by Sarita Leone
He read her mind. “Empty. I checked on the way in.”
Reva and Gabby weren’t going to make it with their cars. It was not even worth trying.
“We’ll have to leave the cars.” He put the truck in neutral. “I’ll go get everybody—no time to waste. Be right—”
The wind let up just enough that the rain stopped blowing sideways for a moment. She saw something in the maelstrom that terrified her.
“Neil—look! Standing on the roof of the car—do you see him?”
“Crazy fool—he’ll get killed that way.” He pointed to the power lines dangling perilously close to the water’s surface. “Won’t take more than another gust or two to send those into the water.”
“We’ve got to get him—please!”
He was already out of the truck. Penny had gone silent, and Chloe didn’t encourage her to speak. Better to keep her head down, and stay close, than to see the horror before them.
Neil jumped back inside. He shook his head, sending water flying. “Want to stay with Gabby? I can take you to her if—”
They had precious few minutes before the cherry red Mustang was either swept away or the man standing on top of it fell into the whirlpool. Or, before the power lines electrified the whole mess.
“We’re going with you.”
Her world was wrapped up in the cab of the truck, and the doctor clinging to his car in the intersection. There wasn’t any bit of it she was willing to give up, even if it meant sacrificing everything.
Chapter 44
Two days later, folks in Lobster Cove were already calling the storm The Big One. It was almost too incredible to believe, but no lives had been lost. Property damage tallies continued to rise, but whatever the total was mattered not one bit to anyone. It was, they all agreed, chump change gladly paid in exchange for everyone’s lives.
Chainsaws buzzed from sunrise to sunset. There would be no shortage of wood for winter’s fires. Tow trucks removed flood-damaged vehicles, and town workers hit the streets before the rain ended. Damaged signs were replaced and orange cones warned of hazards. Two roads were cordoned off until they could be repaired. Power and telephone crews installed new poles and were busy restoring services.
Lobster Cove wasn’t the kind of place to languish after a storm—not even The Big One.
The old house had been the only one in the Cove that was a total tear-down. Others had sustained roof losses, broken windows and an assortment of other structural ills but all were going to be fixed.
The old oak had damaged their home beyond repair.
Penny and Ted hadn’t been back in the house, but the others had ventured inside. They’d salvaged whatever they could and moved it all to Neil’s place. So much had been lost, but they kept reminding each other that they were alive, and the rest were just material possessions.
Easy to say, but the reality of the situation scared the hell out of Chloe. For the first time in her life, she was homeless. Along with the rest of her family. It was an overwhelming realization.
The Lobster Cove cemetery sent a backhoe to disinter the remains from beneath the oak tree. Most of the tree had fallen, but a part remained. It was better to move the dead before the heavy equipment required to raze the house and take away the tree could destroy whatever survived the centuries.
So far, Leah and Ned Sweet had been recovered. Their plots yielded little, but the bones and wood leavings, as well as a good quantity of surrounding earth, had been placed in concrete vaults on a flatbed truck.
A smaller box, amazingly nearly intact, had been removed. Its lid had been carved to read Zeke Smith, Beloved Brother. That, too, had been transferred to a vault.
They sat on what remained of the back steps. The overgrown lilac bush was bedraggled but would probably live. The steps had been pulled from the house by the wind and deposited near a side hedge. They made a wobbly spot to sit but few options presented themselves. The lawn chairs had all been torn to shreds or smashed by the tree.
Kyle cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse, from shouting into the wind and rain, but that didn’t stop him from speaking. “Two more buried there, you said?”
“That’s what we were told. Ned and Leah’s descendants are in the cemetery, so they would have been the last buried here. With Zeke out, that leaves two.”
“Who are they?” He took her hand in his and rubbed a slow finger across her knuckles.
“Lizzie Sweet—Ned’s mother. And Sam Fisher. Depending on who you believe, he was either a pirate or a sea captain.” John, the backhoe operator, gave a shout. The men on the ground, charged with keeping lookout in the holes he dug for signs of human remains, got down on their hands and knees. “Looks like they found another one.”
John got out of the cab, peered into the hole he’d just dug, and nodded. He climbed behind the controls again and started scooping earth into one of the empty vaults on the truck.
“Does it matter to you whether Sam was a sea captain or a pirate?” Kyle bumped her with his shoulder, but it was a gentle touch. “Who turns you on, hero or villain?”
“I’ve always figured Sam to be a good guy. He came to Lobster Cove and stayed, that’s got to count for something. In the 1700s it must have been a hard life, so we’re sure he was stubborn, which, as you know, is a trait I obviously find endearing.”
Only a stubborn man would disregard the weather bulletins and drive into a horrific storm. And, when he saw the devastation, refuse to turn around. When they spotted him on his car, he had been preparing to swim across the intersection.
Since the storm, they’d had a friendly debate regarding his character. Chloe knew he was probably the most stubborn man alive, to have tried such a thing. He, on the other hand, insisted it was determination that sent a man into a storm.
They both knew it was love, but the discussion lightened the mood and amused the family, so they kept it up.
“My kind of guy.” He leaned in for a quick kiss. It was interesting what a near-death experience did to hasten a relationship along. They hadn’t rounded home yet, but they’d reached third base—very carefully, given the damage her back and shoulders had received when the tree branch sliced it—and it had been fantastic.
“I figured you’d say that.” She watched the lid being secured to the vault they just filled. The backhoe moved backward about three feet, then began to dig again.
“You know you’re all welcome to stay at my place if you want. There’s enough room for everyone.”
Neil had graciously moved in with Chris and Allen. With nowhere to call home, they were all grateful. It would do for short-term living, but long term? Chloe had no idea what was going to happen to them.
“Thanks, but we’re settled at Neil’s. The insurance company is expediting the process, so I’m hoping they cut us a check soon. I’ll have to come to terms with the bank on the roofing loan, but aside from that, the funds are ours. It won’t be nearly enough to rebuild—but I can’t think about that yet.”
She shrugged, which was a mistake. Pain reminded her she’d very nearly lost a kidney in the storm. Kyle had stitched her back when they were all safe at Neil’s place—after Gabby, Reva, and Julia put Penny to bed and Uncle Ted snoozed in an armchair wearing a pair of Neil’s pajamas.
Kyle put a hand on her forehead. “No fever. When was the last time you took pain meds?”
When she didn’t reply, he shook his head. “You should take them. It will help.”
“I can’t have my mind clouded by drugs—legal or otherwise. Don’t you see?” She waved a hand toward the collapsed building. The tree had cut it nearly in two. “I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do.”
Neil walked around the side of the house. Kyle stood, and the men shook hands.
“What you’re going to do about what?” He gave her a smile, then crossed his arms and watched John dig.
“Everything.” The backhoe stopped again, and the men fell to their knees and leaned into the fresh hole. “No, that
’s wrong. Not everything. Just the house, I guess.”
His generous spirit knew no bounds. “Hey, you know you can stay at my place for as long as it takes. You’ve all got a home, so don’t waste energy thinking you’re homeless.” He turned, met her gaze. “You’ll never be homeless; do you hear me?”
He knew her too well.
The lump in her throat kept her from speaking. That had been happening a lot since the storm. Kyle said it was nothing to worry about but the vulnerable feeling was new to her. She couldn’t wait for it to go away.
“Listen, I want to thank you for loaning me your car. Helluva nice thing to do—first you save my life, then you let me use your wheels. I don’t know what to say, man.” Kyle had thanked Neil more than once since the storm. The two had formed an interesting friendship. It made Chloe’s life simpler, and Penny had already fallen in love with both men, so it was cool that they were on good terms.
“No sweat. Hey, you saved my life. Now we’re even.” Neil gave him the thumbs up, sealing the deal.
“Yeah, now if Chloe could find her happy place, we’d be all set.” Kyle sat beside her again. He put a hand on her knee and asked, “Why don’t you decide what you want to do? That’ll cut the stress by a ton, just knowing what kind of home you want.”
Neil stopped watching the cemetery workers. They’d begun filling the fifth vault with earth and remains. Hardly something a man who’d nearly died a few days ago wanted to witness. He turned his back on the action, squatted before her and met her gaze.
“You know what you want. You’ve always known.”
He was right. But wanting something and having it were two different things. She didn’t point out that he, of all people, should know that.
“I don’t know if I can do it.”
“Of course you can do it. You only have the limitations you set on yourself. All your life, you’ve given to the rest of us. It’s time you take what you want—long past time, really.”
Kyle cleared his throat.
She turned and gave an apologetic smile. “Didn’t mean to cut you from the conversation. Sorry.”
“No worries. But I would like to know—what is it you want?”
Neil answered before she could open her mouth. She glared at him, but he smiled and she could not be angry. He was just trying to fit in, to build a bridge between all of them. It was his way, and there was no malice in his actions. She knew him well enough to know that, so she let him explain.
“She wants to open a home for women who need a safe place to stay. Women who are escaping abuse. Women who are pregnant and unwed, and need support. Women who have no place to go, or just need a break to turn their lives around. It’s what she’s always wanted. It’s been Chloe’s dream for longer than I can remember.” His tone was serious when he met her gaze and added, “You should do it. Grab the dream of a lifetime and do it.”
“Is that what you want, really?” Kyle asked.
She nodded. “It is.”
“Neil’s right. You should go for it. We’re all here to help.” He looked up at the workers, then back to her. “We only get one go-around in life. None of us should forget that.”
She put her palms over her eyes and rubbed. They were still itchy from all the plaster dust that covered her when the third floor collapsed. She stopped, looked each of them in the face and said, “Have you forgotten it’s not just about me? I have a daughter to consider now, remember?”
The men exchanged glances.
Kyle shook his head. “Have you forgotten about the rest of us? We’re here to help. You’re not alone in that.”
Neil’s gaze didn’t falter. “You’ve forgotten who you are. You’ve always been the one to believe the impossible was possible. That shouldn’t change—ever. Think about this—a month ago, Penny didn’t have parents and we…well, we were a mess. Now, we’re moving forward, and she has parents. Three parents, to be exact. I’d say there’s no better example of making fact from fiction. So, go for it. Realize a dream.”
She wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to…
“Even if I took a leap and built big enough to open a home, the truth is the insurance check isn’t going to cover all of that. It’s not enough money.” She would have some cash to spend, but it would never build a house big enough to shelter the family plus take in needy women.
“A mortgage?” Neil wasn’t giving up.
“Won’t work. I’d have to charge the women to stay here in order to make the monthly payments. They can’t afford to pay, so that’s out.”
Kyle spoke. “A personal loan? From someone who loves you and wants to help?”
“As much as I want to accept, I can’t. It’s wonderful of you to offer, but if I do this, I have to find a way to make it happen without putting myself in debt. Thank you, though.”
“Offer stands if you change your mind.”
She took his hand in hers and nodded. “Thanks.”
Shouts went up near the backhoe.
Chloe looked up in time to see John wave them over. She hadn’t wanted to approach the old graves, not while they were digging, so she shook her head.
“You’ve got to see this! Before we pull it up—come on, it’s incredible!”
They stood and headed across the lawn. Some of the debris had been pushed aside by the backhoe when the crew arrived so they followed the cleared path.
Every man was grinning from ear to ear. And, when she got close enough, John grabbed her hand. He tugged her to the side of the hole.
“Move over, guys! Let the lady through!” He took her right to the edge and pointed. “Look! I felt something hard when I dug the last one out—something peculiar, don’t you know? We shoveled a bit and look! Look at that!”
Chloe’s knees bent and she dropped to the muddy ground. The hole was only four or five feet deep, but nestled in the mud was the thing children’s dreams are made of.
“A pirate’s chest.” Goose bumps rose on her arms. She leaned into the hole, reached a hand out and ran her fingertips along the hard metal surface. “It’s real.”
Kyle knelt on one side of her, and Neil on the other.
She looked from one to the next. Both wore similar expressions of utter disbelief.
“Let’s get it out of there.” Neither responded so she said, “Hey, guys—can we get it out of there?”
“Sorry—I think I’m just in shock.” Kyle reached in and brushed the dirt from one side of the chest with his fingertips. “There’s a handle over here.”
Neil jumped into the hole, knelt beside the chest and dug with his hands until he uncovered a matching handle. He looked at the other man when he spoke. “How about if I lift it out and hand it to you?”
“Good idea.” Neil lifted but the box did not move. “Need some help?”
The men around them were taking bets on what was in the chest. They all congratulated her on her luck, but until she saw what was in the box, she wasn’t counting her chickens.
“Thing is heavy. Yeah, maybe you should come in and help.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
Kyle joined Neil in the hole, and for one insane moment, Chloe realized that the only two men she’d ever loved now stood side by side in a grave. A creepy thought, so she pushed it aside.
While the cemetery men cheered, they lifted the chest and placed it on the grass. Both men climbed out wearing big grins on their faces.
“It’s heavy.” Kyle wiped dirt from his hands onto the legs of his jeans.
“Real heavy.” Neil agreed.
The pirate’s chest was a thing of beauty, even after being buried. It resembled the replicas sold to tourists in gift shops, only this one was much nicer. The leather straps had deteriorated, but the buckles were intact. There were scenes hammered into the metal along the front and side panels. Pirate ships. A skull and crossbones. Swords. A mermaid. A date.
1743.
“Well, anyone going to open that?” John and his men had fallen back when the chest was
lifted but now they moved closer.
“It’s up to you.” Kyle traced a finger over the mermaid’s hair. “But I’ve got to admit, I’m pretty curious about what’s in there.”
Neil raised a dubious brow. “You’re not going to wait, are you? The suspense will kill me.”
Two men, both of the same mind. And, the ones gathered around all looked as if they were ready to jump from their skins, the anticipation was affecting them so.
Chloe grinned. She looked at each of them in turn, savoring the magical moment.
“If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up.”
“It’s no dream, honey.” Kyle accepted a hammer and screwdriver one of the men brought over. He held it up. “Well?”
“Let’s open it!” She moved aside and gave him room to work.
Every man had a suggestion about how to break the lock.
Neil gave it one good tug. “Solid, even after centuries. I bet a couple of hard ones where the mechanism is should jar something loose.”
Kyle put the screwdriver against the lock, to the spot where the other had pointed as being the likeliest to spring.
“Wait.” She heard the chorus of groans but did not care. “You don’t think there’s a body in there, do you?”
“No way. It’s too heavy.” Neil shook his head.
“Okay, then. Do it.”
It only took one whack with the hammer to make the ancient lock pop open. Kyle moved aside. He looked at her, swept a hand toward the chest and said, “It’s yours, Chloe. You should open the pirate’s prize.”
A shiver of anticipation shot up her spine. Impulsively she leaned over and kissed him. Then, she reached for Neil and gave him a fast hug.
Her fingers trembled as she took the lock off. She dropped it on the grass, and placed her hands on the metal chest. She took one deep breath for courage, then swung the top up.
Gold doubloons, silver cups inlaid with jewels and dazzling gems came into view. She gasped as the others began to cheer. Kyle picked her up and swung her in a circle, holding her so carefully that for a moment she thought she was flying.