by Garcia, Rita
Logan stretched as he unfolded from his seat. “Sweet dreams.” He ran his hand down the length of my hair, as he had become fond of doing. With a closed smile, I padded into the kitchen.
Snuggled in bed, I attempted not to think of Logan in the next room. I pictured the contrast of him in a cotton candy pink room and pulled the sheet over my face to quiet my giggles. I tried to read, but like a branch tossed about by the waves, my mind stayed adrift. Logan and I being here alone was not a good idea. In the morning, I would pack a bag and go stay at Maggie’s.
Dawn covered the room with soft light. The aroma from the kitchen told me Logan was up before me, again. I tied the sash around the waist of my robe and joined him.
“What, no pastries this morning?”
I imagined his laughter. It flowed into my brain and vibrated through my heart—I craved the sound. I looked across the table. Maybe…just maybe.
Our obvious attraction to each other sent strong signals, but other than fun flirtation Logan hadn’t shown any serious interest in a relationship. Besides, I wasn’t here permanently, especially if funding for the school came through.
He reached into his pocket, and flipped a silver dollar on the table. “A good-luck coin for your thoughts.”
“Good-luck coin? What happened to the good old copper penny?”
“My Grandpa Donovan gave it to me. I was still a kid, moping around, not talking.” Logan slapped it on the table and looked at me. “Well?”
“It’s my meeting with Taylor Jones this morning—it’s unsettling.” I touched my fingertips to my lips, hiding more than my smile.
“Your worried smile?” I balled up a napkin and threw it. He ducked but not quickly enough. “I’ll drive you and take care of some errands while you see Taylor.” Still chuckling as he spoke.
***
I strolled into the attorney’s office. From the looks of the dusty receptionist desk, I doubted a secretary existed. I peered into an open doorway. A man leaned back in his chair with headphones clamped over his head. “Mr. Jones?” He sat up straight looking startled. Not at all what I had expected, with his flannel shirt and a bushel of messy, dark hair. I wanted to ask how long he’d been off the farm.
“Ms. Forrester? Please, have a seat.” He cast a suspicious look Goldie’s way.
“She’s a trained hearing dog and well behaved.” I motioned for Goldie to sit. “I’m deaf. But I’m proficient at lip-reading. I need you to look directly at me as you speak.” Why was I being so staid, almost ill-mannered?
“Enjoying your stay in Serenity Cove?” He glanced down and shuffled through the papers on his desk. His laid-back Huck Finn demeanor surprised me.
“It’s an interesting town.” Not in the mood for chitchat, I didn’t elaborate.
He raised his head and focused on my face. “Your mother, Anne Marie Makenna, left her entire estate and holdings to you, Samantha Elizabeth Forrester.” He flipped through a couple of pages, as though refreshing his memory. “The land and building that houses the Sea Glass Bookshop. And there’s the property at 8701 White Lane. White Lane has some stipulations attached, which I’m sure you’re aware of.”
I uncrossed my legs, and glared at him. “I’m not aware of the property or any stipulations.”
“Anne set up what’s called a Life Estate with Remainder Interest. It simply means that her parents, John and Elizabeth Makenna, will have use of the property for life, and when they die, you’ll receive possession of it. When I suggested the remainder interest stipulation, Anne hesitated—like most children, she probably expected to outlive her parents.”
“Are there any other special instructions?” I needed to compose myself, my rudeness was being misdirected.
“Not as part of the will, but I spoke with Anne’s parents. They’ve requested you not communicate with them in any way.”
“They’re aware I’m here and have forbidden me to contact them?” This made what Logan told me all too real.
“Precisely. Shall I continue the list of assets, Ms. Forrester?”
I simply nodded.
“In addition to the two properties.” He picked up an envelope. “In here are lists of Anne’s bank accounts and her investment portfolio. I suggest you review them with an accountant. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I think you will be pleased. You’re acquiring a substantial amount of money and investments. The bulk of the value is in the real estate.”
“I haven’t heard anything to be pleased about.” I unleashed my temper on the poor man. “I find this whole situation with my grandparents disheartening.” I stood to leave. “Mr. Jones, you’re only doing your job. It’s a case of the proverbial messenger. I do apologize.” I’d only taken a few steps when Goldie tugged on her leash and looked behind us. I turned.
Mr. Jones walked toward me. “You forgot the file. And I need a couple of signatures.”
I scribbled my name where he indicated, and left. Large drops of rain poured down in sheets and the humidity had spiked. On the wet steps, I grabbed the metal rail to steady myself.
Logan met me halfway down the sidewalk. He slung his arm around my shoulders and held an umbrella over our heads.
“Where did this downpour come from?” I covered his hand with mine on the handle. “It wasn’t on the weather report this morning.” I couldn’t see his face, so I wasn’t sure whether he answered as I scooted into the passenger seat.
He pushed the key into the ignition and faced me, his brown eyes dark with concern. “Not so good?”
“I’d rather not talk about it here.”
He pulled away from the curb. The aftershocks of the meeting made it difficult to hold my emotions in check. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to go home to Stone Valley. A swoosh of air escaped between my lips when he finally stopped behind the bookshop.
I reached for his hand. “Thanks for not letting me be blindsided today. But I need a little space to deal with the reality of my grandparents’ rejection. I’ll book a room at the inn. Everything is moving too fast.” I held up the packet the attorney had given me. “I’ll send you a text later.” I hopped out of the cab and held the door for Goldie. Thunder rolled in the distance. No doubt, Logan would watch until we were safely inside.
I shed my damp clothes and crawled into bed. I cried for Anne who gave me away. I cried for my parents who lied to me. I cried for my grandparents who refused to accept me. My pores oozed with self-pity. I must have finally fallen asleep.
When I opened my eyes, an hour had easily passed. In the kitchen, I brewed a pot of tea. The message light on my phone was blinking. Logan? Strangely, it annoyed me. Before I could read the message, Goldie signaled me and headed to the door.
When I opened it, Maggie brushed past me. “Logan sent you?” My first impulse pushed to send her away, but I couldn’t find it in myself to be rude with Maggie.
She took charge. “Get your things. We’re going to my house. Lounge on the beach and let the healing sea air whisper on our skin—we might even get extreme and go into the water.”
We were soon zooming on the coastal road with the top down. The rain had stopped and the sun was out in full glory. Goldie sweetly turned her little nose into the breeze. I cuddled her—thankful Maggie had rescued me a second time.
Chapter Eleven
Alec secured his seatbelt and settled into the passenger seat of the truck. “Not so good, huh?”
“Sam had an appointment with Jones today. She took a direct hit in the solar plexus.”
“Have faith in her—she’ll work it out.” He tapped his fingers on his knee.
“Buddy, you didn’t see the hurt in her eyes.”
We pulled into the lot of Arnold’s shop where Sam’s SUV had been towed. Alec replaced me in the driver’s seat and maneuvered back onto the road. I followed in Sam’s vehicle.
Driving Sam’s SUV felt like I’d been captured and tortured. The smell of her perfume, the lipstick outline of her lips on a coffee cup
, Goldie’s leash. The sound of the CD she played—she couldn’t hear the music—she turned it on for Goldie. Father, how can I help her?
In Maggie’s driveway, I set the parking brake, relieved to get back into my own ride as Alec jogged around to the passenger side.
“I’ll take the night shift.” Driving around would give me time to analyze the situation. There had to be a way to reach John.
On the way to the station, we rode without unnecessary chatter. I pulled into the lot, parking in my assigned space. “Thanks, man.”
“Anytime, boss.” He opened the door to the side entrance of the building. In the locker room, I uniformed up, grabbed the keys from my office and traded my truck for a cruiser. My hunger pangs were bordering on ferocious, so I drove through In-N-Out for a Double-double Animal style, which would mean extra time at the gym. I wolfed it down as I made my routine trek, including a pass-by of Mick’s Bar. A glance at the dash told me it was a few minutes past ten. Time to visit Main Street.
When I parked across from the bookshop, red paint lit up like a neon sign on the glass. Lights glared from inside. I hit the code for Maggie’s number. “Hey, sis, Sam with you?”
“She’s right here. Why?”
“The window painter’s returned. Make sure she stays with you.”
I alerted Alec, and he arrived in record time. “Strange how this guy keeps painting on the same windows and no one notices him.” Alec stood with his hands planted on his hips.
I nodded toward the well-lit shop. “Sam only leaves one small lamp lit.” I felt inside my pocket for the single key. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”
We looked around and made our way to the supply room. I jerked the door open. “Nothing.” I shook my head.
We went back into the main part of the shop. “Most of the books are pulled off the shelves.” Alec pointed to the heaps on the floor.
“What’s this guy looking for? Let’s check the apartment.” We double-timed it up the stairs.
Alec rattled the doorknob. “Locked.”
“Bust it down.”
“Hold on, boss.” Alec pulled out a miniature tool kit and popped the lock. He grimaced and closed one eye. “Don’t ask.”
I threw my palms up. “Didn’t see a thing.”
Gaining entry, the apartment was untouched—until we got to her bedroom. We found clothing ripped off the hangers and the contents of the dresser drawers dumped on the floor. We both tugged on latex gloves. Using the eraser tip of a pencil, I opened the cover of a book on the floor—a personal journal with several pages ripped out.
“Sam seems to be the target of this attack.”
Alec peeled the protective layer off his hands. “Unless they expected to find Anne’s belongings.”
“Possible. But they only tossed Sam’s bedroom, and the mutilated journal is hers. Let’s try for fingerprints. Maybe we’ll get lucky this time.”
Alec looked over his shoulder as he jogged down the stairs. “You want them here tonight?”
“Morning’s good. Tell Hank first on the list. We’ll secure the building and tape the entrances. Get a crew out here to remove the paint, immediately. All the locks need to be rekeyed. The sooner the better.”
“I’m on it.”
“Now would be a good time to review the video footage we have from the crime scenes. I’ll meet you at the station later.” I climbed into the patrol car and looked across at the bookshop. We were missing something. Were we dealing with a ghost from Anne’s past or was Sam the sole focus of a sordid vendetta?
Chapter Twelve
Coming to Serenity Cove, I’d envisioned a small town without much to offer. Without warning, I unintentionally fell victim to its captivating charm. The town. The people. The lifestyle. It’s a chicken or egg type conundrum. Was it the town or Logan that first claimed my heart? ~ Journal entry
Maggie spread her straw mat under the noon rays. “Nothing rivals soaking in nature’s soothing balm.”
“It’s a gorgeous day.” I unrolled a mat near hers, and Goldie claimed a spot. “May I ask you a personal question?”
Her wide grin made me smile. “Go for it.” She sat, hugging her knees against her chest.
I faced her, mirroring her position. “You have it all—beauty, personality, intelligence. You’re a successful businesswoman. Why are you still single?”
“Aw, you’re sweet. I dated a guy in college. We became serious to the point of discussing a future. He decided to drop out of school and join the Marines. I couldn’t deal with it. I broke it off.” She toyed with one of her coppery curls.
“It ended, just like that?”
“He wrote me—I never responded. I had a few sessions with Dr. Ellie not long ago. It confirmed what I already knew. Death stole everyone important in my life—my father, my mother, and eventually my grandparents. Everyone except Logan.” She stretched her legs out and leaned back on her palms. “We’re usually unaware of the magnitude of our strength until being strong is the only choice we have.”
“Except this minute, I seem fresh out of choices.”
“God never leaves us without options. You’ve had so much thrown your way, like a juggler, juggling for the first time—he ends up chasing after the balls.” She pulled her bag closer and searched through it, finally pulling a card out and handing it to me. “Dr. Ellie has an appointment available Saturday.”
I tucked the card into Goldie’s vest. “I’ll think about it.”
“Dr. Ellie helped me sort out my feelings. I learned two really important facts of life. People aren’t perfect—including me. And life doesn’t have any fairness rules. Now I’ll stumble off my soapbox.” She aimed that smile of hers at me, the one that beamed hope.
“I prefer to not discuss your brother. I—”
“Talk to her for your peace of mind—nothing to do with Logan.”
I merely nodded. We waded along the shore, the coolness of the water lapping on our feet, and then dragged our mats under a Willow oak, and lounged in the shade. The afternoon whirled by, and a salty light wind kicked up. Sandpipers scurried to the water’s edge and back again with each receding wave.
Maggie stood and draped a sarong around her hips, knotting it on one side.
“What would you say to some fabulous food on the wharf?”
I brushed the sand off the long cover-up I had put on to keep from getting sunburned. “I say, let’s go. I’ll need to borrow something to wear.”
“No worries.” She whirled to face me, walking backwards in the sand. “You’re going to love Woody’s.” Her contagious free spirit lifted mine.
Free of sand and sunscreen and dressed for dinner, we settled into Maggie’s topless car. We wound our way around the curves. The breeze lifted and rearranged my hair making me feel wild and carefree. I loved it.
Maggie circled into the restaurant’s parking lot. I ran my fingers through my hair to tame the unruliness the wind had insisted on. “Good evening, Maggie.” The valet attendant opened her door and handed her a claim stub.
Maggie greeted the guy manning the entrance as she would an old friend. “Up top?” He winked at her.
“Perfect.” She turned to me. “Gotta love small towns.”
Careful of the gauzy dress that dusted the tops of my sandals, I climbed the rustic stairs to an open deck, with Maggie right behind me. We were met with a panoramic view of the sea—millions of candles illuminated the water’s surface—or so it seemed. “It’s fantastic here.”
“One of my favorite restaurants.” I watched her eyes sweep across the deck and onto the colors adorning the horizon.
“Amazing.” Hues of golden crimson edged in metallic bronze stroked the sky. I tapped my foot to the vibration of the music though the planks of the deck.
Maggie draped her wrap over the back of her seat. “They do a great taco platter.”
“Now that, I could really get into.” The sun and shore had been a respite from the stress of the past several weeks, and now sitting
here I felt renewed, almost ready to take life on again. Logan kept traipsing across my mind.
“Be right back.” Maggie removed the napkin from her lap and strolled across the room. She spoke with a man, his dark hair tinted with a hint of gray, the open neck of his shirt exposing a gold chain. A light blush appeared on Maggie’s cheeks—was she interested in him? She danced back to the table. “Your taste buds are in for a thrill.” She reached down and rubbed Goldie’s fur. “Aunt Maggie didn’t forget—” She tilted her head toward the dog and I missed the rest of what she said. Without a doubt, terms of endearment were being lavished on Goldie.
We ate. We talked. We laughed. A constant parade of people stopped by to say hi, including Rachel and her husband. Brandon staggered toward the stairs, and I was thankful to see car keys dangling from Rachel’s hand. Maggie pursed her lips as she watched the couple, but she didn’t comment on Brandon’s condition, and even though it had piqued my interest, I didn’t ask.
“Guess it’s time.” She pulled her fringed wrap around her shoulders.
I nodded, and carefully maneuvered my sandaled feet down the steps behind her.
Midnight had arrived and bid farewell before we returned to the Lady in White. Maggie stifled a yawn as she switched off the engine.
“Thanks for a fun evening. I’ll lock up when I bring Goldie in.”
“We both needed a night out. See you in the morning.” Maggie headed inside.
The multitude of stars delighted my senses and sent me a reminder. A part of me was missing—a part as necessary as breathing. Visions of Logan tiptoed through my heart. Alone in a strange town, he had come to my rescue. He’d changed his schedule when threats had been lashed out against me. He qualified as a knight in shining armor—my first hero. But long-distance relationships were difficult at best, if not impossible.
Goldie interrupted my thoughts with a nudge of her head, and dropped flat to the ground, warning me of danger. My pulse skyrocketed. I peered into the darkness. A distant shadow moved closer. A woman. She held something in her outstretched hand. A gun? I looked at the front porch behind me, illuminated by a light near the door—too much light. So I motioned for Goldie and ducked behind the first of a row of lavender trees, and peeked through the hanging foliage. The intruder looked around and moved toward me. I inched to the next tree and worked my way between the rows to the other side.
