Chapter 1

ONE

FRIDAY

Rebecca Marsh sits on the back deck of the Semiahmoo Resort, located in the furthest northwest corner of Washington State, looking across Drayton Harbor and from there to the Pacific Ocean. Seagulls screech and dive along the shoreline looking for whatever breakfast has washed up on the sand and rocks.

It's late on a Friday morning. She's soaking up the sun while waiting for her mom to come downstairs to join her. At dinner last night, Victoria promised to tell her this morning why she's been so distant and distracted lately. They'd shared a couple of glasses of champagne but not enough for her mom to be sleeping so late. She may be putting on makeup and trying on one of the outfits she's brought for their weekend getaway. Her mom packed enough clothes to stay a week.

Rebecca doesn't understand why Victoria has become so obsessed with her looks. She's a beautiful woman. Not that Dad ever notices, but plenty of other men do. He used to adore her, and had even bought the resort because her mom loved their stays here. He'd dedicated three of the suites for family use and one of those had family signage on the door. It was a Valentine's gift and Rebecca remembered her mom had squealed with delight. She wondered if she would ever be that deeply in love.

The whole family had come to the resort over the years, but then her dad had started sending the rest of them while he attended to business alone. And then Veronica had moved away to Port Hadlock. Of all the careers Veronica could have chosen, why she would pick a dangerous one was beyond belief. Her rebellious decisions had rubbed their parents wrong, especially their dad. He had hoped she would get a taste of the chaos society served up and come to her senses. But she had stayed true to her convictions, and Rebecca admired her sister for that.

Rebecca, two years older, finished law school and now works for Dad's law firm. Corporate law. As her father was wont to say, "That's where the money is." And he is right. Rebecca drives a new Lincoln Navigator. Veronica has a little mini car. Their parents offered to buy her something less likely to fold like a tin can in an accident, but she won't budge. Just like she hasn't budged on her career choice. Her little sister is determined to make her mark without anyone's help.

Their dad had shown his disappointment a little too much and too often, and as a result Veronica has kept her distance. Eventually Rebecca gave up inviting her to these getaways.

Semiahmoo Resort is beautiful and it promises to be a perfect weekend. She and her mom had arrived at the resort yesterday, mid-morning, had lunch on the deck, walked along the beach, and taken in the beauty that surrounded them. But something was bothering her mom. At first Rebecca thought it had something to do with Veronica preferring to live in Port Townsend instead of closer to home. Her best attempts to find out what was causing her mom's distress were met with responses such as, "Let's just enjoy being here," "I'm fine," and "It's nothing." Rebecca knew nothing was fine.

Now, as she reclines on the deck, a feeling of unease comes over her. She turns over possible reasons for her mom's unhappiness, from financial reasons to poor health, and it strikes her that her mom has been unhappy for a while. Sure, she puts on a brave face, but there is a conflicted and sad Victoria underneath. Rebecca will give her a little longer and then she'll go to her mom's room.

Rebecca is pulled from her thoughts by someone tapping her shoulder.

"Miss. There's a message at the front desk."

She peers from under her sunglasses at the messenger. "Is it from my mother?" she asks the young woman wearing a housekeeping uniform.

"Mr. Whiting said you were out here and to tell you to come."

Roger Whiting is the general manager. "Where is my mom? Did she come down?"

"I haven't seen her, ma'am."

"Tell Roger I'll be right there."

She looks out over the bay. Storm clouds are gathering, promising a cloudburst. She and her mom wouldn't be going for a walk along the shoreline today. She gathers the few things she's brought out to the deck and notices resort staff busily taking down umbrellas and folding Adirondack chairs.

Roger Whiting is a small man, late fifties, thin, balding, and barely five feet tall. He stands on a raised wooden platform behind the counter. He knows everything that has anything to do with the resort, and a lot that doesn't.

"Are you holding something for me, Roger?"

He hands Rebecca a piece of resort stationery with something printed in black ink. The handwriting resembles a child's scrawling.

you promised dinky

Roger says, "One of the staff found it outside the door to your mother's room."

"It can't be for me or my mom, Roger. Give me the key to her room." She hands the note back and holds her hand out for the key.

"Is everything okay, ma'am?" Roger says, handing her the key.

"Fine, Roger. I'll just go see what's taking her so long."

Roger calls after her. "I had a floorman knock on the door and she didn't answer."

"She might be in the restaurant."

"My floorman checked the restaurant and the other places she frequents when she's here. She's usually having a late breakfast in Packer's Lounge this time of day. I personally checked Packer's and the spa. No one has seen her. Maybe she's running an errand?"

Rebecca doesn't think her mother would leave the resort without telling her. "I take it no one has actually gone inside her room?"

"I didn't want to disturb her if she was, uh, indisposed."

Rebecca doesn't know what he means by that but feels her pulse tick in her temple and she rushes to the elevator.