Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
T hey were later getting out the door than Harper wanted to be, and they still had to drop Archie off at Lucas’s. She was grateful to him for dog-sitting and knew Archie would not only be in good hands, but he’d have a great time with Scout.
Besides her dog having a good day and getting some exercise, he’d probably come home worn out. Win-win.
Frankie was driving, which Harper appreciated. Frankie knew the area better, but Harper had already said she’d drive home. Willa was in the back, on her phone.
Harper tipped her head to the side. “Still getting likes on the boat pictures?”
“Heck, yes,” Willa said. “Those things are social media gold. A couple of my friends have texted me asking me to get them his autograph.”
“You can ask him. He might,” Harper said. She looked over at her sister. “How are you doing?”
Frankie’s eyes stayed on the road. Traffic was medium-heavy. “I’m all right. Nervous. But that’s to be expected, I suppose.”
Harper sipped her travel cup of coffee. “Same here. I have high expectations, which is probably dumb, but it is what it is.”
Willa leaned forward. “Thanks for letting me come, both of you. I have high expectations, too.”
“Don’t get them too high,” Frankie said. She glanced at her daughter in the rearview mirror. “This could be a bust.”
“It could also be great,” Harper said. But she understood. Frankie wasn’t over her disappointment with Shar.
The drive went by quickly. They sang along to the radio, talked about how much work Willa had left to do before she could graduate, and Frankie told them about the new things she’d added to her shop.
“Hey,” Willa said. “You should do a design for Lucas of Scout. Something that could go on a T-shirt. You know his followers love Scout. They’d probably eat that up.”
“As a matter of fact,” Frankie said. “I was already thinking about doing a portrait of her for him. As a thank-you for the business he’s brought me. But a T-shirt design is a great idea. Thanks, Willa. What do you think it should look like?”
Willa was quiet a moment. “How about just Scout’s face with the words ‘Prime Doggo’?”
Harper laughed. “I like that.”
“Yeah?” Frankie looked over at her. “I could do that.”
Harper nodded. “Lucas would love it.”
“His fans would love it,” Willa added.
“All right, I get it.” Frankie laughed. “I’ll add it to my list of things to do.”
“How are the book illustrations coming along?”
“Not as quickly as they should, but I did make progress with them. I need two or three solid days of work and I can knock them out. But I have these new requests to deal with and I don’t want to turn down work.”
Harper didn’t want her to do that, either. She knew what the extra income could do for Frankie. “Anything I can do to help?”
“No, but thank you for asking.”
The navigation announced that they should take the next exit. Frankie put on her blinker and moved into the right-hand lane.
Harper checked her phone. They were doing great on time. They might even be there a few minutes early. Frankie must have her foot down. Didn’t seem like they were going that fast, as they were keeping up with the cars around them, but speeding seemed to be the norm these days.
They were meeting at a local restaurant. Buck had chosen it. Glenda would be there, too. Neither Harper nor Frankie saw any reason for her not to come, especially with them bringing Willa.
Frankie took the exit and, before long, they were pulling into the parking lot of the Rusty Scupper. A large anchor leaned against one exterior wall. A weathered ship’s wheel hung from another. By the door stood a nearly life-sized wooden fisherman. He was painted in bright blue and yellow, a jaunty pipe stuck in the corner of his mouth. He looked like he’d just stepped off a box of fish sticks.
Frankie parked and turned the car off. She sat for a second, just looking at the restaurant. “You think he’s in there already?”
Harper nodded. “Probably. He lives here, so he didn’t have as far to come.”
“Are we going in or what?” Willa asked.
Frankie took a deep breath. “We’re going in.”
Harper glanced at her sister, but Frankie’s steely expression didn’t give much away. The three women got out of the car and walked in together.
It was dark inside and took a few moments for their eyes to adjust. There was a big aquarium filled with fish off to one side and a lot of netting and shells on the walls, along with glossy fish replicas.
A hostess met them. “Welcome to the Rusty Scupper. Three for lunch?”
Harper stepped forward. “We’re meeting some folks. An older couple. Maybe they’re here already?”
“Are you Frankie and Harper?”
“We are,” Harper replied.
The hostess nodded and grabbed three menus. “Right this way.”
The restaurant was mostly empty. It was only eleven-thirty, and the lunch crowd hadn’t made their way in yet. She led them to the right, past a generous salad bar to a large round table in the corner.
She set menus at three of the remaining four spots. “Enjoy your lunch.”
Buck was already on his feet. Glenda was getting up. He was a tall man, lanky and wiry like an old cowboy with a little paunch, a lot of white hair, and a trim beard to match. He stared at them with tears in his eyes. “Hello, there.”
“Hello,” Harper said. “I’m Harper and this is Frankie.” She gestured to her sister. “In case you didn’t recognize us. And that’s Willa.”
He nodded quickly. “I’d recognize you two anywhere.” He smiled at Willa. “Hello, there, Willa. Thank you for finding me.”
“You’re welcome.” Willa, suddenly shy, lifted her hand in a little wave and went silent.
“This is my wife, Glenda. I told her all about you.”
They said hello to Glenda and took their seats, Glenda, too.
Buck stayed standing, reaching into the back pocket of his cargo shorts and pulling out his wallet. He opened it up and thumbed a yellowed photo out of one of the card slots. He held it out. “See? You don’t look that much different.”
Frankie sucked in air.
The photo was of her and Harper, sitting in front of a Christmas tree. Frankie was smiling at an ornament. Harper looked distracted by the photographer.
Harper shook her head. “I know that’s us, but I don’t remember that picture.” Had he really carried it all this time?
“Sharlene didn’t like it because you weren’t smiling, but to me it summed up your personalities. At least at the time. Frankie, you were such a happy baby. Always smiling or laughing about something. And you, uh, Harper, you always seemed to be trying to figure things out.”
He glanced at the picture before tucking it back into his wallet, which he stuck in his pocket, then he sat down. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Me, too,” Harper said. She smiled at Glenda. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Glenda leaned in. “Was the drive all right? Traffic goes so fast on 95.”
“It does,” Harper said. “The drive was fine, though.” She was well aware that Frankie had yet to say anything. “Do you live close?”
“We do,” Glenda replied. “We have a little house on Lamplighter Drive. With Buck gone on the charter boat all the time, a small house is all we need.”
A server arrived, took their drink orders, then disappeared again.
Frankie still hadn’t spoken. Harper unrolled her silverware and spread the napkin on her lap. “Do you go out on the boat that often, Buck?”
He nodded. “Depends on how many charters there are and what the weather’s like, but anywhere from two to five times a week.”
“Isn’t that a lot for someone your age?”
He laughed. “Maybe. But I like the work and the money’s decent.”
Glenda leaned in again. “He keeps saying he’s going to retire, but I think he loves it too much.”
Frankie put her hands on the table. “Have you always carried that picture?”
Buck looked at her. “Always. It even went to prison with me. Glenda had it restored and blown up bigger for me a few Christmases ago, so I have one in the living room, too.”
Frankie’s face was inscrutable. “How long were you in prison?”
Glenda shifted uncomfortably, but Buck didn’t hesitate. “I was sentenced to twelve years, but I got paroled after eight. I’m not proud of what happened. I was young and gullible and…” He shook his head. “Seems like a lifetime ago.”
“What do you mean gullible?” Frankie asked. “You hinted in your email that there was more to it than what Sharlene had told us.”
He sighed, nodding. “Sharlene said there wouldn’t be guns. Just the threat of them on the notes.”
Harper’s mouth came open. “ Sharlene said that?”
He took a quick sip of water and cleared his throat. “The plan was hers. Hers and her brother’s.” His eyes narrowed. “Let me guess—she told you she knew nothing about it and had been forced into being the driver?”
Harper nodded. “That’s exactly what she said.”
He frowned. “She stuck to that story in court, too. As someone who was there, I can tell you that’s not the truth. She was a big part of it. But that’s behind me now and I’ve learned to forgive. And move on.”
Glenda put her hand over top of his. “A man’s past doesn’t define him. I hope you girls know that. Buck is a good man. A good husband. He’s a deacon at church. I won’t have you thinking what happened then has any bearing on who he is now, other than he learned his lesson and changed his ways.”
Harper smiled. “I don’t doubt that one bit, Glenda.”
The server returned to take their orders. Harper and Glenda chose the salad bar. Frankie, Willa, and Buck all had the lunch special, which was the Fisherman’s Fry, a basket of fried shrimp, clams, and grouper nuggets with French fries and coleslaw.
As the server left, Harper and Glenda got up at the same time. Harper smiled at her. “Salad bar?”
Glenda nodded. “Yep.”
They walked together, saying nothing until they’d gotten plates. Harper let the older woman go ahead of her. “How long have you and Buck been married?”
“Nearly thirty years.” Glenda added lettuce to her plate. “He told me about his past on the second date. About you girls, too. He wanted me to know all of that. To know that who he’d been and who he was were very different.” Glenda looked at Harper. “I hope you and your sister can give him a chance.”
Harper nodded. “I am definitely ready to do that.”
It was Frankie she wasn’t so sure about.