Loving Dory: Crescent Harbor, #2

CHAPTER 1

Sirens, at first soft, then growing to insufferable volume, approached from the south side of Sunrise Highway. A white and red sports car sped northbound with a trail of local police and sheriff’s department squad cars following. The melee quickly disappeared as the cops-and-robbers procession went by.

What in the world? Dory craned her neck to follow the fading sounds. Nothing like this ever happened in the quiet town of Crescent Harbor, at least as far as she’d experienced.

She entered the Surfside Bridal and Formalwear Shop and locked the door behind her. Another day or two of arranging and rearranging and the store would have its grand re-opening on the corner of Sunrise Highway and Woodrow Avenue with a catty-cornered entryway, which invited pedestrians from both streets.

The move had been smart on the owner’s part. More exposure to the main drag going through the beach town, and no more calls to repairmen who couldn’t seem to find the source of the ceiling leak in the former storeroom. The folks who bought the old store must have had faulty noses not to have smelled the musty odor that often required the use of a fan to blow it out the back door.

Hello? Loretta? Dory scanned the entire store from right to left.

Over here. The older woman rose from behind a distant showcase and waved.

Dory headed her way, not at all surprised to find her friend and mentor had beaten her to the store once again. Hi.

Good morning, dear. Loretta Reed’s smile stretched across a sweet, elderly face, causing crepe-like skin on her cheeks to puff into mounds under her eyes. Did you lock the door? Wouldn’t want anyone to misconstrue our activities in the display window today and think we’re open for business.

Yes, ma’am. We’re locked and loaded. She set her purse and lunch bag on a nearby glass case.

Locked and… What was that last part?

Dory giggled. It was hard to contain a buoyant mood on such a lovely Saturday morning. Locked and loaded. Sorry. Silly expression. I’ve been watching too many police-procedural shows on TV lately. It’s a gun reference, though I’m not exactly sure what it means.

I miss-heard. I thought you said locked and bloated. Loretta burst into hearty laughter that bobbed her bony shoulders up and down. Oh, me. It’s so good to laugh, isn’t it?

Sure is, Dory said, after letting out a few giggles of her own. Well, now that we know I’m not bloated and in need of medical intervention, shall we start on the window display?

Moving men had deposited nude mannequins in a cluster toward the back of the showroom floor. As Dory had quickly discovered when she took the job a few months ago, none of them were as easy to move from here to there as their young, lithe figures projected. Had the manufacturers filled them with concrete? One could only guess.

Yes, I was hoping that with a few hours of sweat and frustration we would at least be able to finish the seaside view of the front window. To whom shall we bestow the honors? Chin cocked upward to look over the racks and displays in the center of the room, Loretta fixed her gaze toward the gaggle of store dummies whose poses made them look as if they were mingling at a close-knit party. I was thinking Chad and Emily might be good choices. What do you say?

Perfect. She’d never seen the wisdom of naming each posable dummy when first hired on. But now? Different story.

Flexing her arms outward, Hercules style, Loretta gave a decisive nod. Then, let’s get to it.

Chad cast his dreamy eyes straight ahead as Dory ‘walked’ him and his rounded platform toward the front with Loretta directing.

A little to the right, dear. I mean my right. Your left.

Bang. Dory’s fingers pinched between Chad’s waist and a tiered wooden shelf display. Ouch! Didn’t see that one in the way.

Sorry, Dory. I got distracted.

Sirens blasted in the near-distance, carried their sound past the corner shop, and continued down Sunrise Highway.

Loretta popped onto her tiptoes for a look. Did you see anything?

Not really. Just a glimpse of the last police car.

Tsk, tsk. I hope they catch whomever they’re after, and soon. All this noise is getting downright irritating. Loretta glanced at her wristwatch. I’ve got to make a quick phone call. Be right back.

Okeydoke. Since we’re past the racks, I think I can manage to push this guy forward by myself.

Loretta smiled and slid a grandmotherly hand down Dory’s forearm. You’re such a cheerful and willing worker. I love that about you. As Loretta passed Chad, she stroked his cheek and flicked her graying brows in Dory’s direction. If only I’d found a Chad for my life. Luckily, you have that Dan fellow who adores you.

Dory’s gaze followed Loretta’s back as she ambled through the half-finished displays. She had Dan? Since when? They were friends and that was it. Good friends, granted. But still. Renting a house from Dan—a man who employed her teenaged son, no less—put a bit of a damper on any romantic inclinations she might have toward him. Sure, they’d had dinner together a few times. Talked into the wee hours afterward, and enjoyed each other’s company on multiple occasions since…

The familiar lump formed in Dory’s throat.

Since he’d saved her son, Chase, from drowning—twice, no less—and was instrumental in turning him into a responsible young man who…

No! She wasn’t going to cry with melancholy or pine away with feeling of— Of what? Dan was an exemplary human being. One she and her son admired greatly. But. But…

Dory checked her cheeks for tears. Good. There were none, though she’d felt certain there would be. Dan stirred feeling she hadn’t experienced since her fireman husband was killed while trying to save the lives of others.

She sighed and forced her stiff shoulders to relax. This was neither the time nor the place for such mixed emotions.

Loretta returned and helped push the mannequin up a ramp and onto the storefront platform.

Dory brushed dust from his shoulder. Shall I dress him so he’s not buck naked in the window?

Yes, indeed. I’ll fetch clothes for him. Loretta returned in minutes and lay a freshly cleaned tux on the platform floor. Here you are, my dear. Why don’t you work on this chap while I hang a bit more lace and other frilly stuff on the window front?

I’d be glad to, but please be careful on the ladder. You’re not a spring chick… Dory bit her lip. Sorry, Loretta. I didn’t mean⁠—

Aw, come on. You know me better than that. I’m old and proud of it. I promise I’ll be careful. Wouldn’t want to fall and break a hip. She chuffed a nasal laugh and gingerly climbed the ladder with yards of lace swag dragging at her side. Oh, good. There’s already a bunch of nails and hooks to hang stuff on.

The warbling cries of sirens continued. Loud, soft, and anywhere in between. What on earth had happened to make such a chase necessary? Bank robbery? A speed demon who wouldn’t stop for the cops? Who knew?

You okay up there, Loretta? Dory eyed the older woman who stood on the third-from-top rung, reaching upward and hooking swags of lace on miscellaneous nails or hooks.

Yup. Feed me more of that pearly stuff, would you, honey?

Absolutely. Dory pulled Chad’s shirt onto his arms and left the buttons open. Oh, my. He looked absolutely obscene. She’d deal with it later. Here you go. Bubbles, bangles, and beads.

The sound of emergency vehicles grew closer.

Dory fed Loretta a line of pearls and pulled a wad of lace from the bolt to let it flow as Loretta pulled it toward herself. How’s that?

Wonderful. I think between the lace and beads, we’ve got ourselves a winner. The old woman climbed down from the ladder and puffed a breath from her cheeks. Let me help you with Chad for a few minutes.

The wail of sirens filled the air and reverberated against the picture window.

A sports car careened into the intersection and cut a sharp left.

It missed the turn.

Loretta! Watch out!

Dory shoved the old woman across the platform and dove to the floor.

Crash!

Windows exploded.

The car smashed through the corner door and stopped with the front half on top of the window platform, its tires reeking of burnt rubber.

Dory lay on her side and shook the old woman’s shoulder. Loretta? Are you okay?

CHAPTER 2

Dan Logan finished the last bite of his ham, cheese, and mushroom omelet and pushed the plate aside. Sitting back in the booth, he patted his midsection. No doubt about it, this place makes the best breakfast in town.

There was little to dispute. Lindy’s, which had no connection whatsoever to the well-known restaurant in New York City’s Times Square, had been voted number one for breakfasts and brunches in Richard’s Beach, South Carolina for at least ten years straight.

Across from him, Cornelius Higginbotham, whom he’d known all his life by his unusual nickname, Low Tide, shoveled another scoop of home fries into his stubble-faced kisser and gave a little nod. They do, except these taters need more ketchup. Can you slide the bottle over, please?

Sure. Here you go. He chuckled as the older man shook a generous blob on top of his potatoes and smeared it across everything on his plate, the remains of a sunny-side-up egg and triangle of rye toast included.

Low Tide devoured his potatoes, speared the toast into his egg, and took a bite. Thanks for inviting me to breakfast. I take it you want to discuss another project or two?

You read me well. Dan smiled. As the relatively new CEO of Logan Construction Services, he had enough responsibility to keep him busy twenty-four, seven. Still, he couldn’t abandon the business of flipping distressed property that had first started his career—a career which began when he became an apprentice under Low Tide’s tutelage in his teen years. The man had probably forgotten more than Dan ever knew about residential housing construction.

What was now considered a side business by Dan’s father’s standards couldn’t be cast aside. It employed not only Low Tide, who more or less oversaw the operation in its day-to-day endeavors, but a host of at least a dozen others who depended on the job to feed their families as well.

Jan, the familiar, smiling waitress refilled Dan’s coffee cup. Can I get you gentlemen anything else?

The check, please.

Together or separate?

Low Tide made a move for the wallet in his back pocket.

Dan held up one finger to the waitress and palmed a gentle stop sign toward Low Tide. I’ve got this. It’s a business expense, after all. He hoped his explanation would preserve his mentor’s pride.

Jan tore the check from a pad and slid it onto the table.

Dan tossed some cash on top. No change. Thanks for taking care of us.

I’ll make sure to bring a receipt for your records. The aproned young lady made a cheerful departure.

Low Tide nodded. You bought more houses to flip?

Several. In fact, one owner was so relieved to be free from a rental-gone-bad experience, I thought he was going to dance on the table when we went to the closing.

Mm-hmm. Another one of those, eh? Thought he’d make a mint from a rental and found out it wasn’t the money maker he’d imagined?

Exactly. He also figured his insurance company would pay for damages but didn’t factor in how high they’d raise his premiums if he’d put in too many claims. His last tenants did a number on the⁠—

The phone Dan had set on the tabletop rang. Caller ID painted Dory’s name across the screen. His tablemate leaned over, glanced at the phone, and shined a knowing grin.

Dan picked up. Hey there. How’s it going?

Hi, Dan. I’ve been trying to reach Chase, but he’s not answering. I was wondering if you could get in touch with him. It’s… It’s urgent.

A jumble of muted voices filled Dory’s background. A clip of discourse put him on alert. Please be advised… A wrecker is on the way… An ambulance…

Dan’s heart skipped a beat. What’s going on, Dory?

We… That is, Loretta and I, were decorating the window display at our new location when a car sped through the intersection, and— Hold on for a sec, would you? A police officer is asking me something.

Of course.

Dory returned on the line seconds later. Dan?

I’m here. By now, his pulse was thumping hard. He lifted a hand to squelch the questions he felt sure the scrunched-brow Low Tide was about to raise. Are you okay?

Dory broke into sobs that tore his heart. The car burst through our window, and⁠—

Are you okay? Was anybody hurt? Nothing else mattered.

I’ve got a nasty bump on my head, and the EMTs are checking Loretta to make sure she’s not badly injured. The saving grace is she’s as feisty as ever and says she’s fine. Just banged up and bruised. But she’s nearly eighty, so I’m worried sick about her.

I hope she checks out all right.

Low Tide rapped a knuckle on the table, his face rife with concern. What’s going on? he whispered.

Dan covered the mouthpiece. There’s been an accident at Dory’s workplace. The bridal shop I told you about. A car drove through the window. EMTs are on the scene.

Dang. Want me to go get Chase and drive him over to the shop? He’s working a small job with Sam today.

That’d be great. Thanks.

Dan? You still there? Dory sniffled.

Yeah. I’m here. Just finished breakfast with Low Tide. He going to pick up Chase and bring him to you. I’m leaving Richard’s Beach right now and will see you shortly.

Thanks, Dan. Bye.

Low Tide rose to his feet in unison with Dan and hurried to the parking lot.

Dan, wait up! The waitress caught up with Dan as he pulled open his car door. Here’s your receipt.

Thank you. He managed to smile, slipped behind the wheel, and tossed the slip of paper onto the passenger seat. At the parking lot exit, his blinker tapped a steady beat as he waited for a break in traffic. Come on, come on! Someone let me⁠—

A honk and a kind hand gesture from a bread truck driver summoned him to merge onto the road.

He pulled onto the highway and shot the man a wave in the rearview mirror. Thanks, buddy.

A bump on the head was one thing. He could deal with that. But if Dory’s injury turned out to be more serious… No! He wasn’t going to let his mind go there. Lord, please help me get to her quickly.

CHAPTER 3

Emergency vehicles surrounded the sports car whose front end sat at an odd angle inside the bridal shop. Dan made a wide right-hand turn onto Woodrow Avenue and carefully skirted them.

An ambulance