Lavender Beach

by Vickie McKeehan

  Eastlyn rolled her eyes. “Could you narrow down ‘somewhere’ a little bit for me? This Bronco isn’t exactly fuel-efficient. If I don’t spot something soon, I’ll have to head back to town for gas. What would they find to do out here anyway?”

  “Bobby wanted the other two to see the owl’s nest on the other side of this bluff. It got dark on them.” Scott pointed to the other side of the road. “There, up ahead. See, on the shoulder. They’re waving you down.”

  Eastlyn hit the high beams and sure enough, she spotted three filthy little urchins walking along the dirt track. They looked bone-tired and fed up with adventure. At some point, each one had shed tears because they had white streaks on their faces. But they were safe and that was the important thing.

  Eastlyn pulled up alongside, wishing she had a badge to show the kids to put them at ease. “Is anyone hurt?”

  “Will you take us home?” Tommy groaned. “We’re hungry.”

  “You bet. I have a cell phone. Want to call your dads?”

  But Bobby gaped at her. “You’re the woman who talked to us at school about flying. She flies Black Hawk helicopters.”

  Eastlyn couldn’t help it, she grinned. “That’s right. I used to. So you guys want to call your dads or what? Who’s first?” She held out the phone to Jonah because he looked like he needed to hear a friendly voice the most.

  “My dad’s gonna be so mad at me,” Jonah mumbled. On the verge of tears, he hesitated to dial the number.

  Tommy was in the same frame of mind. “You watch. Mine’s gonna ground me for the rest of the summer. I won’t get out of the house for months.”

  Eastlyn looked at Bobby, who had yet to offer a dire look into his future. “Did you find the owl’s nest?”

  They all started talking at once as they scurried into the backseat. They rattled on about birds and a ledge and how they almost fell off the side of the cliff.

  “Okay, okay,” Eastlyn finally said. “The whole town is out looking for you guys. Your dads are worried sick. Trust me on this one point, they’ll be elated to hear from you.”

  Jonah wanted clarification. “Does that mean they won’t be mad?”

  “It means they’ll be so glad to see you they won’t lecture you until well after you eat when they put you to bed tonight.”

  That seemed to satisfy them all the way around.

  She dug into the backpack she’d brought along and pulled out a bottle of water. She handed it off to Tommy. “Next time you guys decide to go exploring, make sure you bring supplies with you. And don’t crawl out onto a cliff.”

  The boys took turns guzzling the water while Eastlyn picked up her radio to notify Brent. The whole time her passengers fought over who’d get to use the cell phone first.

  Cooper had gone door to door from one end of Ocean Street to the other. After coming up empty, he stood on the boardwalk doing what he could to calm Thane and Isabella, Archer and Greg.

  Small talk hadn’t worked as he stood with them waiting for Search and Rescue to show up. So far, no chopper had appeared to search the water, or to fly along the coastline. The search dogs hadn’t even made it there yet. “It’s frustrating to wait this long for county help to get here.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing,” Thane grumbled. “What’s taking them so damn long?”

  Isabella latched onto Thane’s arm. “Brent said they’re dealing with another emergency. But they should be here by now.”

  Cooper nodded. “It’s a shame Eastlyn’s just started work on the chopper. She was thinking about starting her own.”

  “Her own what?” Isabella asked, a confused look on her face.

  “Her own search and rescue outfit for just this kind of crisis situation.”

  Thane cocked a brow. “How would she do that exactly?”

  “Fixing up that old chopper rusting away out at Cleef’s. I thought everyone in town knew about her plans to get it ready to fly. She wants to get her pilot’s license back and start a rescue operation.”

  “I knew she wanted to fly again,” Isabella noted. “But I had no idea her plans included something so vital to the community.”

  As if inspiration hit them at the same time, Thane and Isabella exchanged looks.

  “You tell her to come see us first thing Monday morning,” Thane said. “It’s ridiculous to have to wait this long for the county to respond when our kids go missing. You tell Eastlyn we’ll back whatever it is she needs to make it happen.”

  Thane had no sooner spoken the words than his cell phone rang. The number that came up was Eastlyn’s. But Thane recognized the voice on the other end. “Jonah? Jonah, are you okay?

  Cooper watched the man’s face break into a grin.

  “Eastlyn found the boys!” Thane shouted to Archer and Greg. His knees wanted to buckle in relief. “They’re okay. They’re fine. Thank God, they’re okay.”

  Twenty-Four

  Eastlyn slapped the piece of paper down on the counter inside Layne’s Trains and all but did a happy dance. “I just got notification I’m set to see the aviation doctor in Santa Cruz Friday. That’s four more days from now. Do you know what this means?”

  “That you can’t party for the next ninety-six hours?” He came around his workspace and twirled her around.

  “That, too. But it also means I’m getting closer to ShowTime with the FAA. My appointment is at nine a.m. I want you to go with me.”

  “Absolutely.”

  She threw her arms around his neck. “And just think what a good time celebrating we can have Friday night knowing I passed my physical.”

  His lips quirked, a lazy smile formed. “We don’t have to abstain till Friday, do we?”

  “Hardly. But I came in here for another reason. I’m planning to drag you to the meeting with Thane and Isabella. It seems like the right thing to do since the turn of events yesterday, and whatever you said to him prompted Thane to want to talk to me. I’m stoked at the prospect he might come through with the backing for my startup.”

  “When’s the meeting? Where?”

  “Thane said to stop by Longboard Pizza any time after the lunch crunch. You know what this means? If this becomes a reality, I’ll have to give up at least one of my jobs.”

  He tossed out a laugh. “Thank God. I thought I’d have to hogtie you just to get to spend a few minutes of alone time.”

  “Come on. It isn’t that bad. I don’t work double shifts or anything and I’m always at home with you at night.”

  “So which one are you giving up? Landon will be disappointed if it’s the garden center, but he’ll understand.”

  “Good, because I don’t think I can let go of the Lighthouse Project. It means too much to me since it was there that I first connected with so many people. Isabella’s been a good friend to me. And since the plowing’s done it means the job takes up the least amount of my time. All I do is make sure the volunteers show up to weed, make sure the irrigation system works, and keep the rabbits out of the lettuce.”

  Cooper cackled out another laugh. “Well, if that’s all there is to it then no worries. Seriously, I think Landon gets that you aren’t meant to spend the rest of your life operating a forklift for him. When will you let him know your decision?”

  “It might as well be this afternoon. I won’t leave him in the lurch, a two week notice should do it.”

  Friday morning Eastlyn was awake at four-thirty. It was still dark outside when she got out of bed leaving a still-sleeping Cooper curled into his pillow. She showered, got dressed and went into the kitchen to make coffee.

  She was startled to see Scott sitting at her table.

  “Don’t screw this up.”

  The warning ticked her off a little. “How exactly do I screw up a physical? I’ve already completed my app online, answered all my medical history questions. And the last time I needed Band-Aids at Coastal Pharmacy, I sat down at one of those little self-checking blood pressure stations just to make sure it was normal. There’s not one
reason I should be worried about this part of the process. I have excellent height to weight ratio. I’m not allergic to anything. I have excellent vision.”

  “Who the hell are you out here talking to?” Cooper asked from the doorway, yawning, trying to wake up.

  She turned to see an empty chair at the table. Letting out a deep sigh, she hit the button on the Mr. Coffee. “No one, no one at all, just muttering to myself. Good thing the physical doesn’t cover stuff like that.”

  After getting the trip to the aviation doctor behind them, Cooper had just finished tapping together a frame for the latest photographs he called his “Lighthouse Series” when the shop door opened and in walked Caleb.

  “I’m taking Abby Anderson out Saturday night.”

  An amused Cooper cracked a grin. “Aren’t you supposed to be, I don’t know, working or something, making deliveries right about now? You couldn’t have just texted me with that update on your love life?”

  Caleb sat down at the train table, started working the controls of the HO scale Santa Fe Flyer. “At least I keep you updated. Do I need to recite the rules of bros one more time so you’ll understand the importance of full disclosure? You don’t seem to get it.”

  Cooper detected a need in his younger brother for kinship. And then something else occurred to him. “You don’t have a lot of friends in town, do you?”

  Caleb visibly bristled. His shoulders slumped. But he kept his eyes glued to the train as it made its way around the track. “You escaped out of here. You left all the crap behind, only coming back for Christmases. Me? Some of the kids at school never forgot that I came from a nutcase.”

  Cooper went over to where Caleb sat. “It’s true I ran out of here. I ran to escape, but I couldn’t, not really. You can never truly escape your past. It’s impossible to leave behind the memories. But you can learn to deal with them and understand how whatever Eleanor did, that’s on her. Now I realize I’ve been a lousy brother to you over the years. And that’s the last thing I ever wanted to be.”

  “No. You’ve always been the steady example to follow. That’s why I was surprised, shocked really, when you decided to come back. For months, I wasn’t sure you’d stay. Even after you bought your house, I still kept thinking I’d wake up and you’d be gone the next day.”

  Cooper slapped Caleb on the back. “I’m not going anywhere. My wandering days are over.”

  “Because of the hot pilot?”

  Cooper grinned. “She’s one reason. But you, Drea, Shelby, and Landon, are the other reasons. I tell you what, why don’t you see if Abby’s free later this evening and we all plan to meet over at McCready’s for a round of beers and some stale nachos.”

  “You buying?”

  “Sure. Eastlyn and I are celebrating. Aviation doc says she’s physically fit to fly.”

  Caleb gave his brother a high-five. “Then we’ll knock back a few and make it a party.”

  Once Eastlyn got into the habit of wearing dresses, she didn’t seem to be able to resist making a weekly stop at Reclaimed Treasures just to go through the new inventory.

  “I don’t know how you manage to find such great stuff,” Eastlyn told Julianne as she draped two tops and a skirt over her arm.

  “During the school year, it’s a challenge to find the time. But once summer gets here, I let loose and make trips back home to Santa Cruz, San Sebastian, you name it. I hit all my favorite places.”

  “Well, whatever it is you do, it works. Each time I come in here I find something new I want. And with your eye for color, I feel more at ease dressing for informal evenings around town.”

  Julianne grinned. “I’m glad you feel that way. It makes me think my little shop is as important as the bank.”

  “Oh, it is. My choices so far have gotten me a lot of compliments. I mean, I know I’ll never be a fashionista but…”

  “Who says you aren’t?”

  Eastlyn laughed. “It’s okay. I don’t really want to be a fashion guru. I just want to look my best when I’m out with Cooper.”

  Julianne pointed a finger. “Now you listen to me. Since the assembly, I’ve had three girls come up to me—from first grade to fifth—and tell me they wanted to become pilots because of you.”

  “Really?”

  “You bet. You’re much better than some fashion trendsetter, you’re a role model.”

  “Hmm, come to think of it I don’t mind doing a man’s job driving a forklift or plowing, but I’ve discovered I like the look on Cooper’s face when he sees me dressed up.”

  About that time her cell phone dinged with a text from him suggesting happy hour. She held up the message to Julianne. “See, I like the idea of putting on something other than jeans to mingle.”

  “It never hurts to show off our girlie side during downtime,” Julianne said.

  Pleased with that assessment of herself, Eastlyn bought several flattering outfits.

  At home she showered, kept her curly hair sassy and wild looking. She changed into a white swing sleeveless tank that showed off her tan lean arms. She wrapped a flowing Mercado skirt around her hips, draped a turquoise necklace around her neck for color, and let little moons in sterling silver hang at her ears.

  Walking into the drab, dark pool hall, Cooper decided she was the most beautiful thing there. But the stark change in her appearance did make a lot people do a double take, including several of the men at the bar.

  Caleb and his date, Abby Anderson, waited for them at a table near the back.

  Abby waved wildly at Cooper but almost didn’t recognize Eastlyn. “You look awesome. What’s gotten into you lately?”

  Eastlyn lifted a shoulder in a casual sign that said she did this all the time. “What? A girl shouldn’t dress up and make an event out of having a drink? These days, I do it all the time.”

  “She does,” Cooper said with a grin. “She’s the sort of woman who looks good in anything she wears, but mostly, mostly, she looks best wearing nothing at all.”

  Eastlyn felt her face flush. She elbowed Cooper playfully in the ribs as Abby, ever cheerful and spirited, simply went on with her glowing praise. “You look fantastic. Want to take a selfie with me to post on Facebook?”

  Delighted with the idea, Eastlyn leaned over next to Abby’s chair. “Sure. Let’s do it.”

  Abby grabbed her camera phone, snagged the photo and then uploaded it to social media.

  “What about taking a picture of all of us?” Caleb suggested, holding up his phone, capturing the image for all to see.

  While they were goofing around, Eastlyn spotted a face she recognized. She leaned into Cooper’s space. “There, at three o’clock, that’s the same guy Brent ID’d as Titus Driscoll, the one in several of your shots from the compound.”

  “The one making the buy. I remember. Driscoll seems to be friendly with a lot of the guys drinking at the bar.”

  Eastlyn kept her eyes on Driscoll as he joked with Flynn and several other men before heading off to the pool tables in the back. “Maybe I should go over and listen to their conversation.”

  When she started to get up, Cooper grabbed her hand. “Maybe now isn’t such a good time to let him know you’re on to him.”

  “Why do you have to be so logical?”

  Cooper spotted Bree and Troy coming in and waved the couple over. “Hey, why not join us? We’re ending the workweek with a happy hour to celebrate Eastlyn getting her aviation physical behind her.”

  Cooper noticed Troy didn’t seem like his usual cheerful self. The guy didn’t even acknowledge Eastlyn’s achievement. “Sounds like a plan. Bree and I’ve had a rough week, what with Zach and all. I pulled Bree in here because I thought she needed to get her mind off things.”

  “How’s Zach doing?” Eastlyn asked Troy.

  Troy’s eyes cut to Bree before he answered. “Haven’t you heard? Zach’s gone missing.”

  Everyone gaped but it was Cooper who asked, “What do you mean missing?”

  Bree dabbed at her ey
es. “Zach’s gone. I stopped by his house before I headed to work to check on him two days ago, his truck was in the driveway, but he was nowhere around. I went to Brent right away. Brent issued what he called a BOLO or Be On the Lookout that same day. The BOLO went out to law enforcement, but still no word, no one’s seen Zach. For the past forty-eight hours Troy and I have been worried sick about him.”

  Troy went on to explain, “We drove up and down the Coast Highway, north and south for miles, but couldn’t find him anywhere. There’s been no sign of him around town.”

  Bree’s voice trembled. Her breath hitched. “I’m afraid he’s wandered off without his medication. I found it sitting right there in the kitchen where he left it.”

  After ordering beers all around, Troy turned to Cooper and Caleb. “I just want you to know there are no hard feelings on our part about Drea breaking up with Zach. He’s been…in a bad place now for months.”

  Cooper nodded. “We were concerned about Drea’s safety, especially when Zach wouldn’t leave her alone.”

  But Eastlyn was still having a problem processing the fact that Zach had simply wandered off. “I can’t believe he’d up and leave like that without his truck. What did he do, walk wherever he went?”

  Troy sipped his brew. “That’s just it, we don’t know for sure. We’re afraid he’s not in his right mind and might have tried to hurt himself.”

  Bree picked up her drink. “There are a dozen places he might go. Maybe he even headed back to Colorado. You know several years ago he took off for the Rockies. He didn’t even let me know where he was for two days. He just packed up and left. When I think back to that time after our dad died, Zach’s been acting strange for years.”

  Troy nodded. “It’s those kinds of things in Zach’s past that make us think life’s pressures started getting to him. He just couldn’t handle things.”

  Zach’s disappearance still didn’t make sense to Eastlyn. “But on foot? How far could he really get on foot? Think about it.”