by Kay Correll
“Okay. Here’s what we’ll do. Eddie, head toward the lighthouse. Courtney, head that way down the beach.” Tally pointed in one direction. “I’m going to look around the cafe and the storage building and around the streets near here. I’ll call Susan and have her keep an eye out for Bobby, too.”
Courtney was grateful for someone taking charge. She had to find Bobby. What if he got too close to the ocean and got knocked over by a wave? Or got lost and scared? Or… she had to quit thinking like that.
“Hey, there’s Sheriff Dave. I’ll let him know Bobby is missing.” Tally motioned the sheriff to come over.
Courtney’s heart pounded in her chest, choking her breath. Her instinct was to run from the sheriff, but if he could help find Bobby…
“Dave, Courtney’s son, Bobby, is missing. Can you call your guys and let them know in case anyone sees him?” Tally asked.
“Description?” Sheriff Dave took out a pad of paper.
Courtney shoved back her urge to run. “He’s five. He has blonde hair. Curly, kinda. He was wearing…” Courtney frowned. What had he put on today? Why couldn’t she remember? Her mind was a blank. What kind of mother didn’t know what her son was wearing?
“He had on gray shorts and a red shirt,” Tally filled in.
“Okay, I’ll make some calls. I’ll let you know if one of my men turn up anything.”
“Thanks, Sheriff.” Tally turned to Courtney. “Let’s head out.”
Courtney was more than ready to get away from the sheriff’s prying eyes. She might be imagining it, but it seemed to her that he’d looked at her very peculiarly. She pushed the thought away. She’d deal with that later. Now it was all about finding Bobby.
Tereza gave Courtney a quick hug, her friendly arms providing strength. “We’ll find him. It will be okay.”
Courtney nodded, snagged her phone to look at it to make sure it had a good charge, and slipped it back in her pocket.
“Okay, call if anyone finds him.” Tally took off through the cafe, and Courtney and Eddie headed toward the beach.
Courtney’s heart pounded in her chest. Bobby had to be okay. He had to be.
She’d tried so hard to protect him. Protect him from his father. Not that Kurt should be allowed to call himself a father. But what if this wasn’t Bobby out looking for Stormy? What if Kurt had found Bobby?
* * *
Eddie headed down the beach toward Lighthouse Point at a comfortable jog. He scanned the people on the beach and stopped occasionally to ask people if they’d seen Bobby. Unfamiliar thoughts crept through his mind. Worries about Bobby being hurt, lost, scared. He’d never had to look after a kid or be responsible for one. It must be huge and overwhelming to raise a kid, especially raising one on your own.
He rounded a curve on the beach, and a small tan and white puppy came running out of the bushes at the side of the beach. The pup stood, his tail raised high, and barked at Eddie. “Hey, little guy.” He leaned down and scooped up the dog. “So, do you think your name is Stormy?”
The pup licked Eddie’s face, and he grinned. He twisted the collar around to read the tag. “Stormy it is.”
Eddie looked around in the direction Stormy had come, through the bushes lining the beach. “Well, one lost person—okay, dog—has been found. Now let’s see if we can find Bobby.”
The puppy barked. Eddie slipped off his belt and set the puppy down. He fastened the belt to Stormy’s collar. “Let’s go look by the lighthouse, Stormy.” Eddie started back down the beach.
Stormy froze in place.
“Hey, come on. I have to keep looking for Bobby.”
The dog refused to budge.
Eddie walked up to him. “Look, Bobby is missing. We have to go find him.” Why was he explaining all this to a dog?
Stormy barked and lunged back toward the bushes. The belt slipped from Eddie’s hand as the puppy darted forward. He frowned and sped after the puppy. He slipped through a small break in the bushes and came upon an old dilapidated gazebo in a grove of trees. Stormy stood by the gazebo and barked.
He was going to give that dog about one more minute before he was giving up on him and heading out to find Bobby. Someone else was going to have to chase after the silly pup.
Eddie crossed over slowly, trying not to scare the dog away. “Here, Stormy. Come here, pup. You know you want to,” he cajoled the puppy.
“Mr. Eddie?” A small voice came from the gazebo.
Eddie crossed the distance in two long strides. “Bobby?” He looked down and saw Bobby splayed out on the rotted flooring of the gazebo, one leg hung down between two split planks of wood.
“So, what happened here?” Eddie took a step onto the gazebo and Bobby yelled.
“Ow. That’s smashing my leg.”
Eddie quickly assessed the situation. He didn’t want to walk across the boards in case more of them were rotten.
“I fell through the floor. I can’t get my foot out and there’s blood.” Tears trailed down the boys’ cheek.
“I’ll get you loose, son. Don’t worry.” Eddie eyed the boards. He could probably just pry a few boards up and reach him. “I’m going to pull up these two boards, then see if we can get your foot free.”
Bobby nodded and swiped a dirty hand across his face.
Eddie reached down and pried up one board. The second board wasn’t as cooperative, but he finally pried it loose, too. He used it to wrest off the board trapping Bobby, and suddenly the boy slid his leg out.
“I’m free. You saved me.” Bobby’s eyes glistened with tears.
Eddie scooped the boy up and carried him through the bushes. Bobby’s small arms clung to his neck and Eddie hugged him close. He carried the boy out into the sunlight, set him down gently, and examined his leg.
“Got a bit of a cut there, but I think it will be okay.” Eddie wasn’t sure if it needed stitches or not, but he wasn’t going to say that in front of the boy. “I’m going to wrap it in my shirt.”
Eddie reached behind his neck, snatched his collar, and shucked his shirt. He gently wrapped it around Bobby’s leg.
“My momma is going to kill me.” Bobby’s eyes were filled with tears. “I’m not supposed to go anywhere without an adult, but I was afraid Stormy was scared.”
The darn dog. Where was he? Eddie spun around and saw Stormy sprawled out no more than a foot away, watching them.
“You shouldn’t go places without an adult. That’s a good rule.” Eddie eyed the pup, making sure he was staying put.
“I’m going to call Tally and tell her I found you, then I’m going to bring you home.”
Bobby sighed. “I hope it was good knowing me, ‘cause Momma is going to ground me for foooor-ever.”
Eddie smothered a smile. “Well, sometimes we have to take the consequences when we make mistakes.”
Bobby let out another long sigh. “Yeah. I guess so.”
“Your mom was really, really worried about you. Just like you were worried about Stormy.”
“I didn’t mean to worry her.” Bobby’s voice got low. “I shouldn’t have. I know she’s scared Kurt will find me.”
“Who’s Kurt?”
Bobby’s eyes grew wide. “No one. I’m not supposed to talk about him. Don’t tell Momma I said anything about him.”
Eddie didn’t want Bobby to get even more upset. “Okay. We won’t talk about him.” What was that all about?
Bobby’s eyes filled with tears again.
“Don’t cry.” He was making things worse, not better. He had no experience with kids. None. Could he screw this up any more? “Come on. Let me bring you back to your mom.”
Eddie called Tally on his cell, then scooped up the boy and the dog. He headed down the beach with Bobby held protectively against his chest and Stormy snuggled up in Bobby’s arms.
How had he gotten to this point? He wasn’t a family man, but here he was walking down the beach with a boy and a dog in his arms.
Chapter 18
“B
obby.” Courtney ran up the beach toward Eddie and her son. She threw her arms around Bobby, Eddie, and Stormy in one exuberant hug. She kissed on Bobby and Stormy barked. They all laughed.
“Hi, Momma. Mr. Eddie found me.” Her son scowled. “But you’re mad at me, aren’t you?”
“We’ll talk about that later. Right now I’m just glad to have you back.” She kissed him again, and he turned his head away.
“Aw, Momma, everyone is looking.”
Tally came up and took Stormy into her arms. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble for the day?” The dog licked her, and Tally laughed.
Courtney looked at Bobby’s leg all wrapped up in a shirt and Eddie standing there shirtless. “What happened to Bobby’s leg?” She frowned.
“He has a cut on it. I think it needs… attention.” Eddie gave her a warning look.
“Set him here on this lounge chair and let me see it.” She carefully unwrapped his leg and looked at the wound. “Well, buddy, I think we should have a doctor look at this.”
“Really?” Bobby’s lower lip trembled.
“We’ll get it all fixed up.” Courtney hugged her son, resisting—just barely—the urge to rain kisses down on him again.
Tally turned to Eddie. “Why don’t you take Stormy? I called Susan, and she’s on her way to pick him up. I’m going to take Courtney and Eddie to the doctor.”
Courtney sighed. Another bill to contend with. But she was so grateful that Bobby was safe, if injured, that she figured it was worth it. She’d just work more hours… though that meant more time away from Bobby. She sighed.
“I’ll carry Bobby to your car, then I’ll take Stormy.” Eddie scooped the boy up from the lounge chair.
“Thank you.” Tally led the way and Courtney was grateful for the ride. Her car was still in the shop, though the estimate for fixing it hadn’t been as bad as she’d expected.
“I know you don’t have your insurance card yet, but this should be covered. I have the info to give the doc.”
“I have insurance already?” How did she not know this?
“Yep, I cover my workers from the day they start. It just takes a bit for the cards to come. Didn’t I mention it?”
“That’s… wonderful.” Relief surged through Courtney. Finding Belle Island had been such a blessing.
* * *
Courtney sat on her bed after tucking Bobby in for the night. He’d had quite the day, complete with a few stitches in his leg. He’d been very brave about it, but it all had taken its toll on him. It took him all of about thirty seconds to fall asleep.
She was so grateful that things were working out. They had insurance for goodness’ sake. And Tally was good about not scheduling her for the late shift, so she could pick Bobby up after the dinner rush was over. Belinda was agreeable to a flexible schedule. Things were almost working out too perfectly. But she wouldn’t let herself believe in that fairy tale. She’d gotten too comfortable at their last stop, and look how that had turned out.
She’d just narrowly missed getting caught. But for a twist of fate where she happened to be looking out the window and spied Kurt’s truck, everything would be different now. She’d grabbed Bobby, leaving most of their belongings behind, and rushed out the back way of the apartment building. She’d taken back roads away from town, then hidden out in the nearest big city for a few days. After that, they’d taken to the road again, driving mostly at night, until they’d ended up here on Belle Island.
When she’d seen the name of the town on the sign on the interstate, she’d immediately turned off and headed for it, not knowing why. But the town had a familiar ring to it. It had called her, and she’d obeyed.
Which had turned out to be a good decision.
At least for now.
Once she’d saved up a bit of money, they’d have to move on, of course. Bobby would be so disappointed, but it had to be. Maybe, eventually, Kurt would lose interest. She didn’t even think he actually wanted Bobby, he just didn’t want her to have him. Didn’t want her to ‘have’ what he considered his property. And there was no way she was going to put Bobby in harm’s way again. They could stay fugitives until Bobby turned eighteen if that’s what it took to keep him safe.
She reached over and took the pouch out of the drawer beside her bed. She pulled the watch out of the pouch, rubbing her fingers over the etched rose gold. She got up and opened the door, standing in the doorway and looking up at the sky with its bountiful array of stars. The peace of the night surrounded her. She wrapped her fingers around the watch, that somehow always made her feel closer to her mother. “Oh, Mom. I miss you. I know I never even met you, but I do miss you. I wish you were here to know Bobby and we could be a family.” She whispered her words into the night air where they drifted slowly away, up to the stars.
* * *
Tally sat with Eddie late that night after she’d closed the cafe. She’d propped her feet up on a chair as they sat on the beach under the starlit sky. She was bone-weary tired but couldn’t get up the energy to head home and go to bed. So, she just sat.
“It was quite the day, wasn’t it?” Eddie’s voice broke the silence.
“It was. I’m glad you found Bobby, and he was okay. I’m sure Courtney will give him a good talking to after things settle down a bit. She was so scared when she found out he was missing.”
“As any mother would be,” Eddie agreed.
“I’m glad he wasn’t hurt worse. A few stitches. He’ll be good as new soon.”
“You know, Bobby said the strangest thing when I found him.” Eddie frowned.
“What’s that?”
“He said something about Courtney being afraid Kurt would find him.”
“Who’s Kurt?”
“Bobby wouldn’t say, but he told me not to tell Courtney that he said Kurt’s name. That he’s not supposed to talk about him.”
“That’s kind of strange.” Tally’s forehead wrinkled. “I haven’t heard her mention that name.”
“Well, something is going on with this Kurt fella.”
“Maybe I’ll get a chance to talk to Courtney about it.”
“Might be a good idea.”
Tally looked up at the sky and the millions of twinkling lights. “Looks like the weather is going to hold for Julie’s wedding. We’ve had some fabulous days and evenings this spring.”
“Yes, it’s been fabulous.” Eddie smiled at her.
But somehow, she didn’t think he was talking about the weather.
Chapter 19
Eddie arrived at Magic Cafe precisely at two the next afternoon. Tally had told him she was closing the cafe then and getting everything ready for the wedding. He was going to help whether she’d asked him or not.
“Eddie, what are you doing here?” Tally walked up to him with a big box of vases in her arms.
“I’m here to help.” He eyed the vases. “Though I’m pretty sure flower arranging isn’t one of my strongest suits.”
She laughed that wonderful laugh of hers. The one that made him want to spend every little moment with her. “How about you set the chairs up on the beach? Harry—he’s a local, a friend of Jamie’s—he made an arbor for us to use. He just set it up on the beach.”
Eddie looked at Tally in confusion.
She laughed again. “Jamie is Susan’s son. Harry is Jamie’s best friend.”
“Got it.” Kinda. Jamie, Susan, Harry. He repeated the names silently as if that would help keep everyone straight.
“So if you could set up the chairs in rows with an aisle between them, that would help.”
“I can do that.”
“Great. It’s taking longer than I thought to get things set up.” She rewarded him with a grateful look.
Eddie headed over to the storage building to rescue the chairs. Outside the building, he ran into Courtney and Bobby. “Hey, Bobby. How you feeling today?”
“I’m good. Momma says I can’t go in the ocean for a few days though until my leg heals up.”
>
“That’s probably a good idea.”
“But I like the ocean.”
“But you’re going to do what your mother says, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I am.” Bobby let out an exasperated sigh, one way too large for his small frame. “It’s hard being a kid sometimes.”
“I bet it is.” He nodded gravely as he swiped a hand across his face, choking back a smile.
“Eddie, I wanted to thank you again for finding Bobby.” Courtney rested her hand on her son’s shoulder. “I’ll always be grateful.”
“Well, it was more like Stormy found me, but you’re welcome. Glad it all worked out okay.” He nodded toward the building. “I came to get the chairs. Going to set up for the wedding.”
“Can I help?” Bobby jumped up.
“You’re supposed to be taking it easy.” Courtney eyed him.
“Aw, Momma. I’m fine.”
“If it’s okay with you, I’ll bring him over to where I’m setting up. He can supervise and make sure I set the chairs up just right. I promise I won’t take my eyes off of him.”
“You sure he won’t be in the way?”
“Not at all. I’ll enjoy the company. Tally said there’s a beach wagon in the back of the storage building. I’ll pile chairs on that.”
“I do need to go get ready. I’m going to help serve at the wedding.” Courtney still looked doubtful.
“Go ahead. We’ll be fine.” Eddie nodded toward the door. “Go.”
Courtney headed inside, and Eddie and Bobby went around to the side door to load up the chairs.
“Mr. Eddie?”
“What?”
“Thanks for letting me help.”
Eddie smiled at the boy. He’d come to enjoy the boy’s company, which in and of itself amazed him. He hadn’t really been around kids much. Maybe Bobby was different from most little boys, but Eddie thought the kid was special. Okay, he’d admit, Bobby had him wrapped around his little finger. He loved making the kid happy.
He loaded up the first batch of chairs and they pulled the wagon over to where the ceremony was going to be held. Eddie set up the chairs, and Bobby followed along behind him, commanding him to move the chairs this way and that.