Sanctuary Cove

by Rochelle Alers

  Rachel Dukes stood up. “If they decide to let them fat cats in, it will be a disaster. Everyone knows most of the land in Angels Landing is cursed.” Nods and murmurs followed her pronouncement. It was a known fact that Rachel had been born with a caul over her face, which meant she had the gift of sight. Whatever Rachel predicted usually came to fruition. “Let them build and it will become nothing more than a fancy cemetery.”

  “I don’t want them to build anywhere on Cavanaugh Island!” shouted Hannah Forsyth. “It shouldn’t matter if the land is cursed or blessed. I’ve seen what developers have done to Hilton Head, Jekyll Island, and parts of St. Simons. They carve out sections where they put up fancy homes with gates. Then they have folks with guns patrolling the land we’d worked and claimed as our own for generations.”

  Spencer waited for Rachel to sit, then said, “We’ve heard the downside of permitting developers to build here. What if we limit their building? Give them an area of, say, eight hundred acres and let them deal with that?”

  Elias Fletcher stood up. His formerly long red hair was now snow-white and hung midway down his back. He wore every year of the thirty he’d spent as a fisherman on his leathery face. Blue eyes flashing, he shook his fist at Spencer. “What’s in it for you, Mayor Spencer? Did those sons of bitches offer to grease your palm if you convinced us to go along with their crooked scheme?”

  “Watch your mouth, Elias,” Spencer warned.

  “No, Mayor, you watch yours. I’ve spent all of my life here in Sanctuary Cove and I have seen people come and go because they felt there was something better for them away from here. You were one of those who cut and run for a while when you were chasing that actress’s skirt. So don’t start with me, Sonny, because I’ll give you more than you can take. We on the Cove have survived when so many other Lowcountry politicians have sold out their folks. Just make certain you don’t become one of those, Mayor White.” He’d spat out the title as applause followed his outburst.

  Alice Parker stood up, waiting to be acknowledged and heard. Spencer, obviously shaken and embarrassed, pointed to her. “Yes, Mrs. Parker.”

  “It’s Alice. I’m not one of those people Mr. Fletcher spoke about, but my husband is. His roots on this island go back more than three hundred years, and though he lived in other places, when it was time to start a family he had to come back. He wanted our children to benefit from the values this town believes in, and grow up in a place with a strong sense of history. If we sell to developers, then it’s the same as selling our birthright. In a couple of generations you won’t be able to find anyone with roots that go back years on Cavanaugh Island, because everyone will be a newcomer or outsider. If Cavanaugh Island has survived without golf courses, overpriced hotels, and companies that pollute our waters so fisherman will be forced out of business, then I say to hell with the developers. Sheriff Hamilton, you need to give them a personal police escort off the island with a warning if they come back they’ll be shot on sight.” The entire assembly rose as one, applauding, shouting, and whistling their approval.

  Spencer waited until everyone was seated again. He smiled at Alice. “Are you certain you’re not campaigning for something?”

  She returned his smile, her complexion flushed. “Yes, Mayor White. I intend to run against you when you’re up for re-election.”

  “Well damn,” Mabel whispered under her breath. “The sister ain’t no joke.”

  “I like her,” Deborah whispered back. “We’ve never had a female mayor. It’s time we get one.”

  “You ain’t lyin’.”

  Spencer, who seemed to have recovered his composure, forced a too-sweet smile. “I’m going to poll the council, something we usually do behind closed doors, to get their take on what we’ve discussed tonight.” One by one he called names. No one was in favor of permitting the developers to purchase land in Sanctuary Cove. “It’s unanimous. I’ll have my secretary send a letter to the gentlemen to let them know that we’re unable to entertain their proposal at this time.”

  Grady, Hannah’s husband, raised his hand. The pharmacist also doubled as the Cove’s postmaster. “What is it you don’t understand, Mayor White? The people have spoken. They don’t want outsiders coming in and chopping up their land and offering others outrageous sums to sell out their legacy. Not now and not ever. So, when you word that letter make certain you don’t say at this time. It’s never ever!”

  Hannah patted his back. “That’s my man!”

  Eddie spoke up for the first time. “Would you mind, Mayor White, if I print a copy of your letter in the Chronicle?”

  Spencer, knowing he’d been overruled, nodded. “I’ll make certain you get a signed copy. There’s not much else to report except that repairs have begun on the library and the town hall. However, I’d like Sheriff Hamilton to bring us up to date on what he’s uncovered about some suspicious activity in and around the business district.”

  All eyes were focused on the ex-Marine. A few sighs from women were heard when Jeffrey leaned forward. “Our surveillance cameras picked up two individuals lurking behind several stores after closing time. Business folk—make certain you check to see that all of your back doors are locked before you leave. And, because many of the parking lots are not lit, I suggest you install lights over the rear doors. Not only would it deter someone from breaking in, but their images would be more identifiable when we go through camera footage. I’m not certain what they’re looking for, but let’s not make it too easy for them.”

  “Are they kids, Sheriff?” asked the pharmacist.

  “It’s hard to tell, Grady. I’ll let you know if I happen to catch them. I’ve begun nighttime foot patrols, so tell your kids not to hang around behind the stores once the business district closes down for the night.”

  Deborah noted the thickness in Jeff’s neck for the first time. He was massive. Unless someone was heavily armed, she felt sorry for anyone willing to go up against him. Jeff was handsome, although not nearly as handsome as Asa.

  But Deborah didn’t want to think about her growing attraction to the man living above her store. She related to him in a way she never had with Louis. Their relationship was smooth and easy.

  The loud hum of voices and movement of furniture snapped Deborah out of her thoughts. The meeting had ended, and one by one everyone filed out except the men assigned the task of putting all of the furniture back. Working in tandem, they repositioned the piano, buffet server, desk, writing table, and seating arrangement, leaving Asa and Deborah to rearrange the plants and beanbag chairs.

  Asa, having closed and locked the door behind them, turned to Deborah. “That was quite a heated meeting.”

  “That’s because it’s about the island’s survival,” Deborah said.

  “How can the island survive if it’s stuck in time? Bringing in a hotel or a casino would inject new life in the island’s economy.”

  “New life and all the social ills we don’t need,” she argued softly. “Developers have been good and bad for the Lowcountry Sea Islands, but in my opinion the negative outweighs the positives. It’s like letting Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Target, or Home Depot set up shop on Cavanaugh. Every independent and mom-and-pop shop in the three towns would go out of business. The only exceptions would probably be Jack’s Fish House, the movie theater, and the Cove Inn. Everyone else, including myself, would have to close down. The big companies claim they can lower unemployment rates, but at what cost, Asa?”

  “What I found surprising is that no one wanted to entertain limiting how much land the developers could purchase and what they build.”

  “This isn’t the first time developers have expressed an interest in Cavanaugh. Every few years they come back, hoping they’ll get the residents to change their minds. What frightens everyone is the pollution that comes with growth. In the 1950s a growing industry along the nearby Savannah River polluted many of the marshes and creeks around Daufuskie. Health officials cited and closed up most of the valuable oyster be
ds. The fishermen lost their livelihood and moved away. One by one the stores closed and then there were none.”

  “Personally, I don’t think they should have written off the entire proposal.”

  Deborah exhaled an audible breath. “You can’t understand where we’re coming from because you don’t live here.”

  “Why should not living here make a difference when you’re talking about progress?”

  “Are you saying we’re backward?”

  “No, Debs. I’m just saying things could be better.”

  “For whom?” she argued. “It can’t be for me and my children.”

  “That’s because you have options,” Asa retorted. “Your grandmother was educated; so was your father and so are you. Your children will be the fourth generation to attend college. How many others in the Cove can claim that distinction?”

  “I don’t know, Asa. However, that’s not as important as making certain our predictable way of life doesn’t change so much that we can’t recognize it. Jason Parker moved back because he wanted to give his children a better quality of life than they would have in Charleston. Everyone looks out for one another. You saw how supportive they were at my grand opening.”

  Her eyelids fluttered wildly and then her expression softened. “When I wake up in the morning, I stand on the front porch and take a deep breath. Then I close my eyes and try to identify the different smells: the ocean, palmetto leaves, and sweet-grass. Even the earth smells are different. When I go to bed I’m not jolted awake by the sounds of police and fire sirens, or kids drag-racing down the street. I go to bed listening to crickets and wake up to them. I don’t have to concern myself with traffic lights or stop signs. I love my little house, and there are times when I can almost imagine my grandmother calling me to come in and wash up before we sit down to dinner.” She saw the strange look on Asa’s face. “You probably think I’m a little crazy, but I don’t want anything to change. At least not in my lifetime.”

  He shook his head. “No, Deborah. I don’t think you’re crazy. You’re just passionate about what you believe in, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “It’s been a long day and I’m a little tired.” Going on tiptoe, Deborah kissed his cheek. “Good night and thanks for everything.”

  Asa rubbed her back. “I’ll walk you out.”

  She retrieved her handbag from the desk drawer as Asa grabbed a large umbrella. “Don’t forget to lock the door.”

  “Aye, aye, captain!”

  Deborah rolled her eyes at him. Outside, he leaned over and opened the driver’s side door for her. She got in and started the engine at the same time Asa closed the door. He stood back, arms crossed over his chest, while she put the car in reverse and maneuvered out of the lot with her wiper blades turned to the highest speed, then he bolted back inside out of the heavy rain.

  Deborah pulled into her driveway, got out of her car, and sprinted to the porch and out of the rain. Crystal, singing at the top of her lungs, greeted Deborah when she opened the door. Unlike her mother, who was tone deaf, Crystal had a strong singing voice. She was sprawled on the living room sofa watching Glee.

  Leaning down, Deborah kissed her cheek. “Hi, baby.”

  Crystal picked up the remote, muting the television. “Hey, Mom.”

  “Why are you watching TV down here?”

  Crystal sat up straight. “I was waiting to talk to you.”

  Deborah sat down and stretched out her legs, crossing her feet at the ankles. She rested her head on the back of the sofa and closed her eyes. “What do you want to talk about?”

  “Can you meet me after school on Monday so we can go shopping? I know what kind of dress I want.”

  “Of course. Where is it?”

  Crystal chewed her lip. “It’s in a boutique on King Street called Finicky Filly. And I also found my shoes. They’re Kate Spade.” She scrunched up her nose. “They cost three hundred dollars.”

  Deborah’s expression did not change. “Are they also at Finicky Filly?”

  “No, Mom. I saw them at the Copper Penny.”

  “What else do you need?”

  “I’m going to have to get my hair and nails done.”

  “What else, Crystal?”

  The teenager rolled her eyes upward, then squinted. “I don’t know.”

  “You’re going to need a jacket or shrug in case it gets chilly. And probably a little purse with a strap you can wear across your body. A woman never goes out without a purse. It shouldn’t be too big but large enough for your keys, lip-gloss, cash, and other personal items.”

  “This is my first dance and I want to really look good.”

  Deborah dropped an arm around Crystal’s shoulders, pulling her close. “I’ll make certain you’ll look beautiful. You should think about letting your hair grow out. Not that it doesn’t look nice, but I can tell you from experience that guys like girls with hair they can touch.”

  “Mom!”

  “Don’t Mom me. It’s true. You’ll find out once you’re allowed to get a boyfriend. When I met your dad I had hair down my back, and whenever I set it or blew it out he couldn’t stop touching it.”

  “How many boyfriends did you have before you married Daddy?”

  Deborah hesitated, then decided to be truthful with her daughter. “Your father was my first serious boyfriend.”

  “Had you gone out with other boys before him?”

  “Yes. They were more like group dates, when six or eight of us would get together and either go to the movies or the mall. It was different when I spent summers here. There was only one movie theater and no mall.”

  “Where did you go? What did you do?”

  “Me and my friends hung out at the beach. Most times we’d go swimming. By the time I was in my teens my parents would let me go to the beach on Friday nights. Every teenager in the Cove would show up with food and pop. We’d light a fire and have a clambake, then sing and dance to a boom box. Somebody’s mother or father would come by and check to see if we had any alcohol, and then leave.”

  “Did you?”

  “No. We knew if they caught us it was all she wrote. It wasn’t so much about drinking, getting high, or having sex as it was about not having our parents clocking us.”

  “How late were you allowed to stay out?”

  “We had a midnight curfew. That was long enough because we’d start gathering around seven, and with the heat and salt water we were plenty tired by midnight. I fell asleep many a night on the sand, and when I got back I still had to shampoo my hair and wash sand from every crevice on my body.”

  “Mom?”

  “What is it, sweetheart?”

  “Do you think you will ever date or marry again?”

  “Would you want me to start dating?” Deborah asked, answering Crystal’s question with a question.

  Crystal lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know. Daddy’s gone and once I leave for college you’ll be alone.”

  Deborah kissed her daughter’s forehead, smiling and thinking about Asa. “I don’t want you to worry about me. I’ll be okay.”

  “Which friends did you like best? The ones in Charleston or here?”

  “It’s not about which ones I liked best, but who they were. The folks on the Cove are more laidback. It’s not about what you’re wearing, what make and model car you drive, or the size of the diamonds in your ears. Don’t get me wrong, Crystal. There are people who live on Cavanaugh that have a lot of money, but they don’t flaunt or talk about it. And there are people who don’t have enough, but you won’t see them living in homeless shelters or waiting on line at a food pantry, because their neighbors take care of them. You’re going to grow more veggies than we can eat or store, right?”

  “What do I do with the extra?”

  “Call Reverend Crawford and let him know. He’ll arrange for you to bring them to the church, where they will be distributed to needy families. Even though Samara Lambert is a teacher, she is having a hard time making
ends meet without her husband’s salary. She is someone who would benefit from a food donation.”

  “Tell me about your prom.”

  Deborah thought about Eddie Wilkes. He’d asked her and she’d said yes. “I had a date for the prom. Why so many questions, baby girl?”

  “A lot of girls in my grade have boyfriends, but I told them I couldn’t have one because number one I’m too young, and secondly it would interfere with my schoolwork.”

  Deborah kissed her hair. “When did my daughter get so smart?”

  “I was always smart.” There was a hint of smugness in her voice.

  “I’m not saying you’re not smart, Crystal. What I mean is that you’re able to stand up for yourself and not give in to peer pressure.”

  Crystal sucked her teeth. “I don’t have a choice. You said I can’t have a boyfriend and I can’t even sneak around with Whitney shadowing me like I’m about to do something.”

  “Your brother is just trying to protect you.”

  “That was okay when the other kids were talking about Daddy. But there’s no need for him to watch me now.”

  “I would’ve given anything to have had a brother. Even one who would’ve read my diary or snapped the heads off my dolls.”

  Crystal laughed. “Whitney never did those things.”

  “Well then, I guess he’s a pretty good brother.”

  Crystal rolled her eyes, but smiled as she did. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “For what?”

  “For agreeing to take me shopping.”

  “I told you I’d take you.”

  Crystal lowered her head and her eyes. “I thought you were still mad about Grandma and the puppy.”

  “You’re giving it too much energy. I said what I wanted and needed to say to my mother, and as far as I’m concerned it’s over.” Deborah rose to her feet and picked up her handbag. “Don’t stay up too late. And don’t forget to turn off the lights before you go upstairs.”

  “I won’t.” Crystal unmuted the sound, folded her arms under her head, and went back to watching her favorite show.

  After settling into her room, Deborah opened the drawer to the bedside table and took out her journal. It had been more than a week since she’d written anything in it. Uncapping her gel pen, she wrote the date: