by Rita Garcia
The mayor opened oversized scissors and snapped the red ribbon in half. “Welcome to Main Street.” He shook Jezzica’s hand. He walked a few feet and stood in front of Latte La Tasha. “We also have a new addition to our group of unique shops here on Main Street. My wife and I will be finding more reasons to visit the shops—just to try all the new concoctions on the menu.” He looked over and Mary nodded her head and smiled. He turned and cut the ribbon in front of the latte shop. “Welcome to our community, Tasha Torres. Also, if you missed the opening of La Ren Books located in our beautiful Sea Crest Inn, please join me in welcoming Lauren Torres to our town.” The crowd applauded, and Harrison and Tommy let out wolf whistles that had many covering their ears.
Jezzica stepped in front. “Thank you, Mayor Thompson and Samantha. I’d like to invite the children to join us at three o’clock this afternoon for the children’s story time. And for our first selection, we are privileged to unveil a special book, written by the town’s beloved Anne Makenna.” Jezzica stepped back.
The parade continued. Tasha took her place behind the counter, trying to keep up with the line forming down the street. Catylen pitched in serving and cleaning tables.
Jezzica taped a do not touch sign to the covered display. She looked around in amazement as her store filled with shoppers. She walked behind the sales counter where Lauren busily rang up sales. “I had no idea we would get this swamped, what with the parade and all.” She looked around for her cat and smiled when she spotted him curled up under a chair near the fireplace. Earlier, he had mingled with a couple of the customers, as though taking his job as the bookshop cat seriously. Maybe Russell would be a more dignified name for the orange tabby, considering the way he strutted around, taking command.
“Miss?” A lady called out.
Jezzica went to the other end of the counter. “Can I help you find something?”
“Do you have the new Nora Roberts novel?”
“We do. On the table near the front.” Jezzica pointed and waited until the woman held up the book.
“I found it.” She hugged the book to her chest and joined the line at the register.
Lauren smiled between customers. “That’s one of the books I sold out of.”
“Not a bad problem to have.” Jezzica smiled before answering another question. After what seemed like only a few minutes, she finally took a deep breath and checked the time, and it was almost three. Thankfully the shop had cleared out some.
Tasha and Catylen came in from the coffee shop. “I just locked the doors. I’ll need new supplies before I open tomorrow.” Tasha laughed, obviously pleased with her first day.
“We’ve been swamped, too.” Lauren went over to her sister. “You need help cleaning up?”
“Most of it’s handled, but I still need to empty the machines.” The two headed back to Tasha’s shop.
Jezzica slipped on an animal-print smock for story time. The children were already taking their places on the rug in the children’s section. Parents and adults lined the walls in front of the bookshelves. Jezzica sat in the same chair Anne had used for story time—someone should pinch her and make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Lauren uncovered the display as Jezzica held up the book. Samantha and Maggie tiptoed and sat behind the children. Samantha used the back of her hand to blot her tears.
Jezzica turned the cover so the children could see it. “Charlie—The Town Hero.” She watched the wonder on the faces of the children waiting to hear the story. Rusty lay next to her chair, enchanting the children, stretching his front legs out in front of him and pawing the rug.
“Growing up in a small town has its advantages. My brother Jeremy and I lived with our Grandma and Grandpa Walters. Oh, and by the way, I’m Juliana.” Jezzica held the book up so the children could see the colorful pictures.
The group, children and adults alike, were mesmerized as Jezzica read the story. She reached the last page. “Mrs. Brimley looked a little sentimental. ‘You know Charlie doesn’t really belong to me. He belongs to the whole town, and that is fine with me.’
“Charlie barked, wagging his tail. He did belong to the whole town. Charlie—a big golden dog that everyone loved.”
The children begged for another story, but were ushered away by their parents. The special display quickly emptied of books. Jezzica went to where Zack was standing near the door. “Will you bring the box in from the trunk of my car?” She gave him her keys.
Samantha still sat on the children’s rug, talking with some of the kids. Jezzica knelt beside her. “We will need a new shipment. I sent Zack for the case meant for La Ren Books.”
“Do you think that somehow Anne knows?” Samantha wiped her eyes.
Logan put his arm around Samantha and pulled her close. “Definitely.” He ran his fingers through the ends of his wife’s hair. “Where is Maggie?”
“She went in search of tissues.” Samantha patted her tears and turned to Jezzica. “Thank you.” She leaned over and gave her a hug.
Maggie returned with a box of tissues. “Jezz, you have a way of bringing stories alive, just like Anne did. I could almost imagine she was sitting in that chair.” Maggie grabbed a tissue from the container she’d handed to Samantha.
Zack joined the group. “Is there a chance it’s time to close and join the fun at the carnival?” Then he looked around and nodded at Logan. “Did I miss something? Why all the tears?”
“Ask Jezz later. Or they’ll all get started again.” Logan took Samantha’s hand. “Let’s go mix and mingle with the town—I want to show off my beautiful wife.”
With Zack’s help, the shop emptied. Catylen left with Maggie, saying they were on a mission to check out gorgeous males.
Jezzica and Zack headed to the boardwalk where all the activities were taking place. When they arrived, the chili cook-off was underway. “Anyone eating that will have a belly full of fire.” Zack laughed and shook his head. “But I hear Thelma’s Fred is the one to beat.”
“You’re on your own with that.” Jezzica pointed at the tables to the right. “I think we missed the pie eating contest.” Julia, Maggie, and Catylen were amongst the observers bubbling with laughter as the pie-covered faces of the contestants turned green. They moved a little closer and Pete from Serenity Blooms was in the bushes—evidently he’d eaten more pie than his stomach could handle.
“Let’s head to the carnival. This area is a bit much right now.” Jezzica chuckled and slipped her hand into Zack’s.
“I’m with you. Pete will be a long while living that one down.” Zack laughed, rubbing his thumb over the side of her hand.
The two strolled down the boardwalk toward the carnival. Nicole and Ted were walking in the opposite direction, so absorbed in each other that they didn’t even notice Zack and Jezzica.
“Nicole?” Jezzica narrowed her eyes. What’s Nicole doing with Ted?
Nicole turned and her smile brightened. “Ah, I see you accepted my challenge.”
Jezzica suddenly laughed and gave Nicole a hug. “Every girl should have a friend like you.”
Nicole let out a sigh and her expression softened as relief crossed her face. “I hope this means we’re friends.”
“Friends.” Jezzica smiled, then rolled her eyes. “But that was one crazy stunt you played.”
“What’s going on?” Zack looked between the two with concern.
Jezzica clasped her hand around his hand. “Some things are best left alone.”
Zack looked at Ted. “Don’t look at me, man. I don’t have a clue.” Ted put his arm around Nicole’s shoulders. “I’m not even asking.” He and Nicole continued on their way.
Jezzica and Zack headed on down the boardwalk and joined in a few carnival games. Jezzica waved to Tasha and Lauren climbing on the roller coaster with Harrison and Tommy. Gary and Brenda stepped on behind them. The girls held swirls of pink cotton candy.
Zack nodded toward the shore. “We should find a spot down on the beach to watch the fireworks.”
“I brought one. We’ll grab it on our way.” The crowd was still heavy as they made their way to his truck. He opened the door and reached behind the seat and pulled out a plaid blanket.
“Let’s leave this monster here.” She handed him the huge stuffed bear he’d won for her earlier shooting darts. Zack draped the blanket over his arm and they headed down the wooden steps to the beach.
The shore was already littered with mats. Jezzica and Zack trudged through the sand until they found a spot. Jezzica dropped onto the blanket, looking up at the stars. “It’s a gorgeous night. The perfect ending to a perfect day.”
Zack smiled and leaned closer, brushing his lips across hers. “Not quite the perfect ending—the fireworks haven’t started.” He offered her a bottle of water he’d also grabbed from his truck.
The whistle of a rocket sounded and the sky rained sparkling colors of light. “Oh, they’re fantastic.” Jezzica pointed as another rocket joined the first.
Zack pulled her close and kissed her. She leaned back. “You know, we are surrounded by people.” He nodded toward Samantha and Logan sitting a few feet away. Logan shot Zack two thumbs up. Jezzica shook her head as Logan pulled Samantha closer, whispering something to her.
“A witness or two might be a good thing.” He took her hand. “Jezz, will you marry me?” He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and offered her a ring.
“YES!” Her heart voiced its opinion out loud and for once she went with the flow. He slipped the ring onto her finger and she kissed him with all the fire booming in the sky.
“Now it’s the perfect ending to a perfect day.” He picked up her hand, and she smiled as the radiant diamond reflected the moonlight’s glow.
The End.
KEEP READING FOR AN
EXCERPT FROM THE
FIRST BOOK IN THE
SERENITY COVE SERIES
BY RITA GARCIA
Kaleidoscope Summer, Samantha’s Story
NOW AVAILABLE FROM
RITA GARCIA PRODUCTIONS.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Chapter One
Stillness of night settled in like a haze over the town. I’d worked the late shift more years than I cared to count—although by choice. At the end of my patrol I cruised the final block of Main Street and pulled into Rubi’s Diner, wanting a whole-enchilada breakfast plate before heading home. A voice crackled over the police radio.
“Chief.” Hank’s words mixed with the static. “Hello. Come in.” Urgency strained his vocal cords. Hank, a college student, worked the front desk at the police station part-time.
I grabbed the speaker. “Logan.”
“Harrison called. He and a couple of buddies saw something suspicious out at the cove—looks like a body.”
“Or teenage imaginations coming alive at the midnight hour. Call Alec for back-up.” I thumbed the Off button and sped to the other end of town.
The north end of the beach came into view. I veered onto the old dirt road, avoiding the potholes as the cruiser jiggled its way down to the sandy cove. A mist had rolled in, making me wonder how the guys had seen much of anything. The path ended and I parked beside Harrison Coleman’s beat-up truck and another car belonging to the new kid in town—what was his name? I shook my head. Thirty-two and already forgetting names—not a good sign.
I stepped out of the cruiser as my deputy, Alec Sandoval, sped down the dirt road. Barely waiting for his car to stop, he jumped out and rushed over. “Where’s Harrison?”
“Not a clue. Use your spotlight and see if we can attract their attention.” My eyes followed the glow as it caught the teens. Shaking my head, I turned to Alec. “What’s that new kid’s name?”
“Tommy O’Brien. You do remember Gary and Harrison, don’t you, boss?”
I challenged his snicker with a steely stare.
The guys quickly closed the gap between us. They began to talk over one another, and I thrust out my hand. “Hold on.” I pointed to Gary. “Let’s start with you.”
Gary shuffled his feet against the gravel. “This dog ran over to us. He kept barking, so we followed him to the bottom of the path, where the big rock is.” The teen pointed to a huge boulder that over time had become a landmark of sorts. “Harrison shined his flashlight and we saw it—a body down by the water.”
“Show us.” We reached the boulder, and I directed a beam on the water’s edge. The crumpled shape on the sand certainly looked to be a person. “Something’s down there all right.” I nodded at Alec. “Climb on down, and I’ll wait for the EMTs.” Alec zipped his jacket and stepped onto the path.
I hoped for good reception and punched the number into my cell phone, and waited for Hank’s hello. “Check on the ambulance.”
“What’d you find?” Hank’s voice reflected his eagerness to become a cop.
“Still investigating.” I clicked off and turned back to watch Alec’s descent.
Halfway down he slipped, sliding on the seat of his pants the rest of the way. A silent chuckle shook my insides as he reached the bottom. It wasn’t more than a minute before Alec radioed. “She’s breathing. There’s blood from a head wound.”
“Hang on—an ambulance is on its way.” I pivoted to the group hovering behind me.
I hated playing the tough guy, but the victim might not survive. “You kids go home. Your parents will be calling us next.” Three faces simultaneously flashed disappointment.
Harrison rocked on the heels of his shoes, shoving his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “Uh, Chief. We found the body.”
Tommy stood straight. “Yeah, we—”
“Go—stop whining.” They moped to their cars, gunned their engines, and sped up the path in a cloud of roiling dust.
The ambulance stirred up more dirt and pulled into one of the parking spots the teens had reversed out of minutes earlier. The EMTs jogged over. “Where’s the victim?”
“A female down by the water.” I pointed toward the path. Without comment, they grabbed a stretcher. I drew a heavy breath before following. Finding bodies was an unusual occurrence in Serenity Cove.
***
Inquisitiveness had me up and out the door early to check on the woman we’d rescued the night before. It looked to be an accident, but I couldn’t be sure until I heard it from her. The drive along the coastal road was quiet, the fog from the night before beginning to burn off. I detoured through McDonald’s for a caffeine fix and gulped it down by the time I reached the turnoff.
The Serenity Cove General Hospital sign always struck me as a big name for a small, single level building. It saved lives, and we were lucky to have it—or blessed as my sister Maggie would say.
A familiar figure sat at the front desk. “Hey, Thelma—where’s Doc?” Thelma Jacobson, the hospital’s receptionist, could often be found fluffing pillows and giving unsolicited advice. I’d gone to school with Thelma’s kids—her son Mark and I graduated the same year. She was a petite woman with the same caring smile and orange hair she’d always sported.
“Hi yourself, Logan. Doc is in with Samantha, your rescue. Doc says she’s deaf. First room on the right.” She nodded toward the hospital hallway.
I tipped my cap and headed down the corridor.
“My—that man is sure easy on the eyes.”
I recognized the voice of Evelyn Carter, a physician’s assistant, behind me. Odd, I hadn’t noticed her at the desk.
“Why he’s still single is a mystery to me—what’s wrong with the young women around here?” Thelma raised her voice.
The boost to my male ego energized my steps. I lengthened my stride until I paused at the opened doorway. Doctor James Hollingsworth stood at the end of the patient’s bed, making notations on a chart. I moved in closer. “How’s our patient?”
“Sustained a light co
ncussion and bruised ribs, along with lacerations. She’ll need to take it easy for several days.”
“Thelma mentioned she’s deaf?”
Doc pushed his pen into his coat pocket. “That’s right. But she lip-reads amazingly well.” The patient whimpered. My inability to make sense of her mutterings left questions firing through my brain.
“Did she say baby?”
“Sounded like baby to me. We know she’s not pregnant from the precautionary tests we ran.” Doc scratched his salt-and-pepper beard. “Come to think of it, she didn’t mention a child when we spoke earlier, either. Probably still not thinking too clearly.”
“We secured the area last night. Didn’t see anything to suggest she was traveling with a baby. I’ll make a run back to the cove, though.”
Doc slapped the file closed. “Give me a heads-up on what you find.”
“No problem.” I gave the patient a final glance before leaving to investigate the scene.
I reached the cove and found three cars parked up top on the berm. Only one was unfamiliar. It had been there the night before—I’d told Alec to run the plates. I hooked a U-turn and parked in front of the black SUV, and called the station. While I waited for Nicole, the only female officer with our department, to get back to me, I scouted the area.
My cell beeped with a text. “The vehicle is registered to a Samantha E. Forrester. Also, Alec said he contacted Arnold to have it towed.” Arnold would keep it in back of his auto repair shop, the closest thing the town had to an impound facility.
My reflection bounced off the window of the SUV. I shaded my eyes and peered inside—no car seat or paraphernalia to suggest she’d been traveling with a child. A whimper caught my attention. I knelt to see a dog cowered underneath, near the wheelbase. Unable to reach the mass of fur, I flattened and crawled partway under the vehicle until I could urge him out. The dog was a Sheltie, wearing a vest with Hearing Dog written on it. Rubbing the dog’s head, I flipped the tags over and read them. Goldie—Samantha Forrester—with an address in Stone Valley. About a five-hour drive, if she hadn’t made too many stops. “Come.” I patted my leg. “Let’s go see your person.”
