Starlight Dunes

by Vickie McKeehan

  “That’s my big boy,” River said, patting him on the back. “Let’s go inside and get you settled.”

  While River took care of Luke, Brent ambled down to the roadway wanting very much to take his time. He knew they were not supposed to cross over onto private property. Didn’t mean they wouldn’t but if they did, he’d arrest their asses. Once he reached the throng, he made sure he waited for the cameras to focus on him and not the scene unfolding behind him.

  As expected, Tamara kicked things off, wasting no time getting to the heart of the matter. “I understand from the FBI the baby’s father was shot and killed in a confrontation in Wyoming with local police.”

  Brent glowered in her direction. “I’m not here to take questions. But I will make a statement on behalf of the Amandez family.”

  “But the baby’s name is Patton,” Tamara insisted.

  “Actually, Ms. Davis, you didn’t do your homework this time around. Your facts are incorrect. Two years earlier, a Santa Fe judge gave sole custody of the child known as Luke, to his mother, River Amandez. During that court proceeding, the baby’s surname was legally changed to the mother’s last name, Amandez. At the time, the birth father, Wes Patton, didn’t care enough about that event to bother showing up for the custody hearing nor did he do anything to protest the judge’s ruling. For whatever reason, for whatever purpose, perhaps to get back at his ex-wife for a reason known only to him, Wes Patton abducted the child from his daycare facility and went on the run. We may never know why Patton did what he did. But it’s over now and the family has a request. At this critical time for mother and child to reunite, the Amandez family asks that you respect their privacy and refrain from following them around. What was obviously a tragic event for Ms. Amandez at the time has now turned into a joyous return of her son. She’d like your cooperation in keeping it positive for the child by allowing both of them to have this time to heal. That’s it guys. Now, I’m asking nicely for you to move along.”

  Having said what he’d come to say, Brent walked back up the driveway leaving Tamara with a scowl on her face. It was the closest thing to a public snit he’d seen in years. Let the audience deal with that side of her, Brent thought as he calmly walked back up to the house.

  So the big, bad sheriff had a new girlfriend and the girlfriend had a little kid. It made Cody vulnerable, a new angle to consider, new targets. He wasn’t as smart as he thought. There were ways to get to him. There had to be other options. It would take persistence and patience to find them.

  But the resolve was there, deep within.

  Inside the house, once Luke conquered his initial shyness, he discovered a toy box full of Legos and kids willing to show him how to put them together. Between Hutton and Scott, Luke wasn’t shy about exploring their trucks and stuffed animals. When Luke didn’t seem interested in the frilly assortment of dolls Hutton offered, she decided to force the issue on him by pushing it into his chest, almost knocking him down.

  Although Luke didn’t cry, in the way of kids, he did shove Hutton back.

  And that’s the scene Brent stepped into as the living room took on a noisy jumble where three kids tried out their boundaries and put the parents to the test. It reminded him what he’d missed out on over the years. Fatherhood had managed to slip through his fingers. Good thing he hadn’t seriously considered it. But there were times a man wanted something and didn’t even realize what it was until it happened right in front of him. This was one of those times.

  “Hutton, that’s no way to offer Luke your doll,” Jordan chided her daughter. If he doesn’t want to play with Barbie, there’s no need shoving it at him.”

  “I wanted Luke to see how pretty she is,” Hutton said in defense. “That’s all.”

  “He sees that, just like Scott sees it sometimes and doesn’t want to play with Barbie either. Okay?”

  “’K.” Eyeing a sympathetic male standing in the entryway, Hutton abandoned the incident with Luke and rushed up to Brent holding up her doll. “Hi. Um, wanna see my Mermaid Barbie?”

  “Sure,” Brent returned, leaning down to boost her up. “Wow, look at her shiny fins. She doesn’t really get those fins wet, does she?”

  Hutton shook her head. “I don’t want her to get wet. Her sparkles might fall off.”

  “That’s probably a good idea.”

  River watched the byplay between Brent and Hutton and how easily he adapted to the chaos of the room. Pretty impressive for a single guy, River decided. About that time Luke left the building blocks behind to wander over to where his mother stood. Nothing could have pleased her more. Brushing his hair off his face, she lifted him up onto her hip. “Luke, are you hungry?” She’d learned from the social worker that Luke loved peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwiches and macaroni and cheese. Since he’d lived on those kinds of meals for months, she’d have to take it slow when it came to incorporating new foods into his diet. But for the time being, it gave her a place to start.

  When Luke’s head bobbed up and down in response, she walked over to Brent. “Fancy meeting you here. I see you have a pretty girl there. Look what I’ve got. I found a great big handsome boy who claims he’s hungry.”

  “Luke looks like you,” Hutton said from her perch in Brent’s arms.

  “She’s right, he does,” Brent agreed, looking at the little tyke River had bundled in her arms. “How would both of you like some pasta?”

  “I like pasghetti,” Hutton said.

  “I wanna hotdog,” Luke piped up.

  “Then what do you say we go scrounge us up some grub,” Brent offered, beaming at River the entire time.

  “What do you say, Luke?”

  “Hotdog,” he repeated with a stubborn bent.

  Brent laughed and rubbed a gentle hand over Luke’s head. “No sense in arguing with a man who knows what he wants.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The city council couldn’t swing getting the carnival dealer to set up any earlier than Thanksgiving weekend. So along with holiday preparations, most of the eager townspeople had to mix their festive plans with prepping and putting together vendor booths.

  It was a major undertaking. The community church became a staging area where people could register for whatever craft they planned to offer. The Crawford sisters took care of arranging each table while Drea Jennings kept a chart as where each would be on Main Street.

  But by six o’clock Wednesday night, workers began to head for home to get ready for their own celebration with family or friends.

  At Promise Cove, Nick and Jordan welcomed a full house. Newcomers mingled with an assortment of ragtag people with no place else to go. Even though she’d been invited to the Cody house in Santa Cruz for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving feast, tonight belonged to her crew. River stood at the island inside Jordan’s kitchen beside Laura and Julian who were lending a hand at making cornbread stuffing.

  While Luke and Brent sat on the floor erecting a tower with colorful blocks, River kept up a steady chatter on toddlers.

  “He fell asleep last night next to me. It was wonderful.” A lump formed in River’s throat. At the sight of Luke and Brent playing together, she sucked in a breath. “I didn’t think this was possible. It just goes to show how Brent’s involvement knowing exactly who to contact and how to get the word out turned this case completely around. If not for that one thing—” Her voice trailed off. Fighting back happy tears, she went on, “Scott was right.”

  River saw Julian and Laura both turn to stare at her.

  “You actually talk to him?” Julian wanted to know. “Laura mentioned what’s become the local legend.”

  “Yeah. I know it sounds crazy. But Scott has this way of being right so there’s just no way to ignore it.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Cord said from the other side of the counter as he nibbled on chips and dip. “In my case, the guy refused to shut up. But look at me now. I’d say between Keegan and Scott, I got my life back on track, a life I never thought I’d h
ave.”

  “All I know is that I owe Scott and Brent big time. Not only that, if not for that cop who thought Wes acted strange enough to keep an eye on, Wes would likely have gotten out of Dodge again and gone on the run.”

  “What will you tell Luke about his father?” Nick wanted to know as he set out more appetizers.

  “The only thing I can,” River said. “His father was a very flawed man.”

  Bright and early Saturday morning a little before eight a.m., a chilly overcast November day couldn’t dampen the town’s spirits as they kicked off the very first fundraiser for the elementary school project.

  Brent and Ethan along with Cord and Logan had spent the morning closing off Main to Ocean Streets, putting up barricades, and setting out traffic cones directing where fairgoers should park.

  While the town came alive, the men stood surveying the scene as people began to mill around the vendor tents, a mishmash of crafts and wares and services donated by its eager citizens willing to contribute to the cause.

  This early, the scent of freshly brewed coffee blended with the smell of warm doughnuts fresh from Max Bingham’s oven at the Diner. Other scents like fresh cinnamon rolls and bacon wafted from the food court, set up in the common area between the bank and Murphy’s Market.

  “These fairs keep getting more and more involved. One of the food sellers is a lady Keegan roped into making the trip from San Sebastian who makes the most delicious sandwiches using waffles,” Cord commented. “She’ll even throw turkey and cheese between two waffles if you want her to.”

  “Sounds a bit strange and something I might have to try since I haven’t had breakfast yet,” Brent moaned. He glanced around as pedestrian traffic coming down from Ocean Street picked up. “Just look at all the loyal residents involved in putting this thing together. And how many of the townspeople have booths this time around? They’re adamant about supporting the renovation. Our grandmother would be proud of this.”

  “And they all showed up early just like they promised,” Ethan added. “Not one of the volunteers wimped out. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Pelican Pointe come together as a town like this before. Autumn would definitely be as proud as I am right now.”

  “When you guys started all this everyone certainly stepped up in a big way, more than I thought they would. Do you suppose their excitement will wane after the fourth or fifth fundraiser?” Brent wanted to know.

  “Not if we mix things up, start off with the street fair now, hold an auction the first of the year after we get the holidays behind us, then go with a huge community sale at the church in March or so. Get the neighboring towns involved with as many people as possible,” Logan declared. Turning to Brent, he added, “You’ve got a stake in this now, too.”

  “Me? How so? I don’t have kids.”

  Logan rolled his eyes. “You’re dating a woman with a kid,” he pointed out.

  “Who might end up putting down roots here if she has enough incentive to stay,” Ethan tossed in. “I’ve yet to see a woman who doesn’t put a good school at the top of her list when it comes to her kids.”

  “Think about it. Come time for the boy to go to school, the little guy will be attending the one we bring back from the ashes, so to speak,” Logan said.

  Ethan nodded in agreement. “Speaking of kids, sleep late now because when your twins get here, sleep becomes a fantasy,” Ethan cracked. “Babies are a relationship-changer.” He eyed his brother’s face and noted the look of sheer terror he saw reflected there. “Don’t worry. Luke is well past waking up every two hours to eat.” Just for emphasis, he slapped Brent on the back.

  It was a sobering thought, Brent realized, and more than a little scary. Was he ready to take on a ready-made family like that? How deep did his feelings for River really go anyway? When he realized Ethan was talking to him, he snapped back from those doubts.

  “Any word yet from forensics about the DNA on that burger wrapper we found at the lighthouse?” Ethan asked. “Any hits in CODIS yet?”

  “No hits in CODIS. But the DNA came back female. No surprise there,” Brent replied. “We already figured what with the small footprints that might be the case.”

  “You mean the person trying to kill Brent is a woman?” Cord asked, cocking a brow.

  “The person who made the bomb is female?” Logan repeated.

  Brent rolled his eyes. “We don’t know for certain the wrapper was even from our shooter. The wind could’ve blown it there.”

  “I suppose,” Ethan said, scratching his head. “But what females have stood around up there on the cliffs eating a burger from a particular fast food chain?”

  “Good point,” Brent stated.

  “So the one who shot at you on the beach is female? That’s a little odd.” But then Logan frowned remembering how crazy his first wife had been and added, “You get a pissed off female who’s even slightly nuts and you have unpredictability in spades.”

  “You’re telling me. You sound like you speak from experience.”

  “Oh believe me, I do. I was married to crazy. But then one day I woke up and found the good sense to divorce her ass. But not before she attacked me. You be careful out here, Brent. We’ll try to have your back should you need it.”

  “Appreciate it,” Brent uttered.

  “But why would this woman have it in for you so bad that she’d resort to bomb-making? I mean that’s extreme. She has to be linked in some way to your past,” Cord reasoned.

  Brent scratched his head a little embarrassed. “If she is, I’m not aware of it. I did my best to stay away from breakups that resulted in hard feelings.”

  Ethan sent Brent his best sarcastic grin. “Except for the newswoman.”

  “Yeah, Tamara was the exception.”

  “You sure about her?” Cord put in. “I mean some women refuse to let go of a grudge.”

  “I don’t see Tamara putting together an explosive device,” Brent returned. “She’s too concerned about chipping a nail.”

  “Hayden is expecting huge crowds in town over the next two days. And look around you. So many people already we’ll probably run out of parking places on the side streets before nine a.m. We’re off to a great start, which means the turnout makes for a lot of strangers in town. We need to get the word out to—”

  Brent didn’t let him finish. “To what? We can’t go around following every person we don’t recognize who comes into Pelican Pointe this weekend. It isn’t practical.”

  “I know, but it wouldn’t hurt to keep a close watch out for anyone acting suspicious either. How are things going between River and Luke?”

  “It’s been a stellar three days. We plan to treat Luke to all of the rides as soon as she gets to town beginning with the carousel.”

  Ethan thumped his brother on the back. “Face it. You’re in jeopardy of becoming domesticated, brother, just like the rest of us. How does it feel?”

  “Remind me to put out a press release when I figure it all out.”

  River might’ve borrowed a stroller from Jordan but when it came to Luke’s clothes, she’d insisted on new. She’d spent hours online ordering him jeans, pants, a string of T-shirts and sweat tops, a fleece-lined coat for higher altitudes, a hoodie, a jacket for chilly days like today, several pairs of pajamas with various patterns on them decorated with boy stuff like dogs or trains.

  Even the supply of pull-ups she’d chosen had bright red cars on them. After ordering him three pairs of sneakers, she knew she’d gone slightly nuts in the clothes department. She knew he’d outgrow the stuff in a matter of months. But she didn’t care. She hadn’t shopped for her baby in two years so she’d enjoyed every minute making each selection and adding it to her cart.

  Today she’d dressed her little guy in jeans and a long sleeve sweatshirt. She’d brought his jacket along in case the temperature dropped. Okay, she knew she might be obsessing over warm clothes, but wasn’t she entitled? One glimpse at the child in the backseat, she decided whatever it took
to keep him safe or warm from now on, she would do.

  “You like your new clothes, don’t you, Luke?”

  He patted his chest and said with pride, “Like my bike shirt.”

  Behind the wheel, she grinned. His sweatshirt had a bicycle painted on it. “Jordan said we could use one of their bikes tomorrow to go for a ride. How would that be?”

  He clapped his hands. “Bike ride. Hutton can come, too.”

  That confirmed her suspicions. She was sure her son had a little crush on Hutton. And now as she circled the block hunting down a parking place near Brent’s house, she wondered if she could leave behind the kinds of friends she’d come to love here. People like Jordan and Hayden and Kinsey. River wasn’t sure she could do it. They’d bonded over kid talk and various theories about potty training.

  After the third time around, River finally spotted a place the Wagoneer would fit into. She eased it to a stop at the curb and hopped out.

  As she unloaded the stroller out of the back, she spotted Brent heading their way. If she was honest, she’d missed spending her nights in his bed. But because she was a responsible mother again, lustful thoughts like that had to be shelved for now.

  “How’s it going?” Scanning the rear luggage area of the vehicle, Brent realized things had changed quite a bit. A slew of toddler gear had replaced all of River’s archaeological tools she usually lugged around. One glance at Luke as she settled him into the roller thing and he realized the boy looked different—happier than the scene at the airport.

  “We’re ready for a ride on the carousel,” River said.

  “I think we can do a little better than that. According to the firsthand information I obtained by scouting the vendors this morning, one of the rides has race cars like a merry-go-round. How does that sound, Luke?”