CHAPTER FIVE #2
As she stood there scrolling through more emails, a woman approached. She was older than Charley, but most of the people she interacted with were older, considering Charley had just turned twenty-five. The woman with long black hair, pulled into a loose ponytail, smiled at Charley.
“Hi, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I noticed your shirt. Are you with the Jacob Hardesty Foundation?” The friendly woman asked.
Charley glanced down at the blue T-shirt that Alex ordered for all the volunteers.
She smiled at the woman. “I am,” she said. “I’m Charley, the Executive Director of the West Coast expansion.”
The woman’s grin grew bigger. “Oh, my gosh! I know Ace and Alex. My name is Jessica,” she said, holding her hand out.
Charley grinned as she shook the woman’s hand. “How do you know Ace and Alex?” she asked.
“My husband is a commander here on the West Coast. He and Derek Connors are really good friends and attended BUD/s together.”
“Oh, wow! Small world,” Charley said laughingly. Derek was not only Alex’s adoptive dad but also Ace’s commanding officer.
The woman grinned. “It sure is. So, how are things with the foundation here coming along? If I read the email I got correctly, isn’t it set to open in a few weeks?”
Charley nodded. “It is coming along. The contractors have done an amazing job, getting the building functional and ready to open, despite very little supervision to start out with. I just got out here about two weeks ago. All that is left are final inspections and moving equipment and furniture in. I’m confident that we’ll be ready. ”
“That is great to hear. The foundation has been the talk of the community.”
“That’s awesome. The more people we can reach, the better.”
As their conversation continued, Charley found herself enjoying Jessica’s easygoing demeanor.
A few minutes later, both of their orders were called, and they picked them up.
As they walked out the door and were standing on the sidewalk, Jessica looked at Charley.
“Hey, we’re having a cookout at our place this weekend. Why don’t you come? It’ll mostly be Ray’s colleagues and their families, but we’d love to have you there as well. Most of them know Ace and Alex, too.”
Charley hesitated for a moment, knowing that she wasn’t the most outgoing person.
But then again, she needed to build her confidence given her role now.
It couldn’t hurt to attend the cookout. She didn’t know many people in town, and at least they weren’t total strangers.
They knew Ace and Alex. It would be a good opportunity to meet some new people.
“Okay,” Charley said, smiling. “Thank you. Is there anything I can bring?”
Jessica shook her head. “Nope, just bring yourself. I’ll text you with the details and our address. What’s your number?”
They exchanged numbers, and then Jessica surprised Charley with a hug.
“I’m so glad that we ran into each other.”
“Same,” Charley replied.
After chatting a little longer, they said goodbye, and Jessica gave her a little wave before heading to her car, which was parked nearby.
As Charley started the walk back to the Foundation, she took a sip of her sweet, refreshing drink and started thinking about the upcoming weekend.
A cookout with new friends. Maybe settling back in San Diego wouldn’t be so bad after all.
As Charley turned the corner and approached the building, she noticed a guy standing on the sidewalk, staring at it. At first, she thought it might have been the cabinet guy, but since there was no vehicle in the parking lot, she wasn’t sure who the guy was.
He was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. He stood completely still, chin slightly lifted. His eyes, which she could barely see because of the ball cap he had pulled low, were fixed on the building’s upper floors as if he were studying the building.
Her stomach tightened. Still, he didn’t give off a threatening vibe—more like haunted.
She straightened her shoulders and approached with a cautious but warm smile.
“Hi there,” she said in a cheerful tone.
The man flinched—just a small jerk of the shoulders, but enough that she noticed. His dark, haunted eyes snapped toward her.
“Oh. Uh, sorry. I didn’t hear you walk up.” His voice carried a rough edge, like someone who didn’t talk much anymore. His gaze drifted to the “Grand Opening Soon” sign taped inside the window.
“What is this place?” he asked.
Charley sensed a bit of hesitation in his voice, a slight tension.
She stepped closer, giving him her full attention.
“It’s a foundation for military members, veterans, and their families,” Charley explained.
“We provide a range of free services, like counseling, medical care, support groups, job placement assistance, and more. It’s all about helping those who serve or have served and their families, especially when the government can’t provide all the support they need. ”
He didn’t say anything but nodded, still looking up at the building.
Charley studied him. He shifted from one foot to the other, like he was restless.
His hands were shoved deep into his pockets.
His eyes drifted from the building to the parking lot.
His posture and actions told her that he was alert, as if waiting for something to happen.
She’d seen the same actions in the people she had assisted back in Virginia Beach.
And more painfully, in her brother when he came home from his last deployment, suffering from PTSD.
“Are you from the neighborhood?” she asked, gently testing the waters.
“No,” he said quickly. A little too quick at that.
Charley swallowed hard, her nerves starting to get the better of her. She couldn’t figure this guy out.
“My name is Charley. What’s yours?” she asked, trying to break the ice.
The guy looked down at her. Again, he had that blank expression. And instead of answering her question, he asked, “When does it open?”
“We open in a few weeks.”
He let out a breath that sounded like defeat.
“That building…” He paused, removing his hat and raking a shaky hand through his hair. “That building should’ve been demolished years ago.”
Charley’s eyebrows shot upward. “Demolished? Why?”
But the man shook his head, stepping back as if he’d said too much.
“Just… be careful, ma’am,” he muttered. “Some places weren’t meant to be reopened, especially where secrets are buried.”
“What does that mean?” Charley asked, feeling very confused and concerned.
He didn’t answer. He turned sharply and started walking down the sidewalk, his pace quickening, and his shoulders hunched like he was trying to outrun something only he could see.
“Wait!” Charley called after him and took a step to follow, but stopped when he didn’t acknowledge her.
She stood there staring at his retreating back. What the hell was that about? Was he confused? Was it trauma talking? Was there something he actually knew about the building’s past? As far as she knew, the previous tenants were all medical companies.
She was still staring at the stranger when a large white van pulled into the lot, tires crunching over gravel. Seeing the lettering on the side, it was the cabinet installers. They were early. Not that she would complain.
Charley exhaled sharply, trying to pull herself back into work mode as the driver climbed out.
“You Charley?” the man called.
She forced a smile, still unsettled by the stranger’s presence. “Yeah. That’s me.”
As Charley unlocked the front door and stepped inside with the cabinet installers trailing behind her. Her nerves were still unsettled. Her mind wasn’t on the installation plan. It was still replaying the stranger’s comments, or was it some sort of a warning?
That building should’ve been demolished years ago.
A sudden chill raced down her spine. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just some random encounter. Something was off. And her gut was telling her not to ignore it.