The Trading Floor was ready for Helen’s book club and in short order, the ladies arrived. They were a mismatched group. Helen was clearly in charge, assigning seats and swapping chairs. Sally Ann’s arms were filled with her baby daughter tucked into her infant carrier, a white cozy receiving blanket, and three books. Joyce’s silver hair framed her face and if you looked closely, you could see her bright red glasses nestled among it. She used her cane to make room for Sally Ann, pushing a chair closer to the doorway, inviting her to sit there.
Julia quietly found her seat, smiled serenely at the group, and said, “It is so wonderful to be here with all of you. And thank you, Carr, for hosting us.” I could tell she was a noticer. As they sat around the long table, their collective excitement filled the room.
“I am thrilled to do this!” I said. “In honor of your first meeting here, we brewed some tea and I have one of Miss Lucy’s specialties. Just let me know when you are ready or if you need anything. For now, I will leave you to it!” I turned to head back to the main room.
Helen appeared at the register after some time and I knew they were ready for refreshments. “This pie looks amazing, I can’t wait for you to try it,” I said as I was loading up the tray with plates, napkins, and forks.
“It does look incredible,” Helen said. “Before we go back in, I wanted to ask you if there was any news. Any updates you can share? Did you poke around with Missy? Something is not right there, I know it, and what about Theresa? She is coming here today, is she in danger?”
From the other room, Joyce shouted, “Helen, bring Carr over near us so we can all hear!”
As we served the tea and pie, the ladies bounced their theories off each other like Ping Pong balls. For each idea tossed into the discussion, one of them would debunk it and the next possibility would be served up almost immediately. My head was spinning. Then, the first taste of pie quieted the group and I saw my opportunity to change the subject.
“Tell me what you know about Paul Easton,” I said.
“Who?” Sally Ann asked, “Who is that?”
“Bless your heart, Carr! You poor baby! Has Paul made an appearance here? I knew he had arrived for his yearly visit but I heard he has been all caught up with his special project. Has he been fussing at you?” Helen protectively placed her hand over mine.
“No, not really,” I said. “Actually, he needs some books and I am trying to help him find them. He is on some kind of a deadline so we are trying to move quickly.”
“I still don’t know who Paul Easton is,” Sally Ann said.
After Joyce filled her in, Julia said, “Several years ago, Paul said something that has stayed with me. I found it so profound that it just stayed with me. Every year, I say I am going to ask him when I see him next, and then when that opportunity comes, he is so intimidating, I just think it would sound ridiculous to bring up a passing comment he made years ago.”
“Well, are you going to tell us what he said?” Helen said.
Julia smiled, sipped her tea and said, “Helen, I doubt you will feel the same way about it. When was the last time we agreed on the nuances of a particular line from our readings? You and I see things differently, which is what keeps our book club so interesting, right?”
“And—” Helen was impatient. “And he said—”
Clearly, Julia had achieved her desired effect. She sipped her tea again before she said, “Paul told me he has a history here on Mongin Island that is older than our country, deeper than any grave we can find here, spanning international boundaries.”
No one said anything for a moment.
“That’s your idea of a passing comment?” Joyce said.
Helen asked, “What on earth could that mean?”
I said, “I am not sure what he means, but that’s one thing I intend to find out.” Paul being forthcoming with this information was just as curious as the statement itself.
The group’s reading selection still had some areas to be explored and Joyce, this session’s appointed discussion leader, had outlined a few more exploratory questions, so I excused myself and stepped outside to clear my head.
It was another phenomenal day on Mongin Island: blue sky, puffy white clouds, the faint smell of suntan lotion, and salt air hinting at the day’s possibility. From the porch’s side, I could see several old oaks, dripping in Spanish moss. It was all so familiar and comforting. Standing on this deck, even for these few minutes, allowed me to refocus. Layers of Carl’s story were added today. He was a successful businessman who seemed to act ethically. He also was a neighbor, a community member, a boyfriend, and a friend. Likely, there was a thread, tying him to someone already on our radar, that somehow broke. I needed to find that thread.
Refreshed, I returned to the store’s main room. My eyes went to Buddy, curled up once again with Jacob.
“Well, hello, Jacob. How’s your day going?”
“Hi Miss Carr, my day is great! I love my new school, but today we got out early because the teachers have to go to a class. On regular days, we get to play outside every day and have time before and after school to read. I have three new friends and I am going to a birthday party this weekend!” His whole face lit up as the words tumbled out. I loved watching the fingers on his left hand softly twirl Buddy’s ears while he held a book in his right hand. Both of his legs tapped the base of his club chair. All this energy in one little body!
“Wow, Jacob, that makes me so happy. Three new friends—you are a lucky guy, that’s for sure. And reading time, too! I like your new school. What are you up to today?”
“I’m looking for a book on seashells. My mom and I have been collecting things from our walks. There are so many cool shells here!”
As I sat down next to him, he filled me in on some of the different treasures he found on their beach walks. He found a starfish the other day. His eyes were wide with the joy of telling someone about something that he really liked to do.
“Did you ask Mr. Tripp about any shell books in the Trading Floor? Mr. Tripp knows everything that is in there. I swear, he doesn’t miss a trick!”
As if on cue, Tripp appeared. “Hey, Jacob, have you ever considered using a metal detector on your beach walks? My neighbor has one and I would be happy to introduce you and your mom to him. He is always looking for people to share a walk with him and he has a few grandchildren that visit regularly. Should I mention this to your mom?”
I heard them discuss how a metal detector works as they walked together to the next room. Tripp had years of practice explaining things to children. Jacob’s excitement bounced off our walls. His confidence to ask questions and his enthusiasm to try something new were so heartwarming to witness. He was growing, right before our eyes.
“Okay with you if I walk him back to the resort? I can’t wrap my head around him wandering out alone.” Tripp popped his head back into the room, looking for his sunglasses.
“Of course! Buddy wouldn’t mind a jaunt with you guys, if you want some company.” They were off and I got started on planning the rest of my day. When he returned, Tripp joined me in the back room and teased, “Who knew we were such softies?” We smiled at each other and I said, “It’s true, any time I see a child reading, it melts my heart. There is a kindness, a goodness to that child and I want him to know we see him, just the way he is.”
We decided Tripp was going to work on our website, and he had some ideas for the events page. “At the rate you’re going, we are going to have a lot of updates to that page!” he said. “Are you going to meet Deputy Julie now?”
“I am, if you’re good with keeping Buddy here. I will head out and should be back before closing,” I replied. A minute or two later, I was on my way to the Mongin Island landing. This trip only took a few minutes but by the time I arrived I had dozens of questions I really wanted—I really needed—to ask.