The Coast Road Home

by Vickie McKeehan

  Pettigrew sneaked out an arm to grab for the .357. But Marley was quicker. She used the nightstick to thump his arm from shoulder to wrist, raining blows down on his upper body.

  Pettigrew cried out, “Stop. Stop. Stop that, you crazy bitch!”

  In one last show of force, she brought her foot down and stomped into his ribs. She heard bones crack.

  Watching him unable to move, she grabbed for the gun, finally pulling it out of his waistband. She cocked the hammer back and pointed it at his head. “How does it feel now, Damon? How does it feel for a woman to fight back? You didn’t even land a single punch, not one. I could blow your head off right now.”

  When he groaned and started to move, she crouched down. With her free hand, she slammed one final right cross into his nose.

  Gideon came through the back door, followed by Eastlyn. He took the gun out of her trembling hand and passed it off to the officer. While Eastlyn handcuffed Pettigrew, Gideon pulled Marley into his arms.

  Breathing hard, Marley crumpled into his body. “You picked the wrong woman this time, asshole!”

  “Are you okay?” Gideon asked. He glanced around the room at the other women who seemed in shock at what they’d just witnessed. “Did he hurt any of you?”

  Keva and Bodie finally found their voices. They started talking at once, then started taking turns trying to explain what had happened. “Marley was awesome. She took him down, just tackled him like a football player. I thought he’d kill us all, but Marley, she just went after him, next thing I know he’s on the floor, and she’s beating the crap out of him.”

  Gideon tightened his arms around Marley. “You’re shaking.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Eastlyn looked from Pettigrew to Marley. “You kicked his ass, darlin’, no doubt about that. Hey, Doc, do you need to fix him up before I take him to jail?”

  Gideon studied the guy’s facial injuries, the nose sitting at a lopsided angle on Damon’s face. “I could set the nose right here. Otherwise, he looks fine to me. I’ll take a swing by the station later.”

  Using her forearm, Marley dabbed the sweat from her brow. “Did Lolly and Angus get off okay?”

  Gideon buckled over with laughter. “That’s what you want to know right now? Yeah, they’re off to Seattle.”

  Marley stared over at Eastlyn as if seeing her for the first time. “What are you doing here?”

  “Someone riding past your house on a bicycle heard you screaming and called the cops. I’m here to take out the trash.”

  “Have at it. Get this filth out of my house.”

  The next few hours were spent giving a statement to Brent. But when it was finally time to go home, Gideon steered her toward the beach. He had to get something off his chest. “I’m sorry I wasn’t around to protect you today.”

  “Stop it. I wasn’t alone. You left me in good hands with a houseful of guests. I should be the one apologizing to Ellie. I left her there while I snuck off to take a surfing lesson. Wally had some time on his hands. After you left for the airport, I decided I was tired of sitting around. I spent the morning with Wally learning to surf. I’m lousy at reading a situation and sizing it up. Every time I think I know more than someone else, the situation bites me in the ass.”

  “What are you talking about? Thanks to you, it’s over. Damon’s behind bars again, and his cousin is right there with him. What made you go after him like that?”

  “I didn’t want him to hurt anyone in my house. I decided this time I’d fight back.”

  It was a simple statement. He figured he needed to get it all out. “Have you ever bothered to read Dealey’s trial transcript?”

  “No, why would I do that? I sat there every day in the front row.”

  “Because it’s all right there in black and white.”

  “What is?”

  “I’m saying you never missed anything, Marley. You were his clinical psychologist, but what you didn’t know was that Dealey had taken copious amounts of LSD before he shot you and your family. His rampage, his anger, all fueled by the drug.”

  “What? Where’d that come from? I couldn’t have missed something like that. I was at the trial every single day.”

  “The prosecutor didn’t admit it into evidence because he thought it might prejudice the jury into a more lenient sentence, drugs, and all. Dealey tested positive for the stuff. The state attorney chose to leave it out of his argument because he wanted life without the possibility of parole. However, Dealey’s defense team wasted no time bringing it up when it was their turn.”

  “Wait. I remember some mention of that. But I just assumed it was all bunk, staged for the benefit of the jury, a tactic to get sympathy. I didn’t realize Dealey had actually taken LSD.”

  “Yeah, well, Dealey confessed to it, his tox screen proved it. It’s true, Marley. You didn’t miss a thing. Look, as a psychologist, you should appreciate the benefits of forgiveness.”

  “You’re asking me to forgive Dealey? No way. Why should I? He took away the best part of me. My kids. What I came from. My only sibling.”

  “Not him, Marley. You. When will you be able to forgive yourself? Dealey was stalking you, had been for six months. He took hallucinogenic drugs to fuel his obsession with you. Evil is out there, Marley. And sometimes there’s not much we can do to stop it from invading our personal space.”

  “Like today.” She rocked back on her heels, thinking, considering. “I don’t suppose you’d buy that I should’ve recognized the drug use and turned Dealey in for it. The thing is, I honestly didn’t see that he’d been on anything as powerful as LSD. Although it was there that day. The crazed look in his eyes I saw at the farm reminded me of a wild animal. Not a bear or a wolf that hunts for food but an opportunistic, devious killer.”

  “It wasn’t your fault, Marley. You should stop blaming yourself.”

  “Maybe one day, I’ll be able to do just that. But for now, it’s all I have.”

  “That’s not true. You have me. I love you. Does that count for anything at all?”

  “It counts for everything.”

  The calm, collected, cool surgeon wasn’t so steady now. He swung her up in his arms. “That’s all I needed to know.”

  Epilogue

  Seven weeks later

  Caleb had put the finishing touches on the garden. It was a masterpiece that blended the basic elements she’d wanted—water, stone, and, of course, lots of plants. Caleb had given her the fountain she’d requested along with a nice bonus, a shallow pond filled with goldfish.

  Near the focal point of the children’s granite statues was a pathway of steppingstones that connected to a small wooden bridge where one could look down and watch the fish swim around the floating lilies.

  The lush greenery, thick with azaleas and peonies, shared space with rhododendrons, Schefflera, and half a dozen ornamental cherry trees. Butterflies flitted from one daisy to the next. Bees darted from one blooming bud, spreading their pollen.

  Marley knelt on the ground next to the bench among the delphiniums and jasmine stacking flat rocks to build a cairn in front of the metal archway.

  Most mornings and evenings this was where Gideon found her, carrying out some chore that she deemed necessary before she lost the sunlight.

  “I think the idea of having a bench is to actually sit on the bench and not the ground,” he pointed out.

  “Oh, I intend to, but right now that arbor needs something in front of it. I couldn’t think what until it came to me over breakfast. I found these flat rocks. They’re perfect for a cairn. To build one it starts at ground level.”

  “That made more sense than it should have,” Gideon cracked, looking around at the serene spot. “You nailed this. It reminds me of a mini version of Chicago’s Garden of the Phoenix. Have you been there?”

  She stopped stacking rocks and leaned back to study the lacy foliage around her. “You might be right. Because I’ve been there. Maybe I stole their idea without meaning to.”
r />   “I’m sure it was meant to inspire other gardens.”

  She ran her hand across the stone plaque in the shape of a heart built into the base of the boy and girl statues that read:

  In memory of Leo & Riordan Evans

  “I had to do something.”

  He watched her eyes go misty. “About what? What’s wrong?”

  “My friend Evelyn called me today. She wanted to let me know that Ewan and his new bride are expecting a baby, sometime in the fall.”

  A hot ball of rage curled in his belly. Gideon wanted to rip this Evelyn into shreds for delivering news like this that made Marley sad again. As unrealistic as that was, all he could do was wrap his arms around her shoulders. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “There’s nothing to say. Life goes on. Apparently. For Ewan anyway.” Her bottom lip trembled. “I want Leo back. My boy should be here playing baseball. Riordan should be here skipping and playing on the beach. I want my babies to come back to me.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m not crazy. I know that’ll never happen. But I need to know something. Why would you want to be with someone like me?”

  “Someone like you?” He kissed her hair.

  “Someone sad a lot of the time. Someone who might be trapped in the past forever.”

  “I don’t see it that way,” he said, tucking a band of hair behind her ear. “There’s no statute of limitations on grief, Marley.”

  “But don’t you get tired of my mood swings? Up at breakfast. Down by suppertime. Or any sad memory that hits any time in between.”

  “Under the circumstances, I think you’re doing the best you can.”

  She cleared her throat. “I’ve been trying to build up the nerve to tell you something. It’s big. And I’m not sure how you’ll take it.”

  “Please don’t tell me you’ve decided to move back to Wisconsin.”

  Knuckling a tear off her face, she sputtered out a laugh. “No. What I’ve been trying to tell you is that this fall, I plan to start the licensing requirement to practice in California. I’ve decided to stick with it to help other people if I can.”

  She waited a beat, staring at the blank expression on his face. A knot balled in her stomach at his silence.

  “Say something,” she prompted. “It’s what you wanted all along, right? You and Quentin. Obviously, I never expected to ever set foot in a mental health facility again, at least not as a therapist.”

  “To hell with what we want, are you sure this is what you want?”

  “It is. Since taking down Damon, it’s all I’ve thought about. Maybe I could specialize in helping teenagers get through the cycle, so they don’t turn out like Dealey and Pettigrew. What do you think?”

  “That you’re the strongest person I know.”

  “Then you must not know too many people.”

  “I know the best ones.” He swore when his cell phone went off. “I’ve got surgery scheduled in twenty minutes. That’s Aubree reminding me.”

  “Then go. I’ll be fine.”

  His hand caressed the back of her neck. “Don’t move from this spot. I want to come back and see you right here.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because I like to see you surrounded by nature.”

  She watched him head off down the pathway and disappear around the bend toward the pier.

  She took a seat on the bench.

  Scott sat down next to her.

  “Long time no see. Where’ve you been?” she asked.

  “Oh, here and there. I like what you’ve done with the garden.”

  “You won’t leave me, will you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean you’ll always be stopping by, right? Someone to sit out here and talk to on those difficult days when I’m feeling so blue.”

  “That’s what Gideon’s for and the friends you’ve made.”

  “But I don’t want you to go.”

  “You don’t need me anymore. You’re in a good place right now. You’ve finally found your strength and hit your stride. I wouldn’t leave if I thought otherwise. But it’s time for you to move on from the past. This memory garden you’ve made will be a reminder that there’s always hope. Start living life again, Marley.”

  She tried to grab his hand to keep him on the bench next to her, but in that instant, Scott was gone, thin as air. She lifted her eyes to the shoreline and saw him in the distance, forever strolling along the sand.

  Cast of Characters

  Promise Cove - Book One

  Jordan Phillips—The widow of Scott Phillips living on the outskirts of Pelican Pointe in a huge Victorian with her baby daughter. She’s trying to fix the house up to open as a bed and breakfast.

  Nick Harris—A former member of the California Guard who served with Scott in Iraq. Nick suffers from PTSD. He tries to adjust back to civilian life after Iraq but finds that he can’t ignore a promise he made during the heat of battle.

  Scott Phillips—Died in Iraq while serving with the California Guard. In life, Scott was best friends with Nick Harris. Scott doesn’t let death stop him from returning to his wife and child and the town he loves. He appears throughout the series as a benevolent ghost helping new arrivals settle in and overcome their problems.

  Patrick Murphy—The mayor who owns the only market in town.

  Lilly Seybold—Another newcomer with two children living alone on the other side of town, isolated and struggling to get by. Lilly is recently out of an abusive marriage. Lilly and Jordan form a bond.

  Wally Pierce—Owner of the gas station and the best mechanic around. He’s instantly attracted to Lilly. Their relationship blossoms throughout the series.

  Carla Vargas—County social worker and Murphy's longtime girlfriend.

  Flynn McCready—Owner of McCready's, a mix between an Irish Pub and a pool hall.

  Sissy Carr—Spoiled daughter of the town's banker. Sissy is having an ongoing affair with local developer and shady con man Kent Springer. Sissy went to school with Scott and gives Jordan a hard time at every chance she gets.

  Kent Springer—Local developer and sleaze, always working on his next scam. He wants the property owned by Jordan Phillips and will do whatever it takes to get it.

  Joe Ferguson—Owner of Ferguson Hardware. Grouch. Complainer.

  Jack “Doc” Prescott—Former ER surgeon from San Francisco. Retired. But since moving to the area, he’s actively providing medical care for residents.

  Belle Prescott—Doc’s wife who wants him to retire for good.

  Reverend Whitcomb—Pastor of the Community Church. Wife is Dottie.

  Hidden Moon Bay - Book Two

  Emile Reed/Hayden Ryan—Arrives in Pelican Pointe during a storm, stranded at the side of the road. She’s on the run from a mobster who has defrauded people out of millions of dollars.

  Ethan Cody—Native American. Works as a deputy sheriff but longs to be a writer.

  Brent Cody—Sheriff of Santa Cruz County and Ethan's older brother.

  Marcus Cody—Father of Ethan and Brent. Marcus possesses psychic ability.

  Lindeen Cody—Mother to Ethan and Brent.

  Margie Rosterman—Owner of the Hilltop Diner, a 1950s throwback to a malt shop.

  Max Bingham—Cook at the Hilltop Diner and Margie's boyfriend.

  Julianne Dickinson—First-grade teacher who lives in Santa Cruz in the same neighborhood as Marcus and Lindeen Cody. Lindeen often invites Julianne to supper, hoping Brent will take an interest in her.

  Janie Pointer—Owner and stylist at the Snip N Curl and best friend to Sissy Carr.

  Abby Pointer—Janie's younger sister. Her boyfriend Paul Bonner is serving in Afghanistan

  Wade Hawkins—Retired history professor

  Dancing Tides - Book Three

  Keegan Fanning—Marine biologist running the Fanning Marine Rescue Center her grandparents founded.

  Cord Bennett—Former army soldier and California guardsman who served wit
h Nick and Scott in Iraq. Because Cord feels guilty about his fiancée dying in a spree shooting, he wants to end it all.

  Pete Alden—Keegan's right-hand man at the Fanning Rescue Center.

  Drea Jennings—Owner of the flower shop. Her family owns the Plant Habitat, a landscape nursery in town.

  Abby Anderson—Works at the Fanning Rescue Center.

  Ricky Oden—Founder and lead singer of the local band, Blue Skies. Married to Donna Oden.

  Bran Sullivan—Veterinarian, owner of Pelican Pointe Animal Clinic.

  Joy Sullivan—Receptionist at the animal clinic and wife of Bran.

  Lighthouse Reef - Book Four

  Kinsey Wyatt—An up-and-coming lawyer who comes to Pelican Pointe to prove she’s the real deal.

  Logan Donnelly—Sculptor and artist who relocates to Pelican Pointe with an agenda.

  Perry Altman—A five-star chef from Los Angeles who opened The Pointe, the fanciest place in town to eat.

  Troy Dayton—A young carpenter who works hard at surviving everything life's thrown at him.

  Mona Bingham—Max’s daughter from Texas.

  Carl Knudsen—Owns the pharmacy in town he inherited from his family. Married, but not happy. In his younger days ran with Kent Springer.

  Jolene Sanders—Hostess at The Pointe. Works part-time as a clerk at Knudsen’s Pharmacy.

  Megan Donnelly—Logan’s sister.

  Starlight Dunes - Book Five

  River Amandez—Thirty-three-year-old archaeologist who arrives in Pelican Pointe harboring a secret. She’s in town to excavate the Chumash encampment uncovered during a mudslide.

  Brent Cody—Forty-year-old sheriff of Santa Cruz County with a bad marriage under his belt and a not-so-stellar record of dating. Brent has someone in his past who wants him dead.