Turkey, Pies and Alibis

by Wendy Meadows

  Light bantering ensued as Mac couldn’t resist the opportunity to challenge Bryce and Jenny. As the laughter died down, William told Jenny and Bryce to count on Thanksgiving dinner at his house. Brenda wondered how many people he had invited. She planned to talk with him privately very soon about the possibility of her father coming to visit. She swallowed hard. Deep down, she knew it would never happen.

  “I know you told me I didn’t have to bring anything. But I would like to bring a pumpkin pie anyway. My mother did teach me how to bake winning pies.”

  “I can see you insist. I don’t mind if you do. No one has to bring anything but I’m aware many have their own specialties when it comes to holiday dinners. I’ll have my chef add your pie to the sideboard, Brenda. Thank you.”

  His words made Brenda feel better. She had never gone to a large Thanksgiving gathering without bringing something along. The others chimed in that they would bring their own one-of-a-kind contributions as well. Jenny offered a large bouquet of late fall blooms and Mac offered a bottle of wine.

  “I can’t cook,” Bryce said, “but I could pick up some homemade bread from Sweet Treats.”

  Everyone laughed at his honesty. William patted his shoulder. “You just bring yourself and this lovely young woman. That will be plenty.”

  Brenda saw a loving smile spread across the young detective’s handsome face as he gazed at his girlfriend. She thought of how much of a flirt Bryce had been when he had first arrived in town. There was a time when he and Mac had fallen into a jealous feud when Bryce had dared to try to ask Brenda for a dance. But with Jenny in his life, Bryce only had eyes for her, something Brenda thought would never happen. Jenny knew what she was doing when it came to reining in Bryce Jones. They were truly in love.

  Brenda and Mac told the others goodnight. It was almost nine o’clock and they decided to take a leisurely stroll back to the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast where Mac would pick up his car. When they got to the long driveway that led up to the entrance they noticed a couple walking across the side lawn.

  “I guess some of your guests are enjoying the evening out, too,” Mac said. “That salt air can’t be resisted, can it?”

  “I agree. I love to sit out in the backyard and just breathe in the clear air.”

  They walked the rest of the way in silence. Brenda glanced at the couple again and recognized Rachel and Nick Bernard. The thought of her own resemblance to Rachel struck her again when the woman turned and started for the inn. Mac stopped suddenly.

  “If I didn’t have you right here next to me, I would think that guest was you. The two of you have a striking resemblance.”

  Brenda felt a slight shudder. It was eerie how he seemed to read her thoughts. “I have to admit I was a little disconcerted when I first saw her the morning after they arrived. They say everyone has a twin out there somewhere. I guess Rachel Bernard is mine. It feels odd, to say the least.”

  Mac laughed. “Don’t worry. No one is like you, Brenda. You are uniquely beautiful, inside and out.”

  Brenda felt warmth rise to her cheeks and snuggled closer to Mac as they approached the front door. On the porch, he bent to kiss her and then told her goodnight. His hand lingered on hers until he opened the door. The Bernards came up the outside steps and he held the door open for them before he departed. Brenda saw that Nick Bernard stood several inches taller than the detective who was nearly six feet tall himself. They were similar in build, but Mac’s Robert Redford looks far outshined Nick’s plainer features. She gave Mac a small smile as she waved goodbye.

  The Bernards ascended the stairs after telling Brenda goodnight. Brenda walked through her bed and breakfast on the ground floor, pleased at how well-kept the Queen Anne structure was. All the rooms were tidied up for the night. Whoever built this grand house had known how to construct something that would last through the ages. She finally turned toward the stairs, feeling content with the wonderful night and with her life. She wouldn’t allow thoughts of her father to intrude on this lovely feeling of contentment.

  The next day kept Brenda and her staff busy. She looked forward to seeing Mac that evening. They planned to concentrate on the float design and start sketching plans for construction. When she mentioned that Mac was going to help her with the float, Phyllis and Allie were excited and throughout the day kept coming up to her with more and more ideas. At last, Brenda sat them both down during a quiet moment.

  “I can’t say enough good things about the creative juices you two have flowing, but there’s not much time to put things together. Try to zero in on one theme. I’ll see what Mac has come up with tonight and I’ll give him your ideas.”

  “I guess I’d better hold back,” Allie said. “My mom does want me to help with the Sweet Treats float. She’s asking me for ideas, too. And I’m committed to the school’s float.”

  Phyllis told her that was a good idea. “We don’t want to get Hope upset. I count on those treats she turns out.” All three laughed and Brenda agreed with her.

  “Do any of our guests need anything?” Brenda asked.

  “I’ve checked with those I’ve seen around. Most have left to go shopping in town,” Phyllis said.

  “Our shops in Sweetfern Harbor are hard to resist,” Brenda said. It had not been that long ago that she struggled to feel like one of the family members of the town. Now she easily fit in and had been readily adopted by everyone.

  Just at that moment, the front door opened, and Allie stepped forward to welcome the stranger who was no doubt hoping for a room. She hated to have to tell the tall man there were no rooms available for the next two nights. He closed the door behind him. His hair was edged with tints of gray and though he was lanky, he was obviously fit. Brenda didn’t say anything. She gaped at Tim Sheffield until he locked eyes with his daughter.

  Brenda had the feeling she was in for a confrontation with her father. No familiar warmth filled his demeanor. A cold feeling settled in her stomach. “Hello, Dad,” she finally managed to say. “I didn’t know you planned to come. But I’m glad you did.”

  He greeted her gruffly in return. His voice reminded her of a frozen icicle that refused to melt. Phyllis and Allie stood still and observed the exchange, each surprised to see the man standing there. Allie’s mind raced with possible rooms she could switch around, but she also knew that wasn’t something Brenda approved of. The Bernards had asked to stay for two extra nights. Otherwise, their room would be open.

  “Are you going to show me to a room in this monstrosity of a house?” Tim asked his daughter.

  She cringed at his choice of words. “We are booked through the next two nights. I can book you lodgings in the very nice hotel downtown. We work together when rooms are needed.” She didn’t miss his tightly clenched jaw.

  “You’ve been pestering me to come and see what you’ve made of your life, Brenda, you even sent me an invitation to come, and you don’t even offer me lodging? You want to send me downtown? What kind of a place are you running here?” His eyes were filled with anger and consternation and she saw plainly that if she wanted to spend any time with him, she would have to make it work.

  Brenda instructed Phyllis to take her father into the sitting room for refreshments while she made arrangements. He followed the housekeeper and plopped down in one of the paisley armchairs. Phyllis offered him something to drink and he accepted hot coffee.

  “Don’t go putting anything extra in it. I like it black.”

  Phyllis hurried to the kitchen and asked the chef if she had any of the breakfast bread left. She explained who she was serving. Chef Morgan’s eyebrows shot upward. “Don’t ask me any questions right now.” Together they prepared a small tray.

  When Phyllis returned to the sitting room, Tim Sheffield stood looking out onto the wide veranda on the side of the building. He gazed toward the ocean. She set the tray down on the glossy table in front of the chair he had chosen, and asked if she could get him anything else.

  He had the grace to t
hank her with a nod and sat down to partake of the refreshment while she returned to the foyer. Phyllis was anxious to see what plans Brenda concocted to house her father. This wasn’t going to end well.

  “I’m very sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard, but I have a guest with a conflicting reservation. We thought you were staying for only the reserved two nights. Allie didn’t know that when she extended your reservation. Allie will book a room for you in the historic hotel downtown. The rooms are very luxurious.”

  “And how much will these very luxurious accommodations cost us?” Nick asked. His face grew red. Steel gray eyes bore through her.

  “It won’t cost you anything, Mr. Bernard. We will pay all expenses for the inconvenience.”

  “This guest must be someone high up,” Rachel scoffed. “Why not put him downtown rather than throw us out?”

  Brenda kept her voice even and explained there was no other choice. They finally agreed, though they were not happy about it all. Brenda asked Allie to book the best room the hotel had to offer and to charge it to Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. The Bernards went back upstairs and packed up. They left without voicing further opinions.

  Brenda drew in a deep breath and rubbed her temples. One hurdle had been managed. Now to the one ahead of her.

  Chapter Four

  Strained Relations

  Brenda went into the sitting room where her father was finishing the last sip of his coffee. He looked at her expectantly. “We’ll have the room ready for you in half an hour, Dad. In the meantime, do you want to go outside and see the ocean view? We can have a good talk out there.” She glanced around nervously, aware that other guests might come back at any time. She did not want them to overhear if their conversation grew unexpectedly stormy.

  “It seems a little chilly to be sitting outside.” He looked around the room again. His expression told Brenda he was not pleased with what he saw. She tried to think about the father she had known as a child, but he was someone else, distant and judging everything he saw.

  “I’m glad to see you at last, Dad. I’ve missed our times together. It’s obvious to me you do not approve of my choice of career, but I love what I’m doing. Uncle Randolph was very generous to leave me this historic bed and breakfast. I’ve made many friends here and if you read my letters, you know that I am engaged to be married in December. I had hoped you would come for my big day.”

  “I’m glad you are finally getting married, Brenda, and I hope he is someone who can support you well. From the looks of this little village I don’t see where there’s much opportunity.”

  Tempted to give him the dollar amount of the success of her bed and breakfast, Brenda decided against it. Even if she laid it all out for him, she felt sure he would find some new objection. Before he left Sweetfern Harbor, she would force him to tell her what his real problem was with the bed and breakfast she had inherited from his brother. More importantly, she wanted him to explain his prevailing anger against her. She wanted desperately to reconcile with him, to get a hug from her father, and not stand across the room from his stiff-shouldered posture as he looked down his nose at her cherished Sheffield House.

  Allie knocked softly on the door and Brenda told her to come in.

  “Your room is prepared now, Mr. Sheffield. If you are ready, I’ll show you to it.”

  Without a word, Tim followed Allie upstairs. He stood in the open doorway and surveyed the room. Allie handed him a sheet of paper that listed times for meals and information about other amenities he could enjoy while at the bed and breakfast. When he didn’t take it, she placed it on the table by the door. The reservationist told him Michael would need his car keys to fetch his luggage for him. He handed her the keys and she went back downstairs to let the young man know where the car was parked.

  “Does he want everything brought up?”

  Allie shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose bring anything you find.” She had never been given the cold shoulder quite like that, and didn’t know what to say.

  Brenda heard the conversation. “I’ll go out with you, Michael. I can tell you what he probably wants brought up.”

  Michael raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he didn’t voice his questions. They retrieved the bags and Michael took them upstairs to Tim’s room. Ordinarily, guests tipped him, but not this one. Mr. Sheffield closed the door abruptly in Michael’s face and the young man was left to return to his post at the valet desk outside.

  Brenda joined Allie and Phyllis. “Thank you for getting the room ready so fast. I apologize for my father’s behavior. I have no idea what has happened to him. I don’t recall him ever being rude while I was growing up. He was a truck driver and home only twice a month, so we didn’t see him that much, but I don’t remember him ever acting like this.”

  Phyllis gave her a quick hug. “Don’t worry, Brenda. He’s here and that is what you wanted. I’m sure the two of you will smooth out your differences before he leaves.” It dawned on all three that they had no idea how long he planned to occupy the room he swiped from the paying guests.

  Brenda told Allie to wait and see. “Just don’t book it until we know for sure.” She hoped he was not planning to make himself unwelcome with a long stay.

  “Why don’t you invite Mac over to meet your dad?” Allie said. “I think once he meets him, your father will relax more. Everyone likes Detective Rivers immediately.”

  Brenda knew what she said was true. However, in the case of her father, he would only see the man she loved as someone who chose a lower paying job. The fact that she loved Mac Rivers had nothing to do with her father’s feelings. She kept reminding herself of that. But there was no way to get around her father’s presence in the room upstairs. Then she made her decision.

  “I think I will invite him over. Mac likes to take a break in the middle of the day whenever he can. Keep your fingers crossed about this meeting.” By now Phyllis and Allie knew exactly what she meant. So far, her father had not asked what her fiancé did for a living and she had not told him. When she introduced Mac to her father, she would then see what he really thought about the man she chose to spend the rest of her life with.

  She went to her apartment and called Mac. “I didn’t know he accepted your invitation,” Mac said. “I hope he stays through Thanksgiving.”

  “I’ll be surprised if he is here past midnight tonight. I had no idea he was coming. I had to throw a couple from their room for him. We booked them into the historic hotel downtown but they weren’t too happy.” She didn’t explain why her father wouldn’t go to the hotel. “Will you have any extra time to drop by and meet him? I’m not sure about our plans for tonight regarding work on the float. It depends on what he wants to do.”

  “I’ll stop by in about an hour, does that work okay? Maybe your father will want to join us down at Wally’s workshop later to see our progress.” He chuckled. “At least he can see the frame. We’ll soon have it up and ready for the big contest.”

  Brenda wanted to join Mac in his humor, but something caught in her throat and prevented that. “You can decide if you still think so when you meet him.” Mac was puzzled by her answer and Brenda sensed that. “My father can be…opinionated. I haven’t told him what you do for a living. He had high hopes I would one day marry a millionaire. I’m just giving you a heads up.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure we will get along fine. Do you want me to let it out that I just won a mega-lottery?”

  “That won’t be necessary. We can make that a surprise later when you actually accomplish that.”

  Brenda felt better after warning Mac about Tim Sheffield. She went upstairs to his room to let him know personally that lunch was ready to be served.

  “Our lunches are usually light. The main dinner is at seven this evening.” She told him about the plans for the float. She realized she was rambling on and he had still made no reply, watching her from the doorway with his usual cold look. “Anyway, Mac and I are working on the float together. I think it will be a good w
ay to show off Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. A little advertising is always good, don’t you think?”

  “I think the whole affair is something that only an insignificant town like Sweetfern Harbor would put on. It’s no Macy’s parade, I’m sure. I can see that you are caught up with it all, but it doesn’t affect me one way or another.”

  Brenda’s mouth set in a thin line. “I had hoped you would be happy for me on some level, Dad. You know what? I don’t know why you really came here. If it is to criticize me and my choice of lifestyle, it only serves to belittle me.”

  The look of surprise on his face changed to a scowl. “I just said if it makes you happy, then there is nothing I can do about it.”

  She took a breath and decided there was nothing more to say to improve the situation. “Mac will be by after lunch. He looks forward to meeting you and I feel sure you will like him.” Brenda turned to go and Tim followed her downstairs.

  She introduced her father to the guests who were there for lunch. He accepted their interest in him with quiet manners and said little during the meal. It was slightly awkward, but soon the guests turned to speak to each other after they realized the new guest was unresponsive to their questions, offering one-syllable answers at best. Brenda was relieved when lunch was over but then the butterflies in her stomach increased. Mac would be here any minute.

  When the detective came in, Brenda saw that he brought along Bryce Jones. She had no idea if this was a good move or not. Mac may have brought him for support after her warnings about her father. Tim followed her into the foyer and glanced at the two men. She could see in his disapproving look that he was wondering if something against the law was going on at his daughter’s bed and breakfast to attract two officers of the law.

  “Dad, I want you to meet Detective Mac Rivers, the man I will soon be marrying. This is Detective Bryce Jones who works with him at the police station, who is also dating Mac’s daughter Jenny. We are all good friends and I am glad you’re getting to meet Bryce, too.” She strove to keep her voice steady and didn’t look at Bryce and Mac.