“Okay, let’s call this meeting to order.” Caleb shoved in a few bites, then washed it down with cold, sweet tea. Man, he’d died and gone to heaven. “Simon couldn’t make it tonight, so it’s just us.”
“Where’s that pretty reporter?” Ivan said. “She’s not really pretty, though. She’s more good-looking.”
Caleb choked down a swallow and glanced up from his iPad. “Have you been talking to my nephew?”
“What nephew?”
Right, Ivan didn’t know Bentley. Never mind.
“Y’all, the mural is amazing,” Mercy said with a satisfied sigh. “Well done, us. Lulu is a genius. What a talent. Her portrayal of Malachi Nickle pulling Prince Blue off the beach?” She pressed her hand to her chest. “I’m moved every time I go by there. And the image of Immanuel brings me to tears. I feel like He reallyiswith us.”
“Fine and dandy,” Ivan said with a bit of a huff. “But is it going to bring tourism to our end of town? If’n folks have a mind to drive over here from the West End, all they got to do is head down Sea Blue Way, oooh and ahhh at the mural, then circle up Rachel Kirby Lane and head right back to Sodom.”
“Sodom. Come on, Ivan,” Duke said. “The West End is stillourtown, still Sea Blue Beach. Still part of Immanuel, God with us. If they’re Sodom, we’re Gomorrah.”
“Quite right, Duke,” Adele said, knitting needles clinking. “Such talk will further divide us. I’m one for all and all for one.”
“Folks, meet Nickle High’s head cheerleader, class of ’72. Rah, rah, rah, sis-boom-bah.” Ivan swung his arms about and kicked the air, which caused him to do something to his knee, making him jump up, moaning and groaning as he walked it off.
“Serves you right. Rah, rah, rah,” Adele said as she soberly continued knitting. “Sis-boom-bah.”
Caleb tried not to laugh, but he grinned wide enough. He didn’t want to encourage the Laurel and Hardy of the Main Street set too much.
“The new Victorian lamps are going in this week,” he said, “thanks to Mayor Caster and discretionary funds. I also found a company to make historical markers for Sea Blue Way, the prince’s home, and Alderman’s Pharmacy. These are unofficial with regard to the state, just ones we want for our town. Simon is working on the funds. He’s also done some research and is working on plans to make Doyle’s a craft beer brewery.”
“That’ll get the younger set coming our way,” Ivan said, still tending his knee.
The door opened, and a gust of wind pushed Emery inside.
“Sorry I’m late, you guys.”
“We know, you got lost.” Ivan again.
“Actually, I didn’t, thank you.” She sat next to Caleb and stared at his near-empty plate. “What’d I miss?”
“Just Ivan hurting his knee,” Adele said. “Sis-boom-bah.”
“Never mind me.” Ivan huffed and crossed his arms. “How about that paper of yours? Missing more ads?”
“Ivan, come on...” Duke didn’t hide his frustration. “That’s not fair. The paper had missing ads before she got here.”
Ivan started pacing again and moaning over his knee. “Next agenda item. What are we going to do about fixing the street?”
“We may not have the budget for the bricks,” Caleb said. “But we can move forward with planters and banners.”
“We really need town money to work on some of the storefronts,” Duke said. “I took a walk past the old haberdashery and Lloyd’s Hardware. They both need major renovations. The bait-and-tackle shop turned yarn shop has been empty for years. Marconi Jewelers, same thing, even though the vintage clothing shop tried to make a go of it.”
“Are you still talking to West End leaders?” Caleb said.
“Simon and I played golf with Alfred Gallagher, Bobby Brockton, and Denise Fletcher last Saturday. Denise wants to build a big pier, like in Santa Monica, with a Ferris wheel and everything. She thinks the perfect location is the Sands Motor Motel lot.”
“A Ferris wheel?” Emery tapped a note on her phone. “Caleb would love—” She turned to Duke. “Wait, what? Where the Sands is located? Why? It’s a lovely historical motor motel.”
Teach her to make fun of his Ferris wheel phobia. But she was right. The Sands must remain. What was wrong with those West Enders? He’d never even heard of Denise Fletcher. Duke said she owned a lucrative, boutique software company.
“I met my dear departed wife at the Sands Motor Motel,” Ivan said. “She was working as a maid one summer, down from Dothan. Besides, we got the Starlight. We don’t need no honking, ugly Ferris wheel like Santa Monica. The Starlight is the gem of this whole shoreline.”
“True, but how do we get people over here? How do we fix what’s falling apart?” Mercy said. “I was looking into how we can advertise online and in larger metropolitan newspapers for small businesses to come to our side of town. Independent bookstores are starting to take hold. Even specialty shops, like Christmas decor, do well all year round. Pet daycares are popular now. Which would be lovely for those on vacation with a pet but want to take a day out to Crab Island or go out deep-sea fishing.”
