Against the Tide by Melody Carlson

she was okay. Then jogging, she went up to meet him, jumping inside his SUV and explaining everything.
    â€œDid you find your phone yet?” he asked.
    â€œNot yet. I should probably wait until the police give me the green light.”
    â€œI was worried about letting you go off by yourself,” he told her as he parked behind the police vehicles. “But if I’d known you were coming here, I would’ve dropped everything to come with you, Megan.”
    â€œI didn’t think it would be a problem. I mean, Michael was supposed to meet me. And it was broad daylight.”
    â€œBut then you got that bad feeling?” He turned off the engine.
    â€œI felt uneasy,” she confessed.
    â€œWas it what you’d call women’s intuition?” he asked as they got out.
    She shrugged. “Yeah, maybe.”
    â€œAren’t you supposed to listen to that?” He peered curiously at her.
    â€œI guess so.”
    Michael was coming over to join them now. “It looks like the intruder is gone. But the place is a mess inside. The team’s gathering evidence now.”
    â€œCan I look around the porch area?” she asked. “I dropped my phone over there.”
    â€œDidn’t you say the intruder followed you out the front door?”
    â€œYeah, but—”
    â€œThen you better let the team look for footprints first.”
    She bit her lip. “Yeah...sure.”
    â€œDo you think it’s the same guy from the newspaper office?” Garret asked her.
    â€œI really don’t know.” She tried to remember. “It happened so fast. I was so shocked, I just took off running.”
    â€œGood thing, too,” Garret told her.
    â€œHe seemed similar. Dark clothes. Average height. Medium build.” She closed her eyes, trying to pull up that face again. “But his skin seemed darker. Tanned. Almost Hispanic. But it was more of an impression. I wouldn’t stake my life on it.”
    Garret turned to Michael. “I have some things I need to tell Megan about. Things that Rory told me. I think maybe you should hear them, too.” He glanced at his watch. “Have you guys had lunch? I’m starving.”
    The three agreed to meet at The Chowder House for lunch, and Garret insisted Megan ride with him. He could tell she was rattled and tired—and he had a strong urge to take care of her.
    â€œWere you able to figure out everything with your car this morning?” he asked as he drove.
    â€œYeah. The tires are all covered by AAA. Then I noticed Arthur was working in the newspaper office so I went inside and talked to him a while. I asked him to notify the other employees that they’ll be laid off with pay until further notice.”
    â€œFurther notice being...?”
    â€œI’ll have to let them know the paper is shutting down and that I’ll list it for sale after Memorial Day.”
    â€œThat’s pretty tough news.”
    â€œBelieve me, I know. And it’s not easy.”
    â€œNo, I wouldn’t think it would be.” Garret refrained from pointing out how this decision would’ve broken her father’s heart. And, really, who could blame her for wanting to close it down and get out of here? So far Cape Perpetua hadn’t been exactly welcoming.
    â€œThen Michael called to see how I was. He asked about Dad’s memorial service. So I called the church and reserved the date. It’ll be at three o’clock on Wednesday afternoon.”
    â€œSame day the newspaper came out.”
    â€œYeah. I thought Dad would like that. It’ll be at his church. Pastor Jackson has been really helpful. He’s handling a lot of it for me. Such a great guy.”
    â€œThat’s good.”
    â€œBut I still need to go to the mortuary. Dad sent me a packet a couple of years ago. I never really looked at it...never expected to need it so soon. But it was for a plan at Riverside Funeral Home. I left a