The Inn at Angel Island

Chapter Fourteen

LIZA woke up slowly, a few minutes before her alarm clock sounded. She felt as if something had woken her, but as she opened her eyes, all she could see was early morning light sifting through the sheer curtains. The blue ceramic flower pot on the windowsill was just as she left it yesterday. The windows were open a little, and a cool ocean breeze filled the room.

She had slept well and felt full of energy, ready to tackle whatever dirty job the day tossed her way.

Then she remembered… The offer from the Hardys… Calling Fran Tulley to accept… Total strangers coming here to demolish the inn.

Was that really happening? As she rose from bed, she felt her heart sink. She dressed quickly, then went downstairs.

Crossing the foyer, she heard Peter’s and Claire’s familiar voices talking in the kitchen. Her brother had probably popped out of bed at the crack of dawn, wondering if it was too early to call Fran Tulley.

Had he told Claire what was happening? Liza felt a little pang in her chest. She had felt bad enough about telling Claire the inn would be sold when she first arrived and hardly knew her. But now… well, they had been through a lot together during the past two weeks, sifting through all of her aunt’s belongings, even being struck by lightning. Telling the housekeeper the place was sold and would be knocked down seemed a very hard task to face. Practically impossible.

Peter was the one pushing for this scenario; let him tell her, Liza thought. She hated giving in to her anger and frustration, but she couldn’t help it. Not when she thought about Claire.

Peter was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the local paper. He looked up with a sheepish smile. “Morning, Liza. Sleep well?”

“Not bad, all things considered.” Liza poured herself a cup of coffee.

Claire stood at the stove, cooking scrambled eggs. She turned to Liza and smiled. “I’m sure you were tired enough. After all the work you did out in the garden. When I looked out the window this morning, I could hardly believe my eyes. I bet the plants will double in size by the end of the week.”

Liza felt embarrassed by her praise. Yes, she had cleaned up the garden. For a bulldozer to plow it under.

Liza took a seat at the table. There was a basket of cranberry scones next to her plate. They looked tempting, but she didn’t feel hungry. Her nerves had stolen her appetite today.

“I think you may have inherited your aunt’s green thumb,” Claire said, as she brought a platter of eggs to the table and placed it between Liza and Peter. “She was quite a force of nature out there.”

“She definitely was,” Liza agreed. Aunt Elizabeth seemed to have an intuitive sense for helping plants thrive. Liza knew she would be lucky to have half that ability. Though I’ ll never know now if I do, will I? she mused.

Peter closed his newspaper with a snap, folded it, and set it down by his plate. “It’s a quarter past eight,” he announced, checking his watch. “Too early to check in with Fran, do you think?”

Liza nodded, forcing herself not to laugh. “I think so. She’s probably still at home with her family. I don’t think she gets in to her office until at least nine, Peter.”

He checked his watch again and sighed. “Guess you’re right. I was thinking of calling her cell, but that might seem a little too eager. We do want to bargain a bit if we can.”

Liza sipped her coffee without answering. She glanced at Claire and got the feeling that Peter hadn’t told her anything.

“We had an offer on the inn,” she told Claire quietly. “From that couple who came a while ago, the Hardys.”

Claire nodded. “I remember them. They were scared off by the lightning but came back Saturday.”

“Yes, that’s them. They made a good offer, and we have to talk to Fran about it,” she explained. She glanced at Peter, thinking, Jump in anytime, brother dear.

He met her glance, then quickly looked away and rose from his chair. “I’d better try to wake up Will. I don’t want him to sleep until noon again.”

Liza watched him go, leaving her holding the bag. Well, at least Peter seemed to have a few pangs of conscience about the situation. That was something.

She looked back at Claire. She didn’t have to tell her that the Hardys were knocking down the inn. That didn’t really pertain to her. Claire would lose her job, one way or the other, Liza reasoned. But Liza knew that Claire deserved to hear all of it. It just seemed right. In some ways, the inn seemed to belong to Claire more than anyone. Or maybe it was just that she seemed so much a part of this place.

Liza sighed and took another sip of coffee. “Well, we have to catch up to Fran and talk over the offer,” she said again.

“Don’t worry about me, Liza. I’ll find other work,” Claire said. She brought a cup of tea to the table and sat down nearby.

Liza looked across the table at her. “I am concerned for you, Claire. But it’s not just that. I don’t really want to sell the inn. I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and I want to stay here and run it.”

“Yes, I thought something like that was going on,” Claire admitted. “But I wasn’t sure.”

Though her arguments with Peter had mostly been private, Liza realized that Claire must have overhead or just sensed some of the friction between them.

“Peter does want to sell, and this is a good offer,” she repeated. “He’s got a lot going on right now. He just wants to settle this situation and get back to Arizona,” she added, trying to defend her brother.

“Understandable,” Claire said calmly. “It is a pity, though, that he won’t give you a chance. I can see it. I can see you taking your aunt’s place here.” Claire smiled over at her. “You are so much like her, Liza. I see it more and more every day.”

Liza was deeply touched. Claire could not have given her a greater compliment.

“Thank you, Claire, for saying that… I wish I were more like my aunt. If I was, maybe I could persuade Peter to let me stay-and keep the Hardys from knocking this place down.”

Claire’s expression fell. “Is that what they plan to do?”

Liza nodded bleakly. She hadn’t meant to tell Claire this way but felt relieved now that the whole truth was out. “They want to build a new house. It’s awful, isn’t it?”

Liza heard the tremble in her voice and felt embarrassed for a moment. Then realized she hadn’t confided her true feelings about this to anyone. It felt good to talk to Claire, the one person who would completely understand.

“It is awful… but it hasn’t happened yet,” Claire pointed out. “I know it looks bleak. But if you’re meant to stay here, God will clear a path, Liza,” she promised. “Trust in Him to show you the way.” She met Liza’s gaze for a long moment, then reached over and patted Liza’s hand.

Liza took Claire’s hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thanks, Claire. I’ll try,” she promised quietly. Before she could say anything more, Peter ran into the kitchen, his face pale.

“Have either of you seen Will? Did he come down here?”

“I haven’t seen him this morning,” Claire said.

“Me either,” Liza added. “He’s not up in his room?”

Peter swallowed hard. “No, he’s not. I knocked and knocked, and he wouldn’t answer. I thought he was just being stubborn. But when I finally walked in, his bed was empty. First I thought he was taking a shower. Or maybe he had gone up to the attic for some reason…” Peter took a breath. “When I went back to his room, I realized that some of his stuff is gone. His down jacket, his pack, his shoes… I looked in all the rooms upstairs. He’s gone somewhere. Without telling anyone.”

“Maybe he got up early and went down to the beach,” Liza suggested, “or walked up to the General Store. Are you sure he didn’t leave a note?”

“I looked around his room. No note. And there was nothing down here. I’m sure one of us would have seen it,” he said, glancing around the kitchen.

“I’ll go check in the foyer and the parlor. Maybe he left a note out there,” Claire said, “on the desk or something.”

“Good idea,” Liza replied. “Maybe he left a message on your cell phone,” she said to her brother. “Did you check yet?”

Peter pulled out his cell and checked the messages. “Nothing. How about you?”

Liza doubted that Will would have left a message on her phone, but you never know what kids are thinking. She checked her pockets and realized her BlackBerry was still upstairs in her room. At some point during her stay here, she had fallen out of the habit of keeping it close. She would have to tell Daniel.

“It’s upstairs, I’ll run up and check.” She ran up to her room and found her phone. No message from Will appeared on the list of new calls. She felt a pang of worry but refused to give in to it. Will hadn’t been gone very long. He probably just needed some time to himself after arguing with his dad the night before.

She walked down the hallway to the stairs, passing Will’s room on the way. She paused and peeked in. His bed was a tumble of sheets and blankets, the pillow still dented with the imprint of his head. His big sneakers, which normally took up half of the floor, were conspicuously absent, as were the parka and sweatshirt that were normally draped over an armchair. His carry-on duffel was still on the floor near the closet, with clothes spilling over onto the floor. That was a good sign, Liza thought. Maybe they were worrying for no reason. Maybe he hadn’t gone far at all.

As she headed downstairs, she took out her phone again and auto-dialed her nephew’s number. Will’s phone rang a few times, but he didn’t answer. “Will, it’s Aunt Liza. Please call me or your dad when you get this message. We don’t know where you are. It’s very important that you call us,” she said, trying not to sound too upset.

When she got to the kitchen, she saw Peter had his phone out, too, and was busily sending a text message.

“I just tried calling him,” she said. “He didn’t pick up, but I left a message.”

“I left a voice message, too. And now a text.” Peter looked up at her. “I don’t like this, Liza. I have a bad feeling.”

“Let’s not get too worried yet,” Liza said in what she hoped was a calming tone. “Will’s not a little boy. He knows how to take care of himself. He must have just gone out for a walk or something and forgotten to let us know.”

Claire returned to the kitchen. “I looked all over. I didn’t find any notes, sorry.”

“I didn’t think you would,” Peter admitted. “But thanks for your help, Claire.” He drummed his fingers on the table, then said, “You’re right, Liza. It’s too soon to panic. Let’s give him a few hours.”

Liza and Peter had breakfast, then they busied themselves around the inn, each hoping that Will would walk in at any moment.

Well before noon, Liza and Peter met up in the kitchen where Claire was starting another pot of soup. Peter looked ready to jump out of his skin. “I still haven’t heard a thing from Will,” he told Liza. “Maybe I’m overreacting, but I can’t just sit here, being patient. After that argument we had last night, who knows-”

A knock sounded on the kitchen door, and they all turned at once. But it was Daniel peeking through the glass, not Will.

Liza quickly ran over to open the door. For some reason, the mere sight of Daniel was a great relief.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” he said brightly, though his gaze was fixed on Liza. “How’s it going?”

“We have a situation,” Liza told him. “Well… we hope it’s not a situation, just a misunderstanding. Will’s gone out somewhere and he didn’t leave a note.”

“And he’s not answering our messages,” Peter added in a far more anxious tone. “He’s been gone all morning. I think I’d better go look for him. I’m getting worried.”

“He could have gone out for a walk or a bike ride,” Daniel said. “Did you check the bikes? Are any missing?”

“I should have thought of that,” Peter said. He ran out the back door and headed to the shed, with Liza, Daniel, and Claire following behind him.

“Okay, one bike is gone,” Peter reported, as he emerged from the shed. “So Will probably isn’t just taking a walk on the beach.”

“That gives us something to go on,” Daniel replied. “Why don’t we split up and look for him? It’s not a very big island. He couldn’t have gone far.”

“Unless he decided to head for the mainland,” Peter said. “For all I know, he’s on his way to Logan-”

“Let’s hope not,” Liza cut in, trying to tamp down her brother’s panic. “We ought to at least take a quick ride around before we jump to that conclusion.”

“I’ll call the gatehouse and ask if they’ve seen a boy pass on a bicycle,” Claire said. “I’ll make a few calls around to the neighbors, too. Maybe someone has seen him.”

“Good idea, Claire.” Liza followed her toward the house, knowing she needed to grab a jacket and her car keys.

“Let’s go inside a minute and look over a map, so we don’t duplicate our efforts,” Daniel suggested.

Peter nodded grimly. Liza reached out and touched his arm. “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’s all right,” she said quietly.

“I hope so,” Peter answered.

A short time later they had figured out a plan, and each took a different section of the island to search. Claire had already called the gatehouse at the bridge. The gatekeeper had been on duty there since five that morning and did not recall seeing a boy on a bike heading for the mainland.

“I doubt he would have left before five,” Peter conceded, “considering how late he normally sleeps.”

“That’s good news, then. He’s got to be around somewhere,” Daniel said. “Keep calling, Claire. Maybe someone has seen him.”

“That’s what I plan to do,” she said, dialing the phone again. Claire knew everyone on the island, Liza reasoned. She was the perfect person for this job.

“Should we call the police?” Peter said finally.

“I suppose you could. There’s no police department out here, but Cape Light might send someone to help,” Daniel replied.

“I’ll take care of that,” Claire offered. “I’ll call your cell phone, Peter, and tell you what the police say. You go on and start looking. Who knows, you might find him right away.”

“We might. I just hope he’s all right.” Peter led the way out the back door. Liza and Daniel followed.

The section of the island that Liza had been assigned covered an area close to the inn. She drove along the road slowly, keeping her eye out for Will and also just for the bike. If Will had gone down to the beach to explore, he would have had to leave the bike up on the road, she reasoned.

She came to the goat farm and spotted Audrey’s two black-and-white herding dogs, darting in circles around the braying goats. Audrey was nowhere in sight, and Liza wondered if she should drive in and ask if anyone there had seen Will this morning. But Claire would call the farm, she remembered. It was important to keep going and not lose time.

She drove on and came to the island center. She decided to check in the General Store. It seemed a logical place for Will to stop.

“Why hello there,” Marion Doyle greeted her. “Can I help you?”

“I hope so,” Liza replied. She quickly explained that she was looking for Will. Walter Doyle had come around his side of the counter and listened with interest.

“Oh, dear. That doesn’t sound good,” Marion replied with concern.

“You know kids, they just don’t think sometimes,” her husband added.

“No, they don’t,” Liza agreed. “Has he been by this morning?”

Marion frowned, carefully considering the question, then shook her head. “No, dear. I don’t remember seeing him. How about you, Walter?” She turned to her husband. “You remember Peter Martin’s boy? They were in here about a week ago.”

“Sure, I do. But I didn’t see him this morning.”

“Let me give you my cell number,” Liza said, “just in case he does come in.”

“Good idea,” Marion said, handing her a pencil and a small brown paper bag to write on.

“Who’s gone out looking?” Walter asked.

“It’s three of us-me, my brother, and Daniel Merritt. He’s been painting the inn and offered to help.”

Walter quickly untied his apron and laid it on the counter. “I’ll help you. I know some places where a boy might want to explore-or hide.”

Liza was surprised by his generous offer. Everyone on the island knew Walter and Marion Doyle, but they had no special relationship with her aunt. Not as far as Liza knew.

“That’s very nice of you. Are you sure you don’t need to stay in the store?”

“Marion can handle it,” Walter assured her. “I’m in her way most of the time.”

“He’ll just worry anyway,” Marion explained. “He needs to help. It’s just our way out here. We all pull together.”

Liza nodded. Audrey had told her the same thing. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Walter had grabbed a red and black plaid jacket and a big black cap with ear flaps off a hook by the door. There was a map of the island on the wall nearby, and Liza showed him the places that they were all covering and also exchanged cell phone numbers with him, just in case he found Will.

“Okeydokey, let’s go. See you later, Marion,” he called over his shoulder, and headed for his truck.

Liza felt good knowing someone else had joined the search. She walked over to Daisy Winkler’s shop and knocked, but there was no one there. Liza left a note, asking Daisy to call the inn if she had seen Will or if he turned up at the tearoom. Unlikely, but possible.

Liza walked over to the building that housed the environmental office and the village hall. It was dark and the door looked locked. Liza tried it just in case.

Just as she turned away, a man in a small open Jeep drove up and parked. He climbed out and walked toward her with a purposeful stride.

“Can I help you with something?” he asked. He stood back and looked down at her curiously. He wasn’t that tall, only a few inches taller than Liza, but he had an athletic build and the windblown look of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors. He wore jeans and a flannel shirt under a dark green nylon jacket with an official-looking emblem on the sleeve.

“I’m looking for my fourteen-year-old nephew, Will,” Liza explained. “He and my brother have been staying with me at the Angel Inn, down the road. Will seems to have left the house early this morning without telling anyone or leaving a note. He took a bike,” she added. “We’re pretty sure he hasn’t left the island, but we can’t be positive.”

The man listened with a serious expression. “I was working down at the beach near the inn and a little farther south. I didn’t see any cyclists on the road this morning. Or any teenage boys on the beach,” he added. “But I’d be happy to help you look. I’m Eric Hatcher, by the way.” He held out his hand. “I work for the environmental office.”

“I figured that,” Liza replied. She took his hand and shook it. “I’m Liza Martin. You may have known my aunt Elizabeth Dunne. She ran the inn.”

He nodded. “I did know her a little. Lovely lady.” He smiled briefly. “Is there anyone else out looking for your nephew? Or are you on your own?”

Liza explained the search group and the areas they were covering. Eric listened without interrupting her.

Then he said, “Sounds like you could use more help on the far side of the island near the fishing cottages. There’s some marshy land out there. It’s not smart to walk around there unless you know your way.”

He didn’t add, it could be dangerous. He didn’t need to. Liza already knew the dangers of getting lost in the marshes in that area of the island. Her aunt and uncle had warned them each summer and never let them go there. She hoped Will hadn’t been reckless enough to go exploring in that direction.

A few minutes later, Liza and Eric climbed into their vehicles. Eric set off for the south side of the island. Liza sat in her SUV a moment, getting her bearings. Her phone rang, and she answered it at once.

“Any news?” her brother asked.

“I’m afraid not. No one has seen him. But two people have offered to help us look, Walter Doyle and a man named Eric Hatcher. He works for the environmental office and said he’s going to look in the marshes down by the fishing cottages.”

“I didn’t even think of that,” Peter said. “I just spoke to Claire. She’s been calling all over. The people who own the goat farm-the Gilroys? They’ve gone out to look, and the Cape Light police force is sending two officers to help us. I’m going over the bridge to meet them.”

Liza wasn’t surprised. She had a feeling that Audrey would jump in to help once she knew what was going on.

“The more people out looking, the better,” Liza said.

“Right. I keep calling and calling, but he won’t answer his phone. I think he may have just gone out for a short bike ride and forgotten to leave a note. But I’m scared that something has happened to him,” Peter confessed. “He could have been hit by a car or gotten stuck somewhere… Anything could have happened… I’m really worried, Liza.”

“Of course you are.” She took a deep breath, pushing back her own fears. “But let’s try to stay calm and keep searching. We have a lot more help now. Someone will find him. He’s going to be okay,” she promised.

Peter just sighed. “I see the police cars. I’ve got to go.”

Liza hung up, too. She put the keys in the ignition but didn’t start the engine. It suddenly occurred to her that Eve was going to call today, expecting her to take the promotion. And it seemed completely absurd that she had ever worried about it at all.

Liza sent a quick text:

Sorry but can’t talk today. Family emergency. I’ ll be in touch soon.

Will’s disappearance put everything in perspective: All the job drama, losing the inn, even allowing the building to be knocked down-none of that was important now.

LIZA had always thought of the island as very small, tiny even. But trying to search the roadside, inch by inch, ditch by roadside ditch, it didn’t seem small at all. It seemed endless. After she drove around her assigned territory twice and carefully combed the roadside, she consulted again with Peter and Daniel by phone.

Still no sign of Will, they both reported.

“I spoke to a guy who thought he saw a bike rider early this morning on the Ice House Road,” Daniel told her. “But he wasn’t sure. I went up and down the road in both directions. I didn’t see any sign of him.”

“He’s got to be somewhere. The gatehouse is watching for him now. He can’t get past them,” Liza replied.

“Let’s just hope he didn’t get past them already without them realizing it.”

She headed off again on the same roads, this time stopping every hundred yards or so to check the area off the roadside, any place where she saw a path into the woods or one that led down to the water. She even walked up and down the hillsides, searching along various stretches of the beach that weren’t visible from above.

She didn’t find a thing. Not even a water bottle or a candy wrapper. The boy could not have disappeared into thin air, she reasoned. But at the moment it seemed that was exactly what he had done.

Liza squeezed her eyes shut and whispered a short prayer. “Dear God… please let Will be all right. I don’t care about keeping the inn. I don’t care about anything. Just let him be found safe and sound. Please…”

THE search went on until the late afternoon. Darkness was falling when Liza, Peter, and Daniel finally agreed to return to the inn. Peter had wanted to join the police, who had called for more men and were going to continue to search the island and the town of Cape Light. But Liza finally talked him into coming back to the inn, at least for a little while, to rest and have something to eat.

She parked her SUV near the front of the house, then walked slowly to the porch. It had gotten much colder as the sun went down, she noticed. It was going to be a chilly night, and Will was still out there somewhere.

It was hard to believe that they hadn’t found him yet. When they started off that morning, Liza was sure they would find him easily. Nearly eight hours later, there was still no sign of him.

She wasn’t sure what she would say to Peter, but she knew she had to help him through this. Even before this crisis, she had come to see that she and her brother needed each other. They had to stay close and support each other-not just in an emergency but all the time.

Something about coming back to the island had helped her see that life was about connection, to the people you loved and the places and the work that had meaning for you. She had spent so much of the past years disconnected. From her brother and nephew… from her heart’s own desires.

Even if she lost the inn, she had learned something important here, she realized. The priority was finding Will. Her heart twisted with the hope that he was safe somewhere, just unable, or unwilling, to find his way home.

She walked into the front parlor and found Peter, Daniel, and Claire waiting for her. Peter was on the phone, finishing up a call. “Thank you, Officer Tulley. I appreciate the news. I’ll be in touch in an hour or so.”

He closed the phone and looked up. “That was the police, Officer Tulley, Fran’s husband,” he explained. “They found Will’s cell phone, but there’s still no sign of the bike-or Will.”

“No wonder he didn’t answer your calls,” Claire said. “He probably didn’t even realize he lost his phone.”

“Where did they find it?” Liza asked, dropping down on the love seat.

“In the old cemetery. I wonder what he was doing there.” Peter leaned forward and held his head in his hands. “I’m a terrible father. Of course he ran away. I was too hard on him, always nagging him about something, dragging him out here, trying to force him into living with me half of the time… He doesn’t want to live with me at all. He hates me. That’s why he ran away.”

“You’re a good father,” Claire assured him. “You’re fighting for time with him because you love him. Anyone can see that. I think even Will knows that.”

“All parents have some conflict with kids this age. That’s part of growing up, Peter,” Liza reminded him. “We both acted out at his age.”

“And teenagers can be very dramatic,” Daniel pointed out.

“Daniel’s right,” Liza said. “Will can be dramatic and emotional. You can’t blame yourself, Peter,” she added. “Please don’t do that to yourself.”

Peter took a long breath but didn’t seem convinced. “I used to stay out all day wandering the island when I was his age. But at least Elizabeth and Clive had some idea of where I was. I wasn’t trying to run away from them…”

They sat silently. No one knew what else to say.

The truth was, they didn’t even know for sure that Will had run away, Liza thought. He could be stuck someplace, hurt and unable to return. Which was an awful thought, one she didn’t want to think about or talk about right now.

“There was this place I would go,” Peter went on. “The caves under the Angel Wing Cliffs. I loved that spot. I even camped out there once with Uncle Clive, remember Liza?”

“I remember. I had no interest in that adventure. I was terrified of bats,” she admitted.

“Did you look down there?” Daniel suddenly asked.

Peter nodded. “I checked this morning. That was one of the first places I thought I might find him. I showed him the caves when we were out biking.”

Liza remembered. It was one of the sights on the island that had impressed her nephew.

Daniel glanced out the window. “Maybe we ought to go back and check again. It’s dark and cold out now. Will might be looking for some shelter if he’s really trying to stay away.”

Peter considered the idea a moment. “You know, that makes sense. It’s worth a try.” He glanced at Daniel and then at Liza. “I can’t sit around here any longer. I want to get out there and keep looking.”

“I’ll come with you,” Daniel offered. “You might need some help.”

“Me, too,” Liza said. She turned to Claire. “Can you let us know if anyone calls?”

“Of course I will,” Claire promised. “You ought to take some blankets. He’ll be chilled.” She walked into the hallway and opened a few boxes that were stacked there, then took out two big wool blankets and handed them to Liza.

Peter had already gone out, but Daniel waited by the door with a large flashlight. Moments later they stepped outside, only to see the taillights of Peter’s rental car disappearing down the drive. “I guess he couldn’t wait,” Liza said.

“Understandable,” Daniel replied. “Come on, let’s catch up.”

He rested his hand lightly on her back as they walked over to his truck. Liza climbed in her side and fastened the seatbelt. Daniel did the same, quickly started the engine, and pulled out.

“At least it’s not raining.” Liza stared out at the dark, velvety blue sky, studded with thousands of stars. “Do you think we’ll find him?” she asked quietly.

“I did at first… Now I don’t know what to think.” He glanced over at her with a serious expression, and Liza felt a pang of dread.

She stared straight ahead, watching the narrow road fly by in the beam of the truck ’s headlights. It was so dark out there.

No houses or lamps on the road to light the way. If Will was all alone out here tonight, he had to be cold, hungry, and scared by now. She hoped they would find him soon.

The trip to the cliffs seemed longer than usual, though Daniel was driving as fast as he dared. Finally they reached the spot. He pulled over to the side of the road and parked behind Peter’s car. He shut off the engine and grabbed the flashlight as he got out. Liza jumped out her side and ran over to her brother, who stood at the edge of the road, waiting for them, holding his own light.

“I don’t see the bike around, but I’d rather not waste time looking,” Peter said. “I’m just going to climb down there and look in the caves. I think I can remember my way around, even if he’s gone deep inside.”

Liza really hoped that was not the case. “You start down. We’ll follow,” she told her brother.

“Right, go ahead. I have a strong light for me and Liza,” Daniel said.

Peter started down the side of the cliff. It was hard enough to climb down in broad daylight and very tricky in the dark. But Liza didn’t complain. She followed Daniel, who was holding out the light for them.

Just a few yards down, her foot caught on a root, and she lost her balance. Daniel turned and caught her with his arm around her waist. “Are you all right?”

Liza nodded quickly, caught off balance now by his nearness.

“I’m fine. My foot caught on something.”

“Here, hold my hand.” Without waiting for her answer, he took her hand in his in a warm, steady grip, holding the light out for them with the other.

They started down the hill again. Daniel’s strong hold on her hand helped to steady her steps and also steadied her nerves. She trusted him, she realized.

Down on the beach, they were greeted by the crashing sound of the waves on the shoreline. The tide was coming in, almost at its peak. Sea foam swept up to the big rocks at the bottom of the path, filling their shoes with cold, salty water.

The same beach that looked so inviting in the sunlight now looked ominous in the dark.

They were a few yards from the entrance to the caves, and Liza silently sent up another prayer. Dear God, please let us find him.

“There’s Peter.” Daniel pointed farther up the beach to where Peter stood waving his flashlight near the entrance to the caves. They ran over to meet him.

“Let’s go in this one. It’s the most obvious place,” Peter said. He started in to the largest of the caves, and they followed.

Liza quickly remembered to pull up the hood on her jacket. She knew most bats were harmless but still hated the idea of one even brushing by.

They entered the first chamber and walked in a few feet. Peter cupped his hands around his mouth and called for his son. “Will? Are you in here? Answer me, please…”

His voice echoed off the stone walls. They stood very still and listened for an answer-but only heard the sound of water dripping into puddles.

“Will? Please… if you’re in here, please answer,” Liza called. She had meant to leave it all up to Peter but found she couldn’t help herself.

Daniel gazed down at her with a sympathetic look and put his arm around her shoulders.

A few tense moments of silence passed. Liza sensed her brother’s optimistic hopes quickly fading, and her heart went out to him. It was dreadful to see him in so much pain.

“Let’s walk a little farther,” Daniel suggested.

They walked deeper into the caves, ducking their heads to cross into another chamber. The ceiling of the second cave was higher than the first, and Daniel flashed his light around curiously. Then they suddenly heard the furious flap of wings.

Everyone ducked and covered their heads.

Daniel leaned over and shielded Liza with his body. She pressed her head to his chest and squeezed her eyes closed. His embrace lasted just a moment but somehow gave her back the bit of hope she had nearly lost.

“Will? Are you in here?” Peter shouted again. “If you can hear me, please answer.” He paused. “Nobody’s mad at you, Will. We just want you to come home. You’re not in trouble, honest,” he said in a more desperate tone.

They stood very still, listening again. Liza didn’t even dare breathe. But once again, only the sounds of the falling water and the ocean surf out in the distance could be heard.

Peter caught her gaze. His face looked drawn in the dim light. “I guess I was wrong. I guess he’s not in here,” he said quietly. “Just wishful thinking.”

“Maybe,” Liza said, not wanting to agree. She felt so sad for him. “There’s got to be something we-”

But before she could finish her thought, she heard a scraping sound nearby. She jumped, moving closer to Daniel. He quickly swung the light in the direction of the sound. Liza expected to see some creepy, nocturnal animal emerging.

Instead, she saw her nephew, standing in the opening that led to the next cave.

Dirty, wet, and sheepish-looking, Will came toward them and then just stood there. His head slowly lifted, and he looked at his father first, then at Liza and Daniel.

“Hey, guys… What’s up?”