Page 136 of It Happened on the Lake

But why had the tram clanked its way from its garage to the dock? She studied it with its one glowing eye, no movement within its small compartment.

Maybe whoever had pulled the trigger was gone. Had left.

So far, there had been no other disturbance. No other gunshot. No more footsteps real or imagined.

Telling herself she was a moron, every nerve standing on end, she searched for a weapon—just in case—and grabbed the first thing she saw, an oar that had been left on the dock. It was a weak attempt at defense against a gun, but it was something. Heart in her throat, she swallowed back her fear.

Slowly, she made her way to the bottom of the steps where the tram’s car sat, its motor still running, its single headlight glowing bright.

Just run by it.

Climb the steps fast and whatever you do, don’t look.

Get up to the house!

Holding the oar in a death grip, her pulse pounding in her ears, she started up the stairs. She told herself not to look into the car, but her eyes didn’t obey her.

And the door to the tram wasn’t completely closed.

Someone was inside.

Someone lying down and . . . unmoving. Jean-clad legs visible.

She stumbled.

Saw the Adidas shoes with their three distinctive stripes.

Evan?

Whaaat?

Her eyes widened. Dread pounded through her.

Oh Jesus! NO!

Dropping the oar, she peered through the open window of the tram.

“No,” she choked out. “No. Oh God.”

Evan lay sprawled across the seat. A pearl-handled revolver was in his right hand. A bullet hole at his temple was red, blood dripping through his brown hair and down the seat of the tram to the floor.

She shoved the door open further and flung herself at him. She tried to get him to move. This had to be some horrible, sick joke. He couldn’t be . . . She wouldn’t believe it. “Evan!” she cried, shaking him. But he didn’t respond. “Evan! Stop this!” He didn’t so much as flinch. Tears rained from her eyes, her throat raw, her body shivering. Blood on her hands. Oh God, no . . .Pleaseno! But even as she sobbed through her silent prayers, she knew in her heart of hearts that he was gone.

1988

The Present

Chapter 33

“Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought up Evan’s death.” Beth was backpedaling quickly, as if reading the shock and horror on Harper’s face, the telescope in the tower room forgotten. “It was tough for you, too. I mean you were there when it happened.”

“No!” Harper said so sharply Beth took a step back.

“But I thought . . .”

“I mean I wasn’t really there. I found him, but I’d been on the beach that night. I didn’t see him do it. I just found him.” That was the story she’d stuck with all these years, and she’d never mentioned she’d been with Chase.

No one had ever known about their meeting on the beach, and it didn’t seem the time to tell all now, about how she’d lost her virginity and ended up with the necklace. It had remained their secret.

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