Last Chance Harbor

by Vickie McKeehan

  “The cows like it.”

  “Really? I had no idea. Sorry to bother you, but I was out and about walking and saw your farm, thought I’d stop in to check the place out.”

  “You have a way of popping up out of the blue. And it’s not my farm. As it was explained to me, it’s more of a co-op effort. That’s the way Nick and Jordan do things. But technically they own the place.”

  “Ah, that makes sense being next door and all.”

  “So let me get this straight, you were out walking around my turf all the way from Santa Cruz?”

  “Of course not.” She gritted her teeth and wondered silently why the man always seemed to leap to such ridiculous assumptions.

  “Then what on earth is a gorgeous female like you doing lurking around my cows on a Friday night? Shouldn’t you be somewhere else kicking up your heels? Or is that something schoolteachers aren’t allowed to do?”

  “I’ve been known to kick up my heels a time or two.”

  “Good to know. So you like to party?”

  “Did I say that?” she snapped, irritation building with every tick of the clock.

  “You look like a woman tied to a rigid job keeping people in line.”

  “I keep six-year-olds in line. If that translates to rigid to you, then I make no apologies for it. I love teaching.”

  “I can tell. I seem to always say the wrong thing around you.”

  “What you do is push all the wrong buttons and frustrate me. You come across as someone as prickly as an old woman determined to keep the neighborhood kids off her lawn.”

  Ryder let out a roar of laughter. “You aren’t that far off the mark. I like my solitude.”

  “So I’ve noticed. Nothing wrong with that, so I’ll leave you to it. Thanks to the hospitality of Nick and Jordan, I’m staying at Promise Cove this weekend. For two whole days I’ll be your neighbor. I just wanted to—”

  “Stop in and be sociable.” His lips curved up. “I got that. It’s always a good idea to spend time checking out the area around the B&B. It’s pretty country. Nick and Jordan offer first-rate amenities. In fact, I’m invited over there tomorrow night for your ‘welcome to town’ dinner. Oops, I hope I didn’t let the cat out of the bag with that.”

  “Nope, I know all about it. Someone else warned me and this afternoon when I checked in, Nick confirmed it.”

  “Hard to keep a secret in a little town like Pelican Pointe. You’ll realize it’s a bit different than Santa Cruz.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Is it really all that different from any other place, say Philadelphia? Besides, people usually have a tough time keeping things hidden for long. Secrets have a way of turning up when you least expect them.” She thought about the keepsake box Troy had found and the puzzle from the past it held. “After all, someone kept a big one for about two decades.” She told him about what she’d found underneath the lining of the chest and watched as his mouth dropped open.

  “You found a what?”

  “A piece of shirt saturated in what looked to me like blood. I gave it to Brent Cody. It’s obvious the person wearing it came to a violent end or was so gravely wounded they had to seek medical help.”

  “The obvious question is why the box was hidden away at the school in the first place? The bloody article of clothing has to factor in. You wouldn’t think murder could ever touch a place like this.”

  “You’re kidding? In Pelican Pointe you mean? They had a serial killer here for years.”

  For a second time, his mouth gaped open. “Wow, I had no idea. No one mentioned that part to me.”

  “The story made headlines for quite some time in Santa Cruz. I don’t know how they dealt with it here but I’m sure it’s something they’d like to put behind them.”

  “The blood on the shirt could mean nothing at all. Maybe someone killed a deer or something.”

  “I thought of that. It’s possible there’s a logical explanation. People around here go hunting all the time. But why hide a piece of fabric that has blood on it if it’s from an animal or from a hunting trip? There would be no need to conceal it like that.”

  “True.”

  “In the event it’s something more, like a cold case, if anyone’s up to the task of solving it, I’d say it’s Brent Cody.”

  “What does Brent think?”

  “I haven’t heard a thing from him. But I intend to ask him about it while I’m in town. Mind if I ask you a question. Think of it as more like a survey.” She saw him bristle at the notion of an inquisition.

  “Sure.”

  “Do you believe in ghosts?”

  Their eyes lingered on each other for a split second before she saw him swallow hard, the color drain from his face. At that very moment, it seemed as if the former soldier had located the apparition in question hovering in the corner right along with the cows.

  “Why would you ask me such a thing? Have you been talking to Cord?”

  “Who’s Cord?”

  Ryder dropped his guard. “A friend of mine who believes Scott Phillips haunts this town. Ridiculous notion, huh?”

  She gnawed the inside of her jaw, thinking, considering the possibilities. “Interesting.”

  “You’re kidding? Why? Tell me why you asked the question.”

  “Because I talked to him. Scott, not your friend Cord. The day I stopped at the Jennings’ house. There was this guy. He looked real enough to me. Anyway, while I busied myself checking out the exterior, the foundation, the porch, all of a sudden I look up and see this guy standing at the corner of the house staring back at me. I just assumed that he was a neighbor. And before you ask, yes, I’m certain it was Scott Phillips. I saw his picture tonight when I checked into the B&B. Nick and Jordan verified it.”

  Even before joining the military he’d always been a man prone to keeping his personal feelings closed off. Now was no different. He waged a mini-battle within. Should he risk disclosing details he’d told no one else but Cord? While he stood there conflicted, staring into her deep, dark chocolate eyes brimming with questions, those orbs tugged him into a decision. He told her about his own encounters with Scott. All of them.

  “What do you think it means?”

  “That we should probably stop drinking the water around here.”

  Julianne snorted with laughter. “Besides that.”

  He scratched his jaw. “Cord’s theory is that Scott hangs around to guide troubled people away from their problems.”

  Julianne’s brows knit. “But I don’t have any problems that I know of and I’m not troubled about anything.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  She suddenly realized the waning light meant she’d stayed too long. “The sun’s going down.”

  “Please don’t tell me you’re a fairy princess who turns into an ogre at dusk?”

  “How’d you guess? But you have to promise not to tell anyone. It would ruin my rep as the rigid, spinster schoolteacher.”

  “I never said you were a spinster.”

  “No? I thought that was implied.” She glanced at her watch, realized she’d forgot to put it back on. “What time is it?”

  “Almost six-thirty.”

  “Oh crap, I do have to head back. I don’t want to be a no-show for dinner my first night at the inn.”

  When she started to walk off in the opposite direction, he grabbed her hand. “Let me drive you back. If you’re worried about being late, it’s the fastest way.”

  “That’ll work. Why don’t I drag you over there for supper, stay for the discussion about Scott. They promised me one.”

  “No way.”

  “So the former soldier is afraid to have a conversation about an imaginary ghost?”

  “Calling me chicken won’t work.”

  “Then come back with me and be there when we all sit down for a heart-to-heart. I’d say there’s no better time for us to ask the local experts all the questions we have spinning around in our minds. Get some answers. It’s the least they can
do.”

  Chapter Six

  “Look who I found on my walk,” Julianne said as she sailed through the back door at the B&B. “I know Ryder wasn’t invited for dinner but… Turns out, he’s seen Scott, too.”

  That’s as far as Julianne got when Jordan waved her off. “We’re used to having people drop in all the time. Come on in, Ryder. You’ll stay for dinner.”

  “It happens to be standard operating procedure to make room at the table for extra guests at the last minute,” Nick added before giving Ryder a slap on the back. “How’s it going at the construction site? I’ve been meaning to stop by but it’s been hard to find the time.”

  Ryder brought him up to speed on their progress. It gave them a topic as the four adults settled around the huge mahogany dining table. Though the kids, Hutton and Scott, had already eaten supper, the toddlers busied themselves by playing with the toys scattered around the room.

  They sat down to roasted salmon and steamed asparagus. The first bite of fish had Julianne letting out a loud sigh. “This is delicious. The creamy sauce makes it pop.”

  “It’s simple to make using white wine and lemon,” Jordan said. “I’ll give you the recipe before you check out Sunday.”

  “I have several excellent prospects in the teaching department. Although my own principal keeps telling me hands off whenever I try to recruit the cream of the crop.”

  “Don’t let up. We still have several positions to fill.”

  “I’m hoping to interview two next week. I’ll do it in Santa Cruz although I do want them to see the school.” Julianne bided her time, waited for a lag in banter to finally steer the conversation to Scott. “Truth is I dragged Ryder here tonight because he’s had way more Scott encounters than I have. Don’t look at me like that,” she warned Ryder when he sent her a roll of his eyes. With a wave of her fork at him, she added, “They don’t think you’re crazy or hallucinating.” She looked at Jordan. “Go ahead, tell him.”

  “No, you’re not crazy,” Jordan echoed. “I wish I could explain it better. But Scott’s presence here is because he loves this place, the town, his family, his friends. He watches over us. And because he has no malice in his heart, none of us want to see him leave.”

  Noting the still-skeptical look on Ryder’s face, Nick folded his napkin and stood up. He retrieved a photo from the sideboard, the one of his former Guard buddy dressed in a wetsuit. “This was taken during Scott’s surfing days.” He held the picture out to Ryder. “If this is the guy you’ve seen around town, he died in Iraq. I know because I was there the day it happened. You’re not the first who thought they were paranoid or delusional after seeing him and I can guarantee you won’t be the last.”

  “That’s him,” Ryder confirmed. “That’s the guy who’s been bugging me.”

  “Here, let me see that,” Julianne said. “I saw the one in the living room on the mantel, the one where he’s dressed in his uniform. This is the Scott I saw, relaxed, smiling and enjoying himself.”

  “I had a long talk with Cord,” Ryder admitted. “The entire ghost thing is a little hard for me to swallow. But I know what I saw. Or rather who I saw. If someone offered me the chance to pick him out of a lineup, that’s the guy I’d pick.”

  “When he talked to me, he tossed out one line that indicated he knew I’d had help from Danny, the man I loved at the time, fixing up our old relic of a van. It’s something no one could’ve possibly known unless they were my neighbors back in Santa Cruz. But here in Pelican Pointe? That info would be of no particular interest to anyone. That’s why it shocked me that he knew.”

  “And with me, Scott mentioned a detail about a former girlfriend no one knew about. Not even my mother knows, but I will eventually have to come clean about. Bethany lifted a family heirloom. That’s only one reason she’s a sore subject for me. Scott didn’t have a problem bringing her up right off the bat. He knew that I’m hoping to locate her and get back what she stole.”

  Nick nodded. “Then Scott must feel he can help, help both of you.”

  “That’s the same explanation Cord gave me. Not about Julianne, of course. Until tonight I had no idea she’d seen Scott, too. The thing is I don’t feel as though I need help finding Bethany. She’ll eventually turn up.”

  “And I don’t feel I have any burgeoning problems that I need help solving,” Julianne added.

  “The amazing thing is you guys seem to think this is a normal occurrence,” Ryder noted. “I feel like I’m smack in the middle of a Twilight Zone rerun minus Rod Serling’s narration.”

  Jordan’s lips bowed. “For us it’s all so normal now. There was a time it wasn’t. I understand that the idea of a ghost helping you solve an important aspect of your life might be ludicrous. But sometimes things happen that aren’t explainable.”

  “Like crop circles or the Bermuda Triangle,” Julianne piped up, earning a smile from her hostess.

  “Look, I’ve experienced Scott firsthand,” Nick pointed out. “Believe, don’t believe, it’s up to you. Jordan and I just want to assure you that no one thinks either of you are…nuts. And if you’re afraid of him, I assure you Scott is never sinister. That’s never part of his character.”

  Jordan decided a change of subject was in order. “We’re fast approaching March and soliciting vendors for the street fair. If either of you are interested in a booth, now’s the time to sign up.”

  “There’s a street fair here in March?” Julianne asked, clearly taken with the idea.

  Ryder could see her wheels turning as he dug into his fish. Picking up the beer Nick had provided, he told them about Reclaimed Treasures. “If they’ll let anyone be a vendor, Julianne’s a great candidate.”

  It was Nick who bobbed his head in agreement. “Sure. We encourage everyone here to buy local if they can. Last year, Jordan recruited the Crawford sisters to sell their quilts and Troy to hawk his jewelry boxes. Ask them about their experience before signing up. Last year’s fair was a huge success, blew all the other years away combined.”

  Julianne picked up her wine glass. “I don’t have to think about it. Go ahead and add me to the vendor list. Unless the fact I’m principal is considered a conflict of interest. Will that be a problem?”

  “Why would it be? What our principal does on her own time—as long as it’s a legal enterprise—is of no concern to the town council,” Nick assured her.

  “How do you find stuff to repurpose and refinish?” Jordan wondered.

  “And when do you find the time?” Nick added.

  “I’m good at utilizing the stuff people want to toss out. Whenever my neighbors do spring cleaning or move stuff out of their garage, I’m there, willing to take it off their hands. I keep my eye out for certain containers located in high traffic areas on my way to and from school. If I see something promising, I stop, inspect it, and then load it into the van. But I draw the line at actually dumpster diving. I’ll cruise around it. I’ll grab anything I see that looks like it has potential for resale. But my diving into one is a different story.”

  “Unless it’s a Van Gogh,” Ryder teased. “Then you’re like, ‘let me at that thing.’”

  When Julianne hooted with laughter, he let himself enjoy the sound. That cheerful nature of hers reminded him of exotic marigolds reaching toward the sun. That beaming smile, the sparkle in her eyes, made his pulse ramp up.

  After taking a sip of her merlot, she let out a huge sigh. “I’m gonna love living here.”

  “So does that mean whichever house you decide on, you’ll need space for a workshop?” Ryder prodded.

  Her face lit up. “Oh that would be perfect. Although I wouldn’t know what to do with so much space.”

  “You’ll find a use for it. The Jennings’ house has a wide, detached, double-car garage.” When she stared at him, Ryder lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “I went by there this afternoon after work to check the place out. Landon and his son, Caleb, were busy cutting the grass. But they let me take a tour around the property.�
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  “Really? That’s a good sign.”

  “How so?”

  “Because it means they’re open to a buyer.”

  Later, Julianne walked Ryder to his truck under a bright crescent moon. With a starlit sky that glistened like diamonds overhead, she breathed in the February chill and studied the man beside her. His toned shoulders and trim waist had her wondering what it would be like to see him naked. If he wrapped her up with those long arms...

  The sound of his voice broke into her thoughts.

  “Will you be okay staying here tonight?”

  “Because of Scott?” Her laugh echoed out deep and rich. “More than okay. I trust Nick and Jordan when they say he isn’t malevolent. Mostly because at the house that day Scott took the neighborly approach. The look in his eyes said friendly to me, not crazy. What about you?”

  “I’m okay with it. Him. I guess.”

  “You on the other hand have a hard time trusting a female. You’d rather trust a ghost before a woman.” She lifted one shoulder. “That’s my take. What kind of number did Bethany do on you anyway? What did she steal?”

  She saw him look away, waited several long seconds for him to speak.

  “My grandfather on my dad’s side of the family made his living as a cartoonist. His comic strips were syndicated in newspapers up and down the East Coast. When he died he left all of his sketches to my father. But after Dad died, they came to me.”

  At the emotion she saw in his eyes, the way he fought back tears, she reached out to him, ran her hand along his cheek.

  “You have to understand, his drawings were my most prized possessions. Those cartoons were precious to me. I let that viper into my home, my bed and she betrayed every bit of trust I placed in her.”

  “You loved her.”

  Ryder filled his lungs with the heavy air, blew out an angry breath. “I was getting there in between tours. But you can rest assured I have no feelings now for the woman I knew as Bethany, except maybe contempt and disgust. Some days it’s tough to forgive myself, how much faith and trust I put in her. I left for overseas, left my home and what was important to me with her. How did she repay me?”