Seabreeze Book Club

Chapter 1

1

From a balcony above Ivy, voices floated down on the breeze. Lifting her platter, she marched up a flight of stairs at Shangri-La. The view was even more astounding from this level.

“Aunt Ivy,” Poppy cried, rushing to her. “I’ve been so worried about you. What took you so long to get here? And have you seen Shelly or Sunny?”

Ivy told her about Sunny and Jamir and how worried she was about them. “On the way here, Bennett and I stopped to make sure Shelly and Mitch were coming.”

Glancing at a crowd of people behind Poppy, Ivy saw Gilda seated in a lounge chair clutching the shivering Pixie. “How are the guests you brought doing?”

“Darla is feeling better now,” Poppy said, looking over her shoulder to where their neighbor was seated. Darla was talking to Paige and the nurse, Bettina, who was visiting the inn with her husband on vacation. “Many guests have their books from the meeting. Talking about them seems to soothe people.”

“This will certainly be a book club meeting to remember,” Ivy said, resting her tray on a table. Bonding over books had another interpretation this evening. “How are our other guests doing?”

“Everyone understands the situation. Even Geena.” Poppy raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Geena’s presence was troubling, and at a time like this, Ivy didn’t want to think about that unpleasant young woman. Still, Ivy had a feeling that she was the one who needed the most help. Whatever was behind her motives probably stemmed from some deep-seated dissatisfaction. While that wasn’t Ivy’s problem, that issue might have pushed Geena to pursue her action against the inn.

Like it or not, Ivy felt she should check on Geena. “Where is she?”

“She was sticking close to Paige for a while.” Poppy nodded toward the living room. “The last time I saw Geena, she was checking out the artwork around the house. I sure hope Carol and Hal have it locked down.”

“I don’t think she would tear paintings off the wall.”

Arching a brow, Poppy looked doubtful. “I wouldn’t put it past her, Aunt Ivy.”

“She must honestly think that she is entitled to what we found at the inn. We need to find out why.” Eager to change the subject, Ivy said, “Did you see Imani after we left the house?”

“She went to her new place, but I think we should check on her and the others that went with her.”

“We could take some food to them,” Ivy said. “Mitch is cooking in the kitchen, and there is plenty to share. Still, there’s plenty of room here for them. They’d be more comfortable than at Imani’s partially finished house. I’ll find Carol and ask her.”

“I can pass that tray around if you’d like,” Poppy said, nodding toward the tray Ivy had put down. “Let me know when you want to go.”

Ivy handed the platter to her. “Thanks. I’ll talk to Mitch and tell them what we need. We can take Bennett’s SUV because he stayed with Chief Clarkson to help out, and he has my car anyway. I’ll call you when we’re ready.”

Before leaving, Ivy visited with the guests. Darla looked calmer, and Bettina assured Ivy that she was doing fine. The two women were immersed in conversation about their favorite mysteries.

Ivy returned to the kitchen and spoke with Mitch, who agreed to pack food for the group at Imani’s house. With all that was on her mind—Sunny and Jamir, Shelly, and Bennett—Ivy fought against the worry that would consume her if she let it. To keep her mind occupied, Ivy hoisted another tray of appetizers. She wanted to check on other book club attendees and guests.

That included Geena.

Ivy wondered if she learned more about her if there would be a way to diffuse the situation without resorting to costly legal battles. Imani would want to know how valid her claim was. It couldn’t hurt to talk to Geena, as long as she didn’t make any promises.

Ivy set off to look for her.

It wasn’t long before she found Geena in the library, standing before a painting next to a flickering lantern on a desk. As Ivy drew closer, she saw that Geena was frozen in front of the darkened painting, staring into mid-space.

Composing herself, Ivy approached her. “It’s going to be a long night, and I thought you might be hungry.”

Stunned from her silence, Geena blinked. Drawing the heel of her hand against her eyes, she asked with some irritation, “Why are you even talking to me?”

“We might have our differences, but I still care about you,” Ivy replied, speaking as gently as she could manage. “That was a good-sized earthquake. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in one before.”

“I haven’t,” Geena said, her voice catching.

Ivy saw a crimson flush spread across Geena’s neck and face. Maybe she could reach her now. “The first one can sure blindside a person. Everything you thought was solid seems to wobble in front of your eyes—even the floor seems to liquefy. It’s a shock to the system, so your equilibrium might feel off for a while.”

Geena dipped her chin and swept a hand across her cheeks. “My grandmother told me my grandfather had a heart attack during an earthquake. That did him in.”

“I’m sorry. That must bring up sad memories. Were you close to him?”

Geena averted Ivy’s gaze. “I never met him,” she said in a barely audible voice.

At once, Ivy suspected who Geena was talking about. It had to be Gustav. After a hesitation, she asked, “Did your grandmother ever visit him in Summer Beach?”

“No, but my mother…” Her voice trailed off.

While Ivy waited for Geena to finish her thought, she put a miniature Florentine quiche, an empanada, and a vegetarian meatball onto a small paper plate. The chef had clearly been raiding the appetizer shelves in the freezer. Carol and Hal often entertained on a grand scale, so she wasn’t surprised. She handed the plate to Geena. “Mitch made these. You might need some energy.”

Geena took the offering and picked at the empanada. “Ever since Mom read that article about everything you found in the house, she’s been after me to do something about it.” Still unable to look Ivy in the eye, Geena poked the empanada until cream cheese and green chiles oozed from the corner. “She has a point, right?”

“Maybe so,” Ivy said, intent on drawing out more from Geena. “I take it this wasn’t your idea?”

“You don’t know how tough she is.”

“Then why didn’t she file the lawsuits?”

“She says I’m a lot smarter than she is. She hates talking to attorneys and complains that they never understand her.”

“That’s a lot for your mother to ask of you,” Ivy said thoughtfully. “You must love her very much. And your father?”

“Never knew him. Mom said he split before I was born, just like her father. Took his name with him, too.” She let out a breath.

Geena darted a look at Ivy. “You should settle with her. That’s all she wants. Then she’ll stop nagging both of us.”

Ivy shook her head. “I don’t have what she wants. What we found in the house wasn’t ours to keep.”

“My mom told me that Gustav Erickson made promises to Granny and broke them. He was supposed to divorce his wife and marry her. Mom is always mad thinking about the lifestyle that was stolen from her.”

“Do you mean, as the daughter of a wealthy man?”

“She’s smart, you know.” Geena sniffed. “So am I. Sure, Gustav left a trust to pay for her schooling, but Mom wasn’t the academic type. After Gustav died, Mom called his wife right up—only she acted like she couldn’t remember anything.”

“No, Amelia probably wouldn’t have,” Ivy said softly.

“Because she was a greedy.”

“She had Alzheimer’s disease. It was probably called dementia back then.”

A look of realization flashed across Geena’s face. “Anyway,” she continued, shrugging off the thought. “If he’d recognized Mom and given her his name, then she could’ve been introduced to society and married a friend of the family or something. As it was, she decided to change my name later. Gustav never had any other children, so he wouldn’t have missed any of that money.” She paused. “You can see her point, can’t you?”

Ivy couldn’t answer that. “What I don’t understand is why she waited so long to do something about it.”

“Mom figured Granny didn’t have the money to fight for what should have been hers. My attorney said it was too late to go after the will, so Mom decided to do this.”

Geena seemed eager to unburden herself, but her story didn’t seem to add up. Imani had reached out to the estate trustees, and they’d never had any knowledge of Geena or her family. “Maybe you have other relatives on the Erickson side of the family. Have you ever looked into that?”

Geena rubbed a hand over her mouth. “I haven’t actually pursued it,” she mumbled, glancing away.

Ivy was unaware of other relations anyway. “It seems like your mother’s opinion means a lot to you.”

In the dim light, Ivy saw a tear spill over Geena’s lower lid before she brushed it away. “We have only one mother. Mom says we’re supposed to honor our elders and do what they ask, right?”

When Ivy didn’t answer, Geena blinked and swung her gaze back to the painting. “I wish I could learn to paint.”

Ivy’s heart softened toward this woman. It was just a guess, but the relationship she had with her mother didn’t sound healthy. “You could if you wanted.”

Geena shrugged. “I used to draw a little.”

While the other woman talked about how much she had enjoyed art in school, thoughts of Sunny crowded Ivy’s mind. “I’d like for us to talk more later, but I have to check on others here.”

Another tear spilled over Geena’s eyelid.

Ivy glanced toward the doorway. “I don’t think you should be here by yourself—in case of a big aftershock. I saw some refreshments in the kitchen, and I think Carol is bringing out some good wine. You might like to relax with others in the book club.” Ivy recalled seeing them together right after the earthquake. “You and Paige can look after each other.”

Geena sniffed and nodded. “That would help my nerves.”

“Let’s find Paige together.”

As the women made their way back toward the crowd of people, Ivy watched Geena. Gone was the bravado she’d arrived with at the inn. Her mother must have goaded Geena into taking action, but there was still something off about her story. However, Ivy couldn’t think about that now. She left Geena with Paige, who immediately began asking her about the books she liked to read and making suggestions for her. That was a safe topic that seemed to spark life in Geena, and Paige was a patient listener—she was a book whisperer, after all.

Ivy set off down the hallway. Turning with her tray, she saw a flickering light from another room and heard what sounded like a television. Ivy reached out to try a light switch, but it was still dead. She hurried toward the room. Inside what looked to be Hal’s office, young people were huddled around a screen watching a news broadcast.

Ivy put down the platter, awestruck at the images. A neighboring community had sustained more damage, and everyone was moving to higher ground. Ivy blurted out, “I thought the electricity was out.”

Hal walked in behind her. “Not with these young engineers around.”

A younger woman smiled shyly. “The power is still out, but we connected this screen to Hal’s satellite phone and hooked it all up to a generator for power that my friend had in his truck. Now we can stream this. Cool, huh?”

As Ivy passed the platter around, she watched the screen flicker. Seismologists from Caltech in Pasadena and emergency personnel were monitoring the situation and reporting. She listened while the younger people talked about more ideas for the generator. Perching on the edge of a desk, she tried to hear above the excited chatter beside her.

A reporter continued on the screen. “The risk of an underwater landslide remains large. However, not all earthquakes cause tsunamis. Scientists say four conditions contribute to such a situation after an earthquake in Southern California. First, earthquakes occur beneath the ocean, causing a slide…next, a magnitude of at least 6.5…”

Ivy wondered what this quake had registered on the Richter scale. It must have been close to that unless the temblor occurred close to the surface or was very nearby. They would have felt it more then.

“Shallow depth,” a scientist on the screen added. “As well as vertical movement of the seafloor. Those are part of the conditions for a tsunami.”

The reporter went on. “Coastal communities remain at risk. If you are in such an area, be wary of rising water and seek higher ground at once.”

The show cut to a reporter standing near a beach with a crowd of people in the background.

Ivy passed a hand over her forehead. How would she find Sunny? Just as she stood to leave, a familiar figure flashed on the screen behind the reporter.

Sunny.

“That’s my daughter,” Ivy cried, pressing a hand to her chest. Looking closer, she saw Jamir standing beside Sunny before the broadcast cut out. “Does anyone know where that was?”

“Somewhere on the coast,” one girl said. “I didn’t catch it.”

“I recognized the signs behind them,” Hal said. “They’re on the other side of the ridge, not far from here.”

“Is that anywhere near the public library?”

“Not too far,” Hal replied. “We’ll keep watching for you.”

“I need to get to her.” Ivy twisted her hands.

Hal frowned and drew a hand over his chin. “Have you alerted Chief Clarkson?”

“He’s doing what he can.” Ivy bit her lower lip, worried that Sunny and Jamir were stranded. If only she could get to them.

She wished she could call Bennett. He’d promised to send word if he heard anything. As she thought of him, she ached with regret over her indecision with him. Maybe because it had been so long since she’d had a real partner by her side—if ever—that she hadn’t fully appreciated him or the life they could have together.

Guilt over her hesitation with him coursed through her. After Jeremy’s sudden death, she knew how fast life could come at you.

What if she’d lost Bennett in the earthquake?

What if he never really knew how much he meant to her?

Once they got through this situation, she vowed to make changes. In herself, in their relationship.

“That satellite cell phone you have,” Ivy began, addressing Hal. “Could I use it? I’m trying to reach my daughter.”

“Of course,” Hal said, turning to one of the engineers.

Just then, the screen went dark, and collective dismay filled the room. “The battery on the phone is dead,” the younger engineer said.

“Use the generator,” another one said.

“This might take a while,” Hal said. “If you’ll wait a little bit, I’m sure we can accommodate you.”

Ivy blinked back the dismay and disappointment she felt. As a sense of urgency coiled within her, she felt the grief of precious minutes slipping away. Somehow, she knew she didn’t have much time to find Sunny.

After excusing herself, she rushed to find Poppy, who was in the kitchen bundling up the rye bread and croissant sandwiches Mitch and another volunteer had made for them to take to Imani’s house.

Poppy picked up a box of sandwiches. “I’m loading everything in the SUV, Aunt Ivy. We should be ready to go in a minute.”

“I think Sunny and Jamir are stranded nearby,” Ivy said, telling Poppy what she’d just seen. “We have to see Imani and figure out how to reach them.” She turned to Mitch. “Will you tell Shelly I’m leaving?”

“Sure will,” Mitch said, feverishly building sandwiches while he spoke. “While you were gone, she came in here with a couple of the kids to get some food.”

“Is she feeling any better?”

“A lot,” Mitch said, looking relieved. “Being with the children probably takes her mind off her bad stomach. The feeling comes and goes, too.”

“This is just a phase, and it will pass soon enough.” Ivy picked up another box packed with crackers, peanut butter and jelly, sardines, and bags of apples. “Thanks for doing this, Mitch.”

Ivy and Poppy hurried to the vehicle. On the way, they met Carol in the car court, and Ivy quickly explained what they were doing. Before she could ask Carol about bringing the people at Imani’s here, the other woman’s eyes clouded with concern.

“They’re all welcome here,” Carol said. “Imani’s new home is adorable, but she hasn’t furnished it yet. Be sure to tell them to come over. Hal can help ferry them if needed, and we’ll make room.”

“I’ll let them know,” Ivy said.

Poppy had already loaded the rear cargo area, and Ivy slid her box next to the others. Taking the keys from Poppy, she stepped into the large SUV.

When they arrived at Imani’s new, still unfinished home, their friend met them at the door. Behind her, Ivy could see other guests from the inn, along with friends and locals. They were gathered in a circle on the concrete floor of the living room with the glass doors open to the sea breezes. Maeve was reading aloud from a book while others listened, their faces etched with weariness and worry, trying to remain calm.

“At least the plumbing is working now,” Imani said, waving them in. “Maeve decided to continue the book club to keep everyone’s mind occupied.” She knocked on a wall. “Good to know this place is strong enough to withstand an earthquake.”

“It’s nice here, but—” Ivy felt like she was bursting. “Imani, we have to reach the kids.”

“I’d like to,” her friend said. “I’m worried about Jamir. Have you heard anything from Sunny?”

“I caught a glimpse of them,” Ivy said, her words tumbling out. While Poppy unloaded the food, she told Imani about seeing the kids on the screen in Hal’s office. What she’d learned this evening from Geena could wait. “We’ve got to find them. I’ve got a strange feeling.”

Imani frowned, and a conflicted look filled her face. “We’re not supposed to go back down toward the village, and Clark is busy with the evacuation.”

“Bennett is helping him.” Ivy flexed her jaw. “These are our children—and I need your help.”

Nodding toward Bennett’s SUV, Imani said, “We can take that. Maeve and Poppy can stay with the folks here.”

“Carol invited everyone to Shangri-La,” Ivy said.

After finishing her sandwich, Maeve pushed herself from the floor. “Imani, I appreciate your hospitality. But I think everyone would be more comfortable there.”

After explaining the change of plans to Poppy, who agreed to drive guests to Shangri-La, Imani and Ivy climbed into the large SUV.

As they drove, Ivy peered down at the hillside. “There’s a steady stream of cars creeping up here.” She angled her chin toward the road that hugged the shore. “The coastal route is standing still.”

“Must be because of the threat down the coast,” Imani said, frowning. “Can’t blame folks for coming up here. I’ve been worried about Jamir and Sunny being able to get through in time.”

Ivy swallowed against the panic that seized her chest. If they headed down the ridge, they might not be able to reach higher ground again. If they had to, they could climb to the attic at the inn and ride out the weather. But they had to find the kids first.

“We have to try,” Ivy said, sharing her thoughts about what to do.

“That could be risky.” Imani thought for a moment and then touched Ivy’s arm. “I have another idea. Turn around and head for the backside of the ridge.”

With Imani directing her, Ivy reversed and turned toward the end of the street that lined the ridgetop. Following Imani’s direction, she turned onto a dirt road. As the vehicle bounced across the uneven terrain, Ivy’s feeling of urgency increased.

“This is a seldom-used fire road,” Imani said, touching the dashboard for balance. “People hike up here from the Summer Beach side to meditate because the ocean views are amazing. This is one of Ginger Delavie’s favorite spots. It’s not an easy hike from Summer Beach, but it is practically inaccessible from the other side.” Imani scanned the landscape. “Go slowly.”

“We don’t have much time.” Ivy flicked on her bright lights and rolled down the windows to see better.

The ocean breeze was stronger up here, and it whipped through the cabin. The ocean roared beneath them, but it did little to calm the tension that gripped Ivy’s chest. She prayed that Sunny would stay with Jamir, who was fairly leveled-headed. While she loved her daughter, Sunny often acted on impulse.

“Let’s get out,” Imani said.

Making sure to leave the vehicle’s headlights blazing, Ivy stepped from the SUV. She gazed out over the coastal village below, her heart hammering as waves crashed on the shore.

Imani motioned toward the far end of the ridge. “Down the back of this cliff is an old wooden staircase. Since it hasn’t been used or maintained in years, it’s perilous. The wood is rotten, and people have had bad falls, especially at night. Even though it’s blocked off, kids sometimes go exploring.”

Ivy heard the concern she felt in her friend’s voice. “Do you think Jamir would have taken this route?”

“It’s the fastest way from the other side. If the streets are clogged, he might think of this as a shortcut.” Imani quirked up a side of her mouth. “I’m trying to think as he would.”

Ivy managed a laugh. “Sunny would just hitch a ride.”

“They could, but I don’t think Jamir would take a chance on not making it to safety—especially with Sunny.”

Ivy gripped Imani’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here. I’d be out of my mind with worry.”

Just as Imani began to speak, a scream pierced the night.