by Janet Cooper
“Exactly. So, the locals stay in their boats and wait for the tide to lift them off the bank or they drift and wait for someone to find them. Understand?”
“Yes. Guess I’m almost glad I get seasick,” he grimaced.
“Any other questions?”
“How long will the DNR keeping looking.”
“Normally, three days. The authorities, Coast Guard, DNR, and local police, will decide what’s next.”
Tim waited.
“Typically, they scale back operations. Local police and DNR will keep alert for anything unusual …”
His attention stayed riveted on Jeff.
“Empty boat, floating lifejackets, debris …”
Tim shook his head, concern showing in his expression. “I understand.”
“Don’t give up hope. With all the professionals and the volunteers, we’ll find him. He’ll probably be embarrassed, as he should be.
“Share what I told you with Sara and the others when they return. Now, let’s get the ‘command post’ set-up”
Tim gave a mock salute.
When the last paper and pen had been moved, Jeff explained to Tim and Sara, who had joined them, what area he intended to explore. He grabbed his hat and headed off toward the dock. On his way, he touched base with DNR to tell them his plans. Halfway to the boat, Taylor intercepted him.
“Where are you going?”
“To see if I can find him.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Taylor, your dad needs you.”
“Jeff, with everyone except Sara and Tim off being spotters and Mary available to help Dad, I’m as much use as a mosquito at a garden party.”
“What a terrible thought. Certainly never in the Lowcountry.”
She slapped his arm, giving a wan smiled. “Getting back to why I must escape. Mom and Dad’s … wills have detailed instructions about,” Again, she stopped, “everything. Mary will decide what to serve at the reception after …” She shook her head fiercely, as if shaking it would change the situation. “And Dad will agree. Besides, Mary seldom lets me in the kitchen. She’s organized Dad and me since …” Again, her voice hesitated, “Mom left.”
Jeff wanted to crush her in his arms, but said, “And your horses?”
“When I arrived at the stable, I saw that Jean and the volunteers for Horseback Heroes have everything under control. Since my … honeymoon started today, I’d arranged for them to handle the group.” She stared at him as if in disbelief. “Today, we were flying to …” She sniffed.
Jeff took her into his arms and held her gently. He pulled tissues from his pocket and dabbed her moist eyes. “We’ll find him,” he said putting as much confidence in his tone as possible.
Pushing him away with her hands, she said, “If I stay here, I’ll drive myself and everyone around me nuts.”
Remembering how little patience Taylor had and how much she preferred to be in control, Jeff inwardly surrendered.
“You gas up the skiff. I’ll grab a couple of water bottles and a few snacks, then tell Dad and Mary we’re leaving. I’ll meet you at the dock.”
As he suspected, without waiting for his acceptance, she dashed away.
* ~ *
After telling Mary and her dad about their plans, she hurried back to the dock. Of all her friends only Jeff remained constant, she thought. She couldn’t expect her other friends to share her grief, but she felt sure that Jeff did. The three of them started hanging out together from the first day Rod had joined them in school. She participated as an equal in all their games, except football. The inseparable three, until eleventh grade, then she started dating Rod.
“Will you cast off the lines? After our last outing, I decided the safest place for me was in the boat behind the wheel, not untying,” Jeff teased her.
“Aye, aye, captain. Your mate hears you.” She quickly un-cleated the lines and stepped aboard. “Where to you intend to go?”
“Remember the spot on the river, near the mound of oysters that has a sandy beach?
“I’m not sure. Why?” she asked, as she coiled the lines.
“The place is near Brays Creek. Years ago Rod and I fished and swam there.”
He held the wheel loosely. She’d forgotten what large hands’ Jeff had. His palms almost encircled the plastic wheel, while his fingers tapped on the topside of the console to a tune obviously inside his head. He reeked of control, not of others, but of himself. A trait she’d always admire. As the tips of his hands beat out time to the silent song, she recalled he used internal music to help him concentrate. For some strange reason, this gave her confidence in their success.
Suddenly, Jeff chuckled.
She shifted her eyes and stared at him. “What’s funny?”
“I remembered why you don’t know about this place. Rod and I decided we required a secret place that you didn’t know anything about. One of us found the spot, can’t remember which one. We decided this would be our ‘club house’ only without a building. Actually, we did construct a flimsy structure of discarded timber, even found paint. I brought an old blanket or two. Amazing, what one recalls.”
“How do you know he still came there?”
“I don’t, but five years ago, he …”
She took a deep breath. “About that”
“Do you really want to go there?” Jeff raised his eyebrows.
Swallowing hard, Taylor said, “Yes. I do. We may never have another opportunity to talk like this. I’ve wanted to explain for a long time. I must explain. I hope you’ll understand.”
She observed him. He appeared entirely absorbed on the water’s depth and keeping the boat on an even keel.
“When I phoned telling you I had broken up with Rod for good, I meant every word. He and I had been planning our wedding. Then he announced he really required more time. He told me an MBA would give him more opportunities. I suggested we marry and I would work while he studied and received his degree. He totally disagreed, saying I’d find difficulty finding a stable to manage where he planned to study. Next, I offered to get an MBA, too, something to enhance my management skills, again, no sale.
“Much of this you know, but in case you’ve forgotten, let me tell the story in my own way.”
He nodded. With his sunglasses on, she couldn’t read his face.
Still, she pressed on, “Since we had started hanging out in high school, dated off and on through college, and began seeing each other, I thought, seriously after graduation three years before. I flipped. His explanation was he wanted more money for us. ‘That paper’ would open the world for him. His goals included making money and being successful, in that order.” Remembering the scene still hurt.
“You don’t need to explain his values to me.”
She thought she detected a little bitterness.
“We argued. Finally, I conveyed my opinion. If money ranked over marriage, he should consider our engagement off. I gave back his ring, telling him to get out of my life. Then I called you. Since you’re his best friend and mine too, I hoped you’d help me. Advise me. ”
His face wrinkled. He opened his mouth to speak.
“Please let me continue. You were finishing the semester, writing your thesis, and had exams.” She surveyed his face closely.
He nodded, his jaw tightened.
“Shortly before you arrived, Rod called and begged me to wait for a few more years. He stated my family had money. He didn’t want me not to have all the material things I currently had. In two or three more years and with his MBA, he would. We volleyed this point. Eventually, I gave him additional time.”
“Five years is a little more time?” Jeff asked incredulously.
“During the first two and a half years, he worked on his degree at Clemson. During the second year, I decided to visit an old roommate from college. She’d married an Indian. They’d moved to Delhi. I spent the following year traveling around India and Southeast Asia. Upon coming home, I experienced almost a compulsio
n to assist disabled people. I joined Horseback Heroes. Time drifted on. Finally, Dad said either marry Rod or break the engagement.”
“So, he never actually set a date?” Surprise flavored Jeff’s words.
“I have to admit sounds strange,” she managed, never actually considering this before.
“Strange? The whole thing is weird.” He peeked at her. “Taylor, I’ll never understand you.”
Feeling defensive, she retorted, “I’m loyal!”
“Loyal? Rod doesn’t know the meaning of the word.” He gritted his teeth. “Sorry, that was uncalled for.”
“Yes, it was,” she shot back.
A curtain of silence covered the boat. Neither spoke. She stared at the wide deserted river, while, when chancing a look in his direction, Jeff appeared absorbed in driving the skiff.
“That’s the spot,” Jeff said finally.
Taylor hoped this discovery would break or at least move the iceberg that had floated between them.
He slowed the boat to just above idle.
“I don’t see anything except a small hammock type island or perhaps a peninsula.” She squinted attempting to see the connecting piece.
“With this tide high, we can get near the bank.”
A car whizzed by on the road twenty feet away. They eased the skiff closer to the sandy strip.
“I’d forgotten the road. And I thought this an island, strange. When we were kids, I guess the only thing we worried about was not letting you know about our secret place.” He turned to look at Taylor. “Forgive me speaking out of turn?”
“Yeah. You’re still my best friend.” To herself she added, You’re right, Rod’s reason and mine for going along don’t sound like a couple deeply committed. Yet, the decision seemed right at the time.
“I’ll drive the boat up on the sandbar and look around.”
“You and Rod may have found this spot, but since I’m here, I’m exploring, too. I haven’t played Roberta Caruso for a long time.”
“Roberta? His name was Robinson,” Jeff challenged.
“Not for a woman.” As soon as the skiff scraped on the sand, she jumped off, landed on the sand, and started inland.
“How am I supposed to get off?” Jeff queried her.
“Put the anchor line over your shoulder and jump. Or if you ask nicely, I can catch the line, hold the boat, etc.” She tried to laugh.
He appreciated her attempt at humor and smiled.
After fifteen minutes of surveying the area, Taylor said, “I’m not sure what we should have found, but we haven’t discovered anything except a blackened fire-pit. Evidently, your hideout has been discovered by others.”
Jeff nodded. “I could have sworn this was an island.”
“There’s only a small path leading to the street. Big enough for someone to park a car, fish, or go for a swim.”
Still in disbelief, he said, “How could I have forgotten a road?”
“How many years ago did you discover this spot?”
He paused, trying to remember. “Fifteen, maybe sixteen years.”
“You and Rod didn’t have your licenses then, so you probably came by boat. We have almost twice as many people in our county and more cars. The beach is nice. The road’s accessible if a bit remote. Since the beautiful, white, sandy section is on the far side away from the street, most won’t discover it.” He watched her scan the rural highway. “The trees hide the site until one comes on top of it, definitely hard to fine and very secluded; great hideout for a couple of teenage boys escaping from reality.”
“Or for a couple wanting a little privacy,” he said scuffing the sand with the toe of his sneaker. “Nice. Maybe, we could come here for a swim.” Jeff forgot for a moment their reason for being here.
She stared in disbelief.
“Sorry, Taylor. My mind …” He shrugged as his neck and face grew warm.
“If you’ve seen what you came for, I suggest we head back.”
Reluctantly, he agreed. What had he hope to find here?
Chapter Four
When they walked in the door, Sara greeted them. “Some strange woman has been calling every hour. She left her name, but no message.” Sara handed Taylor the paper.
Ms. Ella Mae Lee’s name jumped off the page at Taylor. “I don’t need this right now.” She tried to hand the paper back to Sara. “Could you please call her? Tell her that my mother has died, my fiancé is missing, and I can’t worry about anything else.”
“I told her. She didn’t care. She said you must call her.”
Jeff took the paper from Taylor’s outstretched hand. “I’ll handle this. Is there any other news?”
Sara shook her head.
He nodded. “Taylor, I’m headed home. Call if you need me.”
She gave his arm a squeeze. “Thank you for everything.” Turning to Sara, she said, “Have you seen my dad?”
“I think he’s still in his upstairs office.”
“Thanks.” Taylor dashed up the steps, hurried down the wide corridor, then stopped at the closed door. Her father never closed his office door. Even when she was a child, the door always stood open, inviting anyone to come in and visit. She hesitated before knocking. “Dad?”
“Come in, Taylor.” The sadness rang through those few words.
He sat behind his desk, with his chair turned halfway round so that he faced the large glass bay window over-looking the pool and the tennis courts. The room, masculine in appearance, with its Southern pine paneling of walls, floor and ceiling, always gave off a warm inviting feeling. The large knee-hole desk that had belonged to her grandfather occupied the center of the room. Two comfortable, blue club chairs with matching ottomans sat at angles to the desk. Often, as a little girl, she’d climbed onto one of the leather seats and fallen asleep watching her father work. Pictures graced the wall space throughout the room, most of her at various stages of development. Today, a chill replace the warmth.
“Dad?” She hurried over to him, almost running around the edge of the desk. She stared at him. He appeared so old and tired. Taylor knelt on the floor and threw her arms around him. The two of them cried together. How long they remained clinging to each other, she had no idea. She eased back on her haunches and lovingly surveyed his face. “We’ll get through this, Daddy. Together, we’ll get through this.”
He managed a nod and pulled out his handkerchief, wiping her face before wiping his own. Jamming the damp cloth into the side pocket of his slacks, he gazed deeply into her eyes and managed a slight smile, which she returned.
“I received two calls that I must share with you.”
She bobbed her head.
“The sheriff phoned and told me the cause of your mother’s accident.”
A lump in her stomach formed and grew.
“Excessive speed. She misjudged the corner and,” Taylor saw her father swallow then lick his lips as if searching for moisture. “slammed into the oak. The coroner’s report stated that although her heart kept beating, she had died on impact.”
For a few moments, her mind filled as she pictured the scene. The tree stood in a spot she’d passed every time she drove to Beaufort. Her eyes filled with tears which she successfully fought from flowing.
“Taylor.” Her father hesitated a minute, but his eyes never left her face. “I talked to Larry Murphy. He told me the Coast Guard and the Water and Safety helicopters will make one more run than call off the air search.”
She hardly recognized his voice.
“The DNR boats plus the police patrols will continue for another day.”
Taylor stood up, stepping back in horror. “Dad, they can’t. He’s out there. I’m sure he’s alive. If he weren’t, I’d know? Wouldn’t I? Isn’t that how love works? He and I are two parts of a whole. Aren’t we?” Her tears threatened to cascade down her cheeks.
“Taylor, I’m a practical man. I believe in God, but whether we sense trouble for those we love, I don’t know, because I didn’t.
&nb
sp; He’s talking about Mother, even though he hasn’t said her name.
“Perhaps, that’s normal not to know.” He shook his head. His face showed his pain. “I have no idea.” He stood up, taking hold of her shoulders. “Honey, talk to Mary about that. She says she’s ‘gets messages’ at times. Some of her predictions are accurate, some aren’t.” He shrugged. “Perhaps, she can help. Why not try?”
“Will she answer me?” Her voice revealed her doubt.
“Many times during my life, unexplainable events have occurred. Mary, at times, tried to warn me or at least make me aware something would happen.” He took his daughter’s arm and led her to the wide, window seat overlooking the yard. They sat side-by-side with her father’s hand holding hers.
“Years ago, Mary predicted your mother would die in a car crash, but not until you were a grown woman. She might not even remember telling me about this. The only reason she told me was I constantly worried Julia Ann would die and leave you without a mother. Every girl needs her mom.”
For all the good she did. She overrode her emotions and concentrate on her father’s words.
“Another time, she warned me that I shouldn’t let you drive the horse van to that show, the one in Camden. She wouldn’t tell me what would happen if I didn’t. Just insisting I go with you.”
Taylor nodded. “I remember not being pleased at having my father for a chauffeur.”
He squeezed her hand. “I changed my schedule, cancelled appointments, etc. She can be persistent.” He grinned slightly. “On the way home, a wheel fell of the van, injuring one of the horses.”
She nodded remembering the terrifying moment and the horrific screams from Rocky. He survived the accident, but never jumped again. Today, Horseback Heroes used him for lessons. Pulling herself back to the present, she heard her father’s voice.
“Am I a disciple with these two foretold incidents? I still can’t say. Perhaps, Mary was being cautious. Since that time, I heed her advice. Taking that extra measure of caution, I guess.” He shrugged his shoulders. “If you believe asking her would help, do so.”
Dad always had the answers, often not what she wished to hear. She could come to him with any problem; he’d solve it or help her find a solution, usually by challenging her to discover her own truth about a situation. Today, the tides had turned for he had just suffered a terrible loss. “What can I do for you?” She squeezed his hand as if bonding them together.
