Fireflies and Lies (A Summerbrook Novel Book 4)

by Vicki Wilkerson

  It was the final hours for preparation. All the shutters still needed to be closed and latched, and the windows that didn’t have shutters needed to be boarded up. She’d been calling every handyman’s number that she had. All were busy with their own preparations for the hurricane. She’d just have to do it herself.

  She had borrowed Jasper’s old tool belt to complete a lot of the chores. She’d need him to steady the ladder for her. She walked back to the old cabin, knocked and walked inside when Amberlee called to her.

  “Hey, honey, what can I do for you?”

  “Is Jasper back from opening the gates yet?”

  “Not yet,” said Amberlee. “Why don’t you sit down a spell? You look exhausted.”

  “No time. I still have all the shutters to close. I’m going to shut all of yours first. I’ll put the board that was cut for the bathroom window over it, and the rest will be easy.” She checked the time on her phone. The text from the hardware store said the delivery guy with the generator would be here between four and six, and then that’s about it for the preparations. A strange mix of anticipation and fear knotted together in her gut.

  Amberlee ambled over to the oven and took out a pie. “This might be the last thing we bake for a while. So, I thought I’d bring this here peach pie. I know how much your mama loves peach pies.”

  “Yes, she does. Are you ready to go to the main house now, or do you want to wait a little longer?”

  “Later. I wanted to pack up my medicines and a few things in a bag. No tellin’ how long that storm’s gonna blow. Storms has got a way of cleanin’ things out of our lives…and cleaning people away from their things. I want to be ready to go if the good Lawd is ready to take me, so I’m a gonna have me a little quiet time with him first.”

  “I’ve been praying for our safety these past four days as I’ve worked. And for the plantation.”

  “Well, I think you and Amberlee ought to set down a minute and pray together.” The old woman grabbed her hand between her weathered ones.

  “I think that would be a good idea.”

  They sat together on the old couch with the chenille bedspread covering it.

  Before Jenna could even get her head bowed, Amberlee began to pray.

  “Lawd, we knows you has the power to give. And the power to take away. People, things and even wind and water. We humbly ask, oh, Lawd, that you take away the water from this ol’ hurricane. Take the water far away. And keep the wind away from all on this here land where you done seen fit to plant us for so long. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray.”

  Jenna felt goose bumps rush up her arms. Amberlee’s prayer was a powerful one that struck her to her core. It was actually short in comparison to the prayers Jenna had been saying as she worked, but the effect of it strengthened her. She opened her eyes. “Thanks, Amberlee.”

  “Amberlee ain’t worried. She ain’t got much. Ain’t never needed much. But Amberlee always had the Lawd. That’s all she’s ever needed. That’s why she knows…no matter what happen with this storm…no matter what happen with this here land…no matter what…Amberlee has everything she need, sweetie.” Amberlee hugged her.

  Jenna was struck. She was right. The Louboutins, the BMW, all the Lilly Pulitzer dresses—even the plantation…none of it mattered. Just the people she loved. And God. Jenna had spent way too much time during her life worrying. About her image. About things. About her friend April being okay in the safe little world they’d created for themselves.

  But all her worries had been slowly washing out to the Atlantic, like the water from the river at low tide. She hadn’t seen Dr. Hacker in weeks. She hadn’t organized her refrigerator in days. She actually hadn’t counted in French for…who knew how long. It was all being washed away, and only things that mattered were being left behind.

  Jasper walked into the house. “There you are, Miss Jenna. I think it’s time to board them windows before it starts raining. Last time was a real chore.”

  “Well, if you hold the ladder, I’ll do the climbing and the latching. I have this to help if any of those hinges or latches need coaxing.” She patted the old leather tool belt she’d borrowed. The hammer, a few screwdrivers, and some wrenches dangled and clanged together as she patted it. “My girlfriend Charlene would be so proud of me.”

  “Girlfriend?” Amberlee asked.

  “Yes, from high school, long ago.”

  “Lawd, I ain’t never seen girls act so in all my life. What happen to all the shiny shoes and petticoats girls used to wear?” she asked.

  “We’ve given them up for toolbelts and telephones. Though I’ve given my cell up these last few days so that I could get all this work done.”

  “Lawd, have mercy.”

  They all laughed, and Jasper and Jenna set out to finish the preparations.

  As they took the cart to the shed to load the ladder, the skies began to grow dark.

  “We’ve got to hurry, Jasper. I’ve got a bad feeling about this storm.”

  ⸙

  Hogan stepped out the front door and checked the skies once again. The clouds that had moved in earlier had begun to darken. Something inside him turned.

  He’d left Jenna alone long enough. Because he’d grown increasingly worried about the hurricane, he decided to call Jenna to check on her. No answer.

  He called several more times, but there was never an answer.

  He still needed to touch base with the shop and to pick up the extra lanterns he had stored in the warehouse, but time was running out. The last tutor he’d hired hadn’t showed up, and he couldn’t get in touch with her either. Probably another one gone.

  He checked the time on his phone. Good. If he left now, he’d have just enough time to get back before the bad stuff started this evening. He’d just have to take Savannah with him.

  He walked into the little girl’s room to find her in the little box Jenna and she had painted. He pulled open the door to see her crouched in the nearly dark space with all the blankets and pillows surrounding her, stroking her dolly’s hair.

  “Savannah, come to Daddy,” he said and held out his hand.

  She didn’t respond, so he got down on one knee—as difficult as it was…to speak to her face to face. “Daddy needs you to go with him. I know you don’t like the crowds of people, but we have some important things to do.” He reached in and gently tugged on her little wrist until she emerged.

  He combed Savannah’s hair and kissed the top of her head. “We’ve got to hurry, baby.”

  As he headed into Summerbrook, the skies grew cloudier and cloudier. They were nearly solid gray when he’d arrived at the shop.

  He helped Savannah to the ground and walked her inside.

  Several of the guys came to him at the door.

  “We been missin’ your old face around here, boss,” said Sea Pig.

  “Yeah, well, you don’t know how I’ve been itching to get back. I’m rather tired of convalescing. I have some issues at home, though.”

  Hickey and Dickey nodded in unison.

  Wilder spoke up. “You should have seen these ladies in that there fashion show. Oooo. Wheee. I never imagined I’d see Diamond Jim in a tutu. Right over his leather chaps.”

  They all laughed.

  Hogan missed the laughter in his life. But poor Jenna, putting up with them all by herself. She was stronger and more dedicated and faithful than any woman he knew.

  “Sales went through the roof after the show. And ever since, too. You ought to see our bottom line this month,” said Sea Pig. “Oh, and it didn’t take a hit with all the money you pledged up front. We made quite the contribution toward that little boy’s hospital bills.”

  “Good deal, guys. Thanks for all you’ve done.” Hogan looked around. “I want you to close up shop as soon as a couple of you load up some of those extra lanterns from storage into the Rover.”

  “Thanks, boss,” said Wilder. “My wife’s freakin’. She has a honey-do list a mile long. Don’t know how I’m g
oing to get it all done—since the change in the forecast.”

  “Change in the forecast?” Hogan asked.

  They all nodded.

  “We been glued to the TV all day,” Hickey said.

  Dickey hit Hickey. “But we’ve been working, too. Yeah, the storm’s picked up speed. It’s comin’ at us hard and fast.”

  Super bad news. “Okay, let’s get moving.”

  The guys loaded up the lanterns, and Hogan tore away from the parking lot, calling Jenna with his free hand. “Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.”

  He needed to know she was safe.

  He looked in the back seat at his little girl. Keeping her safe was the most important thing, but he figured he’d have time to check on Jenna if he hurried, so he pressed the accelerator.

  ⸙

  Nearly all of the preparations had been made. And Jenna had been at the helm. Maybe she was cut out for being the overseer of this plantation, after all. She really believed she could make a go of it with all that she’d learned about tea production—if her plan were approved by the board and she was put at the helm. If she had enough money in the trust to get the operation underway. And if this darn hurricane didn’t blow them all away. That was a lot of “ifs.”

  Jasper held the ladder once again as she bolted the latches on the shutters. The wind whipped in gusts, blowing her hair about her head like a halo, and then it would die down. One of the bands. Time was running out. When she climbed down, she let out all the air in her lungs. “Jasper, I need a break. She sat on the bottom rung and looked at the sky. Leaden clouds pushed across the heavens, and the tops of trees swirled like they were trying to escape. But there would be no escape from the monster storm that was coming.

  Her mother walked around the house. “Jenna, are you and Jasper almost finished?”

  “Almost. These shutters are taking longer than I thought they would. Some of the hardware is really rusty.” She took the hammer from her belt and held it up. “I’m having to manhandle them.”

  “Well, Live Five News just got an update from NOAA. The storm’s picked up speed and intensity. We won’t have as much time as we thought. The squalls are just off shore, and it looks like some of the more intense outer bands will reach us in a couple hours.”

  Jenna stood. “Momma, is there any way you could get Father to help us? I don’t know if I—”

  “Jenna, your father is already…past the point of helping. And is passed out upstairs.” Her mother looked toward the oyster-colored skies. “I’m sorry, sweetie. You know your father has never been one to pitch in on this plantation. I can help, if there’s something I can do.”

  She thought for a moment. “Yes, you can. Take the cart over to the cabin and pick up Amberlee and her things and get her all settled in the main house.”

  “Of course. She and I have some catching up to do,” her mother said.

  “Believe she has you a little surprise waiting,” Jasper said.

  “I can only pray that it’s one of her peach pies.”

  Jasper chuckled. “Go get that stubborn old woman and see.”

  Her mother shook her head and made her way to the golf cart. “I won’t tell Amberlee you said that, or she’ll kill you. I’ll be right back.” She cranked it up and headed down the lane.

  Drops of water hit Jenna’s arms, and she looked up at Jasper in surprise. “This thing’s rolling in way too fast. Let’s get this ladder to the front, and I’ll work on getting the upstairs shutters closed.”

  They grabbed opposite ends of the ladder and carried it to the front. They maneuvered it to the area where the window of the bedroom she’d occupied as a little girl was located. “Now, hold it steady. This wind is stronger than I’d hoped. Once I get to the second story, I’ll walk across the porch and batten down each pair.”

  “You know I will. I wouldn’t let anything happen to our girl.”

  She reached the roof of the wrap-around porch, and she carefully inched onto the tin. This wasn’t as easy as she’d thought it would be. The rain came a little more steadily, and the wind gusted harder and faster.

  “You be careful up there, now, Miss Jenna,” Jasper called from below. That tin can get awfully slick in the rain.

  Good thing she had on her duck shoes. The grips were way better than any other shoes she owned. She could do a lot of things that other women couldn’t in her Louboutins, but this wasn’t one of them.

  She crouched on all fours until she reached the first window. Standing slowly, she got her footing and then held onto the shutter. She closed one and then the other and then bolted the latch. Good. That wasn’t so hard.

  In her head, she made a mental note—for future hurricanes—to close the shutters the day before the storm—if she ever had the chance to protect the plantation again. Tin and water were dangerous companions. She got down on all fours again and gingerly crawled on the slippery roof to the next window. The skies were darkening so that she knew she’d need a flashlight before long. She had to hurry.

  When she reached the place she determined best, she stood and noticed lights on a vehicle coming up the long drive from the gate. Good, the delivery truck. She turned back to her chore. She tugged on the right shutter. It wouldn’t budge. She pulled on the right. No luck at all. Holding onto the panel with her left hand, she took the hammer from her bag and used the claw to pry at the wood. Still not budging.

  She heard the delivery truck stop in front of the house.

  She tapped each of the hinges with the head of the hammer. Harder and harder she tapped.

  “Jenna, be careful,” a familiar voice called from below.

  Still holding with one hand, she turned to see Hogan below, standing with his Rover door open.

  Just then the hinge gave way, and Jenna’s feet slipped from under her. She landed on her face with a thud.

  “Jenna!” Hogan screamed and came running toward the ladder. “Hang on. I’m coming up to get you.”

  “You can’t! Your hip.”

  “Forget my hip. I’m coming,” he said.

  She heard mumbling between Hogan and Jasper and could see the ladder move to the point where she was on the roof. Her hand held tightly to the now freely swinging shutter, and her duck shoe had a toehold on one of the vertical ridges in the tin on the roof—a tenuous hold.

  “Keep this steady. I’m going up after her,” Hogan said to Jasper. Her field of vision was obscured by her face’s close proximity to the roof. Her safety was being planned by two men she couldn’t even see.

  The ladder shook as she heard each of Hogan’s steps on it. When his head popped up over the edge, she’d never been so happy to see anyone.

  “How are we going to do this?” she asked.

  “Listen carefully. You’re going to take off your tool belt and hook it by the loop around the metal catch fixed to the house. Keep your free hand clutched to the shutter you’re holding.”

  She took it off with one hand and moved the stiff loop as close as she could to the hook on the house. It took a couple of tries, but finally she had it.

  “Great,” Hogan said.

  The wind blew in circles around them and sent a sheet of rain over them all. Then it stopped as quickly as it came.

  “Pull on it to make sure it’s going to hold.”

  She did as she was told. His voice and presence comforted her, even though she didn’t know what the next step was going to be.

  “Now, slowly—very slowly—inch yourself down to me, not letting go of the shutter until absolutely the last moment.”

  She felt his hand on her ankle.

  “Hold your leg stiff. My grip will be your floor. I’ll slowly lower you. Now let the shutter go.”

  After a momentary drop of about an inch, she steadied on his hand, and she could feel him grab the other ankle.

  “Now lower yourself by inching down the tool belt. Both hands.”

  Between her grasp on the tool belt and Hogan’s hands underneath her, she felt…secure—as secure as
she possibly could after being stranded on a slick tin roof—practically in the middle of a hurricane.

  “You’re almost there. Almost there,” he said

  “I’m running out of length on the tool belt.”

  “That’s okay. You’re nearly there. I’m going to direct your foot toward the first rung.” He moved her ankle. “Feel that?”

  “Yes.” The ladder’s rung was at the edge of the end of the roof. She found solid footing on it while Hogan held onto the other. In moments, she managed to maneuver over the edge of the porch.

  Hogan trapped her between his arms. “Let’s go slowly down,” he said to her.

  Safety. Even though they had not made it all the way down, she felt safe.

  The wind whirled again. “Keep steadying that ladder,” he called to Jasper.

  The rain drenched them again in several sheets, making a racket on the tin roof above.

  Rung by rung, they descended, she was secured between his arms.

  He reached the bottom and gingerly stepped off the ladder and grabbed her hand to help her off the last step.

  Without even thinking, her arms flew around his neck. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here. I—”

  He put a finger to her mouth and pulled her head into his chest. “I think we simply had great timing, coming through the gates when we did.”

  “We?”

  He looked back. “Yeah, Savannah’s in the Rover.”

  She pulled away to look. “Hogan.”

  Hogan let her go and trotted as best he could to his SUV. He looked in the backseat, then in the rear. “Savannah!”

  ⸙

  Hogan looked around the Land Rover. The Llama, Llama Mad at Mama book that Jenna had sent his little angel was on the ground. He picked it up. “Savannah!” He ran around front. “Savannah!”