Page 69 of Tempest at Annabel's Lighthouse
“No, he never said anything to me,” said Shea. Which could be proof that Holt was behind at least some of what had happened to Pete. Shea’s prior attraction to Holt turned into a deep distrust of the man.
“Okay then.” Penny hefted a sigh. “Maybe I’m too much of a worry-wort. And not to be out of line, but I think Holt has a little bit of a thing for you, Shea, and, well—he knew there are boundaries in place.”
“Good,” Pete gruffed.
Penny patted Pete on the knee. “Now don’t get all riled. Holt is a good man. He’d never steal another man’s wife.”
This conversation was entirely too uncomfortable. Shea opened her mouth to interrupt, but Penny continued, not seeming to notice Shea as she directed her attention to Pete.
“I’d advise you to be careful, though. I’m not sure who was behind this hit-and-run, but it was obviously very intentional. Still, you know how this place affected Jonathan Marks. Something about the lighthouse gets into your psyche and messes with your mind.”
“The police are actively investigating.” Pete’s statement made Penny’s brows raise.
“Well, good! But that could take forever and a day!”
“My thoughts exactly,” Shea muttered.
Penny’s earrings bobbed as she turned her head as if looking for something. Spotting it, she sprang from the footstool. It was the painting on the wall. The one Jonathan Marks—according to the documentary—had died under. “See this?” Penny’s fingernail tapped the vague form of Annabel’s ghost near the lighthouse. “Don’t underestimate her. Annabel has a lot of influence on this place. She always has, and she always will.”
“Why do you think that is?” Pete asked the question in Shea’s mind, though it was one she’d already asked and had received no satisfactory answer to.
Penny eyed him. “I’m not sure, but I do know this.” She returned to her seat on the footstool. “Folks discount the impact prior generations have on us today. I know some don’t know their family trees beyond their grandparents, and that’s unfortunate. Do you know what happens when you throw a rock into the lake?”
“It sinks,” Pete replied.
“Well, yes,” Penny chuckled, “but on a day when the lake is calm, you can see the ripples the rock creates on the water, and you can watch it as it sinks to the bottom. The water is cold and clear. The effects of that rock being thrown into the lake change an otherwise consistent pattern. Even if it’s just for a moment, those ripples reach farther than that rock ever would on its own. And as the rock sinks, it touches other rocks and debris that it never would have otherwise.” She looked up at Shea, who stood frozen, listening to Penny’s words with a layered reaction she didn’t know how to process.
Penny continued, “You see, how Annabel lived left its effect on others around her. Enough so that today, over a hundred years later, we’re still being touched by the fact she once lived here. We can blame it all on Annabel’s ghost, or we can realize it’s the ripples she caused that affect us today.”
“In what ways?” Pete had a way of drawing people out thatwas fast becoming a surprise to Shea even after a decade of marriage. Why hadn’t she noticed that about him?
Penny cleared her throat. “Well, if it weren’t for Annabel, then Jonathan Marks would still be alive, I’d bet my bar on it. If it weren’t for Annabel, he never would’ve gone out of his mind. I’m sure of it. And if it weren’t for Annabel ... my dad wouldn’t be such a hermit.”
“Your dad?” Shea inserted.
Penny looked up at her. “Yes. My dad. Captain Gene. Didn’t Holt tell you he is my dad?”
No one had told her that Captain Gene was Penny’s dad. Not Marnie—who had said to watch out for Penny—not August Fronell, and definitely not Holt. Penny swore on her mother’s grave that she didn’t know where her father was, in keeping with his reputation of disappearing. But Shea had immediately attempted to interrogate Penny further.
“Oh no.” Penny lifted a hand. “I’m not going to talk about this stuff any more than I already have! Not that I have much to add.”
“How could you not?” Shea winced when she realized her question was a bit rude.
Penny’s chuckle reassured Shea it wasn’t taken that way. “Because I know what happens to people who dig into Annabel’s story.” She took her index finger and swirled it in a circle beside her temple. “And Dad never wanted to talk about it anyway. Said too much trouble came from digging up the past. Sometimes you have to let the ripples in the water settle and allow everything to go back to normal.”
“Shea isn’t capable of doing that.” Pete managed to twist enough to give her a faint grin. Then he winced and returned to his prior position, tending his arm.
“You’re a curious one, Shea, I’ll grant you that.” Penny pushedto her feet. “I should go now. Leave the two of you to kiss and make up.”
“Pardon?” Shea said.
Penny pursed her lips. “You really think I can’t tell when two people have built the Great Wall of China between them? I was married once too.” She reached down and patted Pete’s shoulder. “You be a man and give your wifey some hugs and kisses. And you...” Penny approached Shea and gripped her hand in a squeeze. “Don’t take that man for granted. I can see he’s a good one, and you’ve got him right where every woman would want theirs. He’s going to be in the palm of your hand with that busted arm of his, so now’s your chance to get some time with him when he’s not playing grease monkey on the cars.”
27
REBECCA
And neither the angels in heaven above nor the demons down under the sea...
