by Kathi Daley
“I don’t care what you have to do to get them out, just do it.”
The voice, which I confirmed did belong to Rich, paused. When I didn’t hear a response I assumed he was on the phone.
“Yes, even the girl. I know her situation, but the fact that she’s homeless and pregnant isn’t my problem. I have a contractor coming to the island on Monday. If the place isn’t empty by then heads are going to roll.”
Yikes. The situation sounded worse than I’d thought. Monday was just five days away, not a lot of time to relocate a bunch of people. I grabbed the stack of copies I’d made and headed back to the auditorium. Once the kids had been picked up I’d share what I knew with Cody. Maybe between the two of us we could come up with at least a temporary solution.
“I have the rehearsal schedule,” I held up the flyers.
“Great.” Cody took them from me. He turned and looked at the kids, who had gathered their possessions in preparation for pickup. “I have flyers I need each of you to give to a parent. We’ll be having extra rehearsals next week as we prepare for our performance and I need everyone to attend every rehearsal.”
The kids, who were thrilled to see Ebenezer had come for a visit, played with the cat and chatted among themselves as Cody passed out the flyers. Parents had begun to arrive and I wanted to be sure all of them had the information, so I stood at the door to catch anyone who might not have received one.
“I have a rehearsal schedule for next week,” I said to one of the moms, whose son was messing around and hadn’t taken a flyer.
“Great.” She smiled. “I was wondering if you were going to have extra rehearsals. I hear congratulations are in order. Have you set the date?”
“Thank you and not yet. Cody and I decided to wait until after the first of the year to discuss specifics. There’s so much going on right now, everything seems a bit overwhelming.”
She placed her hand on my arm. “I don’t blame you for taking your time. When I got engaged I was so excited I bought a dress the very next day. Over the course of the nine months I planned a huge wedding and was stressed the entire time. If I had it to do over again I’d take my time and plan something special to us, not just something big and flashy.”
“We feel the same way. We have a lot of family and friends, so I’m not sure small will work, but I’m definitely thinking simple.”
“It sounds like you have the beginnings of a plan.” The woman looked around the room, located her son, and waved him over. “We should get going. Congratulations again.”
I thanked her and moved on to the next parent who seemed to be lacking a flyer. Once the kids had all been delivered to their parents, Cody and I cleaned up and headed, along with Ebenezer, toward my cabin. I filled him in on what I knew of the warehouse situation as we drove.
Cody being the smart and wonderful man he is jumped right in with an idea. “I think the first thing we need to do is find out exactly who’s living in the building and what their situation is. There may be people who have a place to go if provided with the means to get there, and others who have a long-term plan and only require short-term housing. I think I can work out a deal with the motor lodge for short-term housing if needed. We’ll drive out there first thing in the morning and figure out what’s what.”
“Okay, that sounds great.” I glanced at Ebenezer, who was sitting on the seat between us. “I should go talk to Balthazar as well. He owns several apartment buildings. Maybe he’d be willing to help out if he has vacancies.”
“We can see him tomorrow after we visit the warehouse.”
“Don’t you have that guy coming from the ad agency tomorrow?” I asked.
Cody grimaced. “I do; I almost forgot. He isn’t coming until eleven, though, so we can still visit the warehouse in the morning. We can see Balthazar the following day, or you can catch the morning ferry and go on your own tomorrow.”
“I’ll go alone. Ebenezer can come with me. If Mr. Sinclair is serious about having everyone out by Monday we don’t have time to waste.”
“You should let Finn know what’s going on too,” Cody said, referring to my brother-in-law, who happened to be the island’s resident deputy. “If Sinclair plans to use force to get the squatters out Finn can ensure that things are handled legally and without violence.”
“Good idea. I’ll call him when we get to my cabin.” I glanced out the window at the still-falling snow. “I know we talked about going out for dinner on the way home, but I think we should head back before the roads get bad. I’ve got some soup left over from last night and another loaf of bread in the freezer.”
“Sounds good. I want to pop in to check on Mr. Parsons. I’ll drop you and Ebenezer off at your place, check on him, and then meet you at the cabin.”
It did my heart good to see how much Cody cared for the elderly man he shared a space with. There’d been a time when Mr. Parsons was a bit of a grump, but ever since Cody had remodeled and moved into the third floor of his huge oceanfront mansion, Mr. Parsons had let go of his anxiety, and almost everyone agreed he was a changed man.
After Cody dropped Ebenezer and me off I took my dog Max out for a quick run, then got our houseguest set up with kitty food and a cat box. When both animals were fed and settled I called Finn. He didn’t answer his cell, so I tried the house.
“Oh, hey, Siobhan,” I greeted my sister when she answered the phone. “I’m looking for Finn, but he didn’t answer his cell.”
“He’s out on a call. There’s a pretty bad accident along the west shore.”
“Oh no. I’m so sorry to hear that. Were there injuries?”
“I don’t know,” Siobhan said. “I haven’t heard. I hope not.”
“Yeah, me too. I love the snow, but there’s always an increase in auto accidents when the roads are icy.”
“People don’t want to slow down.”
“So, how’s the packing going?” I asked. Finn and Siobhan had sold Finn’s house and bought a larger one together.
“It’s been hectic. This place closes in just a few days and we need to be completely moved out by the end of the weekend.”
“Don’t overdo,” I warned my pregnant sister.
“I’m trying not to, but everything is going so fast. It’s a bit overwhelming, and to make matters worse, there seems to be a problem with the house we’re buying.”
I frowned. “Problem? What sort of problem?”
“It seems the woman who’s selling it is getting cold feet. To be honest, I’ve been wondering if that house was the right one for us anyway. It only has three bedrooms, and Finn thinks we should have four. Part of me hopes the sale falls through so we can look for a larger place, but part of me is panicked because we have to be out of here and will have to figure out somewhere to go until we find something else.”
“Can you put off the people moving into this house?”
“Not really,” Siobhan answered. “The couple is moving here from the East Coast. I’d hate to mess them up. We’re thinking about just putting our stuff into storage and seeing if we can stay with Maggie for a while.”
Our Aunt Maggie lived in the main house on the property where I had my little cabin on the beach. “I’m sure she’d love to have you. Mom and Cassie are there while the condo is being worked on and Danny is there for the winter, but Maggie has a ton of guest rooms.”
“She’s always said we’re welcome to stay there whenever we need to. I need to get back to packing, but I can pass a message on to Finn when he gets back if you want to fill me in.”
I explained to Siobhan, who also happened to be the mayor of Madrona Island, that there was a new man in town intent on kicking a group of homeless people out onto the street with almost no notice. She of course was appalled, especially when she heard one of the squatters might be pregnant. Being pregnant herself, she was extra sensitive to the needs of women in the same condition.
“I understand he needs to have the building vacated to renovate. And I understand it’s his
building and he has the right to expect he can do with it as he pleases. But to kick a bunch of people out into the snow so close to Christmas seems heartless.”
“I agree,” I said. “I overheard him on the phone and it sounded like he was willing to resort to any means necessary to get the people out. I don’t know for a fact that he’d use violence, but that was the vibe I was picking up. Cody and I are going over to the warehouse tomorrow morning to see exactly what the situation is and how many people will be displaced.”
“That sounds like a good idea. I’ll fill Finn in when he gets home. I’m not saying squatters don’t need to be moved, but let’s see if we can find them an alternative place to wait out the winter.”
I hung up with Siobhan and tossed a log on the fire, then put the soup in a pan to heat. I defrosted the bread in the microwave and popped it into the oven to brown. The lights on the tree Cody and I had decorated reflected off the snowy window, giving the entire cabin a warm, cozy feeling. I’d just turned on some carols when Cody pulled into the drive. I hoped he’d be able to stay over tonight, but he didn’t like to leave Mr. Parsons alone more often than he needed to. At some point we were going to have to discuss living arrangements after we married, but for now we were taking it slow and letting things develop naturally.
“Is Mr. Parsons okay?” I asked as Cody entered through the side door.
“He’s watching old movies with Francine.” Francine Rivers owned a third of the peninsula where Cody and I resided. When the founding fathers of the island divided it up, one section went to Francine’s family, one to Mr. Parsons’s, and last to the Harts. Aunt Maggie lived in the big house on the property, and I lived in the summer cabin, which was right on the water and perfect for just me. Once Cody and I were married I’d probably need to move into Mr. Parsons’s house with him.
“Can you stay over?” I asked.
Cody nodded. “I’ll check on Mr. Parsons in the morning before we head over to the warehouse. Did you get hold of Finn?”
“He’s out on a call, but I spoke to Siobhan and she’ll fill him in when he gets home.”
“Great. Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
We settled in with our soup and hot bread in front of the crackling fire. We didn’t get a lot of snow on Madrona Island, but every year I found myself wishing for Christmas snow. We’d been lucky and had had December snow several years in a row. It really added to the Christmassy feel I’d learned to embrace when I was a child.
“Did you ever find out what was going on with your mom’s condo?” Cody asked.
“She said the pipes are shot and they need to completely replumb the whole place. She has to be out for a month, so she and Cassie have moved in with Maggie for the time being.”
“Wow, that’s tough.”
I shrugged. “I guess. I don’t think Maggie minds, despite the fact that Danny has moved in for the winter and I now it seems Finn and Siobhan need a place to stay as well.”
“I thought they were moving into their new house.”
“It looks like it might fall out of escrow and their house is ready to close. It’ll be a bit crowded, but Maggie’s house is big, and she never minds having the various members of the Hart family staying with her when they need to.”
It really did seem the entire Hart clan, other than my oldest brother, Aiden, had lived with Maggie at one time or another. Danny owned a whale-watch boat he lived in, but every now and again he leased it out for the winter and bunked with Maggie to save money during the off season. Siobhan had lived with Maggie after returning to Madrona Island from Seattle, and I’d lived with her in the big house before we renovated the cabin. This was the second time my mom and my youngest sister, Cassie, had stayed with Maggie in recent years, and I imagined it wouldn’t be the last. I was just finishing my soup when my phone rang.
It was Siobhan. “Did you talk to Finn?”
“Finn isn’t back yet. He’s at the hospital.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Is he hurt?”
“He’s with Aiden. Aiden was involved in the accident Finn responded to.”
I put my hand to my mouth, fighting back panic. “Is he—?”
“He’s going to be okay. He was driving home from the north shore and hit a patch of ice. His car slid off the road and rolled twice, but the airbag deployed and he was buckled in, so he wasn’t seriously injured. Finn said not to come down. They have him sedated and he’s resting. Finn’s going to get all the details from the doctor and he’ll fill us in when he sees us.”
“Cody and I will come over to your place.”
“No, don’t come here, go to Maggie’s. Mom, Cassie, and Danny are already there. I’m heading over as well. Finn said he’d meet us there.”
When we arrived at Maggie’s, the others were all sitting around discussing the situation. “Have you heard anything?” Mom asked as soon as we walked in.
“No. I just spoke to Siobhan and she said to come here. Finn will be joining us as soon as he’s able to.”
“I know Siobhan said to stay put, but I feel like we should be at the hospital,” Danny said.
“There isn’t anything we can do. Finn said Aiden is sedated and resting comfortably. With the weather the way it is, waiting really is the best choice.”
The room fell silent. I understood that. We didn’t know anything, so we couldn’t talk about what had happened, and it seemed sort of strange to make chitchat. I hoped Siobhan got here soon. Of all the Harts, she seemed to be the best at knowing exactly what to say. Fortunately, we didn’t have long to wait; she arrived shortly after Cody and I did.
“I spoke to Finn again,” she began. “Aiden’s going to be fine. His car is pretty much totaled, but he managed to come away with nothing more serious than a broken leg and a sprained wrist.”
“So nothing life threatening?” Mom asked.
“Nothing life threatening,” Siobhan confirmed. “Finn said Aiden will be released tomorrow, as long as he has somewhere to go where he can get help.”
“He’ll come here,” Maggie spoke up. “I have plenty of room, and there will be lots of folks to help out.”
“I thought you’d feel that way and so did Finn, so he arranged to have the hospital call him when Aiden’s ready to be released. He’ll pick him up and bring him here.”
I could feel the tension in the room dissipate as everyone began to discuss which room to put Aiden in. We all agreed it should be one of the rooms on the first floor with its own bath. I had a feeling poor Aiden was going to be mothered to death with Mom and Maggie both here, but he’d been on his own for a while now, so perhaps he wouldn’t mind.
Books by Kathi Daley
Come for the murder, stay for the romance.
Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery:
Halloween Hijinks
The Trouble With Turkeys
Christmas Crazy
Cupid’s Curse
Big Bunny Bump-off
Beach Blanket Barbie
Maui Madness
Derby Divas
Haunted Hamlet
Turkeys, Tuxes, and Tabbies
Christmas Cozy
Alaskan Alliance
Matrimony Meltdown
Soul Surrender
Heavenly Honeymoon
Hopscotch Homicide
Ghostly Graveyard
Santa Sleuth
Shamrock Shenanigans
Kitten Kaboodle
Costume Catastrophe
Candy Cane Caper
Holiday Hangover
Easter Escapade
Camp Carter
Trick or Treason
Reindeer Roundup – December 2017
Zimmerman Academy The New Normal
Ashton Falls Cozy Cookbook
Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries by Henery Press
Pumpkins in Paradise
Snowmen in Paradise
Bikinis in Paradise
Christmas in Paradise
Puppies in Paradise
H
alloween in Paradise
Treasure in Paradise
Fireworks in Paradise
Beaches in Paradise – June 2018
Turkeys in Paradise – November 2018
Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery:
Romeow and Juliet
The Mad Catter
Grimm’s Furry Tail
Much Ado About Felines
Legend of Tabby Hollow
Cat of Christmas Past
A Tale of Two Tabbies
The Great Catsby
Count Catula
The Cat of Christmas Present
A Winter’s Tail
The Taming of the Tabby
Frankencat
The Cat of Christmas Future – November 2017
Seacliff High Mystery:
The Secret
The Curse
The Relic
The Conspiracy
The Grudge
The Shadow
The Haunting
Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery:
Murder at Dolphin Bay
Murder at Sunrise Beach
Murder at the Witching Hour
Murder at Christmas
Murder at Turtle Cove
Murder at Water’s Edge
Murder at Midnight
Writers’ Retreat Southern Seashore Mystery:
First Case
Second Look
Third Strike
Fourth Victim
Fifth Night – January 2018
A Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery
The Christmas Letter – December 2017
Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mystery
Finding Justice
Finding Answers – 2018
Road to Christmas Romance:
Road to Christmas Past
USA Today best-selling author Kathi Daley lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe with her husband Ken. When she isn’t writing, she likes spending time hiking the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. She has authored more than seventy-five books in eight series including: Zoe Donovan Cozy Mysteries, Whales and Tails Island Mysteries, Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mysteries, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Series, Writers’ Retreat Southern Seashore Mysteries, Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Mysteries. Find out more about her books at www.kathidaley.com
