Read Online Last Chance Harbor by Vickie McKeehan - Free Book Online

began to act even more erratic than she had before. One night she woke her kids up after they’d gone to bed, took them across the street, loaded them into a boat and then rowed all four of them out to the middle of the harbor. The kids sat there and watched as she jumped overboard into the water.”
    Julianne realized her mouth had fallen open. “That’s horrific! What happened to the children?”
    “It was Cooper, her oldest, who told the authorities what happened. He was able to attract the attention of a fisherman about four o’clock the next morning to get them back to shore.”
    “Eleanor was obviously a sick woman.”
    “I’d say that’s the prevailing theory. Her body was never found.”
    “How terrifying for the kids to see her jump into the water like that and then disappear and not be able to do anything. Can you imagine what that must’ve been like for them? What awful memories they must remember about their mother?”
    “When it happened the whole town knew Eleanor wasn’t right in the head. But this was back during a time when few people ever got involved in domestic issues at all let alone wading into the world of mental illness.”
    “What became of the three children?”
    “Cooper, Drea, and Caleb went to live with their aunt and uncle, Shelby and Landon Jennings, who adopted the kids the next year. They own the Plant Habitat.”
    “Ah. Well, that’s kind of weird. I found Mr. Jennings there among his lilies and tulips this evening. That’s probably why the man was so reluctant to talk about selling the house. Maybe he’s afraid the kids will object to putting it up for sale.”
    “I don’t think that’s it. Give Landon some time and I think he’ll gladly unload it at a price you’ll be able to afford.”
    She groaned in realization. “Unload it on some unsuspecting out-of-town buyer? Brent, that’s me. And I thought I’d found the perfect property.”
    “You shouldn’t let what happened to Eleanor or the kids affect your decision about the place. Whether or not you choose to move forward is up to you though. Look, I hate to close this subject down but I need to pick up this box Troy found and get back home. See for myself what’s inside.”
    She retrieved the box from the side table and handed it off, immediately pointing to the material. “See why I thought you should take a look. The placket, the buttonhole, this was once someone’s shirt. ”
    “I agree with you.” Brent inspected the cutout swath and said, “I came over here tonight intending to downplay this whole thing for you. But now that I’ve seen it…”
    She shook her head. “There’s no point in doing that for my benefit. I can see for myself that if anyone lost that amount of blood, they wouldn’t be around for long. Am I right?”
    He chewed his bottom lip, not wanting to answer. “Why would anyone bother to keep it or hide it in such a way by putting it with a bunch of keepsakes like this?”
    She took him through the contents of the box. “All these things are the reason I decided it belonged to a child, the toys, the photos, the baseball cards, the pretty rocks and shells. That is, until I found the deed and the ring. Then I pulled the lining apart and found that icky, stiff piece of cloth. Who did it belong to? Because… Serial killers often take mementoes.” When she saw Brent’s sidelong glance, she grinned. “I watch my share of crime shows.”
    “You and everyone else,” he said, rifling through the stuff. “These baseball cards are worth a small fortune. Makes me wonder why these would just be sitting around and not in someone’s collection.”
    “I figured as much. But factor everything in and the question is why would something so…bloody…be hidden away inside an elementary school with little toys and a bunch of rocks?”
    She noted the expression on his face looked as though he was already trying to puzzle out the solution. “I guess Brent Cody has a mystery to