Page 27 of The Restaurant on Plum Island
Carly’s fingers traced over the worn edges of the photograph, its once sharp edges softened by time. With her signature golden-blonde bobbed hair and dazzling smile, Stella Hart stared back at her from the glossy print. How young she had been then, full of hopes and dreams not yet darkened by scandal.
She flipped through the stack of memories—old scripts, playbills, candid shots from movie sets. Her ascent to fame had been meteoric. From a nowhere town to the bright lights of Hollywood, she had taken Tinseltown by storm. Until it all came crashing down.
She hesitated over the photo of her ex-spouse and former colleague, Shaun Vos, a.k.a. Davin Giles. Just hearing his name made her cringe. Their marriage started like a fairy tale but became a nightmare when his charm turned to manipulation and lies. After their son Reef was born, she realized she was just a stepping stone to his fame.
She shoved the photo back into the box as if she could erase him from her past. But closing the lid couldn’t remove the scars he had left—the tabloid fodder, the ruined reputation.
Carly rose from her seat, the weight of her past threatening to suffocate her. She couldn’t bear to stay in this room any longer, surrounded by the memories that clung to her like ghosts. But as she turned to leave, an old newspaper clipping that she’d left on the coffee table caught her eye.
She picked it up and stared at Ethan Blackwell’s face, his strong jaw set in a grimace as he tried to duck the press. The headline from two years ago declared his first movie flop, a failed attempt at transitioning from director to screenwriter.
Carly knew all too well the sting of failure in the film industry. When the article came out, she’d been carrying a lot of animosity toward Ethan. A pang of guilt surged through her as Carly remembered congratulating Karma for hitting back at the man who’d been instrumental in ruining her career.
She’d kept the article as a reminder never to trust Blackwell again. They were just as deceitful and manipulative as her ex-husband. Carly shoved the article into the box of memories, deciding she might burn it as a final goodbye to her past.
Her thoughts of having a barbeque with the box were interrupted when her phone bleeped. Carly pulled the device from the pocket of her jeans and frowned when she saw a message from a blocked number. She knew better than to click on it, but her fingers took on a mind of their own and opened it before she had a chance to ponder the move.
Some paths are better left untaken. Don’t make the same mistake twice.
A chill went down Carly’s spine, and her mind immediately went to the PI Harley had caught following her. She frowned, wondering if the message referred to her turning down the part Ethan had offered as the new lead in the second season of the Cobble Cove Mysteries or if they warned her not to take it.
Carly gave her head a shake to clear away her confusing thoughts. No one, except a close, closed circle, knew that Ethan had even offered her the part, and Carly knew without a shadow of a doubt that none of them would’ve spoken to anyone about it. She sighed and closed the message, switching her phone to screen-saver mode.
Whatever the message meant, one thing was clear—she was being watched by someone other than the creepy PI, who was now in police custody. Carly’s pulse quickened as she realized she was no longer justhaunted by her past. Someone from that past was now haunting her, and she wondered how long they had been.
She paced the living room, anxiety and anger simmering inside her. She had worked hard to build a stable new life here—a thriving business, strong community, and safe haven for her son. And now, all of that felt threatened.
Carly sank onto the couch, head in hands. She thought of Ethan and the way they had parted years ago, the pain and mistrust between them.Is he somehow behind this? Does he still resent me after all this time, thinking I was the one who said those horrible words about his movie?
She dropped her head back and blew out a breath, staring at the ceiling, trying to understand Ethan Blackwell. The last time she’d seen him in New York at the Blackwell Productions head office, he’d told her to steer clear of any production that bore the Blackwell name.
So why offer me this big part now?Carly’s mind was in a tailspin, trying to understand the man and his motives. Her brow furrowed as another thought struck her. He seemed like two different people to Carly. The Ethan she’d met with today was the Ethan she’d remembered from their time together in New York—not the man who’d ordered her to his office, shoved accusations in her face without letting her defend herself, then fired and threatened her.
Carly steeled her nerves. She had to get to the bottom of this to protect everything she held dear. Whoever had sent Carly the message clearly knew things about her past, things that could ruin the life she had built if revealed. Carly had turned down the part because she wanted to protect hers and Reef’s new life here on Plum Island. Carly had spent the better part of her teenage years with her Uncle Sam, older brother, and cousin Daniella.
Carly pictured an image of her son, and her heart swelled with love. Reef was so happy in Cobble Cove. He’d made good friends and loved surfing. Once the spotlight was off their lives, Reef blossomed, and other than family time, she hardly saw him as Reef was either at school, sports, surfing, or out with his friend. He had freedom here, and Carly had no intention of that being taken away from him, no matter how tempting stepping back behind the camera was.
Carly drew in a deep breath, stood, and squared her shoulders, coming to a solid resolve —Stella Hart was gone forever. To get full closure on that chapter of her life, Carly would seek the answers to the millions of questions that hung over keeping her in the constant shadow of her past. Today, she would get those answers and be rid of that life once and for all.
She grabbed her keys and headed for the door. It was time to confront the ghosts of her past. But first, she needed to strategize, gatherher thoughts, and know precisely what she’d say when she approached Ethan Blackwell. Carly wasn’t good with confrontations and was rusty in that department, but she knew who could help her—Daniella.
Carly pulled up to the local library, seeking solace within its familiar walls. Stepping inside, she spotted her cousin Daniella at the front desk. Although she was the town doctor, Daniella supplemented her income by running the town’s library.
“Daniella,” Carly called out as she approached. “Do you have a few minutes? I really need to talk to you about something.”
Daniella looked up, concern creasing her brow at Carly’s evident distress. “Of course. Let’s go to my office.” She looked at Tanith, who helped out at the library. “Do you mind finishing up the main hall function roster?”
“Not at all,” Tanith said, greeting Carly before taking the clipboard from Daniella.
Daniella led Carly to her office, closing the door behind them and offering her tea or coffee. Carly turned down the offer as they sat at Daniella’s large oak desk.
“What’s got you all riled up?” Daniella asked, leaning forward on her desk as she watched Carly closely.
“I was going through the box of memories,” Carly explained, noting Daniella’s raised eyebrows. “Yes, I know we agreed I wouldn’t mope over that box unless you were around.”
Carly quickly explained the strange message and her suspicions about Ethan. Daniella listened intently, her expression growing more troubled.
“This is serious, Carly. Have you considered going to the police?” Daniella sat back, looking troubled.
