Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Annika
A nnika closed the door to her rented cottage with a soft click, leaning against it for a moment as she let out a long, shaky breath. Her heart was still pounding from the almost kiss with Trace, the tension between them lingering in the air like an unspoken promise. She had been so close to letting herself fall back into the familiar comfort of his arms, but at the last moment, something had held her back—fear, uncertainty, maybe even the ghosts of their shared past.
She pushed away from the door and walked over to the small bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the sound of the rushing water fill the silence. Stripping off her clothes, she stepped under the hot spray, hoping it would wash away the confusion that was clouding her thoughts. The water beat down on her skin, but it did little to soothe the turmoil within her.
As she scrubbed away the grime of the day, Annika couldn’t help but wonder how she had gotten herself into this mess. She had come back to Kodiak with a clear purpose: to solve the cold case that had haunted the town for decades and to bring closure to the family that had been left behind. But now, with Trace back in her life, everything felt tangled and complicated. The emotions she had buried deep inside were surfacing, and she wasn’t sure how to handle them.
Stepping out of the shower, Annika wrapped herself in a towel and wiped the steam from the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, eyes shadowed with fatigue and something else—something she didn’t want to name. She dried off quickly and pulled on a pair of pajamas, trying to push the thoughts of Trace to the back of her mind. But as she crawled into bed, the warmth of the blankets doing little to ease the chill in her heart, she knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.
Sleep came reluctantly, her mind still buzzing with questions and unresolved feelings. But when it did, it brought with it a dream that was both familiar and unsettling.
Annika was back in her childhood home, the one she had shared with her parents and her brother, Daniel. The sun was shining through the windows, casting a warm, golden light over the worn furniture and the faded wallpaper. She could hear the distant sound of the ocean, the rhythmic crash of the waves against the shore, and a comforting presence in the background.
She was sitting at the kitchen table, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee, when Daniel walked in. He looked just as she remembered him—tall and lean, with the same mischievous grin that had always made her smile. His dark hair was tousled as if he had just rolled out of bed, and his blue eyes sparkled with a playful light.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” he teased, ruffling her hair as he passed by.
Annika laughed, the sound bubbling up from deep within her. “You’re one to talk. You were always the one who couldn’t get out of bed before noon.”
Daniel shrugged, flashing her a grin as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “What can I say? I’m a night owl.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, sipping their coffee, the familiar routine bringing a sense of peace that Annika hadn’t felt in years. But then, as if sensing the weight of her thoughts, Daniel set down his mug and looked at her, his expression turning serious.
“So, what’s going on with you and Trace?” he asked, his tone light but probing.
Annika blinked in surprise, not expecting the question. “What do you mean?”
Daniel leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Come on, Annika. I know you. I can tell when something’s bothering you. And it’s pretty obvious that Trace is at the center of it.”
She sighed, feeling the familiar ache of old wounds reopening. “It’s… complicated. We almost kissed tonight, but I pulled back. I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to get involved with him again, not after everything that happened.”
Daniel tilted his head, studying her with that same perceptive gaze he had always had. “Do you still have feelings for him?”
Annika hesitated, the truth hovering on the tip of her tongue. “I don’t know,” she admitted finally. “Maybe. But it’s been so long, and we’ve both changed so much. I’m not sure if we can go back to what we had.”
Daniel smiled, a soft, understanding expression that made her heart ache. “You don’t have to go back, Annika. Maybe it’s about moving forward. I always believed you two belonged together. Don’t let him get away a second time.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Annika wanted to believe him, wanted to think that she could find happiness with Trace again, but the doubts were still there, gnawing at her.
She looked at Daniel, her heart aching with a question that had haunted her since the day he died. “What happened to you, Daniel? How did you really die?”
For a moment, Daniel’s expression shifted, becoming more distant, more enigmatic. He opened his mouth as if to answer, but then he just smiled—a sad, wistful smile that sent a shiver down her spine.
“You’ll find out when you’re ready,” he said softly, his voice echoing in the quiet room.
And then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he began to fade away, his form dissolving into the golden light that filled the room.
“Daniel, wait—” Annika reached out, but it was too late. He was gone, leaving her alone in the empty kitchen, the sound of the ocean growing louder and more insistent until it drowned out everything else.
Annika woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest, her skin damp with sweat. She stared up at the ceiling, the dream still vivid in her mind, Daniel’s voice echoing in her ears. It had felt so real, so tangible, as if he had been there with her, speaking to her from beyond the grave.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the unease lingered. The questions that had been buried for so long were bubbling to the surface, and she knew she couldn’t ignore them any longer. Something about Daniel’s death had never felt right to her, and now, with everything that was happening, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was all connected.
But as much as she wanted to delve into the mystery of her brother’s death, she had to focus on the task at hand. The case she was working on was just as important, and it was the reason she had come back to Kodiak in the first place. She couldn’t afford to let her emotions distract her, not when there was so much at stake. She would give to Greta Hansen what she’d never been able to achieve for herself… closure.
Annika got out of bed and dressed quickly, her mind still buzzing with the remnants of the dream. She needed answers, and she knew just where to start.
The next morning, Annika found herself standing outside the Kodiak Public Library, a place that had once been a refuge for her as a child. She had spent countless hours here, devouring books and escaping into worlds far removed from her own. But today, she was here for a different reason.
Her mother, Carol, worked part-time at the library, a job she had taken after Daniel’s death to fill the emptiness that had consumed her. Annika hadn’t seen her mother since she’d left Kodiak, their relationship strained by the grief they had never fully addressed. But now, with everything that was happening, Annika felt a need to reconnect, to find out if her mother knew anything about the town’s history that could help with the investigation.
Steeling herself, Annika pushed open the door and stepped inside. The library was quiet, the smell of old books and polished wood brought back memories of simpler times. She spotted her mother at the circulation desk, her gray hair pulled back in a neat bun, and her eyes focused on the computer screen in front of her.
“Mom,” Annika called softly as she approached.
Carol looked up, surprise flashing across her face before it was replaced by a tentative smile. “Annika. I heard you were back, but I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“I thought I’d stop by,” Annika said, trying to keep her tone light despite the tension between them. “I’m working on a case, and I was hoping you might be able to help.”
Carol’s smile faded slightly, and she gestured for Annika to follow her to a quieter corner of the library. They sat down at one of the small tables, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words.
“What kind of case?” Carol asked, her voice careful, as if she was afraid of what Annika might say.
“It’s an old murder case…”
“Your brother wasn’t murdered, Annika. Why can’t you just accept that?”
“Because I never believed it, but I’m looking into Carl Hansen’s murder, not Daniel’s. Uncle Mike asked me to look into it,” Annika explained, keeping her tone neutral. “I’m trying to piece together what happened. I was hoping you might have some insight into the town’s history, maybe something that could help.”
Carol nodded slowly, her hands fidgeting with the edge of the table. “I remember that case. It was a big deal at the time. A lot of people were talking about it, but then it just… faded away. People stopped asking questions.”
Annika studied her mother’s face, searching for any hint of the woman who had raised her, the woman who had always been strong, even in the face of adversity. But all she saw was a tired, grieving mother who had never fully recovered from the loss of her son.
“What about Daniel?” Annika asked quietly, unable to keep the question at bay any longer. “Do you think his death was really an accident?”
Carol’s expression tightened, and for a moment, Annika thought she might refuse to answer. But then she sighed, her shoulders slumping as if under the weight of the years of pain and doubt.
“I’ve asked myself that question so many times,” Carol admitted; her voice barely above a whisper. “But every time I try to think about it, to really dig into what happened, I just… I can’t. It’s too painful, Annika. Losing him was… it broke me.”
Annika felt a lump form in her throat, her own grief rising to the surface. “It broke me, too, Mom. But I need to know. I need to understand what happened to him. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to it than we were told.”
Carol reached across the table as if to take Annika’s hand in hers, but she pulled her hand back, closing it in a fist to hide the tremor in her fingers. “I don’t have the answers you’re looking for, Annika. But I do know that sometimes, the truth is more complicated than we want it to be. And sometimes, it’s better left alone.”
Annika nodded, though her mind was far from settled. The conversation had only deepened her resolve to find out what had really happened to Daniel, but she knew she couldn’t push her mother any further. It seemed she had re-opened old wounds.
“Thank you,” Annika said softly, reaching across to squeeze her mother’s hand before letting go.
Carol gave her a sad smile, her eyes filled with a mixture of love and sorrow. “Just be careful, Annika. This town… it has a way of holding onto its secrets.”
Annika nodded again, standing up and taking a deep breath. “I will. I’ll be in touch if I find anything.”
As she turned to leave, something caught her eye—a dusty old newspaper, partially hidden on one of the nearby shelves. Curious, Annika walked over and pulled it out, her eyes scanning the yellowed pages for anything regarding the victim.
One article, in particular, stood out, the headline bold and attention-grabbing: ‘Mayor Linked to Victim’s Business Partner in Secret Dealings,’ Annika’s heart skipped a beat as she read through the article, her mind racing with the implications. If the mayor, who had been newly elected at the time of the murder, had been involved in some kind of shady business with the victim’s partner, it could provide a motive for the murder—and possibly even explain why the investigation had been buried so quickly.
She folded the newspaper carefully and tucked it under her arm, her thoughts whirling as she made her way toward the exit. But just as she stepped out of the library and onto the sidewalk, a car came barreling around the corner, heading straight for her.
Annika’s reflexes kicked in, and she jumped back just in time to avoid being hit, the car missing her by mere inches. She watched in shock as it sped away, her heart pounding in her chest.
For a moment, she stood frozen, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. It had all been so fast—too fast. But the more she thought about it, the less it felt like an accident.
Shaken but determined, Annika pulled out her phone and dialed Trace’s number. As the phone rang, she glanced down the street; the car was long gone, but the feeling of being watched, of being hunted, still lingered.
When Trace answered, she kept her voice steady, but the urgency was clear. “Trace, I need to talk to you. Now.”
She could hear the concern in his voice as he replied. “What happened?”
Annika took a deep breath, her mind still reeling from the near miss. “I just found an old newspaper article linking the mayor to the murder, and I think someone just tried to kill me.”