Just South of Christmas

by Grace Palmer

  She swallowed and dropped her voice. “Apparently, Mr. Porter’s been after the plot of land for a while. He wants to flatten the whole area and put a parking lot there.”

  Drew frowned. “A parking lot? Mrs. Slocum’s land is nowhere near the resort. Nobody wants to walk miles to get to their car.”

  “That’s what I thought, but Mr. Henderson tells me that Porter’s already bought both the plots of land in between the resort and the Slocum place. They’re expanding the resort to include a water park, it seems.”

  Drew sat back. “A water park? But we’re right on the ocean. Who would go to a water park instead of the ocean?”

  “The demographic the company is going for, of course. They won’t want the same old families and older couples that come to the area now. They want the young college crowd. They want action, adventure. Sure, hanging out at the beach for a day is nice to get your tan on, but they want more. Water slides, rides, splash zones… That’s where it’s at.”

  Drew bit his lip. He didn’t like this idea at all. It would change the whole landscape—a giant resort and a water park? No, thank you.

  Still, Rachel wasn’t done yet. “We might be in for some trouble, though.”

  “Trouble?” Drew scratched his chin at this.

  “Yeah. That area has had some trouble with kids causing havoc, according to Henderson. You heard about what happened at the Slocum place, of course. Poor animals.”

  Of course, he had. Melanie told him all about it over dinner a couple of nights ago. What he wasn’t aware of where the other incidences in the area.

  “You said other stuff happened, too? Like what?”

  She shrugged then and reached for his coke can, still unopened. “Same type of stuff. Some smashed windows, trampled plants, air let out of tires.”

  She popped the can as she got up. “I’ll be taking this. Bit of quid pro quo.”

  With that, she winked and took off, leaving Drew to sit, his forehead furrowed deep in thought.

  Later that afternoon, he sat at his desk and used Street View to examine the area around the Slocum place. He compared it to the plans for the water park, lifted with the help of the receptionist.

  So far, three properties had been purchased. In order to build the resort, Porter would have to purchase four additional lots. Drew knew two of the owners personally and knew they would not be easily persuaded but then…

  He pulled out his phone and texted Alma.

  Remember that guy at The Duke who was talking about how someone poisoned all of his fish in his pond the other night? Who was that?

  A moment later, the three little dots appeared at the bottom of his screen as Alma replied.

  Dan Brown, sugar. Why?

  Dan Brown was the owner of one of the lots in question. He chewed his lip and then typed back.

  Not sure yet. Might have an idea about the vandal, but…Not sure.

  Well, don’t leave an old woman hangin’. When you know, text me and we’ll take that guy down, Texas style!!!

  He frowned, not quite sure what she meant by that. He wasn’t quite sure he wanted to know, either.

  Drew was about to message Tasha and Mel in their Baldwin Sibling group chat when footsteps approached. He quickly shut down his screen and shoved the phone into his pocket.

  “Drew Baldwin, yes?”

  He looked up and saw a short, portly looking man standing before him. His glasses were on the tip of his nose and he pushed them up with his index finger.

  “Yes. And you are?”

  The man smiled. “Chester Porter. As in Porter Property Management.”

  Drew’s eyes grew wide then. “Mr. Porter. Good to meet you.” He was about to stand up to show the man respect, but he was interrupted.

  “No need for the formality. I just thought I’d introduce myself. Now, Baldwin. Seems a popular name around town. Any relation to the other Baldwins I’ve seen around town? The vet?”

  Drew nodded. “My sister, Melanie.”

  The man nodded. “I see. The actress in that Founders play? Tasha? Another sister?”

  Drew nodded. “Yup.”

  The man paused for a moment and nodded as if impressed.

  “What about Georgia?”

  “My mom. Owner of the Willow Beach Inn.”

  His boss whistled. “Bad luck. Shame about the vandalism and the cancelled party. So much bad press. I bet that’s hurt the business a great deal, huh?”

  Drew eyed his boss through narrowed eyes. What was he getting at? This sudden interest in Drew’s family struck him as odd, to say the least.

  “Mom does alright,” he finally managed to say.

  His boss’ eyebrows rose as if he didn’t quite believe him. There was something strange about the man. Something rubbed Drew the wrong way. Yeah, if he’d interviewed with this Chester Porter character, he definitely wouldn’t have taken the job. He was coming off like a creep of the highest order.

  “That’s good to hear. Yes. Good to hear. Seems like there’s quite a lot of vandalism going on in this area. Sad to see. Benefits us, though; we’ve been snatching these places up on cheap.” He laughed out loud as his own comment.

  Drew forced a smile on his face as he nodded. “I heard. Yeah. Lucky for us, I guess.”

  Porter slapped him on the back in a little too rough a fashion and winked. “You’re getting the hang of it, Baldwin. Now. I would be remiss if I didn’t ask: but given her troubles, ya think your mom might be willing to sell? Wouldn’t hurt her to get out from under all the bad press. Can’t be good for a woman her age, with all this stress.”

  He shook his head as if he felt genuine empathy for Drew’s mom, but it was evident that none of it was real.

  In fact, Drew’s mind was spinning. Between the revelations of the vandalism around Helen Slocum’s place, the comments overheard at The Duke, and now this man’s smarmy manner, an idea was forming in Drew’s head.

  Or rather, an understanding.

  All this time they’d thought about who was benefitting from his mom’s misery. And while there were a few, nobody gained enough to make a possible vandalism charge worth their while.

  Except for one person.

  This fellow right here.

  He wanted to buy his mom’s inn because it was the competition; that much was clear. He’d bought multiple properties that had just so happened to have fallen victim to vandalism as well.

  Still, Drew had to be sure before he started levelling accusations. This was his boss, after all. He couldn’t just go around accusing him of things.

  Old Drew might have done so. Old Drew would likely have grabbed the man by the collar, shoved him against the nearest wall, and demanded answers.

  But this was not the old Drew. No. He was a whole new man. A man who knew how to control his temper, at least for a while. It was likely that later on he’d be slamming the wall with his fist, but right now he had himself under control.

  “Mom does pretty well,” he repeated simply. “Anyhow, we’re zeroing in on who did it and once we’re sure, she’ll get the business going again. She’s had slumps in the business before and always recovered.”

  As expected, the expression on his boss’ face changed, if only for a moment. He seemed confused, disappointed. However, quickly the smile re-appeared. “Ah, is that so? And who might be the culprit? I’ve heard all sorts of stories. Someone accused the little old lady who owns that B&B of being behind it. Her?”

  Drew shook his head. “Nah. We’re banking on Evelyn Barber.”

  Porter frowned at this and then his face lit up. “From the bank. Well, I would not think so. She seems a rather delicate woman, huh? Not someone who could make a mess like that, tossing over tables and chairs, throwing an entire tray of finger sandwiches across the kitchen… Seems a little much for a skinny lady such as her. I’d bank on some kids. And if it’s the same kids that are terrorizing the rest of town—” He sucked in air through his teeth. “I just know I’d get out from under it if I were your
mom.”

  Drew stared at him and nodded his head as if in agreement. In reality, he was counting to ten to remain calm.

  Nobody knew some of those details the man just mentioned. Nobody knew a sandwich tray was thrown across the kitchen. Nor that tables and chairs were thrown over. How would he know the magnitude of it all unless he was there? How would he know Evelyn Barber was too small to do that sort of damage?

  Only if he’d been there himself.

  “I suppose. If you think so.” Drew kept his voice even. Porter could not know he was onto him. He had to make sure the man had not the faintest idea.

  “I do think so. Here, kid. Give your mom my number. If she changes her mind, have her call me.” He handed him a business card with a wink.

  He turned and left then. Drew realized his left hand had been curled into a fist the entire time. He managed to dig his fingernails into the palms of his hands so deeply that an imprint was left behind.

  The moment Porter disappeared into his office and shut his door, Drew grabbed his phone and frantically texted Alma.

  I got him. I know who he is. Meet me at The Duke at 6.

  A moment later, the phone pinged with a reply.

  I’ll bring the cavalry.

  He slipped the phone back into the drawer and nodded to himself. He might not be able to convince Mr. Pearson to allow him to marry Ashley. He might not be able to find a career he really enjoyed, or find his place in the world just yet.

  But there was one thing he could still do.

  He’d save his mom—and the inn—from this creep.

  22

  Tasha

  Tasha opened her eyes just as Pam finished applying her makeup. She looked at herself in the mirror and nodded with a grin. Yes, she did look every bit the pilgrim. The costume looked beautiful and authentic, and Pam managed to capture the hardships and essence of a founder’s life beautifully in the makeup. She looked weather-beaten and sun-kissed all at once, as did her fellow actors.

  Around her, the cast was rushing back and forth, putting the finishing touches on their outfits or running their lines one last time. Everyone looked perfect, at least in her opinion.

  Tasha made her way down the narrow hall toward the stage where the heavy velvet curtain was down, separating them from the crowded auditorium. Even though she couldn’t see it, she knew from the sound that drifted through the curtain that they had a full house.

  When she stepped out of the dressing room, she spotted Damien and Eddie standing behind the stage peering out.

  At the sound of her footsteps echoing on the wooden floor, they both turned around. “There she is—our leading lady!” Damien declared with a grin.

  “And you look amazing, as always.” Eddie came toward her and kissed her carefully on the lips so as not to smudge her makeup.

  “Well thank you, Mr. Co-Director. How is it looking out there? “

  Damien nodded with his chin toward the curtain. “Come see for yourself. I dare say this is going to be our most popular play yet.”

  Tasha stepped up to the curtain and looked through an opening into the auditorium. She gasped. Every last seat was taken. She scanned the crowd and was pleased to see many familiar faces.

  It always soothed her nerves when her friends and family were in the audience on opening night. She saw Caroline Piedmont, the Winter Queen, in the front row. On either side of her were the other Winter Committee members—among them her mom, Georgia. And beside her, Joel.

  Further in the back, she spotted Stella, Liza, and their partners, as well as Barb and Pam with their husbands. They were not in this particular play, but came out to support their fellow actors anyhow.

  Of course, Jordyn was there with Vivienne’s two older sons and her parents.

  “It is a full house. You weren’t kidding.”

  Damien balled his hands into fists of excitement. “If this goes well, we might get funding for the entire next year. All the movers and shakers in town are here.”

  Tasha turned to him. “It’ll go well. You’ll see; everything will go just perfectly, I have a feeling.”

  “She’s right. It’s a play about the foundation of this town. How could anyone not like it? Besides, it’s Christmas. Everyone is in a generous spirit.”

  Tasha nodded at this. She knew that it was bad luck to imagine nothing at all could go wrong, because that was exactly when things did. She couldn’t help it, though. The positivity buzzed through her.

  Unlike her mom and brother, she’d had a pretty good couple of weeks. The awkwardness between her and Eddie passed and they were as united and happy as ever. She managed to pick up two new clients for the acting studio. It seemed people were inclined to give acting glasses as Christmas presents these days.

  In addition, rehearsals went fantastically. There were even a couple of reporters in the audience who’d heard all the good press about the play.

  “Come on, let’s all get together for a final rallying cry before the curtain goes up,” Damien said and walked back.

  “Cool, just one more quick peek though,” Tasha replied. She turned and looked out into the audience once more.

  She spotted Ashley seated toward the middle. She was beside her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pearson, and her younger sister, Emma. However, while her family members chatted amongst each other cheerfully, there was absolutely no joy on the girl’s face.

  No wonder. She’d seen how miserable Drew was since their break up. Since Tasha knew Ashley truly loved Drew, she could only imagine what she was going through. Still, she couldn’t help but fault the girl a little. She should have stood up to her father.

  It didn’t matter how much she respected her dad; there were things that simply mattered more. One’s own happiness, for starters. No, Tasha would never allow anyone to come between her and Eddie.

  But then again, her father was no longer around at all.

  “Tasha!” Eddie called. “Come on, they’re waiting on us.”

  She turned with a sigh. “Alright. I was just hoping to see Melanie, Colin, and Drew. They’re not here yet, it seems.”

  Eddie grinned. “I just saw them come through the back entrance; I had an usher wait there to take them directly to their seats so Colin didn’t have to fight his way through the crowd on his crutches.”

  Tasha smiled, gratitude filling her heart. Eddie was the best partner she could hope for. He cared, not just for her, but also for her family and friends.

  Truly, she’d been so lucky to have run into him that day two years ago, outside this very theater. With a smile, she took his hand and together they joined the rest of the cast and crew who’d assembled just off the stage for a final get-together.

  Tasha stood atop a set piece made to look like Founder’s Rock, the old boulder that still sat in the market square today. She looked out over the audience.

  Beside her, Vivienne sat next to two other actors around the fake bonfire and looked up at her in awe. In the background, the rest of the cast lingered in their roles as villagers.

  “This, I declare, shall be the end of our search! Never again will we be chased away unwanted and scared. Never again will we be beaten down and abused. Never again will we be starving, or cold, or lost. For from this day forward, we will have our home. This place, nestled between the ocean’s breeze and the forests of old, shall be our home forevermore. Willow Beach. Now and forever!”

  She raised up the old bottle from the Willow Creek Winery high into the air to the cheers of the audience. The thunderous applause raced through her veins and her adrenaline pumped through her body.

  She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt. Yes! This was it. This was what she’d lived for, what she’d wanted. This was what it felt like to be an actor, to bring the joy she felt as she acted out and spread it across this room full of people.

  Their faces were lit with pleasure at their performance and she could tell this play was not like any other. It had touched people—not just the audience, but the other actors as well. A tru
e and astounding success.

  She stepped off her rock and turned—when, to her horror, she found her fellow actors rushing off the stage.

  Her internal thoughts went haywire. What are they doing? No! We’re supposed to end the play with the Independence song. Where are they going?

  Her joy was quickly replaced with panic. This was not how things were meant to go. Should she scurry off-stage with the rest of them? Had something happened?

  She turned to the audience, frozen stiff, her face full of anxiety she could not hide. What on earth should she do?

  Suddenly, gasps, oohs and aahs sounded out. She turned and frowned when three musicians entered the stage. One had a violin, the other a harp, and the third a portable keyboard.

  She stepped back as they began to play “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” A horrible series of thought and emotions swirled through her mind when she spotted Eddie entering the stage.

  No. No. No. She wanted to tear off her wig and scream.

  He could not possibly have chosen this moment to pull one of his pranks. Not on this otherwise perfect night. Not in front of all these people.

  And not after they’d talked about suspending the prank proposals until, ideally, the end of time.

  Yet, here he was. She frowned. He was dressed in a suit, his hair slicked back, and he carried in his hand a bouquet of roses. Tasha glanced around the stage as the music continued to play and then, from the corner of her eyes, saw movement.

  She turned and, to her surprise, saw her mother, Joel, Melanie, and Drew walk up to the stage. From the other side, Damien and Eddie’s parents and their spouses joined. The families congregated behind Eddie as he stepped forward.

  This is it, Tasha thought with a nervous gulp. This is the real thing, isn’t it?

  “Tasha…” he started but his voice was thick and he had to stop to clear his throat. “Don’t run away.” He turned to the audience. “I’ve pranked her a few times with this, as most of you know. So if she tries to make a break for it, please stop her.” There were snickers and laughs in the audience, some amused and some nervous.