The docks jutted out into a bay that was blue and serene. White masts of varying heights pointed skyward, and the gentle breeze blowing in made the metal hardware ping against them.
Two sea gulls swooped overhead, their piercing cries making him feel lonely somehow. He thought of Louise and breathed a prayer for her safety. He wondered how the three granddaughters were faring back at the cottage and if they’d heard any news.
The house had still been dark when he left this morning. Although his dockhands didn’t arrive until the marina opened at eight, he’d arrived before dawn to catch up on the paperwork he’d put off yesterday.
Saturdays were their busiest day, and this morning it had been all hands on deck—literally. He’d worked alongside the men to launch and gas up boats as fishermen set out for a day of leisure. He loved talking to his customers on the front end of their day when they were full of hope and anticipation. He gave out the occasional tip on the hottest fishing spots and was always prepared with the weather forecast. It was all part of the service at Sullivan’s Marina.
He took out his phone and texted his youngest sister, Lexie, reminding her to get her oil changed. He’d noticed her overdue sticker the last time he’d ridden with her. While he had his phone out, he texted his other sister, Tara, to ask what his nephew wanted for his upcoming birthday. She frequently accused him of spoiling her kids rotten, but hey, that was his job.
As he returned his phone to his pocket, the dock quaked under his feet. He turned to see Cheryl Watts coming his way. Her gray-streaked hair was pulled neatly back from her face, making her red-framed glasses stand out. Her quick stride and serious expression told him something was up. Plus, it was lunch hour at Sullivan’s Landing, and Cheryl wouldn’t leave the restaurant unless it was important.
He immediately thought of Louise and met Cheryl halfway up the dock, worry churning in his gut.
“You have a minute, boss?” she asked as she approached.
“Of course. What’s up? Have you heard from Louise?”
“What? Oh, no, I’m sorry.” She set her hand on his arm. “I didn’t mean to put the fear of God into you. No word yet?”
“Afraid not. Her granddaughters are in town now, though, and the sheriff’s on it.”
“Good. That’s good. I hope you hear something soon.”
Well, something was bothering the woman. Her cheerful countenance and can-do spirit were noticeably absent. “What’s going on, Cheryl? Problems at the restaurant?”
“No, no, everything’s running like clockwork. It’s my dad. My brother called this morning and—” Her eyes went shiny behind her glasses. She blinked and swallowed.
“What is it?”
“My dad had a stroke last night. They didn’t realize that’s what was happening so they didn’t take him to the hospital until this morning. He’s not doing very well. They don’t know if he’ll recover, but he’ll need a lot of therapy, and of course my mom is gone, and my brother is my only sibling, and he’s busy running his business—”
“Cheryl.” Connor set his hand on her arm. “You have to go take care of your dad.”
“But the restaurant—”
“Will be here when you get back.”
“But there’s no one to take my place.”
He gave her a rueful grin. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
“You have the marina to run.”
“And a full staff of dockhands to keep it all going. We’ll be fine. Don’t you worry about us; just go take care of your dad.”
She blinked back more tears. “Are you sure? I feel just awful leaving you in the lurch like this.”
“Family first, no matter what. Go ahead and get on the road. I’ll be up to check on the restaurant in a few.”
Before Cheryl even made it back to the boardwalk, Connor heard a splash and a man’s voice saying, “Oh dear.”
Dave and Dot Lewis had just tied off their runabout on the next pier and stood peering down at the water.
“Dave?” Connor called as he made his way over to the older couple. “Everything all right?”
Dave waited until Connor was nearby before answering. “I’m afraid I lost my keys in the water.”
Connor looked down through the glimmering water, and sure enough, there was a speck of red at the bottom.
