Читать книгу Submerged - Elizabeth Goddard - Страница 15

SIX

Cobie’s words echoed against the cave walls as shock ricocheted through Adam’s core.

No one moved or spoke. Everyone stared at her. At the ring dangling from a chain, dancing in the light of multiple headlamps.

“You sure?” Ray took a step closer.

She closed her fingers around the ring, nodding in response. She hung her head, her quiet weeping now the only sound.

Adam wanted to go to her, but waited for Ray’s response.

“We’re going to need that for the investigation.” Ray gestured for Adam to comfort her.

Adam closed the short distance and put his arm around Cobie, drawing her near again, though he felt helpless to reassure her. Neither of them could have imagined this, the worst possible outcome. At the very least, it should have been Adam who found the remains so he could protect her from that image. Bad enough to learn her father was actually dead.

“Cobie.” Ray stood next to them, his voice gentle as he repeated his earlier words. “We’re going to need the ring and the chain for our investigation.”

Adam shared a look with Ray. They both knew she wouldn’t willingly release it. And sure enough, she held on all the tighter. Adam held her tighter, too, and eyed Ray. His friend backed off. He could get the ring later.

In the meantime, Adam would hold Cobie in his arms as long as she needed. For eternity, if necessary. Pressing her forehead against his chest, she clenched his jacket in her fists, along with the ring, and cried, angry sobs mixed with the deepest, soul-piercing sorrow and regret. Reminding Adam all over again of the day Brad had died.

He squeezed his eyes shut, held Cobie to him, afraid to let her go. Why, God? Why is this happening again?

Cobie had come for answers, and she’d gotten at least one. But finding her father like this created even more questions.

Before Adam realized what was happening, Laura and Jen pulled Cobie from his arms and into theirs, ushering her out of the small room where her father’s body had been found, and putting Adam in his place.

Just as well. He had no business attempting to comfort her. Her friends were more suitable for the task, so Adam buried his anguish and went to see how he could assist Ray and busy himself until this experience was behind him.

* * *

On the beach, Adam tossed his bag into Billy’s seaplane, which he’d maneuvered right up to the sand. After Adam placed Cobie’s bags inside, he turned and shook Billy’s hand.

“Thanks for coming on such short notice, man.”

“Not a problem.” Billy tugged on his Mountain Cove Air ball cap, his expression somber. “This isn’t out of my way, and even if it was, you know I’d come for you. I came back earlier to check on Cobie and saw she wasn’t alone, so left it at that.”

“I appreciate it. It’s not that I couldn’t leave with Gary, but—”

“You don’t have to explain.” Billy continued readying his plane to take Cobie and Adam back home.

Mountain Cove.

He hadn’t planned on going back until, well, Christmas. It had been hard enough to leave as it was. He’d finally worked up his nerve to explore the world outside Alaska, and losing his business to the fire had given him the perfect opportunity—freedom. He didn’t have a business to tie him down anymore.

And then today had happened.

His friends stood on the beach, talking to Ray and Mel. Cobie still huddled with Laura and Jen a few yards away, saying goodbye to her friends. She looked better. The color was back in her cheeks. Her friends had bolstered her, probably in a way Adam never could, so for that, he was thankful they’d come. Grateful they’d interfered with his attempts to comfort her upon discovering her father’s body. But they would leave her behind today when they headed back to their homes and lives in Laura’s boat, and Cobie would fly back to Mountain Cove with Billy.

And Adam, though she didn’t know that yet.

Nate, Jared and Gary wanted to stop on another island and explore another cave, maybe survey it, too. Regret hung around Adam’s neck for the horrible way this planned trip had turned out, pulling him down until he thought he would simply fall flat on his face and quit trying to move forward and on with his life.

If this were about any other woman except Cobie, Adam would go with his friends and try to forget the past. Then he’d follow through on the plans that would take him away from life in Alaska. That’s what he wanted. Or thought he had wanted until Cobie stepped back into his life.

I don’t know what you’re doing here, God, if anything.