Keeping Cape Summer (A Pelican Pointe novel Book 11)

by Vickie McKeehan

  Simon took the binoculars and studied the man, his vest, and the explosive device strapped there. “No, you’re right. This isn’t rigged like the ones we’ve seen before.”

  “You’re only gonna get one shot to take him out,” Cord muttered to Brent. “You’d better make it count.”

  “Let’s see if we can talk him down first,” Brent offered. “We’ll take him out as a last resort. But as agitated as he is, this will only get worse when SWAT gets here. Of the men here, who’s the best shot if it comes to that?”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Cord said, getting the nod from Ryder and Ethan. “It has to be Simon.”

  Ethan pulled Simon over to the cruiser and brought him up to speed on the collection of weapons.

  A sick feeling washed over him. “You know what you guys are asking me to do, right?”

  “Yeah, we do,” Brent returned. “I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that. But we need to have the backup plan in place and you in position.”

  “My kid’s in there,” Simon stated flatly, almost to himself, as he scanned the pitiful choices. He shouldered out of his suit coat, loosened the top buttons on his shirt, and picked up the Winchester with what looked like an ancient scope on top.

  A ball of revulsion roiled in his stomach as he used a weather vane on top of Murphy’s Market to sight in the scope. He took a deep breath, whooshed it out. “If this is the best you’ve got, then this will have to do.”

  “Get that bastard to come out,” Ethan said to his brother. “Now! Nate’s still in there.”

  “Mine, too,” Brent huffed out, holding up the bullhorn to his mouth. He tried one more time reasoning with Ogilvie. “Robert, once SWAT gets here, it’s out of my hands. I’m giving you one more chance to think this through. It isn’t too late to drop the weapon and put this thing to rest.”

  “I’m done talking. Here’s my answer,” Ogilvie said, as he ran his knife across Seth’s throat in one fluid motion, then kicked him to the bottom of the steps. He retreated back inside, disappearing behind the door.

  Cord ducked down and took off toward Seth’s crumpled body. “He’s still alive,” he yelled back to the others. Cord put pressure on the massive wound. “Help me get him out of here.”

  Ryder dashed toward them and helped the veterinarian drag Seth’s body to the curb out of Ogilvie’s line of fire.

  Brent turned to Simon. “It’s gotta be done. I’m not waiting for SWAT.”

  Simon automatically checked the mechanism on the rifle and began to load shells into the chamber. “I made a promise to myself I wouldn’t do this again. But my baby’s in there. A lot of babies are in there. I’m about to break that promise for a stupid asshole who should’ve been locked away a long time ago. You need to keep him talking until I get in position. The best vantage point should be the bank across the street, second story. Do I bust in or…?”

  Nick stepped out of what seemed like the shadows. “No need. I’ll unlock the back door for you.”

  Simon angled toward Brent. “Keep him occupied, I don’t care how, but keep his attention on you.”

  “Will do.” Brent tossed Nick one of the two-way radios. “If you’re going with him, keep me apprised of what Simon needs, and this guy’s movements so we’ll be able to coordinate.”

  The two men took off around the side of the bank building to the alleyway where Nick pulled out a set of keys from his pants pocket and unlocked a back door.

  Simon started up the steep steps that led to the second floor. Nick forced open a storage room door with rusty hinges that creaked from lack of use.

  “We never use this area, never come up here for anything.” He reached up and tugged on a rotten piece of string, a hatch opened from the ceiling. He pulled down an old ladder providing access to the roof. “You get out there, don’t fall off.”

  “I’ve done this before,” Simon murmured as he climbed up and out through the space and onto the rooftop. He crawled along the parapet where he could look down directly onto the front of the church.

  “Let me know when you’re in position,” Nick said quietly.

  Simon used the ornamental section of the cornice to hide, sticking his head out just above the scrollwork, then used the ledge to position the rifle on his target. Through the scope, he scanned the double front doors where Ogilvie cowered in the foyer. Periodically, the man looked out at the street, checking for any activity from Brent.

  Simon also saw that Ogilvie had surrounded himself with at least three adult hostages.

  “How’s it looking up there?” Nick asked.

  “I need Brent to engage him in conversation, get him to stand up. I need a clearer shot.”

  Nick conveyed that message back to Brent.

  Nervous and beginning to sweat, doubts creeping into his brain, Simon’s head throbbed. He heard the two-way crackle to life. It was a voice he recognized instantly.

  “Sorry I’m late to the party, Simon, old buddy. But you know you can do this, you can do this in your sleep. I hear there’s a couple of hot, young things back at the party who want to meet me, so don’t mess this up. I got faith in you, bro.”

  About that time, Brent stepped from behind the police cruiser with his bullhorn and started across the street toward the church. Standing in the middle of Main Street, Brent taunted Ogilvie. “Come on out, you SOB, or I’m coming in there to drag you out myself.”

  Ogilvie got to his feet to peer out the door again, the AR-15 poised to take Brent out.

  Through the scope of the rifle, Simon zeroed in on his target; he could even make out the smirk that formed on Ogilvie’s lips. That’s the last thing he saw as he squeezed the trigger.

  The shot echoed out into the night.

  Brent and Eastlyn rushed the church along with dozens of other parents who’d spilled out from the library and gathered at the corner.

  Simon slid down and slumped back against the pilaster, resting his head just under the bank’s scrollwork. He couldn’t move, didn’t want to.

  Minutes ticked by as Nick waited for Simon to come down from his perch. He was about to go up and get him when Gilly appeared at the bottom of the steps.

  “Is he okay?” she called out.

  “Maybe you should give him another five minutes or so,” Nick suggested.

  “SWAT finally showed up along with a bunch of news vans. Why won’t he come down?”

  “Probably because he doesn’t want to deal with…the aftermath. Like I said, he needs time…”

  But Gilly flew past Nick, kicked off her heels, and hiked up her ball dress. She started up the rickety rungs of the ladder. Poking her head through the opening, she wasn’t sure what she’d find. She breathed a sigh of relief when she caught sight of Simon, dried tears streaking down his sullen face.

  “You shouldn’t be up here,” he said softly.

  “You’re up here, so this is where I belong.”

  “Are the kids okay?” he managed, wiping off his face.

  Gilly inched closer. “They’re fine. Delaney slept through most of it. Not Jayden though. He’s wired.”

  That got a faint smile out of him. “And Seth? How’s the minister?”

  “In surgery. Gideon and Quentin are…optimistic.” Edging closer, she narrowed her eyes and zeroed in on his clothes. “Look at you, your shirt is ruined. You have stucco stuck in the silk.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s not really my kind of shirt, now is it?”

  “Maybe not, but you looked so damn sexy in it. I’m so proud of you, Simon,” Gilly announced. “Everyone is. It’s time for you to come down now.”

  “You do realize what I just did, right? What I always seemed to have to do? I’m sick of it. I just want to live my life in peace.”

  “You did what was asked of you, what someone had to do. Our children were in there. God knows for how long if you hadn’t taken him out. Everyone knows it. You saved more than fifty people tonight, Simon. Babies. The town’s future. People want to tell you how grateful they are fo
r it and shake your hand.”

  “I don’t want that.”

  “I know you don’t. That’s the amazing thing about you. It’s what I love.” Gilly saved her best ammo for last. “But right now, Jayden and Delaney need to see their daddy.”

  Simon’s head snapped up. “I thought you said Delaney was asleep and Jayden was running around as usual.” He started to move, to make his way toward her.

  “No, I said she slept through the whole ordeal and that Jayden was all worked up. Now, they’re asking for you. Give me that gun and I’ll hand it down to Nick.”

  “I’ve got it,” Simon assured her, suddenly feeling much better. “I’m okay now. I’m fine.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’ve got you. I’ve got Delaney and Jayden. That’s all I ever really needed.”

  Epilogue

  Four days later

  Halloween

  The gifts came. The town wanted to thank their hero. Every morning since that night at the church, Simon would walk out on his front porch to find little gifts, note cards attached, some hand-drawn by children, thanking him for what he’d done. Neighbors left food of all kinds, balloons, flowers, jars filled with coins, even cash stuffed down in envelopes.

  News outlets kept calling, national and local, trying to get the elusive ex-Army Ranger who’d taken out the man threatening kids to give them an interview.

  Simon refused.

  Or rather Gilly did. He wouldn’t answer the phone, which was even now ringing off the hook.

  “That’s it, we’re changing numbers, home, mobile, the works.”

  “It’ll die down,” Gilly promised. “You just have to give it time.”

  “The phones are bothering the kids.”

  Gilly hid a laugh while folding a stack of clean towels she’d taken out of the dryer. The kids were oblivious. Mostly. But she knew the constant calling was driving Simon nuts. She couldn’t blame him for wanting to put an end to it all.

  “At least Seth is healing nicely. His vocal cords will eventually get back to normal. Quentin says he’ll probably be able to give a sermon in four weeks or so.”

  Simon ran a hand through his hair. “It’s a good thing Cord and Ryder didn’t waste any time getting him to the hospital.”

  He couldn’t see, she thought, his role in the way things turned out. She tried to get his mind on something else and held up two costumes for the kids. “What do you think? Delaney in pink as a little princess and Jayden in a silvery metallic ninja outfit.”

  “We’re taking them trick-or-treating?”

  “Of course. And I suggest if you don’t want to be mobbed by your adoring fans, you find a suitable disguise to wear. You can’t hide in the house forever, Simon. Tonight, we go door-to-door with the kids before heading out to half a dozen parties we’ve been invited to attend. Faye has offered to babysit. For free. I think she has a crush on you now.”

  Simon groaned. “This is getting way out of hand. How about we just take the boat out and anchor it in the middle of the harbor until all this nonsense ends?”

  Shifting topics yet again, Gilly handed him the dishtowels to put away. “Has Brent found anything out about Del Rio?”

  “Only that he’s homeless and living out of an old RV in the desert, miles from town or any cell phone service.”

  “He wasn’t drunk or stoned when he called you?” Gilly asked.

  “Nope. He’s just broken, lost, and not doing very well.” Simon began to pace. “No Apache warrior should be homeless.”

  “When are you leaving to bring him back?”

  “I’m thinking of moving up my ticket to this afternoon.”

  “Oh, no you don’t, mister. You’re getting out there tonight and facing your neighbors like a man.”

  “Your Nurse Ratched side is showing, Gilly.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s just an evening out with friends. And this is Delaney’s first Halloween, your first holiday of any kind with her. Don’t let anything or anyone spoil it for you. We’ll get dressed and take lots of pics documenting the night to show her later.”

  “Are you wearing your ball gown?”

  She made a face. “No way, I took that back. Too many bad memories. I think most of us plan to get rid of whatever we had on that awful night.” She went into the utility room and brought out a large bag, held up a simple shirt and captain’s hat. “This is your skipper outfit. I’m going as Mary Ann.”

  He grabbed her around the waist and nibbled her ear. The stack of towels she’d been neatly folding, toppled over and fell to the floor. “I’ve always thought Mary Ann was a whole lot sexier than Ginger.”

  “Good because I want you to go get dressed.”

  “But it’s only four-thirty.”

  “Rookie. These days kids start trick-or-treating at five o’clock before it even gets dark. I’m feeding them hot dogs and then we’ll take off.”

  They made the rounds, going from house to house on Tradewinds and then hitting most of the shops along Main Street. They walked until the kids were too tired to go on. Even Jayden had tuckered out by seven-fifteen and forced Simon to carry him.

  Faye was waiting for them on the porch when they reached the house. She took one of the bags out of Gilly’s hand and looked inside. “Wow, you guys really cleaned up. There’s enough candy here to last till Christmas.”

  “Take it,” Gilly offered. “All of it. I don’t think I can look at another Tootsie Roll Pop or candy bar.”

  “That’s okay. The kids might want…”

  Gilly shook her head. “I’m putting Delaney down. She conked out thirty minutes ago and I need to get her pajamas on.”

  Simon followed her inside. “There’s not much to do since both kids are completely wiped. We won’t be gone long, probably back around nine-thirty.”

  “Take your time. I have homework to do. Uh, what do you want me to do with this?”

  Simon started up the stairs with Jayden and stopped. “With what?”

  “This note I found with the candy.”

  “I don’t remember anyone adding a note to either kid’s bag. Let me see that.” With his free hand he flipped the folded piece of paper open.

  You were here for a reason, the best reason of all. No one could’ve taken that shot but you. No one could’ve saved the future but you. Keeping that summer on the Cape alive in your heart was your ticket here, Delaney’s ticket to a new life. And now you have a brand-new family to help you through the tough times. Try not to blow it. You’ll be tempted to take people for granted. Don’t. Take it from me, life is too short to leave things unsaid. Seize the small moments. They might not come around again.

  It was signed by Scott.

  How could a ghost put his name on anything? Simon wondered.

  He turned to Faye and took out his wallet from his back pocket and handed her a twenty. “Sorry, Faye. But we’ve decided to stay in the rest of the evening. Wait for me to put Jayden down and I’ll walk you home.”

  “That’s okay. I just live on Cape May.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’d feel better if you waited.”

  “I’ll call Beckham. He’ll do it.” The girl took out her cell phone.

  “Okay. But I want to see him show up. Don’t take off without him getting here.” He needed to explain the change of plans to Gilly anyway, so he climbed the stairs to Jayden’s room and started getting the boy undressed, trading the costume for Batman PJs.

  Gilly tiptoed into the room behind him. “Delaney’s sacked out.”

  “I told Faye she should go home.”

  “Why? Simon, you have to get out and mingle some time.”

  “It’s not about that. I…want to be alone with you tonight.”

  “That’s sweet. Fine, I’ll go call Kinsey and tell her we won’t be coming.”

  “Gilly?”

  “What?”

  “You’re the one for me, Gilly. The one I need. I want to make Jayden mine, give him my last name, the whole bit.”


  Sensing the seriousness of what he’d just said, she slid down onto Jayden’s bed. “For real?”

  “For real. This may not be the perfect moment to ask, but…I want you to marry me.”

  She opened her mouth but found she couldn’t form the words. Her mouth had gone dry. Maybe she was dreaming. “Is this real?”

  “It is to me. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes, yes I will because I want it all. You. I want so badly for Delaney to be mine. I want us to be a real family.”

  “That’s what I want, to make a life together for the four of us. I know now that’s all that matters. It’s all that ever mattered.”

  She held his face in her hands. “I love you, Simon Bremmer, my reluctant hero.” When he started to speak, she pressed a finger to his lips. “No argument. You are to me. You’re everything to me.”

  “I can handle that. I’ll go run Faye home and when I get back…”

  “Beckham showed up to walk her home.”

  “Already? Then want to go make out under the stars?”

  “Absolutely. Every night for the rest of our lives.”

  Pelican Pointe

  Cast of Characters

  Promise Cove - Book One

  Jordan Phillips—The widow of Scott Phillips living on the outskirts of Pelican Pointe in a huge Victorian with her baby daughter. She’s trying to fix the house up to open as a bed and breakfast.

  Nick Harris—A former member of the California Guard who served with Scott in Iraq. Nick suffers from PTSD. He tries to adjust back to civilian life after Iraq but finds that he can’t ignore a promise he made during the heat of battle.

  Scott Phillips—Died in Iraq while serving with the California Guard. In life, Scott was best friends with Nick Harris. Scott doesn’t let death stop him from returning to his wife and child and the town he loves. He appears throughout the series as a benevolent ghost helping new arrivals settle in and overcome their problems.