The Summer Seekers

by Sarah Morgan

  She felt a flutter of anxiety. “Martha, when we reach our next destination perhaps you would be kind enough to send another photo and message to my daughter. Perhaps even an email.”

  Martha glanced in the mirror. “Of course. I’ve been sending her loads of photos. We’ve got a relationship going.”

  It was the first thing she’d said since they’d left Devil’s Elbow. Kathleen was relieved to know she was at least alive, and not only because she was the one driving.

  “I expect you know a great deal about social media, Josh? Martha here has started a social media account for us, cataloguing our adventures. It’s beyond me, of course, but it’s all rather fun. We’re photographing and videoing our trip across America. In my youth I presented a rather popular travel show called The Summer Seekers.”

  “You did?” Josh turned, intrigued. “Tell me about it.”

  And so she did, and it turned out that Josh was a remarkably good listener, something she’d always considered to be an important quality in a man. Hopefully Martha could see that.

  Was she going to talk at all?

  Josh was obviously wondering the same because he glanced at her. “How about you, Martha? Are you taking the summer off?”

  “I am.”

  With the exception of the early part where she was becoming accustomed to the car, Martha had talked nonstop since they’d started this trip but now, when Kathleen needed her to engage Josh in conversation, she was silent. “Martha is also taking some thinking time,” she said, “so the two of you have that in common. Josh, you seem like a well-connected young man. Perhaps you have some career tips for Martha. She’s looking for a change of direction.”

  Martha kept her gaze fixed on the road. “Don’t need anyone’s help, thank you.” She slammed her foot on the brake as a car pulled out. “Fox!”

  Josh looked confused, and Kathleen gave a weary sigh.

  “Don’t ask.”

  Josh obviously realized that Martha wasn’t going to engage, because he turned back to Kathleen.

  “And how about you, Kathleen? This is an ambitious trip for—” He broke off and Kathleen waved a hand.

  “For someone of my age? No need to be tactful. It is ambitious in some ways, but I have dear Martha who is a wonderful driver and has kept me entertained with her chatter—” She emphasized the word slightly, in case Martha had forgotten how to speak.

  “What happens when you reach California?”

  Kathleen’s insides gave another lurch. Ruth. For a moment she’d forgotten, but now all those thoughts, doubts, questions and regrets were back.

  What if...

  Were there two more torturous words in the English language?

  She’d never been a person to dwell on “what-if” but for some reason she felt as if she was unraveling. It was all Martha’s fault. Being with her had encouraged an openness that was new to Kathleen, and now she didn’t know how to close herself down again.

  Josh was waiting for an answer, and she truly had no idea what answer to give.

  “Kathleen hasn’t decided what to do yet.” Martha finally spoke, filling the silence. “She may spend a little time soaking up the Californian sunshine. Part of the joy of this trip is having a flexible schedule.”

  Kathleen felt a rush of gratitude and affection. Dear girl. She knew exactly what Kathleen was thinking.

  Josh seemed satisfied with the answer. “California is my home state, so if you need any suggestions of places to visit while you’re there, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  “Most kind of you.” Kathleen secured her scarf. “Do you have particular places you’re planning to see on this trip?”

  “The Grand Canyon. I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve never seen it.”

  “You shouldn’t be embarrassed. You’ve obviously spent too much time working, thanks to your unfeeling boss.” She glanced at Martha, but the girl had returned to a state of silence. “I’m pleased you’re finally able to explore the world a little. Don’t rush to get back to work. I was lucky of course, because travel was my work, so I did both.”

  They drove through another small hamlet where the smell of barbecue filled the air, and gradually they left the hills and forest behind them.

  By the time they arrived at their stop for the night Kathleen was tired and her mind was floating off in directions that normally she didn’t permit. Should she contact Ruth? No, that would be most unwise. Particularly as she hadn’t even opened the letters.

  She should have read them. Or at least brought them with her. But the knowledge that they were in her bag would have weighed her down. This trip had been about making the most of the time she had, not about confronting the past.

  Was Ruth even in California? Martha had said she would look her up, but really there was no way Kathleen would encourage that.

  But what if she arrived home, read the letters, and then wished she’d reached out to Ruth?

  She felt a rush of panic that she’d done the wrong thing.

  Martha parked. “Are you all right, Kathleen?”

  “Never better.” For the first time she wished she hadn’t invited Josh to join them. She might have had a short nap in the car as they were driving. As it was she was exhausted with keeping up jolly conversation, and the past kept nagging at her, ending all hope of relaxation.

  To her mortification she needed Martha’s help to get out of the back of the car.

  “It’s the angle,” Martha said gently, supporting Kathleen so that she could lever herself from the back seat.

  “It’s the age.” Kathleen straightened and felt the world spin. She clung to Martha.

  “Kathleen?” Holding her tightly, Martha aimed the key at the trunk and opened it. “Josh? Could you bring our luggage so that I can help Kathleen inside?”

  Kathleen tried to steady herself. “I’ve been sitting too long, that’s all. My body has seized up. I need a moment, and then I’ll be fine.”

  “You prebooked?” Josh unloaded their luggage. “Why don’t you let me go and sort out your rooms. I’ll bring your key back. Save you an extra walk to the reception desk.”

  Was she really going to let a spell of dizziness stop her enjoying her trip? No, she wasn’t.

  “Thank you, but we can manage. Are you staying here too, Josh?”

  “That was my plan.” He picked up their cases. “And I’m grateful for the ride this far. Can I buy you dinner as a thank-you?”

  All Kathleen wanted to do was lie down, but she knew that if she suggested they went without her Martha would accuse her of matchmaking.

  But Martha was looking at her with concern. “I think what we need right now is to settle into our rooms and have a nice cup of Earl Grey tea before we decide about the evening. How does that sound, Kathleen?”

  It sounded idyllic.

  Swamped by gratitude, Kathleen slid her arm through Martha’s as they walked to reception.

  Martha stroked her hand. “We’ve overdone it. Don’t you worry. You’ll feel good as new once you’ve had a nice sit down and a cuppa.”

  It was remarkable how comfortable she felt with Martha.

  Why were things not this easy with her own daughter? Perhaps it was because being with Liza reminded her of her own failings. Whether it was refusing to quietly relocate to a home, giving up bacon or having an emotional conversation, she felt as if she couldn’t be what Liza wanted her to be.

  Martha was swift and efficient, the staff at the motel were equally efficient and in less than ten minutes Kathleen was in her room, sitting on the edge of the bed while Martha filled the kettle Kathleen had insisted on bringing from home. You couldn’t have a proper cup of tea without boiling water, and Kathleen had never trusted the machines in hotel rooms.

  It was a pretty room, with views across the fields that stretched behind them. Wherever possible they’d trie
d to avoid staying in busy towns.

  Kathleen relaxed a little. She’d be fine after a rest.

  “There.” Martha put a cup of Earl Grey on the table near the bed, along with a shortbread biscuit. “I’m right next door, so I’ll go and settle in and then check on you in an hour.”

  There was a tap on the open door. Josh stood there.

  “How are you feeling? Is there anything you need?”

  “I’m feeling good.” To prove it, Kathleen stood up and walked over to him, intending to thank him for his kindness. Halfway across the room she realized she’d made a mistake.

  Her surroundings started to spin and she reached out to steady herself only to realize that there was nothing nearby that she could grab.

  “Martha!” she cried out and was braced to hit the floor when strong arms caught her and broke her fall.

  “You’re all right.” Josh’s voice was calm and rock steady, confirming Kathleen’s original suspicion that he was the perfect choice for Martha. She’d always considered a crisis to be a good test of a man’s character. A woman’s too, come to that.

  “Put her on the bed! Kathleen?” Martha was the one who sounded panicked. “Do you have pain anywhere? I’m going to call the doctor.”

  “You are not going to call the doctor. We’re going to wait for this to pass.” Kathleen lay back and closed her eyes, but the room swirled alarmingly so she opened them again.

  Her tea would grow cold, and she couldn’t bear cold tea.

  Was this it?

  If she died here she’d never make it to California, and she’d never know what was in those letters.

  Ruth.

  Her old friend was the last thing on her mind before the world went black.

  13

  LIZA

  Liza paused at the entrance of the lane. The beach house was set back from the road, almost impossible to find if you didn’t know where the turning was.

  The house itself was protected from prying eyes and unwanted camera lenses by large iron gates, equipped with state-of-the-art security. It was the ideal property for someone high profile who didn’t want to be found.

  The sun burned the back of her neck, and her feet felt hot and uncomfortable in the flat pumps she’d brought from home. The bag she was carrying smacked against her legs.

  What was she doing here?

  She should forget the whole thing and nurse her embarrassment in private.

  She was about to walk away when a voice came through the intercom.

  Liza froze.

  She pictured herself being watched by a team of guards in a control room.

  She’d spent the whole of Sunday feeling ridiculous and fighting the temptation to drive home. But then she decided to do what she was encouraging her children to do—take responsibility.

  “Hi. I’m Liza.” She stepped closer to the camera and the intercom. “My mother owns the house down the lane—I’m staying there. I’m here to see Finn Cool, although he probably won’t—” There was a buzz and the gates opened.

  “Oh. Right.”

  Left with no choice, Liza walked through the gates and they closed smoothly behind her, sealing her inside.

  She walked along a winding drive shaded by huge bushes of rhododendrons and azaleas, and finally the house came into view.

  It was spectacular, of course, which was nothing less than she would have expected. The front seemed to be constructed almost entirely of glass, with views across sloping gardens which dropped away sharply above a small beach accessible only from this property.

  How the other half lived.

  She drank in the view for a few moments and then the front door opened.

  She’d expected a burly bodyguard or a scary housekeeper. What she hadn’t expected was to see Finn Cool himself, lounging against the door frame.

  With his lean, handsome face and sleepy eyes he looked as dissolute and dangerous as he had when she’d first seen him in her kitchen, although at the time she’d been too stressed to admire him. He was wearing board shorts and a black T-shirt. His feet were bare and his jaw shadowed. She couldn’t work out if he’d just woken up, or hadn’t bothered shaving.

  “Did you come alone, or are the police following you? If so, I need to open the gate again.”

  The heat in her cheeks had nothing to do with the sun. “I came to apologize for calling the police. Obviously I had no idea—I mean, my mother never mentioned you.” There wasn’t much she could say to redeem herself so she flourished the bag she’d carried all the way from the cottage. “I brought you a peace offering.” She’d spent hours wondering what to give the man who had everything, and in the end settled on something homemade. Probably another mistake, but what was one more amidst so many?

  He straightened. “You beat me to it. I was planning on coming over this afternoon to apologize to you.”

  “You were going to apologize to me? Why?”

  “For frightening you half to death. Luckily for me you have a gentler disposition than your mother or I’d currently be lying unconscious in hospital with a dent in my skull.” He flashed her a smile. “Sorry. I should have rung the doorbell instead of walking into the kitchen, but I didn’t know anyone would be there, so I used my key.” He stood back and pushed open the door. “Come in.”

  “Oh there’s no need to—I mean, I wanted to give you—” Distracted by that smile, her words tripped over each other and she walked up the steps to the door and thrust out the bag. “It’s a lemon meringue pie, and a batch of my chocolate chip cookies. Two of my specialties. I wasn’t sure what to bring.” The fact that Finn Cool had a key to her mother’s house still hadn’t quite sunk in. Why hadn’t her mother mentioned it?

  “You have more than two specialties? In that case you need to call the police on me more often so I can eat my way through your repertoire. Thank you, Liza. That was thoughtful. I’d say you shouldn’t have bothered, but I never turn down food. Come into the kitchen.” He took the bag and walked into the house.

  Was he being polite? Surely the last thing he wanted was a strange woman in his home.

  She waited a moment and then followed him, closing the door behind her.

  She had to admit she was curious about the house, and it didn’t disappoint. Light flowed through a glass atrium high above them, bouncing off acres of white floor tiles. Italian, she thought, and almost drooled with envy. The designer had played with space and color, keeping the scheme mostly white but introducing flashes of blue that gave a Mediterranean feel. Liza had more than a passing interest in interior design. She’d even explored the idea of joining Sean in his practice, but in the end they’d decided that two people working in the same business wasn’t a good idea. And teaching had meant she was able to spend more time with the girls.

  But still she occasionally hankered after it. She was incapable of walking into a property and not immediately imagining how she would change the interior.

  But she’d change nothing about this house.

  It was a modern architectural masterpiece. Sean would have appreciated the simplicity.

  Thinking of Sean created a pang. The state of her marriage was never far from her mind, gnawing at her like toothache.

  All she’d had from him this morning since that one conversation was a quick text. Have you seen my blue shirt?

  It had made her question whether she’d been right to delay the conversation about the way she was feeling. At some point she needed to be honest with her family, and also tell them that things needed to change. They weren’t mind readers. If they were, then they wouldn’t still be texting her expecting her to sort out all their trivial problems. But the moment she did that any chance of having breathing space would be over and she badly wanted some time to herself. She deserved this!

  So she’d ignored Sean’s message, and the two from Caitlin asking about la
undry.

  Not one of them had asked how she was.

  What would she have said?

  I’m worried I might be on the verge of a breakdown, and by the way I had to call the police because there was an intruder in my kitchen but don’t worry about any of it. I’ll handle it myself because that’s what I always do.

  Pushing thoughts of her family out of her head, she followed Finn Cool through to a large airy kitchen.

  “This is perfect.” Although if she tried to cook here she’d burn everything because she’d be looking at the ocean views. “I feel terrible about what happened. I never should have called the police.”

  “You were right to call them. Particularly after what happened with your mother.” He put the bag on the countertop. “No harm done. I had to sign a few autographs and smile for a few selfies, that’s all. I’ve dealt with worse.”

  “I had no idea you knew my mother.”

  “She’s a very discreet woman is Kathleen. Also a total badass.” He pulled a couple of plates out of one of the cupboards. “We’ve been friends for a while. If I was a few years older I’d marry her and believe me that’s a compliment because I’m not the marrying type.”

  She wasn’t one to read gossipy newspapers or magazines, but even she knew he had an active and interesting social life. Which made it all the more bizarre that he was friends with her eighty-year-old mother.

  “I can’t believe she asked you to feed her cat.” Only her mother would ask a celebrity to walk round to her house and open cat food.

  “Popeye and I are best friends. He often visits.”

  “You know Popeye?”

  He grinned. “There aren’t many one-eyed, three-legged cats around here. I consider him an example of resilience at its finest. Nothing stops him exploring, not even my dogs. Popeye is boss of the world.” As he said the words there was a cacophony of barking, a blur of tan and black and three large German shepherd dogs streaked up from the bottom of the garden to the house.

  Liza eyed them nervously as they slithered across the tiles. “Are they going to take revenge on me for calling the police?”