map of Roanoke Island off the wall and examined the back for any signs of tampering, then moved on to the next picture. I removed five pictures from the wall, stacking them in a pile, and then turned to the bookcases. What if he’d hidden somethingbehindthe books?
I removed a big stack from the middle shelf on the end case and set them on the desk. Once I had the shelf cleared off, I felt around the back of it for any indentations or bulges.
“Looking for something?”
Startled, I bumped my head on the shelf above as I whirled around.
Dr. David Preston stood in the doorway.
He was gorgeous, only he didn’t seem to flaunt it. I suddenly felt warm all over. He was over six feet tall, with dark wavy hair and broad shoulders. He came across as a man who was confident enough in his intelligence that his looks were a side bonus. Plus he had that sexy accent. It was an intoxicating blend. I could see why he had to fight off the undergrads at UNC.
I rubbed my forehead. “Oh, hi, Dr. Preston. I didn’t realize you were back.”
He smiled. “Call me David. Please. I insist on doctor or professor at the university to keep some of the students in line, but it feels so pretentious off campus. And I’m back because the section of the colony I’m most interested in was temporarily closed. The others are still working.” He paused. “I was hoping you’d be here.”
“Me?” Why did that make me nervous? That was a good thing.
He took several steps into the room, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was quite rude to you when you came to Chapel Hill. I’d like to apologize.”
“Oh.” I leaned my hip against the desk. “I’m sure I caught you off guard.”
“Yeah. You asked some unexpected questions.” He glanced over his shoulder, as if making sure we were alone. “You didn’t answer me this morning, you know. I recognize several of the symbols on the doors. Why are they there?”
I stared at him for several seconds before I sighed. He didn’t waste any time. But he recognized some of the symbols, giving me hope that he could actually help. “The less you know, the better. But I’d really like it if you could talk to me about the Croatan.”
He gave me a lopsided grin. “Do you really expect a researcher to be presented with something so intriguing without wanting to know everything?”
Icouldn’ttell him everything. In spite of the mounting evidence that supernatural forces were rocking the island, I was sure he’d think I was crazy. Besides, the fewer people who knew, the better.
“Do you need help?” he asked, staring at the pile of books. “I take it you’re looking for something.”
I fumbled for an answer.
“Your stepmother told me that your father had an extensive library about all things Roanoke. I can look at the titles while I help you search for whatever it is you’re seeking. And I’ll answer your questions. At least all the ones I can answer.”
