Sea Scope

by Debbie De Louise

  Carolyn stood there completely dressed, her eyes wide. “What took you so long? I was rapping forever.”

  I doubted it had been more than five minutes, but my friend could be impatient when she had to wait for anything. “I was sleeping. Come on in.”

  Carolyn stepped into the room. “I never thought I'd be able to get to sleep, but that bed was very comfortable, and I must've been really tired from the drive.”

  “Then I guess you didn't hear anything out in the hall last night?”

  Carolyn brushed her fingers through her hair and tugged at her light blue scarf that coordinated fashionably with her jeans and short sleeve sweater. “Did I miss anything? Did anything happen?” Her face was full of concern.

  I walked back to the bookshelf and re-shelved the diary without answering.

  “What's that?”

  “My diary from when I lived at Sea Scope. I was reading some of it, and I guess it helped me fall asleep after someone stole my phone and that note I showed you.”

  “What? Oh, my God. Did they break in? How could you possibly sleep after that?”

  “They didn't break in. The cat scratched at my door, so I opened it and he ran away down the hall. I went to follow him but then I heard a noise coming from the room where my mom will be staying. Russell came upstairs and checked it out, but no one was there.” I left out the part of me and Russell sharing milk and cookies.

  Carolyn raised her eyebrows. “Too bad I was sleeping. I would've loved to have spent time with Russell. But, go on, what happened to your phone and the note?”

  I ignored the comment about Russell. It was obvious Carolyn was smitten with him, but most of her relationships started with a physical attraction that dissipated quickly. “I told Russell what I shared with you, and he wanted to see the text message and note, but when I got in the room, they were both gone.”

  “How strange.” Carolyn walked to where the charging cord still lay unplugged. She pulled out the drawer and looked inside as Russell and I'd done and shook her head. “Do you have any idea who would've taken them? Did you see anyone in the hall?”

  I realized I had to fill in the rest of the blanks of my story. “Actually, Russell and I had gone down to the kitchen. He thought milk and cookies would help us get to sleep. When I got to the room, I found Al trapped inside, so someone definitely broke in while I was downstairs.”

  Carolyn thought things over. “I'm surprised you didn't invite Russ to stay and protect you.”

  “We're just old friends, and I locked the door.”

  “What if whoever took your phone has a key?”

  “Only my aunt has keys to the inn's rooms.”

  “Are you sure? What about her helper, Wanda?”

  I thought about that. “It's possible, and I know you suspect Wanda, but it doesn't make sense to me.”

  “Well, there must be a reason. I assume you're talking to your aunt today.” It wasn't a question.

  “Yes. Russell advised me to do that.” I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost eight, an hour later than my aunt had asked us to come down to breakfast, so I figured she was already gone. “Unfortunately, it's probably going to have to wait until she gets back from the airport.”

  “Another thing you have to consider is that Derek won't be able to reach you. How did your call go with him last night?”

  “As I suspected. He pretended everything was normal. He said he might be able to join me here in two weeks.”

  “That's wonderful.” Carolyn's eyes lit up, and I wondered briefly if it was because she was anticipating uninterrupted time with Russ if I was looking forward to my husband arriving soon.

  “I don't know.” I went to the closet to look for something to wear. I had managed to unpack some of my clothes. “I have a feeling the girl who answered our house phone was with him last night even though I didn't hear anything, and he can still reach me on the inn's phone. He has that number.”

  “Remember, I told you to keep an open mind.” Carolyn turned away. “I'm going downstairs. If there's any breakfast left for us late risers, I'll try to save you something.”

  I pulled a pair of capris and a long red, white, and blue short-sleeved shirt I'd worn for the Fourth of July from the closet. “Thanks so much.” Food was actually the last thing on my mind.

  Carolyn nodded glancing at the clothes I'd laid on the bed. “You get dressed. Pretty soon you'll be shopping for maternity clothes.”

  I tapped her lightly on the arm. “I'll see you downstairs, Carolyn.”

  I dressed hurriedly, but as I suspected, by the time I got downstairs, Aunt Julie had already been long gone. As I entered the kitchen, Russell, Carolyn, and Wanda sat around the table chatting like old friends sipping coffee and biting into Southern biscuits and the leftover cookies from the night before.

  “Good morning,” Wanda said as I joined them. “Have a seat. Your aunt changed her mind and asked me to make breakfast this morning. She should be back soon with your mother, and I'll cook hot food then.”

  I sat next to Wanda noticing Carolyn had pushed her seat close to Russell. Both of them looked like they'd enjoyed conversation with one another that hadn't included Wanda. Carolyn read my mind as she said, her voice lilting a bit, “Russ and I have had a nice talk while waiting for you, Sarah. It's so enjoyable to chat with a fellow writer.”

  Russell smiled. “Yes, it's been quite interesting, but I think Sarah has something to ask Wanda.”

  Wanda raised her eyebrows as she passed the basket of biscuits toward me. “Have a biscuit, Sarah, and I can get you coffee if you'd like. I'll be happy to answer your question.”

  I didn't know how to begin. I looked to Russell and Carolyn for support and then retold the story from the start of all that had happened to me on my way to Sea Scope to the occurrences of the night before. Throughout my tale, Wanda was quiet, her lips pursed in that old way I remembered. I ended by asking, “Do you know anything about this, Wanda?” I couldn't outright accuse her, but I took a deep breath as I waited for her reply.

  “You must talk to your aunt,” she said after a pause. Her eyes never left mine, and she looked sincere, but I wasn't very good at identifying liars. My own husband had probably been sleeping with a woman for months before he stupidly allowed her to answer our phone and finally alerted me to the situation.

  “So you don't know anything?” Russ asked as if he were a lawyer or policeman verifying a witness's account.

  “No, of course not. Why would I take Sarah's phone or leave those crazy messages?”

  Before anything else could be said on the matter, the front door opened, and I heard my mother and aunt's voices. I couldn't hear their exact words, but they were bickering. That would be par for the course, as Mom and Aunt Julie had never been the best of friends.

  “Sounds like they're here,” Russell said, standing. “I'll go help your mother with her bags. I can get the rest of the stuff out of your car, too, if you give me your keys.”

  I'd forgotten about the rainstorm in which we'd arrived. The day outside was already sunny and hot. The fans were blowing throughout the house.

  Fearing that someone would enter my room again, I'd taken my purse down for breakfast, so I fished inside it and retrieved the keys. “Thanks, Russ,” I said handing them to him.

  “I can help,” Carolyn offered quickly coming to Russ' side like his shadow. I followed them to the living room where Aunt Julie and my mother were still arguing.

  When the three of us entered, they finally quieted.

  “Sarah,” my mother said. It was more of an acknowledgment than a greeting, with no opening of arms for a hug, but I embraced her, anyway. She pulled away stiffly. I noticed she wore sunglasses, a hint that she'd been on a bender, possibly from too many drinks on the flight. She'd gained a few pounds since I last saw her the previous month. Ever since I was young, she'd constantly battled with her weight and envied Aunt Julie who she said had a “fast metabolism.”

  “I didn't
know you were coming,” I said. “I drove down here with Carolyn.”

  Mother nodded. I couldn't see her eyes behind the glasses. “Hello, Carolyn,” she said. “It's nice to see you again.” She turned back to me after Carolyn returned her greeting. “I didn't know I was coming either until the last minute, and you know how I hate long drives, although flying isn't much better. I was supposed to be here last night, but the flight was delayed. It was such a hassle.”

  “That must've been frustrating,” I said. “Do you remember Russell?”

  Mother turned around to where Russ and Carolyn were now standing by the door about to bring in the suitcases. She lowered her glasses to the bridge of her nose as if it would help her see better, and I immediately recognized the redness of her eyes. I wondered if she'd packed anything alcoholic with her and, if she did, how the airlines had allowed it on the plane.

  “Oh, my goodness. He looks so much like Bartholomew.”

  Aunt Julie grimaced. “Russell is Bart's son, so it only makes sense there would be a likeness.”

  I prayed they wouldn't start quibbling again after that remark, but Mother ignored it. “Well, he did grow up very handsome.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Brewster.”

  “Please call me Jennifer.”

  Suddenly, my mother noticed Wanda standing in the corner.

  “Wanda Wilson after all this time. Don't tell me my sister-in-law has recruited you to work here again?”

  “I'm just helping out,” Wanda explained. “If you're hungry from your flight, there are biscuits and cookies in the kitchen, and I promised to heat up eggs and grits later.”

  “I'm more tired than hungry but thank you.”

  “I have the Garden Room prepared for you, Jennifer,” Aunt Julie said, looking toward the staircase. “Russell will bring up your bags if you want to get settled before coming down to chat with us.”

  Mother pushed back her glasses as if trying to hide her dislike of my aunt's words. “Seems like you've thought of everything, Julie.” She walked past my aunt and, as she alighted, I heard her whisper to herself, “Why did I agree to come here?”

  Russell and Carolyn saw that as a good time to go to the cars for the luggage. Wanda slipped quietly back into the kitchen. I was left alone in the living room with Aunt Julie.

  When she was sure my mother was out of ear shot, she said, “Same old Jennifer. I have to learn to be more patient with her. She's suffering.”

  “That doesn't mean she has to be rude to you,” I said. “Can we talk a minute, Aunt Julie?”

  “In the kitchen?”

  “No. There's something I have to discuss with you alone.”

  She nodded. “Of course. Let's sit on the patio. It's a beautiful day after yesterday's storm.”

  As we went outside, Al came from a hidden spot and joined us. He rubbed against my leg purring, and I reached down and mindlessly petted his head. My thoughts were on what I was about to tell my aunt.

  We sat in rockers next to one another. The sun was shining on the oaks that lined the walk up to Sea Scope, and I could see the ocean and lighthouse in the distance. It would be a lovely place to work on the Kit Kat sketches, but my mind was elsewhere.

  “I apologize for my secretiveness in inviting your mother, Sarah, but I hoped this visit would be cathartic for her.”

  “This isn't about my mother.”

  Al padded over to my aunt, and she scratched his head as he circled her chair. “Then what's troubling you, Sarah? I'll try to help if I can.”

  I suddenly realized she thought I was confiding in her about my marriage problems. I set her straight by telling her everything I'd shared with Carolyn, Russell, and Wanda and also how Wanda denied having any part in what had occurred. When I was done, concern crossed her face. “I wish you'd told me when you arrived. Wait here. There's something I need to show you.”

  She returned with a folded paper that she handed me. “I found this in my mailbox two days ago.”

  With shaky fingers, I unraveled the paper to reveal the message written in crayon. I gasped. “You got a crayon clue, too?”

  My aunt nodded. “I was going to throw it out, but I thought I should keep it. I'm glad I did. I'll have to talk to Wanda privately. Even though she denied playing a part in this, I agree with Carolyn that she's the only one here who could've done it.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  My aunt looked out toward the lighthouse. “I don't know, but I'm going to find out, and we'll get your phone back, Sarah. Don't worry. I was afraid this would happen. When you dig in old dirt, you're bound to uncover something that someone wants kept hidden.”

  I was shocked. “Aunt Julie, you don't think this is connected to what happened at the lighthouse twenty years ago?”

  She kept staring ahead as she answered. “I'm afraid that's what I believe, Sarah. Let's go inside. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, so you can enjoy the rest of your stay here with your friend.”

  “Are you calling the police?”

  “No.” She turned toward me, her eyes dark. “I can handle this. If it's Wanda, I can deal with her on my own. Trust me, Sarah.”

  From the Notes of Michael Gamboski

  Cape Haterras Lighthouse (Wikipedia)

  Standing 193 feet (above ground), the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, NC is the tallest lighthouse in the United States.

  The National Park Service allows visitors to climb the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse from the third Friday in April to Columbus Day. The climb is strenuous, equivalent to walking the stairs of a twelve-story building.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Sea Scope: Twenty years ago

  When they got to Sarah's room, Wendy jumped on the cot Aunt Julie had put out earlier. She'd brought her sleepover bag. This wasn't the first time she'd stayed in Sarah's room. Sarah knew Wendy was accustomed to taking turns with her in the bathroom to brush her teeth and prepare for bed. Sarah let her go first and watched as she returned in her pink pajamas, combing out her braids so that her hair fell loose to her chest.

  “Does your mom take out her hair at night, too?”

  “Yes. We usually help one another do it.”

  “I always thought you two slept on them. How do you fix them in the morning?” Sarah had always had a hard time with braids, but her hair wasn't long enough. She could hardly get it in a ponytail without the short ends falling out.

  “It isn't hard. I can teach you if you want.”

  “That's okay. Thanks, anyway.”

  Sarah was about to head to the bathroom for her own nightly routine when she heard her brother and Russ from the room next door jumping around laughing. She tapped on the wall that separated them. “Quiet down, you two.”

  The noise lessened, but she could still hear their voices, her brother's above Russell's. She doubted they'd sleep that night.

  After Sarah used the bathroom and came back to join Wendy, she was already asleep hugging her favorite doll made of dried corn husks that had been packed in her overnight bag. She'd told Sarah she'd made it with her mother who'd taught her the craft. She never seemed to be without it.

  Sarah was disappointed. She'd planned to ask her about her mother's boyfriend. She thought she'd open up to her when they were alone. Then Sarah had another idea. She might be able to find out herself if she did some detecting. A year ago, Glen had been into private eye books and TV shows, a departure from his science obsession. He'd recruited her to investigate things with him around the inn. That was how the crayon clues started.

  Sarah remembered the way they'd gone about solving cases. Falling back on Glen's scientific method, they stated a hypothesis they thought they could prove. One day it had been the fact that Ms. Wilson wore black underwear. The reason they thought this was that when Aunt Julie sorted the family's laundry, Sarah had been given a pair of black lacy underwear. Sarah only wore white cotton briefs. The black panties might've gotten mixed up with hers, but Sarah wasn't about to give them back to Ms. Wilson until she
knew they belonged to her. There were other guests staying at the inn, and although they did their own laundry, there was always a possibility an item of clothing would've been left in the washer or dryer downstairs and found its way into the family's load.

  Glen had laughed when Sarah came up with the suggestion, but he dived in and created the investigation plan. He said she would be in charge of entering Ms. Wilson's room when she was out and checking her underwear drawer to see if the black panties matched any of the ones there. He would be on the lookout by her door and signal Sarah if he saw or heard Ms. Wilson returning to the room. Then he'd keep her occupied until his sister could escape unseen.

  Sarah remembered how nervous she was as they tiptoed down the hall. It was a Saturday morning, and Ms. Wilson had taken Wendy to her Bible class. She usually dropped her off and then came back to the inn until it was time to pick her up. The class lasted only an hour and was five minutes away. As soon as she and Glen heard them leaving, they tiptoed to the Peach Room that was next to the Lighthouse Room. Glen guarded the door while Sarah crept inside. Ms. Wilson's double bed with its cream comforter was neatly made. Aunt Julie was always after Sarah to make her bed before she left her room in the morning, but Sarah usually left it unmade. A school photo of Wendy stood in a frame on the night stand next to the phone with a fresh vase of summer flowers from the Sea Scope garden. Otherwise, the room was pretty bare. Sarah heard Glen breathing outside the door. She knew he wouldn't want her to spend time looking through the room, but she'd never been in there before. Through the adjoining door, Sarah saw Wendy's room. It wasn't as neat as her mother's, but there were no toys or clothes scattered around like in Glen's room. Sarah also had a habit of leaving books and her art supplies everywhere.

  “What are you doing in there?” Sarah heard her brother's whisper from out in the hall. She speeded up her search. She walked to Ms. Wilson's bureau, a light-colored pine featuring brass knobs that gleamed with a recent polish. There were three long drawers. Sarah pulled out each one until she found where Ms. Wilson stored her underwear. It was the middle drawer. Along with neatly folded panties, Ms. Wilson also stored her bras and nightgowns. Sarah noticed everything was lacy and there were, indeed, a few black panties. She added the one she'd brought along because it would be far too embarrassing to hand it back to Ms. Wilson. Sarah made sure she folded it neatly and placed it on the pile. She was afraid Ms. Wilson counted them, but she'd probably figure Sarah's aunt was the one who'd returned it. Sarah turned back and began to head for the door when she heard Glen whisper, “She's coming, Sarah. Give me a few minutes to get her attention and sneak out.”