Shore to Please

by Annette Mardis

  “Asshole. I’m telling you now, unless you don’t want to hear it.”

  “By all means, proceed.”

  “Tara let me take her to dinner after the seminar, and we had a really nice time together.”

  “Yeah? You make a move on her?”

  Flipper smiled, remembering. “A real man doesn’t kiss and tell.”

  “Good, because I was just giving you a hard time. But I would like to see you find someone you care about instead of dating those airheaded groupies you attract.”

  “That would make Kelsey happy, too. Maybe then she’d finally stop feeling guilty about what happened between us. She thinks I’m lonely.”

  “Aren’t you?”

  “Hell, no. I have plenty of friends, I have my dolphins, and I can get a date whenever I want, with whoever I want.”

  “Well, aren’t you the cat’s ass? It’s not the same as having someone special in your life, and you know it.”

  He didn’t deny it. What was the point? He wanted what Evan, Kelsey, and some of his other friends had—a lover to come home to at night who cared about him despite his faults and idiosyncrasies. But admitting it to himself was one thing. Actually doing something about it was more risky than he could handle right now.

  *

  Tara couldn’t get Flipper’s invitation out of her mind. But as much as she longed to hop in the car and drive to Gulf Shore to see him, she didn’t dare, not now. And that was the real crux of the problem, wasn’t it? Will there ever be a right time for us to be together? The “cons” so outweighed the “pros” that common sense dictated she stop considering the possibilities. And yet she couldn’t chase him from her waking thoughts or her nighttime fantasies.

  Tara scolded herself for obsessing about him now when she had plenty of work to do and a tight deadline. She’d just resolved to avoid further distractions when her cell phone rang and her ex-boyfriend’s name popped up on the screen.

  “Steven, I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks. Where are you?”

  “I can’t tell you.” His voice sounded guarded, perhaps even frightened.

  “Look, the police are trying to find you. Do yourself a favor and make yourself available to answer their questions.”

  “Are you out of your mind?”

  “No, but I think you must have lost yours to write those loathsome letters to the people at Gulf Shore Aquarium.”

  His laughter was so inappropriate that Tara nearly ended the call right then.

  “What makes you think it was me?” he challenged. “You have no proof.”

  “It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out, and despite being an obviously poor judge of character, I’m no dunce. You’re trying to ruin me and SWADS because I booted you out. What better way to do that than to paint us as a horde of zealots who’ll stop at nothing to get what we want? I never figured you for the vindictive sort, but I underestimated you, and Jane, too, for that matter.”

  “Tara, I—”

  “Why are you doing this, Steven? Do you hate me that much?”

  “I don’t hate you. I…I love you. I made a terrible mistake getting involved with that woman, and now I’m paying a high price. You should know we’re not together anymore.”

  Tara wasn’t swayed by his entreating tone.

  “The day you moved out of our condo, you described Jane as your soul mate, so don’t dismiss her now as ‘that woman.’ For a while, I couldn’t come to terms with why you’d prefer her over me. It left me sad and insecure. But I just don’t care anymore, and I’m not sure what I saw in you in the first place.”

  She heard a loud sigh and then silence. “Steven, are you still there? Damn it, you’d better not have hung up on me.”

  “I’m here. God, Tara, I’ve screwed up my life like you wouldn’t believe. You want to know where I am? I’m hiding from Jane’s rat bastard of a husband in a dumpy motel in another state. He threatened us both, and I don’t doubt he meant it.”

  “Where is she?”

  “I don’t know, and I don’t care. Because of her I’m homeless, probably unemployed, and I’ve lost the best thing in my life. You.”

  “Don’t blame it all on her. You can climb out of the pit you’re in if you’ll take responsibility for your actions.”

  “I’m not coming back to Florida. Not yet.”

  A question at the back of her mind suddenly pushed to the forefront. She remembered hearing that the latest letter, the one addressed to Jarvis, had an Orlando postmark and that it had arrived in Gulf Shore only the day before.

  “How long have you been gone?” she asked Steven.

  “Almost a week, why?”

  Tara’s stomach lurched as she realized he couldn’t have sent that last note.

  “You need to speak up if you know who else might be targeting Gulf Shore Aquarium,” she told him.

  “Why do you care? You’ve got an ax to grind against that place yourself.”

  “It’s a difference of opinion. It’s nothing personal. And I won’t sit back and do nothing while people could be in danger.”

  “You know I’d never hurt anyone.”

  “Do I?”

  “C’mon, Tara. Just because I cheated and lied doesn’t make me a certifiable fruitcake like Chase Childers. Who knows what he’s liable to do?”

  “Why would he care about the aquarium?”

  “Who knows? Maybe he thinks he’ll win Jane back if he supports her cause. Or maybe he blames SWADS for taking his wife away from him.”

  “That doesn’t make a bit of sense.”

  “It doesn’t have to make sense. The guy’s brain is twisted.”

  “Steven, if you care about me as much as you claim to, you’ll call the police investigator in charge of the Gulf Shore case and tell her everything you know.”

  He let loose another humorless laugh. “You don’t want much, do you?”

  “You owe me.”

  “Forget it. I have no desire to end up in a jail cell. Or the morgue.”

  “At least take down her name and number.”

  He agreed merely to get her off his back, Tara knew that. But it was worth a shot.

  “Promise me you’ll contact her,” she said after giving him the information.

  “I won’t lie to you anymore, Tara. Listen, I’ve got to go. Take care of yourself, all right?”

  She sighed. “I will. And you’d best be careful, too.”

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you still cared about me. At least a little bit.”

  “I can’t overlook what you’ve done, but I hope you get back on track. Please think about what I said.”

  “I’ve done nothing but think lately. And I want you to know I’m sorry. For everything.”

  Before she could respond, he’d severed the connection. She wondered whether she’d gotten through to him. She’d done all she could, but it didn’t feel like enough. Steven’s wellbeing was no longer her concern, and it wasn’t her fault his life had spiraled out of control. Still, she kept asking herself what if.

  What if I’d listened to that little voice warning me he was too good to be true? What if we’d never started SWADS or let Jane into the group? What if we hadn’t set our sights on Gulf Shore?

  She remembered how Steven had pursued her after she’d turned him down the first few times he asked her out. He hadn’t seemed like her type, but she finally rewarded his persistence by agreeing to meet him for a drink. He’d charmed her with his wit, intelligence, and self-deprecating comments. And those piercing blue-gray eyes, that sculpted body. She’d fallen in lust and then, in hindsight, far too quickly in love. She’d thought she was in love, at any rate.

  Tara shook her head. What’s done is done, and now I have to live with the consequences.

  But she wouldn’t surrender to someone else’s whims or bad decisions. So she made a call of her own.

  “Hello, detective. You’ll never believe who I just spoke to.”

  Chapter 10

  “Hurr
y up, Mom. We can’t be late or we’ll miss it,” Dani prodded. “They won’t wait for us to get there.”

  She looked at her watch and huffed with impatience. Her mother had all morning to get ready but had been in a distracted, mopey mood since talking to Dani’s father on the phone a few hours earlier. Rita Davidson wouldn’t share everything they’d talked about, but Dani had heard her mother’s side of the conversation and it hadn’t been pleasant. From what she gathered, her father had taken Rita to task for “hiding out” at their daughter’s place. He wanted his wife to return home to Missouri so they could confront their marital problems once and for all.

  “Unless you’re saying you miss me and can’t live without me, I’m staying right here,” Rita had declared. She muttered a choice curse word moments later, which was so unlike her mother that Dani nearly choked on the sip of coffee she’d just taken.

  Then Rita made a growling noise, regarded the phone as if it were coated with a hazardous chemical, and dropped it on the dining room table. Dani waited a few minutes to allow her mother to regain her composure and then asked, “So, how’s Daddy?”

  “Maddening, as usual. And that’s all I’m willing to say on the subject.”

  “But—”

  “Case closed, Danielle.”

  Dani scowled and bit her lip to keep the words from spilling out. Her parents were acting like squabbling children, and she wished she could order them to hash out their differences. Then Dani recalled how much she’d hated it when her parents had tried to force her to talk about her teenage angst and suggested she wasn’t mature enough to resolve her own problems. She took a fortifying breath and tried a different tack.

  “I’m so glad you’re here, Mother, and I’m not ready for you to go home.” Please, God, don’t strike me dead for fibbing about that last part. “But don’t you think Daddy would enjoy a little rest and relaxation, too? A little fun under the sun? We could rent you two a cute cottage near the beach and—”

  “I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work,” Rita broke in. “There’s a reason I came down here without your father. And unless you want to get caught in the middle again, I’d suggest you let the matter drop. Is that clear?”

  Dani frowned and nodded. She had no choice but to abide by her mother’s wishes. For the time being, anyway.

  Now, Dani tapped her watch and narrowed her eyes at Rita as she stood with a water glass in one hand and two over-the-counter pain pills in the other.

  “I’m coming. I’m coming. Just let me take my naproxen. I feel like my head is about to self-combust any minute.”

  “Are you sure you want to go?” Dani asked as her mother downed the blue caplets. “Because we don’t have to if you’re not feeling well.”

  “Are you kidding? I’ve been looking forward to this since you told me about it. And I know how important this turtle release is to you, too. Oh, where did I put my camera?” Rita dug through her purse, which was big enough to double as an overnight bag. “I know it’s in here. Ah, there it is. Let’s go.”

  They dashed out to Dani’s car and before Rita could fasten her seat belt, they were out of the garage and headed down the street. Dani saw her mother glance over and then purse her lips in obvious disapproval.

  “What?” Dani challenged, knowing full well what was bothering her mother. This happened whenever she drove her anywhere.

  “Nothing.”

  “Out with it. What am I doing wrong?”

  Rita made a tsking sound. “You’re going ten miles over the speed limit.”

  Dani glared at the speedometer and then lightened up on the accelerator.

  “Thank you, sweetie.”

  She didn’t appreciate her mother’s smug expression but let Rita have her little victory. What good would it do to argue? After a fifteen-minute drive in silence, Dani sailed onto the aquarium property and found a parking spot near the rear of the lot. She climbed out of the car, took a few steps, and then stopped and whirled around. Her mother hadn’t budged from her seat, instead flipping down the sun visor to check her lipstick in the mirror.

  “Just a second, dear,” she called.

  Dani looked heavenward and prayed for patience. When Rita finally caught up to her, Dani took her arm and pulled her past the rows of vehicles and then around the back of the building. A manageable group had gathered along the cove behind the aquarium, and Dani felt relieved to see that her mother’s usual foot-dragging hadn’t made them late.

  “Oh look, there’s Evan.” Rita waved and called his name in a high-pitched voice that carried across the sand, much to Dani’s embarrassment.

  “Mother, he’s working. Let him be.”

  “Oh for Pete’s sake. Don’t be such a stick in the mud. Evan! We’re here!”

  He gave his future mother-in-law a little salute and a pinched smile and then resumed talking to Wesley, the aquarium director. Dani saw the big boss elbow Evan and say something that made him roll his eyes. Then Wesley motioned with his hand to indicate the women should join him. He winked at Dani when she reached his side and directed one of his patented charming grins at her mother, who beamed in response.

  “Mrs. Davidson, how wonderful to see you again,” Wesley gushed. “I’m so glad you could be here today for Chablis’ release. It’s always a happy day when we can return a rehabilitated animal to the wild where it belongs.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Rita replied. “Chablis certainly is an interesting name for a sea turtle.”

  “The stranding team and the rehab staff amuse themselves choosing various naming themes,” the director explained. “Sometimes you need a little levity in their line of work to preserve your sanity. Right now the theme is adult beverages, as you might’ve guessed.”

  “So where’s the star of this show? She’s not gone already, is she? I hope not or Dani will never forgive me.”

  “No. As a matter of fact, you’re just in time,” Wesley assured. “Here comes Chablis now.”

  Dani ignored her mother’s self-satisfied visage and they all watched as a small procession made its way toward the water’s edge. Evan sprang into action along with several media photographers and videographers as eight people—four on each side—carried a canvas sling across the sand. Dani saw a large head sticking out of the front as if it were a footlong hot dog wrapped in a regular-size bun.

  “My, that’s a huge turtle,” Rita remarked. “How much does something like that weigh?”

  “About two hundred pounds,” Dani answered, “and she’s not yet full grown. Green sea turtles can top out at more than four hundred pounds.”

  “She’s a paps patient, right?” the director asked.

  “Yes.” Dani turned to her mother. “Greens are especially susceptible to a nasty disease called the fibropapilloma virus, which is extremely contagious to other sea turtles. It causes tumors to grow on soft tissues like the head and flippers. Our vets do laser surgery to remove the tumors, and we have a measurable success rate treating this illness. Paps turtles must be kept in a strict quarantine until there’s no more tumor growth. Chablis has been with us for more than a year undergoing treatment.”

  “Chablis washed ashore on the busy public beach south of here, and we’re letting her go in our cove because it’s quiet and protected,” Wesley continued. “It’ll be her choice whether she hangs around for a bit to get acclimated or swims directly to the Gulf.”

  Dani watched Evan keep pace with the turtle brigade as it reached those gathered to bid Chablis a fond farewell. A bittersweet mood settled over the small stretch of beach. While joyous over the release of any rehabilitated animal, those who’d taken care of the creature couldn’t help being sad to say goodbye and worrying about what challenges she might face next.

  As they set down the sling and Sitara motioned the crowd to step back, the others on her team wore bright grins. Monica Sims, Evan’s ex-girlfriend, was among them, and Dani held her breath. Someone at the aquarium had filled Rita in on M
onica’s past misdeeds, much to Dani’s dismay, and she didn’t trust her mother to keep that knowledge to herself now.

  Rita caught her daughter’s eye. “The striking blonde who looks like that actress your father likes, Charlize something or other, is that—”

  “Yes,” Dani hissed in a loud whisper. “Stop staring.” She cringed when heads turned their way.

  As Rita glared at the biologist, Dani sneaked a look at Monica, who caught her gaze and shrugged, appearing amused by the exchange. Then Monica flashed a brilliant smile at Dani’s mother.

  “Nice to see you again, Mrs. Davidson. So glad you could join us today.”

  “My daughter told me this would be something I’d long remember, and she was right, as she usually is,” Rita replied in an imperial tone. “By the way, have we met? If so, I don’t recall.”

  To her credit, Monica didn’t react to the snippy comment, but Dani felt the need to defend her former rival. She managed to keep the irritation out of her voice as she informed her mother, “You met at Turtle Lagoon the first time I brought you to the aquarium. Monica’s one of our sea turtle experts. I’m pretty sure she’s attended every release of a rehabbed turtle since she’s been on staff. Right, Monica?”

  “That’s right. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on such a special day. Neither would any of these other folks, I’m sure.”

  Rita narrowed her eyes as though trying to gauge Monica’s sincerity before returning her attention to the matter at hand. To Dani’s relief, everyone focused on Sitara.

  “Before we let this lovely lady go,” she began, “I’d like to acknowledge the hard work of my rehab staff and also the quick response of the stranding team members who rescued Chablis. Without them, this beautiful animal would’ve become just another statistic, and we can’t afford to lose any more of these endangered marine creatures. This release today is a credit to GSA’s dedication and to Chablis’ will to survive and thrive.”

  “Well said,” Wesley noted. “Let’s give them a round of applause.”

  As the crowd clapped, Sitara and the others assisting her slid the canvas sling out from beneath the turtle. Chablis paused for just a heartbeat and then dug her front flippers into the sand and dragged her massive body forward. With sure strokes and a great deal of effort, she made her way from sand to sea, accompanied by cheers and shouts of encouragement.