Rains of Remorse Read online

  Rains of Remorse

  Lantern Beach Romantic Suspense, Book 5

  Christy Barritt

  Copyright © 2019 by Christy Barritt

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Complete Book List

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Also by Christy Barritt:

  Other Books in the Lantern Beach Series:

  You might also enjoy …

  Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries:

  The Worst Detective Ever:

  Fog Lake Suspense

  About the Author

  Complete Book List

  Squeaky Clean Mysteries:

  #1 Hazardous Duty

  #2 Suspicious Minds

  #2.5 It Came Upon a Midnight Crime

  #3 Organized Grime

  #4 Dirty Deeds

  #5 The Scum of All Fears

  #6 To Love, Honor and Perish

  #7 Mucky Streak

  #8 Foul Play

  #9 Broom & Gloom

  #10 Dust and Obey

  #11 Thrill Squeaker

  #11.5 Swept Away (novella)

  #12 Cunning Attractions

  #13 Cold Case: Clean Getaway

  #14 Cold Case: Clean Sweep

  #15 Cold Case: Clean Break

  #16 Cleans to an End (coming soon)

  While You Were Sweeping, A Riley Thomas Spinoff

  The Sierra Files:

  #1 Pounced

  #2 Hunted

  #3 Pranced

  #4 Rattled

  The Gabby St. Claire Diaries (a Tween Mystery series):

  The Curtain Call Caper

  The Disappearing Dog Dilemma

  The Bungled Bike Burglaries

  The Worst Detective Ever

  #1 Ready to Fumble

  #2 Reign of Error

  #3 Safety in Blunders

  #4 Join the Flub

  #5 Blooper Freak

  #6 Flaw Abiding Citizen

  #7 Gaffe Out Loud

  #8 Joke and Dagger

  #9 Wreck the Halls

  #10 Glitch and Famous (coming soon)

  Raven Remington

  Relentless 1

  Relentless 2 (coming soon)

  Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries:

  #1 Random Acts of Murder

  #2 Random Acts of Deceit

  #2.5 Random Acts of Scrooge

  #3 Random Acts of Malice

  #4 Random Acts of Greed

  #5 Random Acts of Fraud

  #6 Random Acts of Outrage

  #7 Random Acts of Iniquity

  Lantern Beach Mysteries

  #1 Hidden Currents

  #2 Flood Watch

  #3 Storm Surge

  #4 Dangerous Waters

  #5 Perilous Riptide

  #6 Deadly Undertow

  Lantern Beach Romantic Suspense

  Tides of Deception

  Shadow of Intrigue

  Storm of Doubt

  Winds of Danger

  Lantern Beach P.D.

  On the Lookout

  Attempt to Locate

  First Degree Murder

  Dead on Arrival

  Plan of Action

  Lantern Beach Escape

  Afterglow (a novelette)

  Lantern Beach Blackout

  Dark Water

  Carolina Moon Series

  Home Before Dark

  Gone By Dark

  Wait Until Dark

  Light the Dark

  Taken By Dark

  Suburban Sleuth Mysteries:

  Death of the Couch Potato’s Wife

  Fog Lake Suspense:

  Edge of Peril

  Margin of Error

  Brink of Danger

  Line of Duty (coming soon)

  Cape Thomas Series:

  Dubiosity

  Disillusioned

  Distorted

  Standalone Romantic Mystery:

  The Good Girl

  Suspense:

  Imperfect

  The Wrecking

  Sweet Christmas Novella:

  Home to Chestnut Grove

  Standalone Romantic-Suspense:

  Keeping Guard

  The Last Target

  Race Against Time

  Ricochet

  Key Witness

  Lifeline

  High-Stakes Holiday Reunion

  Desperate Measures

  Hidden Agenda

  Mountain Hideaway

  Dark Harbor

  Shadow of Suspicion

  The Baby Assignment

  The Cradle Conspiracy

  Trained to Defend

  Nonfiction:

  Characters in the Kitchen

  Changed: True Stories of Finding God through Christian Music (out of print)

  The Novel in Me: The Beginner’s Guide to Writing and Publishing a Novel (out of print)

  Chapter One

  Rebecca Jarvis stepped into her house, deposited her purse on the table by the door, and paused.

  As remnants of the rain shower cooled her exposed skin, the hair on her neck rose.

  Something felt different, felt off. But what?

  She scanned her surroundings. Everything looked just as she’d left it.

  The Christmas tree glimmered in the corner, handmade ornaments decorating each branch. Diapers and wipes from a recent baby shower formed a small cityscape on the dining room table. The savory scent of Boatman’s Stew wafted from the kitchen, where she had left it in a Crockpot before going to work.

  Nothing seemed out of place.

  But Rebecca would be a fool to dismiss the feeling in her gut. Her subconscious whispered secrets she couldn’t quite hear.

  Had someone else been in her house?

  She sucked in a quick breath at the thought. That couldn’t be the case. A mix of pregnancy hormones and an overactive imagination left her feeling paranoid.

  She took a step back and rubbed her belly, murmuring words of comfort to the baby nestled in her womb. “It’s going to be okay. Mama’s not going to let anything happen to you, Sweet Pea.”

  Should she call the police?

  As her head wobbled, Rebecca leaned on the entryway table and briefly closed her eyes. She couldn’t call the police just because of a gut feeling. Most likely, this was nothing. For some reason, she’d felt so overwhelmed lately, and she could hardly think straight.

  That settled it. She was being ridiculous. Nothing was wrong here.

  She was about to become a single mom, and that meant she needed to get used to being the man and the woman of the family. There would be no one here to protect her and Emma—all of that fell on Rebecca’s shoulders.

  She swallowed hard at the thought, trying to ignore the despair that nipped at her.

  Cautiously, Rebecca took a step forward. The floor creaked beneath her weight.

  She paused again. Listened.

  There was
nothing. No sounds. Nothing out of place.

  If only she could lose that nagging feeling in her gut.

  She took another step, staying close to the wall. Slipping into the kitchen, she reached into the wooden bucket she kept on the floor and grabbed a rolling pin. She gripped it like a bat and drew in a shaky breath.

  Call the police.

  The thought whispered through her mind again. But she couldn’t.

  She didn’t have a reasonable excuse as to why the cops should come. Her front door had been locked, nothing appeared to be out of place, and there were no signs anyone had been inside.

  Most likely, this was nothing. Maybe a critter of some sort had gotten inside through the attic or the heat had come on, the air coming through the vents causing a false sense of movement.

  That was probably it.

  But Rebecca needed to be sure.

  She swallowed hard, hoping that in ten minutes she would feel ridiculous. That she would prop her feet up, close her eyes for a few seconds, and listen to some Christmas music—all things she’d been daydreaming about doing throughout the day.

  She just needed to check out the rest of her house first.

  Rebecca took a step toward the stairway and froze as her senses tingled again.

  Had that been a squeak above her? Was it the floor upstairs crying out under unexpected weight?

  The chills running through her became stronger. Rebecca didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t like it.

  On second thought, she couldn’t take this chance.

  She needed to get out of here. She wouldn’t do anything to put her baby at risk.

  Rebecca grabbed her purse from the entryway table and started to open the door. As she did, she looked back.

  A man in a black mask stood at the top of her stairs, his hands clenched to his sides.

  She let out a blood-curdling scream as fear consumed her.

  She should have gotten out while she had the chance.

  Levi Stoneman grabbed two bags of groceries from the backseat of his car before slamming the door. He paused. A light rain pelted his black jacket, but he didn’t care. Instead, he breathed in the fresh air here on Lantern Beach.

  He had no idea this island would feel so refreshing. But something about the place and its saltwater-tinged air helped put him at ease. It had been a long time since he’d felt he could breathe.

  He shifted the groceries in his arms. If he were honest with himself, he was tired of being on edge. Tired of his job and the constant clandestine assignments. He was ready to move on and live a normal life. But he’d come here for one last undercover assignment.

  This job left him feeling like no one really knew him. He never stayed in one place long enough. Never used the same identity. Instead, he’d hidden who he really was so deep inside himself Levi himself could hardly remember that person.

  It hadn’t bothered him until recently. Now a resounding loneliness pervaded his thoughts.

  Levi’s gaze wandered across his yard to his neighbor’s house. Weathered cedar shingles, two stories with a porch, and five steps leading there.

  He’d seen his neighbor leave this morning. She was blonde and pretty—and pregnant. He’d done his research and knew Rebecca Jarvis lived alone.

  Just then, a scream sliced through the air. The sound came from next door.

  The groceries slipped from Levi’s arms. His boots dug into the sandy ground beneath him as he rushed between their houses. Without bothering to knock, he threw open the door.

  His neighbor was on the floor, leaning against the wall and holding her belly—her very pregnant belly. Levi quickly scanned the house.

  Seeing nothing threatening, he rushed toward the woman. Trembles had claimed her body, and tears flowed down her cheeks.

  “Are you okay?” Levi knelt beside her, quickly assessing her for any injuries. He saw none.

  She pointed toward the back of the house. “There was a man. Here. In my house.”

  His muscles tensed as he followed her gaze. “Where did he go?”

  “He shoved me down and ran out the back door.”

  Levi had only a second to make a decision. Follow the man or help his neighbor?

  It didn’t require much thought. His neighbor needed his attention more. Being injured while in her current state could be serious.

  He pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’m going to call 911. You should be checked out.”

  She didn’t argue with him. But more silent tears ran down her cheeks, and she rubbed her stomach, obviously worried about her baby.

  After speaking with the dispatcher, Levi put his phone back into his pocket and turned to the woman. His gut twisted at the sight of her, followed by a flash of guilt. He shoved those emotions aside and slipped an arm behind her.

  “Why don’t we get you to the couch?”

  She nodded, and Levi helped her stand. He didn’t let go until she was seated on the navy-blue cushions. He sat a comfortable distance away and observed the woman again. Though she was clearly upset, he saw no wounds, no blood, nothing broken.

  But he knew that didn’t tell the whole story. “I’m going to stay here with you until the ambulance arrives. Does anything hurt?”

  “I think I’m okay. Just shaken.”

  Levi tried to picture what had happened. “He shoved you, you said?”

  “That’s right. He grabbed me, and I fought back. I knew I couldn’t go anywhere with him. I think he was going to force me outside when he heard you at the door. He pushed me down and ran.”

  “Thank goodness I got here when I did.” But Levi would be lying if he didn’t admit that the whole scenario bothered him. Why would someone be hiding in this woman’s house? The fact that she was pregnant made her even more vulnerable.

  “I’m Levi Stoneman, by the way. I’m staying next door.”

  “I’m Rebecca Jarvis.” She rubbed her belly. “I just hope my baby is okay. She’s not moving a lot right now.”

  “She?”

  Her lip twitched, a slight smile forming. “That’s right. I’m having a girl. I’m going to name her Emma.”

  “Emma is a nice name.”

  “It was my grandma’s name.”

  Just then, a siren sounded in the distance. The sound became louder until finally it stopped outside the house.

  Help was here.

  But this wasn’t the way Levi had intended on meeting Rebecca Jarvis or starting his investigation on her.

  Chapter Two

  “You’re going to be fine, Rebecca.” Doc Clemson lowered his stethoscope. “You and your baby too.”

  Relief filled Rebecca, and she rubbed her stomach. Almost as if Emma understood what the doctor said, the baby kicked Rebecca’s side. Normally, Rebecca might squirm with discomfort, but she was so happy to know everything was okay that she didn’t care.

  Just like she didn’t care, at the moment, about the pungently clean scent here at the clinic. Or about beeps coming from across the hall. Or the hushed dialogue of nurses as they spoke outside the room.

  She’d never liked hospitals, and this clinic seemed like one. Hospitals only brought bad memories. When her baby came, she hoped all that would change.

  “She’s running out of room in there, isn’t she?” Doc Clemson raised his eyebrows, his ruddy complexion and orange-yellow hair forming a personable picture. The man could be a jokester, but he was also very good at his job. The island was lucky to have him.

  Rebecca nodded, remembering her recent aches and pains. Emma appeared to be using her kidney as a pillow, and the babe’s favorite thing to do was to kick her mama in the ribs. “Yes, she’s a little crowded. Only three more weeks until she makes her grand entrance into the world.”

  Doc Clemson stepped back. He was like a father figure to people in this area. Rebecca could use a father figure now, especially considering everything that had happened in her life over the past seven months. He’d been a good sounding board throughout it all.
/>   “How are you doing, Rebecca?” Doc Clemson peered at her over the top of his glasses. “How are you really doing?”

  She shrugged, a rock forming in her chest. She didn’t know how to answer that question . . . going into this pregnancy alone, having her husband abandon her, then die, trying to make ends meet. It hadn’t been a walk in the park. Then mix in what had happened today . . . but the last thing she wanted was for people to feel sorry for her.

  “I guess I’m doing as well as can be expected. I never thought I would be a single mom, but sometimes you just have to take what life hands you and make the best of it.”

  “Having a good attitude can go a long way.” Doc Clemson jotted a note and then put his pen back into his front pocket. “But, remember, we’re all here for you if you need us.”

  After several months of mounting problems, her husband, Jim, had left her. A month later, he’d died in a freak accident when someone tried to rob him in a parking lot. The altercation turned ugly, and the man had shot him. Police still hadn’t caught the man responsible.

  Rebecca had mourned his passing, but maybe she hadn’t mourned it as she should. Guilt plagued her at that thought. She and Jim had been drifting apart for a while. Though she had been determined to make her marriage work, there was no denying the damage that had already been done.

  She figured the sooner she accepted her new reality, the better it would be for her and Emma in the future. A lot of good people had stepped in to help her out. Rebecca wouldn’t trade this community for anything.

  She slid down from the exam table and took a moment to catch her balance. She was all stomach, and sometimes the disproportionate weight in her belly made her wobble.