Sunsets At Pelican Beach (Pelican Beach Book 2)

by Michele Gilcrest

  I gave Abby a brief run down and asked her to check our cell phones. Maybe one of us had a missed call from Dad and didn't realize it.

  "Mom, Abby's checking our phones. I know you're upset, but I need you to slow down for a minute and tell me what happened from start to finish."

  Abby shook her head 'no' from across the room.

  Mom took a deep breath and began to explain. "I left around ten this morning to run a few errands and go to the grocery store. I asked your father if he was coming with me, but he was tired and wanted to stay home. I had to go because we were out of some of our essentials. Long story short, I said I'd be back around noon and would prepare his lunch when I returned."

  "What happened after that?"

  "When I got back to the house, I noticed the door to our mailbox was wide open, so I walked over to close it. That's when I saw his house keys sitting on top of the mailbox. The keys were sitting there just as plain as day, and I thought to myself, maybe he came out here to get the mail and got distracted by something."

  "That's odd."

  Abby stood cheek to cheek, trying to hear what Mom was saying. I guess the old phone was good for aesthetics but useless at the moment without the speaker option.

  "I went into the house to look for your father and couldn't find him anywhere. The front door was locked. The bed was made. Everything is in order, but he's nowhere to be found."

  Abby took over the phone.

  "Mom, can you tell if Dad took his cell phone or his wallet with him?"

  I stood, waiting to hear her response. It was unlike Dad to just take off without communicating with Mom.

  "It's all right here on his nightstand."

  "Okay, stay calm and try not to panic," Abby said.

  I thought to pick up my cell phone and call our youngest sister, Rebecca. I knew she was at work, but perhaps she knew something that we didn't.

  "Hello?" she answered.

  "Becks, it's Payton. Have you heard from Dad this morning?"

  "No. What's wrong?"

  "Mom called us at the store. She can't seem to find Dad anywhere. The last time she saw him was before she left to run errands. When she got home, she found his keys on the mailbox, and there's no sign of Dad anywhere."

  "What?"

  "I know. It doesn't sound good, but I'm hoping there's some quirky explanation for it all. Maybe he's at the next-door neighbor’s or somewhere close by and just forgot about his keys. Clearly, he intended to get the mail. Look, Abby and I are going to head over to the house. I'll call you with any updates."

  "You don't have to. I'm leaving now."

  "Okay, see you there."

  Abby was already grabbing her bag when I got off the phone with Rebecca.

  "Let's go, we can take my car," Abby said.

  I grabbed my things, set the alarm, and locked everything up.

  "Did Mom say anything else that might be helpful?" Abby continued to brainstorm.

  "Not really. You can tell she's all out of sorts. I didn't want to press her much further. I figure when we get there, we can just split up and see if we can find him. Rebecca is meeting us at the house, so that's an extra pair of eyes."

  "Or maybe she can stay with Mom to help keep her calm. Either way, I pray we can find him quickly."

  "Abby?" My voice was a bit rattled.

  "Payton, don't do it. Don't let your mind go there. Just think positive."

  Everybody knew Dad was showing early signs of dementia. It seemed to be growing increasingly worse since my parents retired. But Abby was right. There was no point in letting my mind run wild with negative thoughts.

  "I'm sure by the time we get there, Dad will be back in the house, safe and sound. He'll probably think we're the crazy ones for getting ourselves all worked up,” she said.

  "If he's not back, maybe we should circle around the neighborhood. I mean, how far could he really be on foot anyway?"

  "Good point."

  It didn't take long for us to make our way to our parents' house. As we pulled up, we could see Mom standing out front talking to the next-door neighbor. Abby put the car in park, and Rebecca pulled in behind us.

  "Mom, any word from Dad yet?" I asked her.

  She made her way across the front yard.

  "No word. I'm so worried. I wonder if we should call the police. Your father has never pulled a stunt like this before."

  "Try to stay calm, Mom." Rebecca tried to console her as best as she could.

  "It's hard to stay calm. I just want to know where he is,” she said.

  "Okay, before we escalate things, why don't we split up and see if we can find him." Abby laid out a game plan that involved Rebecca staying by the house with Mom, while the two of us split up to search the surrounding area.

  "Abby, do you have your cell phone on you?" I double-checked to be sure.

  "Yes, fully charged. Call me right away if you find him."

  Abby started heading down the street, so I figured I'd start with the beach. I was still living with my parents in their cottage, which was situated conveniently on Pelican Beach. There was only but so many places Dad could be in this small town. One of us had to find him.

  I started calling out his name.

  "Daaad. William Matthews, can you hear me?"

  No response. There was nothing in sight except the entrance to the beach and the rear view of a few homes.

  "Daaaad."

  My phone buzzed in my hand. It was Cole.

  "Hey, Cole."

  "There you are. I missed you today. Did you make it back, alright?"

  "I made it back fine."

  "Lexi told me you were in a hurry because of the storm coming in."

  "I wasn't exactly in a hurry, but I'm fine. We can talk about that later. Right now, I have an even bigger problem on my hands."

  "What's the matter?"

  "Abby and I are out searching for Dad. The last time my Mom saw him was before she left to run errands. When she returned, he was nowhere to be found."

  "You're kidding me.”

  "I wish I was. I'm on the beach now, but I don't see him. I'm going to head back and start looking around the neighborhood with Abby."

  "Say no more. I'm packing up my things and heading over there now."

  "Okay. Thanks, Cole."

  "Payton?"

  "Yes."

  "We're going to find him. Everything will be fine."

  "Thank you, Cole. That's exactly what I needed to hear."

  "Okay, I'll be there soon. Love you."

  "Love you too."

  Cole

  "Lexi, I'm afraid I have to head out early today. I have an emergency that I have to tend to."

  "Is everything alright?"

  "Hopefully, it will be."

  "Does it have to do with Emmie or your mother? I can go with you if you need help."

  "Thank you, but they're fine. It's actually an emergency with Payton's family."

  "Oh."

  I gathered my tools while bringing Lexi up to speed.

  "No need to worry. Please tell your mother that she's in good hands. The crew has everything they need. They'll continue working until the end of the day to keep everything on schedule, and I'll be back in the morning."

  "It's awfully nice of you to drop everything at a moment’s notice for the Matthews."

  "Yeah, it's the least I can do. Payton means a lot to me."

  I grabbed a few more items.

  "That's interesting. I didn't think you two were serious. She doesn't seem like the type of woman you would choose for yourself or for Emmie."

  "What makes you say that?"

  "Stability. It's no secret that her ex has tried to get her back several times. If she gives in because they have a history together, I'd hate for you and Emmie to get hurt."

  "That sounds a bit outlandish, don't you think?"

  "Is it? I guess you would know best. The last thing Emmie needs in her life is drama. Of course, I'm not telling you something you don't
already know."

  I gathered all of my things and reached for the handle to the back door.

  "The guys are outside working on the cabinets. I'm going to give them a heads up and then head out. If your mother needs anything, tell her to give me a call."

  "I'll let her know. Drive safe."

  "Thanks."

  After filling the guys in, I threw my bags in the back of the pickup and started to head out. I'm sure Lexi meant well, but I never questioned Payton's intentions before now. Yeah, sure, she mentioned that her ex tried to get her back, but up until now, I dismissed it. Concerning Emmie, I've always worked hard to protect her heart after her mother's passing. That would forever remain a priority to me.

  A call came in on my Bluetooth. "Hello?"

  "Oh, good, I'm glad I caught you on the first try."

  "Hi, Mom."

  "Hi, dear. I wasn't sure if you'd be busy, but it sounds like you're driving."

  "I am. I actually had to leave the job site and head over to the Matthews’ really quick."

  "Is everything okay?"

  "Hopefully, it will be. I'll know more when I get over there. It appears as though William left the house, and nobody knows where he is."

  "Oh, no. Please let me know how everything turns out. I hope they find him soon."

  "That makes two of us. Is everything okay with you and Emmie?"

  "Yes, I was calling because I'm planning to take Emmie out for burgers later on, and we were wondering if you wanted us to bring something back for you?"

  "Mom, did you let Emmie talk you into going out to eat?"

  "Absolutely not. I promised I'd take her last week, and I'm not about to break my promise. I'm a grandmother of my word."

  I shook my head and smiled at the thought of how much my mother spoils Emmie. Thankfully, she's a rather mature young lady and doesn't take advantage of it.

  "Okay, well, you two enjoy. There's no telling what time I'm going to be home, so I'll pick up something on the way in."

  "Are you sure?"

  "I'm good, Mom. I'll be home as soon as we find Will."

  "Okay, dear. Be careful."

  "I will."

  I drove the next several miles, thinking about what Lexi said to me. In the end, I knew Payton was a woman with good intentions, and Lexi was to be ignored.

  By the time I arrived and shut off the engine, Payton and Abby were walking toward the house. I was prepared to do whatever it takes to help get Will home safe and sound.

  Payton ran into my arms. I held her as tight as I could.

  "Did you cover the whole area?" I said to Abby.

  "We covered this entire street, and Payton walked down to the beach. We've literally been door-knocking, and no one has seen a thing. It doesn't make any sense. He has to be around here somewhere. You don't just disappear into thin air."

  "I think we should call the police. They can cover more territory and do it a whole lot faster than us,” Payton said.

  I agreed with her, but I was still determined to search as well.

  "Why don't you two go ahead and call the police and wait at the house with your mother. I'm going to hop back in the truck and canvass the surrounding area."

  Payton turned to Abby. "I'm going with Cole. Keep your cell phone nearby just in case."

  "Okay," she agreed.

  We buckled in and started driving down as many streets as we possibly could. Payton looked in between the houses, and when possible, I drove up to the other beach access points just to make sure we didn't miss anything.

  "I just don't understand how this could happen. Dad never wanders off."

  I wanted to tread carefully and be sensitive to the situation. But I wondered if this had anything to do with his dementia.

  "Do you think he may have gotten a little…"

  "Turned around or confused?" Payton was thinking along the same lines.

  "Yes, of course, anything is possible," she said.

  "However, if that's the case, this incident would be a first."

  "Maybe we should check the places he would normally go. You know, like his favorite store or the library or someplace like that."

  "On foot? That's quite a distance to travel on foot."

  "I don't know, I'm just trying to cover all bases."

  Payton's cell phone vibrated.

  "It's Mom."

  I was hoping this was the positive news that we all needed to hear.

  "He's where? Yes. Uh-huh. Wow. How in the world did he end up there?"

  I pulled over while she listened to the rest of what her mother had to say. When their conversation concluded, Payton looked almost as pale as a ghost.

  "Did he make it back home?"

  "Not quite. He's at the police station, and we have to pick him up."

  "How did he end up there?" I was baffled to say the least.

  "Apparently, a man found him walking towards the station. He said he looked lost. When he asked him where he lived, Dad couldn't remember, so the man took him to the police station."

  "Wow."

  "Yeah, wow is right. The police said dad arrived just before Abby called to file a report. Thankfully they recognized him as the former owner of the Inn."

  "Man, oh, man.”

  The police station was just a minute’s drive from where we were. The exterior of the station was under construction, which easily made the place stand out from the road.

  Once inside, we made our way to the front desk. Payton seemed anxious to see her dad.

  "Hi, my name is Payton Matthews. I'm here to pick up my dad, William Matthews. I can show you my I.D."

  I scanned the room, and just beyond the plexiglass, I could see Will. He was sitting in his blue robe, talking to an officer.

  "Miss Matthews, we've been expecting you. Wait here, and I'll bring your dad right up."

  "Thank you, sir."

  I nudged Payton on the arm and pointed her in the direction of her Dad. He had on white knee-high socks and slippers with his robe. He looked very comfortable in his bedroom attire and was chatting it up as if this was a normal occurrence.

  "Oh, Daddy." She spoke in a low voice.

  The officer brought Will to the front and tried to see if he recognized us.

  "Sir, this woman is here to pick you up. Do you recognize her?" the officer said.

  Will started smiling. "Do I recognize her? Of course, I recognize her. That's Payton, my daughter. She's my middle child."

  I let out a sigh of relief.

  "And this fella here is Cole. Cole owns Miller Renovations. You should give him a call sometime if you ever need any work done. He does a great job."

  Payton looked puzzled but continued to listen.

  "Well, alright, looks like you all passed the test. Miss Matthews, he's all yours."

  "Thank you, officer.”

  She grabbed Will and gave him a tight squeeze.

  "Sweetheart, we just saw each other this morning."

  "I know, Daddy, but you gave us all a pretty good scare."

  "I just went for a little walk and lost track of time, that's all."

  "Dad, you do realize I just picked you up from a police station, and you're wearing your night robe, right? Mom is home worried sick about you."

  He looked down at his clothing as if he were discovering for the first time what he was wearing.

  "Well, I guess we better get home then," Will said.

  Payton sat in between us in the pick up as we drove back to the house. We drove in complete silence for a couple of minutes before she started asking questions.

  "Dad?"

  "Yes, sweetheart."

  "Just curious."

  "Yes?"

  "What were you doing walking around outside in your robe?"

  He laughed. "I wish I could tell you. I'm still trying to figure that out myself. It seems like the darnedest thing."

  "Yep. The darnedest thing," she repeated.

  "The old mind isn't what it used to be. I guess I just forgot." W
ill stared out the window.

  Payton looked at me and I at her as we pulled up to the house.

  "And now the real fun begins,” she said.

  Not quite understanding what she meant, I asked, "What's the real fun?"

  "Finding a way to explain all of this to Mom. I barely understand it, so I know she's about to have a cow."

  Will let out another chuckle.

  "I suppose she will have a cow. It was just a little mishap. Everybody has an off day every now and again." He stepped out of the truck and made his way inside.

  It was apparent that Mrs. Matthews was going to have her hands full, keeping an eye on Will.

  Payton

  After the disappearing incident with Dad, several days passed, and Mom was still nervous. The specialist confirmed that it was the progression of Dad's dementia that influenced the behavior. Mom considered hiring an aid to help out at the house, but Dad refused.

  Back at the store, I continued to prepare for the grand opening, which was now two days away.

  The bells on the front door rang. It was Cole entering with a cooler and a lunch basket.

  "Well, well. Look at you all ready for opening day."

  "Do you like it?"

  "What's not to like? It doesn't look like you have much left to do."

  "Not in terms of setting up, but I'm still plugging in all of the inventory online. Later on, Rebecca is going to stop by and help me with a couple of techie items, and then I should be good to go."

  "It's a family affair. I like it! In the meantime, I thought it would be nice to return the favor and bring you lunch. Please tell me you haven't eaten yet?"

  "No, your timing is perfect. I'm starving."

  "I had every intention of calling first, but the Donovan project is giving me a fit."

  I wondered whether I should take this opportunity to tell him about Lexi.

  "What's going on with the project?"

  "You know Mrs. Donovan. Just when I think we're making headway, she comes up with a few changes or makes a new request that we didn't plan for. All of which adds time that I really don't have to spare."

  I set up our food over by the couch so we could sit down and eat on the coffee table.

  "This reminds me that I need to create a space for lunch breaks in the back."