by Leena Clover
“That’s horrible,” Molly said.
“Didn’t anyone try to save them?” Jenny questioned.
She was so engrossed in the story she could almost hear the waves roar.
“There wasn’t anyone around to help,” Betty Sue explained. “Everyone was trying to save their own lives and their families.”
“So your friend lost most of her family in a single day,” Petunia clucked.
“Lily was devastated,” Betty Sue nodded. “She came to stay with us for a while. I remember she cried for hours, calling for her mother.”
“Those poor women!” Star gushed. “What did they do?”
“Roy’s wife Ann shut the house up. She was from somewhere in the mountains of North Carolina. She took Lily and the baby with her.”
“And Seaview has been abandoned since then?” Jenny asked.
“Do I look like I am done yet?” Betty Sue snapped.
She cleared her throat and tapped her empty cup. Jenny went inside to get a fresh pot of coffee.
“It was the summer of 1989,” Betty Sue continued after taking a bracing sip. “Heather was three or four. Her parents were letting her spend the summer with me.”
“I vaguely remember going to visit someone,” Heather said. “It was in a big house by the sea.”
“Lily came back to Pelican Cove that summer,” Betty Sue told them. “She was married, with a family of her own. Her son was in college and her daughter had just started high school.”
“Why did Lily come back?” Molly asked Betty Sue.
“She said she missed town. Her husband got a job in Virginia Beach. Her kids had grown up hearing about Pelican Cove and Seaview. The kids had never seen the ocean. They were eager to live in a beach community.”
“They sound like a normal family,” Jenny said.
“They were normal alright,” Betty Sue sighed wistfully. “Laughter rang through the halls of Seaview. Lily was the perfect mom, baking cookies for her daughter’s friends, volunteering in school activities. Then disaster struck.”
“What now?” Jenny cried.
“Lily’s daughter died.”
“What?” Heather burst out. “You never told me any of this, Grandma.”
“What’s to tell? You were just a child then. You wouldn’t have remembered any of them.”
“What happened to the girl?” Jenny interrupted.
“It was some kind of tropical virus. Nobody knew where she got it. Her fever soared overnight. She was gone within hours.”
“Poor Lily,” Jenny mumbled.
As a mother, she couldn’t imagine anything happening to her son. Losing a child was any parent’s worst nightmare.
“Lily was devastated,” Betty Sue said grimly. “Grief must have turned her head.”
“Why? What did she do?”
“Lily ran away.”
“What?” Jenny cried out.
“She must have been seeing someone on the sly,” Betty Sue reasoned.
“Did you know anything about it, Grandma?” Heather asked. “Wasn’t she your best friend?”
Betty Sue looked sad.
“We had grown apart by then. I tried to reach out to her after her baby girl died. But Lily locked herself in that house. Her husband was at work most of the time. Her son was in college. She barely left the house. I took some food to her a few times. After a while, I just gave up.”
“And all this time she was having an affair?” Molly mused.
“We’ll never know that,” Betty Sue pursed her lips. “Rumor has it, she got into a car one dark night and ran out of town.”
“How did her husband take it?”
“He closed up the house and went away. The son never came back either.”
“When was this, Betty Sue?” Jenny asked.
“Fall of 1991.”
“And you never heard from any of them again?” Heather asked.
Betty Sue shook her head.
“I will never understand why Lily abandoned her family. The Davis name has never been spoken of again in town. Most of the people who settled here after the big storm have never heard of them.”
“Now you know why that house is jinxed?” Betty Sue thundered. “None of the locals like to talk about it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me all this before I bought the house?” Jenny asked curiously.
“You didn’t ask,” Betty Sue shrugged. “You just announced one fine day that you bought Seaview. I didn’t see a point in saying anything after that.”
“Say what you will,” Jenny said firmly. “I don’t believe in superstition. I know the Davises had a string of bad luck. But that’s not going to happen to me.”
Jenny forced herself to ignore the obvious – the skeleton the men had found in her backyard.
“Hello ladies!” a cheery voice startled them out of their misery. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”
Jenny rushed into Jason Stone’s arms and hugged him tightly. He made her believe everything was going to be alright.
Chapter 3
Jenny ladled thick pumpkin soup into a bowl and garnished it with toasted pumpkin seeds. She sprinkled a bit of Old Bay seasoning on top. People on the Eastern Shore loved to add it to their food.
Molly buttered the thick crusty bread Jenny had set before her.
“You are in early,” Jenny remarked as she served Molly’s lunch.
“The library board is meeting today,” Molly explained. “It’s all hush-hush. The staff was asked to leave the building.”
“This gives us a chance to catch up,” Jenny smiled. “How’s it going with Chris?”
Chris Williams, a thirty something young man, came from a local Pioneer family. He had always been tight with Heather. Their families had been sure they would get engaged soon. Heather had shocked everyone that summer with a different kind of announcement. She wanted to date other people. Chris had matched her step for step by putting up his own profile on the online dating sites. Molly had expressed an interest in going out with Chris.
“We went out a couple of times,” Molly said shyly. “Just as friends.”
“You think he’s just waiting for Heather to go back to him?”
“I don’t know, Jenny,” Molly muttered.
Molly really liked Chris. She had confessed as much to Jenny. Jenny was afraid Heather and Chris were just playing some kind of game. Molly was going to end up getting hurt.
“Don’t get too attached,” Jenny warned. She tried to change the subject. “How do you like the soup?”
“It’s delicious!” Molly exclaimed. “The tourists are going to love it.”
“Petunia says we have more tourists this fall,” Jenny said, “thanks to Instagram. They just won’t stop coming.”
“Good for business, right?” Molly said. “I just wish there was a way tourists could come to the library. We can use the business.”
A short, middle aged man entered the café. Jenny guessed he was around fifty. She had never seen him before. His clothes were rumpled and had seen better days. The man came up to the counter.
“Hello!” Jenny greeted the stranger. “Here for some lunch?”
The man looked at the floor and mumbled something.
“How about some pumpkin soup?” Jenny suggested, trying to guess what he had said. “I just made a batch of chicken salad sandwiches.”
The man nodded but didn’t look up. Jenny brought his order out and pointed to a table near the window.
“How do you do it?” Molly asked, biting into her sandwich. “You are so good with people.”
“It’s just instinct,” Jenny shrugged.
She placed a slice of chocolate cake before Molly and took one to the stranger.
“Care for some dessert?” she asked. “It’s on the house.”
“Have you moved into your house?” the stranger asked suddenly.
Jenny was speechless. She stared at the man, unable to think of a reply.
“You are the new owner of Seaview, a
ren’t you?” the man asked.
He looked directly at Jenny, his light brown eyes boring into hers.
“Who told you that?”
“It’s all over town,” the man laughed. “You can’t keep a secret in a small town like this.”
“Do you live in Pelican Cove?” Jenny asked.
“Oh no! I’m just visiting.”
Jenny held out her hand and introduced herself.
“My name is Jenny King. I moved here a few months ago.”
“I know who you are,” the man nodded, taking a bite of his cake. “Yes Sir!”
“What is your name?” Jenny asked him directly.
“Keith Bennet,” the man said softly. “You can call me Keith.”
“Nice to meet you, Keith,” Jenny said lightly. “So where are you from?”
“Here and there,” the man answered evasively.
He shoved another bite of cake into his mouth and spoke with his mouth open.
“Did you know about the skeleton in your backyard?”
“I did not.”
“Gave you a shock, I suppose.”
“I guess you can say that.”
“Are you selling the house? Good luck with that. It’s falling apart.”
“No it’s not,” Jenny argued. “I did some extensive renovations. Seaview is ready to be lived in.”
“How did you buy the place anyway?” Keith asked. “Didn’t anyone tell you the place is jinxed?”
“I don’t believe in such nonsense.”
“You will,” Keith nodded. “Wait and watch.”
“Excuse me, are you threatening me?” Jenny cried.
“Nope,” Keith said, getting up. “Just telling it like it is. If I were you, I would get rid of it as soon as possible.”
“Thanks,” Jenny snorted. “I’ll think about it.”
“What was all that about?” Molly asked. “He sounded like a nutcase.”
“He knew a lot about what’s happening in town.”
“Be careful, Jenny,” Molly urged. “Don’t talk to strangers.”
Jenny put her hands on her hips and glared at Molly.
“What am I, eight? I run a café, Molly. Half the people walking in are strangers. How can I not talk to them?”
“Just be careful then,” Molly repeated as she rushed out.
Jenny walked to the police station after the café closed. Nora, the desk clerk, waved her through.
“He’s not in a good mood,” she warned.
Adam Hopkins had a mercurial temper. His mood swings were frequently brought on by his injured leg. Jenny found him struggling with a bottle of pain pills. She took the bottle from him and unscrewed the top. Adam popped a couple of pills and washed them down with water.
“What do you want, Jenny?” he snapped.
“Thanks for the nice welcome,” Jenny smiled back.
“I’m busy.”
“Just tell me when I can move into my home.”
“It’s going to take a while,” Adam grunted.
“How long is a while?” Jenny pushed. “A week? Two weeks? A month?”
“I really can’t say at this time.”
“You know I moved most of my stuff into Seaview. I barely have a few clothes at Star’s cottage.”
“I can send a deputy with you to the house. Take what you need.”
“What I really want is to start living there.”
“I know that, but my hands are tied. This is an ongoing investigation.”
“What is the urgency? Whoever it was, obviously died a long time ago.”
“I’m waiting for the autopsy results.”
Jenny sighed and sat back in her chair.
“Do you think the house is jinxed, Adam? That’s what everyone is saying.”
“Have you lost your mind, Jenny?”
“A guy came in to the café asking all kinds of questions about the house. He even knew about the skeleton.”
“Every kid in town knows about it,” Adam smirked. “It’s front page news in the Pelican Cove Chronicle.”
“He seemed suspicious.”
“I’m sure,” Adam muttered, flicking the pages of a thick file.
“He gave me all kinds of warnings about the house.”
Adam looked up and sighed.
“People are talking about Seaview up and down the coast. I’m sure each one of them is going to have some advice for you. Are you going to listen to all of them?”
“You’re right,” Jenny said, getting up. “Am I seeing you later?”
Adam and Jenny had an unofficial standing date every evening. Jenny loved going for a walk on the beach after dinner. Adam went there with his dog Tank. After running into each other a few times, they began looking forward to it.
“I have an appointment in the city,” Adam told her. “I might be late getting in.”
Jenny walked out, wondering why Adam made her heart flutter. He was in a grumpy mood most of the time.
Star was sitting on the porch of her cottage. Jimmy Parsons sat with his arm around her. Jenny greeted them when she got home. Her son Nick had gone back to college. She rubbed the tiny gold heart that hung on a chain around her neck. Nick had gifted her a gold charm every Mother’s Day since he was eight. Jenny wore all the charms on a chain. They stayed close to her heart, giving her a tangible connection to her only child.
“I am heating some leftovers,” Star called out. “Come out when you are ready.”
They dined on an assortment of dips and crackers and leftover pizza.
“You’ll have to tolerate me some more, Auntie,” Jenny joked. “They aren’t allowing me to move in yet.”
“Don’t be silly, child. I never reckoned you were going to buy that mansion next door. You can stay here as long as you want. We are getting along fine, aren’t we?”
Jenny stole a glance at Jimmy.
“I don’t want to be in the way.”
“You’re not in the way, Jenny,” Jimmy assured her. “And your aunt and I, we’re not…” His face turned red as he trailed off.
A car drove up outside.
“That must be Jason,” Jenny said, springing up.
Jason Stone did not come bearing good news.
“You will have to be patient, Jenny,” he told her. “They won’t be letting you in yet.”
Jenny fixed a plate for Jason and they sat out on the porch.
“I’m tired of people telling me the place is jinxed,” Jenny grumbled. “I want to move in as soon as possible and prove them wrong.”
“All in good time,” Jason said. “So you’re not scared of going to live there?”
“I’m tougher than that,” Jenny said firmly.
She felt a frisson of uncertainty in her heart but she ignored it. She was a strong, modern woman and she needed to prove her mettle.
“I know,” Jason said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s the girl I’m crazy about.”
“Are you trying to butter me up?” Jenny asked slyly. “What do you want, Jason?”
“A date.”
“We talked about this,” Jenny protested.
Jenny had resigned herself to the lonely life of a divorced woman after moving to Pelican Cove. She had never imagined that not one but two handsome men would be pursuing her. All the Magnolias teased her relentlessly about it. They were making bets on who Jenny would ultimately choose. After going on a few dates with Adam, Jenny was clearly leaning toward him.
“It’s a law society dinner in the city,” Jason pleaded. “And I want a smart, sophisticated, intelligent woman to be my date.”
“You forgot beautiful,” Jenny teased.
“So you’ll come?” Jason asked hopefully.
“Just this once,” Jenny said reluctantly.
Jason was so nice it was hard to disappoint him.
“I feel bad about this whole Seaview business,” Jason apologized. “I never told you the whole story.”
“I didn’t give you a chance,” Jenny
argued.
“Yes, but I could have been more upfront about the Davis family.”
“Did you know there was a skeleton buried in the garden?” Jenny asked.
“Of course not!”
“Then I don’t see what you could have done. I knew how old the property was. Any house that ancient has some rumors attached to it.”
“So you aren’t repenting you bought the place?”
Jenny paused to consider.
“Not yet. I want to tackle this situation with a positive attitude.”
“That’s admirable,” Jason said. “I’m here to help any way I can.”
“I know that, Jason,” Jenny smiled. “You’re the one person in this town I rely on completely.”
Jenny wondered why she couldn’t fall in love with Jason. He made her feel safe and protected. She could talk to him about any topic on earth. He was handsome, successful and sensitive. But he didn’t make her heart beat wildly. He was the safe harbor she could come home to but he wasn’t the storm that would sweep her off her feet.
Jenny walked on the beach, eager to run into Adam. She turned back after a while. The motion detectors set off the lights at Seaview. Jenny smelled the roses and the gardenias and looked up at the imposing mansion. Was she going to be happy there?
Chapter 4
Jenny was surprised to see Adam in the café.
“You’re up early,” she observed.
“Shift starts at 8. I thought I would get your special omelet for breakfast today. Dinner wasn’t great.”
“Western omelets on the menu today,” Jenny nodded. “With ham and peppers.”
Jenny curbed herself until Adam finished eating. She topped up his coffee and looked at him speculatively.
“Any news?”
“I suppose you are referring to the thing we found in your backyard?”
“Heather and Molly are calling it Mr. Bones,” she laughed. “Or Mrs. Bones. Can’t you tell me anything about it?”
“You wear me down, Jenny,” Adam sighed. “I don’t want to argue with you this early in the day.”
“Then don’t,” Jenny winked. “Just throw me some scraps.”
“It’s female,” Adam said. “That’s all I can tell you for now.”
