Aunt Kay said, “Oh,” with shock and surprise in her voice. “I remember her from your wedding; I know who she is.”
“The bitch is just doing this to get back at me.”
“Maybe this has nothing to do with you.”
“You mean I’m having delusions? They didn’t just walk up those stairs and into a motel room?”
“Whatever you believe about her, however much she may wish to hurt you, why is your father with her? He doesn’t want to upset you, does he?”
“My dad never needs any reason to sleep with a woman beyond availability.”
I opened the door of the truck.
Aunt Kay grabbed my arm, holding me back. “Where are you going?”
I jerked my arm away. “I’m going to say hello to my father.” Aunt Kay threw her hands in the air with frustration, or maybedisgust, as I slammed the door.
CHAPTER 21
Bernice opened the door to the motel room but I looked past her to Tully. He was naked to the waist and barefoot.
I looked up from the gray hairs on his chest and I asked, “Why Bernice, why choose her? There are lots of nice ladies about.”
“Oh, honey, whatever would I want with a nice lady?” He laughed a deep belly laugh and came to stand beside Bernice, putting his right arm around her and pulling her close to his side. “We’ll all be in a grave soon enough; there’s no use being bored to death first, and one thing about Bernice, she ain’t never boring.”
I had to agree with him there. She was so interesting, I’d spent many an hour dreaming of her lying in a casket while I smiled down at her.
But my dad wasn’t done with his own joke. He patted Bernice’s rump and said, “She’s like that old pickup of Jimmy’s that you like so well—seen a lot of use but she’s got a few miles left in her yet.” He laughed again. “Now was there something you wanted, sugar?”
Aunt Kay didn’t offer any sympathy, quite the opposite. “You have no one to blame but yourself. What they do isn’t any of your business.”
“You don’t know what I’ve been through with that woman.”
“I remember. You and Bernice Travis were like two scorpions dropped in a paper bag, ready to fight to the death and not once thinking of joining forces to break through the sack.”
“I’m not in the mood for philosophy.”
“Well, here’s a little more. If you don’t change your ways, it won’t be over until one of you is dead.”
“As long as it’s Bernice, it works for me.”
“That’s a long useless time to hate.”
I jammed the gearshift into drive. “Bernice is doing this to get at me.”
“Everything isn’t about you.”
My childhood view of Aunt Kay was undergoing a rapid change. Where was the kind, understanding woman who was always on my side? “You don’t understand.”
Aunt Kay laughed. “The thing is I understand too well. You and Bernice both loved Jimmy and you couldn’t bear sharing.”
My anger shifted from Bernice to Aunt Kay. “I’ll take you home.”
“But we have to see the lawyer.”
“We’ll do it tomorrow.”
“Look here, I’m paying you to do a job.”
“So fire me. We’re going home.”
By the time I’d gone five blocks I’d broken multiple laws and nearly run over an old couple. Washed by waves of violence, I dredged up every mean word and action Bernice had used against me until every injustice was new and fresh. No way I wanted anything more to do with Bernice. She had a way of cutting your pride to ribbons and turning your soul to dust, so if she was in Tully’s life, he was out of mine.
It was a long, silent trip back to Jacaranda.
When we pulled into the driveway, Aunt Kay said, “Feel better?”
“Not if you’re going to fire me.”
She sighed. “Just don’t try this again.”
I headed for the Sunset. At the intersection where I make the left turn to the beach stood the church of perpetual neediness, with a permanent thermometer of donations standing higher than its cross.
I’m not sure why that sign was so infuriating. Maybe it’s because I was always irritated those days. I was glaring at the sign and telling myself to take a deep breath when the door of the church rectory opened and out stepped Zach Maguire, Holly’s former boyfriend. What was he doing coming out of church in the middle of the day?
I thought I’d make sure he knew about Holly and see if he could tell me anything about her I didn’t already know. More than that, now that my anger had cooled, I was terrified that Aunt Kay might drop me and I’d lose my chance to save the Sunset. How could I have risked that? Instead of turning left for the Sunset I followed Zach back to the bank on Main Street, pulling into an empty spot beside him.
The Mexican restaurant next to the bank was sending out heavenly smells, reminding me I’d missed lunch. My stomach growled. “Hi Zach.”
He lifted his head to look at me. A sad, beaten puppy, he barely knew I was there. “Oh, hi Sherri.”
“I guess you heard about Holly?”
It was like I’d struck him. I thought he was going to break into tears. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I know you were close to Holly.”
He nodded. “Her mother came in today and told me.”
“Had you seen Holly lately?”
He shook his head no and then changed his mind and nodded. “I haven’t seen her in over a year. She called me though.” He turned away.
“Why did Holly call you?”
His eyes flicked to the bank. I hustled around him and blocked his path.
“I should get back to work. I told them I’d just be gone an hour.”
“You went to church, to confession?”
He looked at me in alarm. “What’s it to you?”
“Well, I just thought when someone dies sometimes we feel guilty.”
Zach looked down at the keys still in his hand. “I did something awful.”
I sucked in my breath but Zach wasn’t paying any attention to me.
“Holly said she needed help, needed money. I told her I couldn’t help her and then she killed herself.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Don’t beat yourself up. Holly had no right to expect anything from you. She dropped you pretty quick when it suited her.”
“I wanted to marry her.”
Even I couldn’t ask about the baby now. “Did she tell you why she wanted money?”
He shook his head. “I haven’t seen her since she moved up to Sarasota.”
“Did she tell you anything else?”
Again he shook his head. “She just told me she was in trouble and needed money.”
“Did she mention Angel?” Zach’s head came up and his face flushed. “Who’s Angel?”
“Oh, just someone she knew. Someone she loved. Maybe Angel helped her.”
“I hope so,” he said. “I hope I wasn’t her last chance.”
I went back to the truck and called Aunt Kay to tell her about Zach and to make peace. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know anything about Angel.”
“He still might know Holly had a baby and where she is even if he doesn’t know her name.”
“Damn.”
“You might want to chat with him again.”
“Why don’t you give me a check to put in the bank and then I’ll have an excuse to go back and talk to him?”
She laughed. “Nice try.” She was silent for a bit. “We should have gone to the lawyer.”
“If we had, I wouldn’t have talked to Zach.”
“Maybe we can still see the lawyer. Why don’t you call and see if he’ll see us tonight.”
“I’m a little busy.�
��
“And I’m a little old with not a lot of time to wait.”
“Some sweet little old lady you turned out to be.”
“Sorry to shatter your illusions.”
“And there were so few left. We’ll have a full day tomorrow, promise. I think you should rest.”
Her noise of complete disgust wiped out all thoughts I had about Aunt Kay being a lady. “Let me worry about my health, about the weather, about everything that distracts you, and just pay attention to what needs doing. I expect a lot more than I’m getting for my money.”
Yet one more disappointed customer in my life.
CHAPTER 22
At the Sunset I stood at the window and watched the bright green birds that never seemed to settle. They moved from branch to branch, flying up with harsh complaint and then settling down again.
I turned away. I still had to deal with losing Isaak. A restaurant can run without birds for entertainment but not without a chef.
I went into my office and called Miguel in from the kitchen. Miguel was almost as devoted to the Sunset as I was. We’d bothworked at the Sunset when Miss Emma had owned it and now we worked side by side, through long grueling hours, to do whatever it took to keep the Sunset alive.
Miguel had started working in a kitchen at fourteen, so although he had no formal training he had lots of experience. When he came into the office he was dressed in a white chef’s coat and the blackand-white houndstooth-checked pants of a chef. Looking like a professional upped my confidence in him.
With skin like polished leather, an eagle beak of a nose and straight black hair, Miguel had the profile of a face carved on an Aztec ruin, but behind his severe exterior was an exuberant and joyous being.
I told him about Isaak leaving. He just nodded and waited for what came next. Miguel wasn’t surprised at the news.
“You knew?” I was hurt that he hadn’t warned me. He shrugged. “He is a restless kind of guy.”
That was all I was going to get out of him, so I let it drop. “So, will you take over?”
His face lit up and his white teeth flashed. “I’ve been watching. I know everything Isaak makes, can do everything he does.” He rubbed his palms together. “I even know the new recipes he’s been trying out. Those fancy dishes he’ll be serving up north?” He jabbed a finger at the floor. “We’ll be having them right here.”
“You memorized all his recipes by watching him?”
He waggled his hand back and forth and then pulled something out of his breast pocket. “Every recipe he ever prepared is right here on this cute little memory stick.”
“That’s probably illegal.”
“Then you likely don’t want to know about it.” He grinned and put his forefinger to his lips. “You wouldn’t look good in orange and I’m too pretty to go to jail so let’s say no more about it.”
He slipped the memory stick back into the pocket of his jacket, grinning like a fool. “Nobody needs to know.”
I raised my hand as if I were swearing an oath. “One more guilty secret I’ll take to my grave.”
But Miguel wasn’t interested in our shared culpability. “I know I’m not trained like Isaak but I’ve watched every step. I can create every single one of his recipes. He’s been practicing all kinds of new ones for the new restaurant.”
“Serves him right then.” Seems my morals are just like my workout clothes, nice and elastic. “If he’s been creating menus for someone else while he was working for me, he deserves to have his recipes stolen. I probably have some right to them if they were created on my time.” I was beginning to like this more and more. Truth was, if I was breaking some law by using Isaak’s recipes, it would be the smallest law I’d ever violated.
“I know you can do it, Miguel.”
I stood up and went towards Miguel with my hand outstretched. “You and I have put in too much hard work to lose the Sunset now. You’ll do great.”
He took my hand. “Especially with that lovely big raise you’re going to give me.”
“What?” I tried to pull my hand back but Miguel held on. “I can’t afford to give you a raise.”
He smiled. “Can you afford not to give me a raise?” He was right to be so sure of himself. I needed him.
“That’s blackmail.”
“Yes, oh, yes, exactly.” He gave my hand a vigorous shake. “I learned from a master.” He gave a slight bow.
I thought things were looking up, but I was disabused of that idea when Cal Vachess walked into the bar. But why not? My life was a circus so he fit right in.
I gave my bad imitation of Humphrey Bogart. “Of all the gin joints in all the world, why’d you have to walk into this one?”
Cal grinned and answered, “I decided I’d been a little too hasty. Maybe some guys wouldn’t find you a total skank.”
“If you’re waiting to be thanked for that compliment you can forget it. Where’s the brother?”
“Why do all the girls want Ryan?”
“God, I have no idea.”
The sincerity of my reply made him laugh. Then he grew serious and said, “Nature makes mistakes.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I said, polishing the bar in front of him. “Sometimes she gets it right. You’re dangerous enough just as you are and Ryan is just plain scary.”
He laughed again but his amusement disappeared when he looked at the barstools, which were nearly as tall as him. Frustration and then raw anger infused his face.
Five-foot-tall women have trouble climbing up on those damn things and they can do it much more gracefully than any man. The stools were the one thing I’d done wrong when I’d rebuilt the Sunset after Hurricane Myrna and the first thing I was going to change when someone dropped a load of cash in my lap.
“Are you in a hurry for a drink or can I go check on things out front first?”
“No, go ahead,” he said graciously. “For you, I’ll wait.”
No worries about him raiding the cash register, he’d need a pogo stick to get near it. So while he saved his dignity and got settled, I went out to talk to Gwen.
The Sunset was as busy as if it were a holiday weekend in high season. It seemed like all Jacaranda needed a little cheering up, even if it was only a palm tree full of parrots, and they’d decided to blow the budget and come out for dinner. Everyone knew this was only a temporary perch for our exotic birds and by tomorrow they’d be gone, but right now they were squawking up a storm and everyone was going to enjoy them and I was going to enjoy having enough customers, at least for one night.
CHAPTER 23
When I came back Cal Vachess had himself perched on top of a stool with one foot resting on another, spreading out his territory. He ordered a Jim Beam.
“So what brings you to Jacaranda?” I’d never told him my full name, hadn’t mentioned the Sunset, so how had he found me? I came up with nothing except that Ryan thought he knew me. Maybe Ryan figured out why I was familiar or maybe Holly had told him about the Sunset, just as she’d told Sunny.
Cal winked at me and grinned. “It’s a nice day for a drive. I thought I’d find out if you really wanted to come work for us.”
“I’m not quite that desperate yet.”
He tasted his drink and then set it back on the napkin. “How are you making out with finding that baby?”
“No luck with that either.”
Cal was concentrating on his drink, turning it around with his fingers. “How old is this baby?”
Now I figured we were getting to why he had tracked me down. It was about Angel. “The baby’s about nine months old.”
The cash register pinged, telling me there was an order from out front. I was glad to escape from both the conversation and the man. Just how big a problem was Cal Vachess going to turn out to
be? And how nasty?
While I worked on the order, Brian Spears came in and sat down on Cal’s right and a conversation started up.
Cal turned out to have a wicked sense of humor and over the next hour he entertained everyone at the bar with circus stories. His patter was so well rehearsed it had to be something that he did often, but then he did stand out in a crowd and with the spotlight always on him, having stories to tell would be a good thing. How much of his stories were true was anyone’s guess
“I grew up in Gibsonton, Florida, the circus-freak wintering town,” Cal said. “The post office had a special counter for people of my size.”
He gestured with his glass. “All the carnies spent the winter there. Like Melvin Burkhart, the human blockhead. He could hammer nails up his nose.”
Brian drew back in shock. “Get out. If you drove a nail up your nose it would pierce your brain and kill you.”
Cal spread his arms wide. “True story, I saw him do it; ’course, you have to remember he was a magician as well, so there might have been some sleight of hand involved, but it sure looked like that was what he was doing.”
Brian held up his glass, signaling me for a refill. “What’s Gibsonton like now? Maybe I’ll go up and have a look.”
“Oh, it’s not near the fun it used to be. All the old guys are dying off and it’s going upscale, getting cleaned up. They even closed the Giant’s Camp Restaurant. But you should have seen Gibsonton when I was a kid. Everyone in town collected circus junk and stored it in the front yard. It was a point of pride to have the largest and most garish pile of rubbish.”
I set down Brian’s drink. “Sounds a little like the trailer park I grew up in. Unfortunately, there was no theme to our junk, nor rhyme or reason. The people in the Shoreline just liked junk.”
An idea had been noodling around in my brain. Why would Cal ask how old Angel was unless he was trying to figure out when she was conceived? Cal might have known Holly better than he had let on and might have more interest in Holly than he pretended. Maybe, just maybe, the daddy of Holly’s baby wasn’t Dan. We only had Sunny’s word that Holly wasn’t seeing more than one man.
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