Page 33 of It Happened on the Lake

At that moment, Craig returned with a stretcher, and the two men hustled Gram onto it. Harper’s heart cracked. Gram looked so tiny on the stretcher, her thin hair mussed, her cheeks sunken as they hurried her out of the house and into the ambulance.

Harper stood in the slanting rain, staring at the taillights as the ambulance rolled over the bridge.

“It’s ironic,” Marcia said from the porch as she cinched the ties of her robe more tightly around her waist.

Harper didn’t see anything ironic about it, but Marcia went on to explain. “She bought that ambulance for the hospital.”

“Part of it.” Dad, drink in hand, joined his wife on the porch. “The lodge started the fund.”

“But she was the primary donor,” Marcia argued, not that Harper cared as she shivered in the rain. “Before that the town used the funeral home’s hearse. Not that long ago.”

“When Anna died,” Dad said. “After your mother . . . well, after Anna passed away, Olivia donated the rest of the funds that were needed.”

“A lot,” Marcia added. “The town couldn’t have enough bake sales and car washes and spaghetti feeds.”

At the thought of her mother, Harper felt a fresh wash of tears. “No need to discuss this now. Let’s go inside.” He took a sip from his glass.

“Whoa. What’re you doing?” Marcia demanded. “It’s barely nine in the morning.”

“Rough morning.”

“Still. No. And . . . where is Matilda?” Marcia asked, frowning. “Wasn’t she supposed to be here by now?”

Dad said, “We should call her.”

“Maybe she’s on her way.” Marcia grabbed the glass from his hand and carried it into the kitchen.

Dad ushered Harper back to the parlor, where he motioned for her to sit. “You wanna tell us what happened last night?”

Obediently, Harper dropped onto the overstuffed love seat near the console that housed the stereo and TV. Cold from the inside out, guilt digging its painful claws into her soul, she said softly, “What do you mean?”

“Let’s start with why you were planning to meet Chase when you were supposed to be taking care of your grandmother.”

Marcia had returned to the parlor and stood, arms crossed over her chest, waiting for an explanation.

“We were just going to meet. That’s all.”

“Hmmm.” Marcia tapped the window overlooking the lake with a long fingernail. “What do you know about what’s happening down there?”

“Nothing.”

“Wait a second,” her stepmother said. “You’re trying to convince us that you don’t know anything when your grandmother is dead and Chase Hunt is nowhere to be found?”

“Marcia,” Bruce said softly, “go easy. Okay? This—whatever the hell it is—is hard on all of us.”

“I know. But something’s going on down there.” Waving a finger at the window and the scene beyond, she added, “Can’t blame me for being curious.”

“We need to get to the hospital.”

“Because you think Olivia might pull through?” Marcia didn’t bother hiding her skepticism. “Bruce, it’s too late.”

“No, no. I know she’s gone.” He scratched at the stubble on his jaw. “But we need to be there, to be certain and to make all the arrangements.” He, too, glanced out the window, then said to his wife, “Come on, we’ll get dressed and then, on the way to St. Catherine’s, Harper can tell us what’s going on.” As he started for the door, he said to Harper, “Get your coat and come on down to the gatehouse. Oh. And leave a note for Matilda. Let her know she has the day off and she should call me. I’ll explain what happened.” Then he snagged an umbrella from the stand near the front door and wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

Together they started walking quickly to the bridge, nearly stepping on Marilyn, Gram’s beloved calico, who scooted out of the way and gazed at them with wide eyes, a dead rat hanging from her mouth. Marcia gave off a disgusted squeak accompanied by an exaggerated shudder as the cat scuttled away with her prize. “Oh God, Bruce. Yuck! Cats with rats. Disgusting!” Marcia said, loud enough for Harper to hear. “They have to go! Every last one of them.”

Harper shut the door and leaned against it, sadness welling within her.

The big old house seemed empty.

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