Suddenly One Summer

by Barbara Freethy

  “I don’t think it will be a long line.”

  “Oh, come on, Andrew. You were one of the most popular boys in school. Half of the women you grew up with are still single and still live here. And then there are the new ones. The casseroles and baked goods will be arriving shortly, and you’ll have more volunteers for the ladies’ auxiliary than you know what to do with.”

  As she finished speaking, Kara realized Andrew wasn’t listening to her. His attention was at the other end of the church. She saw Charlotte in the vestibule, talking to her mother. “Or maybe someone already has the lead in that race,” she added.

  “What?” Andrew asked, his gaze still on Charlotte.

  “Never mind. I see Jenna, our replacement piano player. I’ll go get her.”

  Kara met up with Jenna at the back of the church. Jenna looked more nervous than Andrew, her face pale, her eyes worried. Kara had noticed that Jenna often appeared wary. She wondered what was in Jenna’s past to make her so cautious, but they weren’t good enough friends for her to broach that subject. Maybe someday they would be.

  “Thanks again for doing this,” she said to Jenna. “The music is at the piano. I think it’s self-explanatory, but Mrs. Adams said she’d run through it with you. She’s Reverend Adams’s widow,” Kara explained at Jenna’s blank look. “She knows everything there is to know about how the church is run and how the service goes. Now, take a deep breath and relax.”

  “I don’t think I’ll relax until the service is over.”

  “You will be great,” Kara said, wondering how many more people she’d have to pump up today.

  “I’ll take a look at the music,” Jenna said, heading toward the piano.

  “I’ll see if I can find Mrs. Adams,” Kara replied. She walked down the center aisle, saying hello to some of the early arrivals. When she reached the vestibule, she said, “Good morning, Charlotte, Mrs. Adams. The piano player is awaiting your instructions.”

  “Excellent. I’ll talk to you later, Charlotte,” Monica said, then headed into the church.

  “Are you and your mother fighting?” Kara asked Charlotte when they were alone. “She sounded a little ticked-off.”

  “Always,” Charlotte replied in a weary voice.

  “It must be difficult since your dad died.”

  “It was hard before that, almost impossible now.”

  “Sorry. Maybe you can pray she’ll change.”

  Charlotte smiled. “God has already heard that prayer from me a million times. So far he’s not answering.”

  “I thought you might bring Annie with you today.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “I wanted to, but it’s too soon for her to face being the center of attention.”

  “Well, I can understand that. Although I would love to meet her sometime.” While Charlotte appeared to be listening, her gaze seemed to be focused on Andrew. So that’s how the wind blew. “Okay, what’s going on?” Kara asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “First Andrew, then you. You’re both checking each other out when the other one isn’t looking.”

  Charlotte flushed. “Don’t be silly. It’s just strange to see him in his robe, looking so spiritual.”

  “You two had a thing in high school. I bet that wasn’t spiritual,” she said with a laugh.

  “Kara, we’re in church. Please.”

  “Oh, please yourself. Andrew was hot back then and he’s hot now. What’s not to like?”

  “It was a long time ago. Ancient history, not to be repeated.”

  “Why not? He’s handsome and single, innately good, probably has the inside track on heaven. And you’re beautiful and single. If I add that up—”

  “Don’t,” Charlotte said quickly. “I am not going down that road again.”

  “Your mother would love it. Imagine—you could be the next minister’s wife.” She laughed at Charlotte’s pained expression. “Is that the real obstacle between you and Andrew?”

  “Well, being a minister’s wife would not be my first choice.”

  “You could do worse.”

  “I am fine the way I am,” Charlotte said. “Why do all married women want to set up their single friends?”

  “We want you to be as happy as we are.” Kara grinned.

  “Who’s happy?” Colin asked, coming up behind her. He kissed her on the cheek and put his arm around her. “Hi, Charlotte.”

  “Colin, tell your wife not to match-make.”

  “Who are we matchmaking, honey?”

  “Don’t even say it,” Charlotte warned Kara. “You’ll start a rumor before you know it,” she added as families began to fill the church. “Let’s sit down.”

  Kara followed Colin and Charlotte down the aisle. They took a seat in the third pew from the front as Jenna began to play. The music flowed from her fingers with a beauty that made Kara pause. She’d heard the same song played every Sunday, but for some reason it sounded different today.

  “She’s good,” Colin whispered in her ear.

  “Very good,” Kara agreed, wondering why a woman who played so well would be so nervous.

  The song ended, and Andrew took his place at the podium. He gazed out at the crowd and smiled. “Friends,” he said. “It’s good to be back.”

  More than a dozen people stopped Jenna on her way out of the church to tell her how much they had enjoyed her music. Playing for someone besides herself had made her feel a little more connected to her old life, her old self. As the number of compliments grew, she realized that she’d probably gone overboard, judging by some of the reviews of “amazing,” “fabulous,” and “the best we’ve ever heard.” She had meant to play like an average pianist, but once her fingers had hit the keys, she hadn’t been able to stop herself. She didn’t miss the pressure of her old life, but she did miss the music.

  Outside the church, she stopped under a tree. Lexie was in the playground with Kimmy, twirling on the merry-go-round. The ladies’ auxiliary had set up a buffet picnic with sandwiches, pastas, salads, desserts, even a Sno-Cone machine. At another table they were serving lemonade and punch. Angel’s Bay certainly celebrated every moment of life.

  If anyone had told her that she could trade London, Paris, Vienna, and Rome for a small seaside community on the California coast and be happy, she wouldn’t have believed them. But aside from the constant worries about Brad, she was starting to fit in quite well here. She was getting to know people, making friends. She’d never really had girlfriends and she found the idea immensely appealing. She also saw Lexie blossoming with friends who already loved her. The two of them could bloom here.

  “Jenna.”

  The sound of Reid’s voice brought her head around. She’d been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn’t seen him approach. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his face, still bruised from his fight but incredibly handsome. Her gaze dropped to the sexy mouth that had driven her crazy the night before. When she lifted her head, she saw a smoldering look of desire in his eyes and she knew that he was remembering, too. They might not agree on everything, but neither of them could deny they had chemistry.

  “Hey,” she said lightly. “I didn’t figure you for a church-going guy.”

  He dug his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans. He had on a dark blue sweater today, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. “I’m not, but as I was walking down the street, I heard a bunch of people talking about the best piano player Angel’s Bay has ever had. They said it was almost as if an angel had come to play music in the church.” He smiled. “I knew it was you.”

  “I’m no angel.”

  “You told me that the first day we met.” He pulled a leaf out of her hair that must have fallen from the tree above. “I’m not so convinced anymore.”

  “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again, after the way things ended last night.”

  “We’re still partners.”

  “Business allies,” she said. “I know it’s simpler that way.”

  “I thou
ght you didn’t have regrets.”

  “I don’t. I just…” Her voice trailed away as she realized she didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Her emotions were all over the map where Reid was concerned. “I just want to change the subject. Would that be all right?”

  “I’d be eternally grateful.”

  She couldn’t help but smile at the relief on his face. “You are such a guy.”

  He smiled back at her. “Since we’re on to a new topic, I have some interesting news. I was down on the beach this morning, doing my community cleanup for my bar fight, and I found something interesting in the sand.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The ship’s bell from the Gabriella.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, I am, and apparently nothing from that ship has washed ashore for the last hundred and fifty years—until today.”

  “Wow. And you were the one to find it. That’s amazing. Almost a miracle!” She laughed at his expression of chagrin. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

  “There’s nothing magical or miraculous about an old bell that came from a ship that sank offshore.”

  “I don’t know about that. It feels a little magical to me, especially with the timing. This weekend is the anniversary of the wreck, the founding of the town, the reappearance of angels that haven’t been seen in a long time. You don’t find it all coincidental?”

  He shrugged. “Coincidental perhaps, magical, no, but I might be the only one who sees it that way. The Harlan brothers also witnessed the discovery, and they’re convinced that the angel flurries stirred up the waves and the ocean floor, and sent that bell to the surface. Roger claims the angels want the wreck to be found and that’s why they’ve been flying around the cliffs.”

  “That’s quite a theory. Sounds like you have a new twist for your article. So where is the bell now?”

  “The chief took it into custody for the time being. I’m going down there later today to photograph it.”

  She was surprised at his level of interest, and the odd shadow that flitted through his eyes made her more curious. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  He shrugged. “I got a strange feeling when I put my hand on the bell. I felt as if I was on the ship when it shattered against the rocks. I could see the scene, the people scrambling to hang on as the ship tilted precariously, the water rushing over the side…It’s crazy. It was so vivid in my mind.”

  “You’re really caught up in this.”

  He inclined his head. “I do find it intriguing that the wreck has never been found. The ship was allegedly carrying a great deal of gold, which has certainly lured many treasure hunters into looking for it, yet, its whereabouts remain a mystery. The ocean has hidden it away somewhere.”

  “Or the angels,” she said. “Despite your cynical edge, you’ve tapped into the spiritual energy around here.”

  “The angels and the wreck are two separate things.”

  “Not according to the people who live here.”

  He gave her a thoughtful look. “You’re starting to feel connected to this town, aren’t you?”

  “How can I not? If Rose Littleton really was my grandmother, and if Lexie’s birthmark is the same as the one on Baby Gabriella, then both she and I are connected to that child, to that wreck.” She paused. “If I ever get free of Brad, I’d like to spend some time researching it all. But first things first. Did you receive any more information from your private investigator?”

  “Not yet, but I did have a disturbing conversation with Joe.”

  Her nerves tightened at the mention of the chief. She didn’t care for the turn in conversation or the way Reid called the chief “Joe,” as if they were becoming friends.

  “He’s suspicious of you,” Reid continued.

  Her heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

  “He senses that you’re scared and hiding something. He’s already checked up on you.”

  “He told you that?” A wave of panic ran through her, and her breath came short and fast. “I have to go. I have to pack. I have to leave.” She turned her head, searching for Lexie. “Where is she? Where’s Lexie?” She started to move forward, but Reid grabbed her by the arm.

  “Whoa, Jenna, calm down.”

  “Are you kidding me? If the chief is looking into my background, he’ll find out I’m not Lexie’s mother—if he hasn’t already.”

  “He hasn’t,” Reid cut in.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Whatever cover story was set up for you has held true.”

  “But for how long? I can’t stay here and wait for him to find out who I am. I can’t take the chance that he won’t discover the truth, won’t call Brad, won’t turn Lexie over to her father.” She tried to pull away from Reid, but he held on tight.

  “Chief Silveira has a great deal of integrity.”

  “And you would know this how—from a five-minute conversation on the beach?”

  “Jenna—you’re going to need to trust someone besides me.”

  She didn’t care for the fact that Reid suddenly seemed to be on the chief ’s side instead of hers. “You can trust him if you want. I don’t have to do the same.”

  “You need protection.”

  “Brad is a cop. The chief will not protect me. He’ll protect his fellow officer.”

  “Brad is an imposter, Jenna, and I have enough information to prove that, if you’ll let me.”

  He had a point, but what if the chief looked the other way? “He still might not believe us. He might want to give Brad the benefit of the doubt; call him up, talk to him.”

  “I think if we explain exactly what happened, the chief will be willing to work with us.”

  Since Reid had discovered the information about Brad’s Social Security number and identity, there was a chance the police would listen to her—but that might not stop them from removing Lexie from her care. “Even if we can get the chief on my side, he could take Lexie away from me. Maybe he wouldn’t give her to Brad, but she’d go into foster care. And you know what that’s like.”

  Reid’s mouth set in a grim line. “I do know, and I admit it’s a possibility. But losing Lexie to foster care on a short-term basis is nowhere near as bad as losing her forever.”

  “I couldn’t protect her if I wasn’t with her,” she said with a definitive shake of her head. “Kelly wanted me to stay with her. I promised, Reid. It was the last thing I said to my sister. I can’t go back on my word.”

  Reid raked a hand through his hair, his expression one of frustration and reluctant understanding. “I hear you, Jenna, but Kelly tried to escape without help, and she lost her life. Some things you can’t do alone. And while I’ll do anything I can to protect the two of you, I’m afraid it won’t be enough.”

  “I’m not asking you to protect me. The best thing for me to do is leave. I’m getting too close to people here. I’m sure the chief isn’t the only one who has noticed my secrecy. The longer I stay in Angel’s Bay, the more questions I’ll have to answer.”

  “All of that is true, but then there’s Lexie,” Reid said, looking to where Lexie was playing happily on the merry-go-round. “She’s thriving here. She has friends, a sense of security. You don’t want to take that away from her. And if you’re honest, you’ll admit that you’re happy here, too.”

  They were happy here, and this carefree existence was the kind of life Lexie deserved. But danger lurked in the shadows; a danger that could strike at any moment. Was Reid right? Was it time to take the risk of involving the cops in order to gain true freedom, to vanquish Brad forever? “I’ll think about it,” she said slowly.

  Reid’s gaze turned speculative. “Jenna, will you make me one promise?”

  “What’s that?”

  “That you won’t run without telling me first?”

  She stared back at him for a long minute. “I’ll think about that, too.”

  Joe was surprised to find a strange car parked in his driveway. He got
out of his truck and took Rufus through the back gate. The sandy dog was in no condition to spend time with Rachel.

  As he walked into the side yard, he heard voices on the back deck. Rachel was talking to a man. She laughed at something the man said, and Joe stopped in his tracks, realizing it was the first time in forever that he’d heard her laugh so freely. It bothered him to realize that he wasn’t the one who had made her sound so happy.

  He moved out of the yard and up the back stairs. Sitting on the loveseat was a man who appeared to be in his mid thirties. He had the look of Beverly Hills about him: polo shirt, black slacks, slicked-down blond hair. Rachel looked up and saw him. Was there was a flicker of guilt in her eyes, or was he imagining it?

  “Joe,” she said quickly, jumping to her feet. “I was wondering where you’d gotten to. That was a long run on the beach.”

  “I had to go by the station for a while.”

  “This is Mark Devlin,” she said. “Mark, my husband, Joe.”

  Devlin stood up to shake his hand. He had an easy smile on his face. “It’s about time I got to meet you. Rachel has told me a lot about you.”

  “Really? She’s told me nothing about you.” He gave Devlin’s hand a brief shake and then moved back to lean against the railing.

  “Of course I have,” Rachel interjected. “Mark is a film producer. I sold him his house in Beverly Hills last year. He’s scouting locations for a new movie, so I called him this morning and told him about the haunted house on the bluff, and he drove up here to see it.”

  “That’s quite a drive for an impulse,” Joe said.

  “Rachel is very convincing. She told me I needed to see this property right away,” Mark returned.

  “I doubt the house is going anywhere anytime soon,” Joe said.

  “Actually, when I spoke to Kara Lynch last night, she told me that they’ve had an offer on the house,” Rachel interjected. “Kara is supposed to be here at two. She’s bringing me some information on the property lines, and also said she’d show us some other locations that might work for the movie. Isn’t that great?”

  He supposed it was great that Rachel had found something of interest in Angel’s Bay. He just didn’t like that part of that interest seemed to be tied to Devlin, a man who had dropped everything to drive four hours north to check out an abandoned house.