Page 21 of The Library on Plum Island
Darn walking texters!Daniella grumbled to herself, and they both murmured quick apologies. As Daniella looked up to meet the stranger’s eyes, she was taken aback by a sense of familiarity. He was about six foot, fit, good looking, with sandy blond hair and golden brown apologetic eyes that bore into her.
“I’m so sorry,” the man said, his deep voice slightly accented. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“It’s okay, really,” Daniella replied. To be fair, she was deep in thought and wasn’t watching where she was going, either. She forced a smile. “It was just as much my fault. I was rushing to get out of here.”
“I don’t blame you,” the man said with a smile. “I hate being in convenience stores this late myself, but when you must, you must.”
Daniella nodded, stepped around the man, and headed to the cashier. As the cashier went through the motions, Daniella turned toward the man she’d collided with. A frown creased her brow as Daniella saw him duck into a row of items. It was going to bother her until she figured out where she’d seen him before. He wasn’t a Plum Island local.
Daniella paid for her groceries. Her mind was still trying to scan its memory banks to identify him. When Daniella reached her car, she glanced around, ignoring the eerie feeling of being watched. But that didn’t stop her heart from picking up speed or from how quickly she opened the door, jumped in, and locked it as soon as it was closed. Just for good measure, she checked out the back.
“I’m sure you’re supposed to check the backseat before you jump in and lock the door, Daniella.” She shook her head, starting her car.
The man she collided with in the store was probably part of the film crew in town for the Cobble Cove Mysteries series. It was possible he was associated with the production. Yet, something about their encounter left Daniella feeling uneasy. She drove home a little faster than usual and kept glancing in the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see the man following her.
She chided herself for being paranoid, attributing her heightened state of alert to the stress of Emily’s recent injury and the mysterious phone call that had disrupted their peace. The idea that her past might be catching up with her was a fear she wasn’t ready to confront, as that meant the possibility of once again uprooting Emily’s life and changing her identity… Daniella pushed the thought aside as her mind flipped to all the friends Emily and she had made here.
No, I’m not going to be negative. Uncle Sam will make sure everything is alright.
Daniella felt better when she arrived home, but she still dashed to the front door, slamming it open, kicking it closed, and locking it before spinning around and nearly plowing Uncle Sam down.
Uncle Sam steadied Daniella, his eyes brimming with concern while he smiled. “Where’s the fire, sweet pea?” he joked, trying to lighten the mood, seeing the distress on her face. He reached down and took the groceries from her hands.
“Sorry, Uncle Sam.” Daniella sighed, putting her car keys in the bowl near the front door. “I’m just on edge,” she confessed, her voice betraying her anxiety. “Since that creepy phone call, every shadow and noise makes me jumpy.” She frowned. “Then I had an odd encounter at the store.”
Daniella followed her uncle to the kitchen, helping him pack away the groceries she’d bought. While they worked in sync, Daniella recounted her meeting with the stranger.
“I’ve probably just seen him around the town with the other movie crew members,” Daniella told Sam, trying to dismiss it as a simple case of mistaken identity. Yet, the nagging feeling that Daniella knew the man from somewhere else remained.
“Why don’t I make us some hot chocolate?” Sam suggested.
“Because it’s the middle of summer?” Daniella smiled, remembering how Uncle Sam always made hot chocolate when his family needed cheering up or reassurance.
“It’s always a good time for hot chocolate,” Sam told her as he prepared the drinks. As he worked, his eyes reflected concern. “Honey, I have to say that Plum Island’s growing popularity is attracting a lot of much-needed attention, but where our family is concerned, it’s unwanted attention.”
Sam stirred tiny marshmallows into each cup, squirted cream, added chocolate sprinkles, and more tiny marshmallows before placing a mug in front of her. He took a seat on the opposite side of the kitchen counter.
“The plus side of Plum Island’s population increase is that I’ll have a better cause to get some more funding for the clinic.” Daniella took a sip of the sweet beverage.
It always made her nostalgic for the days she, Carly, and Harley would gather around this counter and listen to Uncle Sam’s stories with a cup of his special hot chocolate.
“I hear you.” Sam sipped his drink. “My business has doubled, and so have all the other local businesses.” His eyes caught hers, and his concern deepened. “Carly was discovered…” His voice trailed off. Sam placed the mug on the counter and rubbed his eyes. “When I think about how close we came to losing her,” he said.
Sam’s eyes reflected his fear.
“I’m so happy for Carly,” Daniella told Sam. “But the moment she did that television show, my first instinct was to start packing and looking for a new home for Em and me.”
“I had the same thought for you, Dani.” Sam reached over the counter and patted Daniella’s hand. “But then I thought, I don’t care who that man is. He doesn’t get to control your life. Not anymore.”
“What are you saying?” Daniella had a feeling she wasn’t going to like his answer.
“It’s time to stop running, Dani.” Sam’s voice dropped. “You have Harley and me, plus we’re now helping with the security for Blackwell Productions and Danes Studios.”
“I can’t expect them to thin their resources to help us,” Daniella said, shaking her head even though the idea was appealing. “They’ve already nearly lost two of their family members.”
“Trust me when I tell you this.” Sam paused and sipped his drink. “The Blackwells and the Danes will be only too happy to help you. After everything you’ve done for them and everyone else on this island.” He raised his hands in the air. “In fact, here you have an entire town backing you, and I can honestly say I speak for the entire town when I say we need you.”
“That’s very kind of you to say, Uncle Sam.” Daniella felt her heart contract.
