Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
B ack in the cozy, aromatic space of Sandcastles Bakery, Andie savored each bite of her caramel apple croissant, a flaky masterpiece that seemed to capture the essence of autumn in each mouthful. She looked across the table at Bunny and Sam, who were still filling in the crossword puzzle even as the three of them chatted.
“Ah, got it!” Bunny exclaimed, filling in a word on the paper. “Seven across is ‘tire.’”
Sam chuckled. “Right you are!”
As he filled in the word, Bunny looked over at Andie. “Now, tell us more about this mystery.”
“Well,” Andie began, “I was going through these old trunks I bought at an estate sale, and I discovered something odd. There were a bunch of Christmas decorations and ornaments, but also one sad little present, still wrapped. The tag says, ‘To Urchin.’ No idea who Urchin is, but I feel compelled to find out more.”
Bunny’s eyes widened with curiosity, “A lone, unopened gift in an old trunk? That is mysterious.”
“Exactly,” Andie said. “I thought maybe you could help me figure out who Urchin is and maybe even give them their long-lost gift.”
Sam raised his brows and looked at Bunny. “We don’t have much else to do…”
“And it does sound interesting,” Bunny added.
Andie’s eyes sparkled at the prospect of embarking on this adventure with her friends. “So you’re in?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Sam affirmed, his eyes twinkling. “Where did you get the trunks? That seems like the obvious place to start.”
“Iris Perkins’s estate sale,” Andie said, sitting back with her hands wrapped around the coffee mug.
“Ah, Iris Perkins, you say?” Bunny’s eyebrows furrowed as she made a slight face. “That woman was a notorious hoarder. And she never met an estate sale she didn’t like. You can’t be certain those trunks originally belonged to her family.”
“True,” Andie conceded, “but they were hidden deep in the attic, covered in dust. It wasn’t just part of the usual clutter, which makes me think they’ve been there for a while.”
“Still,” Bunny continued, “Iris could’ve acquired those trunks at any time and from anywhere and simply stashed them in her attic.”
Sam looked thoughtful, his eyes narrowing as he mulled over the details. “Bunny has a point, but I still say we start with Perkins.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Bunny said. “We’ll do some research, and it might really help to see what else was in the trunk.”
“Oh, sure! I have it at the shop. Pop on by whenever you get a chance,” Andie said.
“Hey, folks,” Bert chimed in from the next table, leaning back in his chair so he could join the conversation. “Have you heard about that big storm down the Cape? Quite the whopper, they say.”
Bunny frowned. “Oh no! I hope it’s not going to ruin Prelude.”
“Don’t worry, the forecast says it’s going to stay down there,” Bert reassured them, glancing out the door to make sure his terrier mix Chloe was okay outside. She was sitting next to Sam’s hound dog, Dooley, the two of them watching tourists stroll past. “Looks like it will be sunny here and mid-sixties, perfect for Prelude.”
All eyes turned toward the window as they caught sight of volunteers and town workers stringing up twinkling lights on the lampposts and setting out paper-bag luminaries along the sidewalks.
“Excellent,” Sam said, putting his hand atop Bunny’s and gazing at her fondly. “This year is very special, so I’m not surprised everything will work out perfectly.”
Bunny nodded. “And hopefully, we can make it extra special for the person that never got their gift all those years ago.”
Just then, the door chimed, and the four women who were staying at Tides came in. They spotted Andie, their eyes lighting up with recognition.
“Oh, hi, Andie!” Susan exclaimed, walking over with her friends in tow.
“Hello there,” Andie greeted them with a warm smile. “Let me introduce you to my friends Bunny and Sam.” She turned to Bunny. “These ladies are guests at Tides: Betty, Susan, Margie, and Carol. They used to live in Lobster Bay.”
“Hello, nice to meet you.” Bunny extended her hand, her eyes sparkling with warmth.
“A pleasure,” Sam echoed, nodding politely.
Bunny shifted her chair to make room. “Care to join us?”
“Oh, we’d love to, but we’re actually on our way to walk the Marginal Way,” Susan explained. “We just stopped in to get some Beach Bones for Cooper.”
“Cooper will love that.” Andie chuckled.
“Have a great walk!” Bunny replied as the four women headed to the counter to place their order.
Bunny turned her attention back to the table. She leaned in and lowered her voice. “Now, let’s come up with a solid game plan for this investigation.”
Andie sat back and sipped her coffee, satisfied that she’d found the right people to take on the job. She just hoped that Claire and Maxi would be able to solve their issues as easily.
Betty pulled her scarf a little tighter around her neck as the four friends made their way along the Marginal Way. The walkway hugged the cliffs, offering breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean breeze was blustery, a reminder that fall was setting in, but somehow, it felt invigorating rather than cold.
Margie led the way, her eyes lighting up at the sight of a bed of late-blooming flowers. “Would you look at that? Even in the fall, this place refuses to lose its charm.”
Carol nodded, her hands tucked into the pockets of her cardigan. “There’s something about the ocean that’s eternally captivating. It’s like it holds all the world’s secrets.”
Susan, ever the photographer of the group, stopped to capture a dramatic cluster of rocks jutting out into the ocean. “This place is a photographer’s dream. Every angle is a new surprise.”
Betty smiled, genuinely happy to be sharing this moment with her friends. Yet her thoughts kept drifting. When she was a teen, she and Heidi used to walk down the Marginal Way as a shortcut from their house to the beach. If there were ever a place for her to feel her sister’s presence, or perhaps even receive a sign from her, this was it.
They came upon a bench that seemed to have been perfectly placed, offering a panoramic view of the main beach across the river.
“Let’s take a breather,” Margie suggested, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.
They all settled onto the bench, each lost in her own thoughts as they looked out over the crashing waves, the distant beach, and the infinite horizon.
Betty felt a mix of peace and melancholy wash over her. She closed her eyes for a moment, half praying, half wishing for some form of connection. The emotion swelled in her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Suddenly, Carol nudged her softly. “Look, Betty.”
A lone seagull had landed on one of the nearby rocks, its white feathers a stark contrast to the dark stone. The bird seemed to hesitate for a moment before turning its head to look directly at them.
Betty felt a shiver run down her spine. Could this be the sign she had been hoping for? She felt her heart race as she considered the possibility. Was it foolish to think that a simple seagull could be a messenger from beyond?
Margie, unaware of Betty’s internal struggle, chuckled. “He’s quite the poser, isn’t he? It’s like he’s asking for his photo to be taken.”
Susan, never one to miss an opportunity, lifted her camera and took a few shots of the photogenic bird.
The seagull lingered for a few more moments before taking off, its wings catching the wind as it soared away, blending into the vast sky.
Betty felt tears prick her eyes. Whether it was a sign or just a simple coincidence, it had given her a moment of unexpected but much-needed comfort. For the first time in a long while, she felt a gentle lifting of the weight she had been carrying.
Finally, Susan stood up, slinging her camera over her shoulder. “Shall we continue? There’s so much more to see.”
Betty nodded, rising from the bench. “Yes, let’s.”
As they resumed their walk, Betty took one last look at the spot where the seagull had been. She felt a newfound sense of peace as they moved forward, her friends by her side and her sister’s memory tucked safely in her heart.