The Spyglass Portal: A Lighthouse Novel by Stacey Coverstone Read Free Book Online Page B

tea,” she told the waitress after flagging her down. All she wanted was to get out of the restaurant in a hurry.
    As she stood and pushed in her chair, Claire and Jason sidled up next to her. “Tired of waiting?” Claire asked.
    Sam nodded and forced a weak smile to her lips.
    “Come see me next time you’re in the village,” Claire said, patting her arm. “We can share some girl talk. Jay is a good boy, but he’s not much of a conversationalist, as you might have noticed.”
    Jason shoved his hands into his pants pockets and rolled his eyes.
    “I’ll do that,” Samantha said. As the pair walked away, her gaze landed on Jason’s leg again. Curious, she caught up with them as Claire paid her bill. “I see your leg healed fast. Have you got some sort of magic cream you rubbed on it? I could use some on my arm from when a big dog jumped on me today.”
    His head tilted. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
    “You were limping today on your right leg. I thought you’d hurt it, but you’re walking fine tonight.”
    “I wasn’t limping today. There’s nothing wrong with my leg.” His brow furrowed and his lips formed a pout, as if he thought he was being accused of doing something wrong.
    “But I saw you…” Sam’s voice trailed off when Claire stepped up and swung Jason around by the arm. “Goodbye, Samantha. See you soon. Let’s go, son.”
    He craned his neck over his shoulder and stared as his mother led him out the door.
    That was peculiar. He’d definitely been limping today. Why would he lie? Sam shook her head, dismissing the odd pair.
    After Marianne, the hostess, rang up her bill, Samantha said, “I apologize for sounding intrusive, but the friend who was supposed to meet me here tonight is someone I think you know. His name is Aidan Gallagher. He told me he comes here so often that you and him are on a first-name basis.”
    The young woman didn’t hesitate with her response. “Sorry, but I’ve never heard of him.”
    A prickly feeling niggled beneath Samantha’s goose-fleshed skin. “Are you sure? He’s around my age, about five foot eleven, very handsome with dark hair he wears in a ponytail, and he has the most amazing hazel eyes. He’s an artist. A painter.”
    Marianne’s head wagged back and forth. “No. We get a lot of painters coming to the cove, but I’ve never seen anyone like that in here. If I had, I’d remember. He sounds like a hunk.”
    A frosty chill slithered down Samantha’s spine. “Please, think hard. It’s very important. He has a dog he calls Paddy. He paints seascapes on the beach, and he’s Irish. Surely there aren’t too many people around her who fit that description.”
    A bell jingled and both Sam and Marianne glanced at the front door to watch an older couple enter.
    “I’m certain I don’t know anyone by that name or description, ma’am,” Marianne said. She grabbed menus from behind her podium. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
    Samantha left the restaurant more confused than ever. Why weren’t these people admitting they knew Aidan? And why didn’t he show up tonight? She climbed into her car and slammed the door. The temperature in her was rising by the second. What was wrong with these people? They weren’t necessarily rude, but something seemed off kilter. And where was Aidan?
    With the window down and a breeze blowing her hair around, she drove back to the lighthouse and used the antique key to unlock the door with fumbling fingers. Sinking into the cushions of the comfy sofa, she laid her head back and closed her eyes.
    “I need to talk to someone who can assure me I’m not going mad,” she said out loud. Snatching her cell phone out of her purse, she punched in Linda’s number and tapped her foot while she waited for her to answer. One ring. Two. Three. Four rings and it went to voice mail.
    “Hey, this is Antonio. You know the drill. Ciao!”
    Sam stared at her phone. “Antonio? I must have done something