EPILOGUE
Maggie held Scarlet’s left hand securely as they walked along the shore of the lake while Harper did the same on her right. Making sure their pregnant sister didn’t slip on the remaining bits of snow and ice was paramount for Maggie. Now that April had arrived, the ice was beginning to break up on the lake, leaving patches of open water. But winter wasn’t ready to give up the fight. Overnight, a strong north wind had pushed great chunks of ice onto the southern shore. The wind continued to roar its fury, making her pull her knitted hat a little more securely over her ears.
“Willy went to the police today,” Harper said. “He went on his own and told them about what happened to Mom and Daddy, and how he was responsible for their deaths. The police called to tell me.”
Maggie gripped Scarlet’s arm. “What’s going to happen? Will he go to jail?”
Harper shook her head. “I’m not sure. Their deaths were an accident, but he lied and pointed the finger at Daddy. He has to atone for what he did.”
“I’m glad Willy confessed,” Scarlet said. “At least we don’t have to turn him in ourselves. But if there’s a trial—”
“If there’s a trial, we’ll get through it together. We’ve got our family now,” Harper said, putting her arm around Scarlet’s waist. “Whatever happens, the truth will come out and Daddy’s name will be cleared. The important thing is that we know the truth.”
“I wish Grandma and Grampa could have known the truth.” Maggie wondered if knowing how and why her daughter died would have been easier on Grandma Dorothy.
She shivered at the thought. Nothing would have made her daughter’s death easier to bear.
Scarlet snuggled close. “You’re shivering. Are you cold, Maggie?”
“A little. The wind coming off the lake has quite a bite.” Maggie checked her watch. “I should head back to town soon. Phyllis will have dinner waiting for us.”
“How’s your deal with Phyllis working out?” Harper asked.
Maggie grinned. “It’s perfect.”
She and Luke had been living with Phyllis since they got back together, and the arrangement suited all three of them. Luke and Maggie handled maintenance and cleaning around the house, and Phyllis enjoyed cooking for them. Since Reese lived down the block, he was a frequent visitor, giving her and her father the opportunity to forge a relationship. Someday, she and Luke would get a place of their own but for now, it was more important they all be together.
“We should go back to the lodge,” Harper said.
“In a minute,” Maggie said. “There’s a reason I asked you to come for a walk with me. I wanted to show you this.”
She pulled off her glove to reveal the engagement ring Luke had given her the previous evening. The gold band and solitaire diamond sparkled in the dying rays of the sun.
Scarlet sucked in a breath and grabbed Maggie’s hand. “Oh, my God! Our baby sister is getting married, Harper!”
Tears shone in Harper’s eyes. “I’m so happy for you, sweetheart. Luke is perfect for you.”
“He is. He’s the best man I know, and I love him so much.” The joy Luke had brought into her life made her happier than she’d ever been. She only hoped she made him just as happy. Somehow, she knew Abby was looking down on them with approval.
“I’m glad you don’t have trouble saying those three little words any more,” Harper said with a laugh.
“No, no trouble at all. I’ve had a lot of practice over the last few weeks. And if I haven’t told the two of you lately how much I love you, I’m telling you now.”
Scarlet kissed her cheek. “We love you, too, Maggie Cat. Let’s head back to the lodge.”
As they turned around, the sound of a woman’s laughter drifted across the lake. Abby’s laughter. Maggie abruptly stopped walking. “Did you hear that?”
“What?”
“A woman laughing.”
“Are you sure? I didn’t hear anything.” Scarlet tucked her hand into hers once more. “We’d better get you home. The excitement of your engagement is making you hear things.”
“Very funny.”
Maggie continued walking, but as she looked back at the lake, two women in a yellow canoe waved at her. She jerked to a stop and sucked in a breath.
Harper steadied her, concern in her eyes. “Are you okay?”
Maggie glanced toward the lake once more, but all she saw was late afternoon sunlight glinting on a patch of open water.
“It’s crazy, but I swear for a moment I saw a canoe out there.”
Scarlet swallowed. “Was it a yellow canoe?”
Harper gasped. “You saw it, too?”
“I did. Once. Last winter. We were all out skating on the lake, remember? But I was the only one who saw it. It happened just before my wedding.”
“I saw the yellow canoe last summer, a few days before my wedding. And now Maggie’s getting married…” Harper’s voice trailed off.
Holding hands, they gazed out at the lake, letting the cold wind whip around them. But the wind no longer sent a chill up Maggie’s spine. Warmth enveloped her. Comforting peace wrapped around her heart, filling her with love and thankfulness.
“They’re happy for us,” she whispered.
Her sisters didn’t ask who she meant. Instead, they nodded in understanding.
Several minutes passed. Finally, Scarlet squeezed her hand. “We need to go. Our families are waiting for us.”
Together they walked back to the lodge, hand in hand.
The End
Thank you for reading “Truth and Solace”. If you enjoyed the story, please leave a review at your favorite retailer. Reviews allow writers to keep writing new stories for you!
Did you miss the first two books in the Love at Solace Lake series? Read on for excerpts from “Lies and Solace” and “Secrets and Solace”. Thank you!