Lavender Lass Books - Thursday Newsletter 21

Welcome to Lavender Lass Books - Thursday Newsletter! Abigail and I have decided to publish The Magic of Burrows Bay one chapter at a time. As always, you can find out more information on these and all our other books at the Lavender Lass Books website.

We’re having our next Facebook party TOMORROW, May 13th, from 9 am to 3 pm PT. We'll be celebrating all things Sweet Historical Romance...with teacups & dresses, recipes, games, and maybe a few FREE ebooks. Hope you'll join us!

And we’ve created a group on Facebook just for our Thursday newsletter! It’s a fun place to talk about all things Burrows Bay related…and as we progress through the story, you’ll find out why we post all those 1920s-inspired dresses. Hope you’ll join us!

We also have all our stories at our Lavender Lass BookShop! You can save 25% on all our ebooks if you use our coupon code when you check out.
Lavender
Not very original, but easy to remember!

Finally, here is the next chapter of The Magic of Burrows Bay! We’ll have a new chapter every Thursday, so we hope you enjoy the story!

Maggie McCrae knew her granddaughters were not ready for the legacy she must leave them. The house, the grounds and everything that went with it would now be theirs. She vowed she would do all she could to protect them and hopefully, give them the time they needed to fulfill their destiny. Gabriella and Moira must learn to trust themselves and each other as they discover the true magic of Burrows Bay.

And remember, you can always catch up on all earlier chapters here.

Chapter 21

As soon as Jack arrived, Gabbi drove off to meet her father at the airport.  As Moira walked into the hall, she smiled.  “Hi, Jack. Thank you for taking me to dinner tonight.”

Jack nodded.  “Your cousin said she was on her way to pick up her father.  It makes me feel a lot better, knowing you two won’t be out here by yourselves.”  As Moira looked at him with one eyebrow raised, he added, “Not that you couldn’t handle it.”

Moira laughed.  “Actually, I will be very glad to have my uncle here for a few days.”  Changing the subject, she asked, “So, where are we going for dinner?”

Jack smiled.  “I thought it would be nice to drive over to Whidbey Island.  There’s not much moon out tonight, but we should have plenty of stars.”  Jack paused a moment.  “Have you seen Deception Pass?”  

Moira shook her head.  “No, but I understand it’s spectacular.”

Jack nodded.  “You really should see it during the day to get the best view of the islands but at night it takes on an almost…” he paused, looking into Moira’s lovely green eyes, “…magical quality.”

“Then, it sounds perfect.  I love magic,” Moira said it without thinking, then realized it was one of the reasons she wanted to keep the house.

Jack opened the front door, but Moira as she walked out the door.  When he’d arrived, Gabbi had let him in, so Moira expected to see the black sedan.  Jack smiled at the look on her face. “I brought my own car tonight.”

“It’s beautiful!”  Moira walked around the message on the porch and hurried down the steps to look at the silver convertible.  “What is it?  It’s wonderful.”

“A 1967 Datsun Roadster.”  Jack ran his hand down the side of the car.  “My great-grandfather bought this brand new.  He drove it for ten years and then put it in storage.  I only drive it for special occasions.”

“Well, I’m honored,” replied Moira, smiling.  “I love convertibles!  This one looks like something out of a spy movie.”

Jack laughed.  “Not quite but all compliments are appreciated.” 

As he opened her door, she slid into the seat and ran her hand over the black leather.  “Very nice,” she murmured, more to herself than Jack. 

Jack took off his fedora and tossed it on the back seat.  Getting into the car, he looked over at her and smiled.  “You look very nice tonight.” 

“Thank you,” Moira replied, smiling back.

Gabbi couldn’t believe she was stuck in a traffic jam on Fidalgo Island.  After living in Seattle, she thought she’d seen everything, but she didn’t expect a delay driving to this airport.  “Seriously?” she said out loud.  “It’s a fender bender.  What’s the big deal?”

Every car went by at about five miles an hour with people craning their necks to see what had happened.  Finally, the traffic started moving again, and she was able to take the turnoff to the airport.

Gabbi parked and walked into the building just as the passengers were getting off the plane.  Her eyes lit up when she saw her dad.  He was tall with dark brown hair, just beginning to streak with gray, and deep set, brown eyes. She stood up and waved.  “Dad,” she called out as she walked towards him.

“Gabriella!  Hey, beautiful girl, it’s good to see you.”  Montgomery put his arms around his daughter and pulled her into a bear hug.

Her dad was the only one who got away with calling her Gabriella. The way he said it seemed special and always made her feel safe.  As if she were six years old again, and he’d just checked under her bed for monsters.  She smiled.  “Welcome back to the Pacific Northwest.  How was your flight?”

“As good as can be expected from San Francisco to Seattle,” Montgomery replied, “then a quick hop up here to Anacortes.”  He smiled.  “We barely stopped climbing when it was time for the plane to descend, but it was a lot faster than driving up from Seattle.”

“That’s for sure.”  Gabbi was glad he’d chosen the extra flight since she’d already made the trip to Seattle enough times that week.

As they walked to her car, Montgomery decided to get the next part over with as quickly as possible.  “Gabriella, have you heard from your mother lately?”  

His ex-wife Devaney could be difficult at the best of times.  When she became upset or frustrated, she could be a terror.  Spoiled, beautiful and pampered, he knew he’d only made things worse by giving in to her all those years, trying to keep the peace.  She’d never really taken an interest in their daughter until she decided she wanted full custody in the divorce.

Gabbi shrugged.  “I called her when I first got here and left a message, but she hasn’t called back.  That was over a week ago.”  She didn’t add that unless her mother wanted something, she rarely called her.

“Probably just as well,” replied Montgomery.  “When she finds out Mom left the house to you and Moira, things could get interesting.”  He shook his head.  “Sorry, I know she’s still your mother.”

They had reached her car, so Gabbi took a minute unlocking the door.  “Honestly, I don’t want to see her.  If she thinks she’ll get any money out of me or Moira, she’s going to be very disappointed.”  She stopped and shot her dad a smile.  “By the way, I can’t believe you sold the restaurant.  What made you decide to do it?”

Montgomery gave her a quick hug, pulling her in with one arm.  “Lots of things, Sweetheart.  Mainly, I just wasn’t enjoying it anymore.  How about you?  Do you enjoy cooking at the restaurant?”

Gabbi laughed.  “Never did, so I left.  Now, I’m going to be fixing up the house for the next six months, and Moira wants to remodel the kitchen!”  Her eyes danced.  “Want to help me?”

“Are you kidding?  Is there anything better than a chef creating her own dream kitchen?”  Montgomery smiled.  “You know what we should do?  Let’s go to Preston’s Diner.  Have you been there lately?”

“The one you used to say had the best burgers in town once you got past the awful décor?”  Gabbi smiled.  “No, I’ve never been there, but it sounds like fun.”

“Let’s see if they still have those red and turquoise striped booths with the bright yellow tables.”  He shook his head and smiled.  Reaching over, he gave Gabbi’s hand a little squeeze.  “I’ve missed you, beautiful girl.” 

She smiled.  “I’ve missed you too, Dad.  And thanks for coming.  Moira and I are both glad you’ll be at the house tonight.”

 Montgomery realized that he had made the right decision to leave San Francisco.  It was time to repair his relationship with his daughter, and he’d put it off for far too long.  Time to get over the mistakes of the past, he thought as they drove into Anacortes.  Time to think about the future.

Jack drove south towards Deception Pass, hoping Moira would like the Island Restaurant in Oak Harbor.  It had a wonderful steak and pasta special, which was one of the best in the area.  And it was a longer drive than going to Anacortes, which gave them more time together.  This last part he didn’t care to admit, so he decided the longer trip would be a welcome distraction from what had happened that morning. 

Moira had other ideas.  “Jack, have you considered smuggling as one of the reasons we might have trespassers in our woods?” 

So much for keeping things off topic, he thought, smiling to himself.  “Why do you ask?”

“I’ve been doing some research about smuggling on the internet.  It says pharmaceutical drugs are one of the most desirable goods to bring into the country illegally.”  She looked over at him as he drove.  “Have you had any problems with smuggling in our area?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” replied Jack, “but it’s a good theory.  It would make sense if there’s a path down to the water and easy access for a small boat to land.” 

“Maybe, we should go down and check.”  Moira paused.  “Gabbi and I were thinking about going down to explore right before we found the barn with the meth lab.” 

Jack shook his head.  “You two get a threat this morning and your response is to consider going down to the beach to see if you can find more drug dealers?” 

“Well, when you put it that way…” Moira smiled.  “We do want to know who was upsetting Gran and why they’re still using our woods.  Ben said he saw lights Friday night down by the water.”

“Who is Ben?” Jack asked.  Then, he pointed to the right.  “Out there is Deception Island. We would easily see it during the day.  The bridge is just ahead.”

Moira looked over at the islands, barely outlined in the starry night.  “Oh, it must be wonderful.”

“Maybe, we should come back in a few days, and I’ll take you for a walk along the beach.”  He looked over at her and smiled.  “It’s beautiful.”

Gabbi was having a great time with her dad.  He was telling stories about his restaurant and all the interesting if sometimes eccentric people who were their regular customers.  She could see how much her father had enjoyed it.  “Dad, why did you really sell?” 

Montgomery leaned back and exhaled slowly.  “It was a lot of fun, but I just wasn’t happy there anymore.  San Francisco has changed a lot in the last few years, and I was starting to feel, well, old.”

“You?”  Gabbi blew out a breath, then smiled.  “Seriously, you look amazing.”

He smiled.  “I dated a woman, briefly, who had a teenaged daughter.  The more time I spent with them, the more I realized I missed having a family.”  He looked at Gabbi and winked.  “I thought…why not go see my real family.  I have a beautiful daughter, who just might need her old man around once in a while.”

Gabbi raised one eyebrow.  “I don’t know if I need you, Dad…but I’m glad you’re here.” 

Montgomery knew it was not easy for his daughter to say things like this, so he just nodded.  “Good enough.  Let’s finish these burgers and head home.  I have cameras and lights to help install tomorrow.”

“You’re going to help?”  Gabbi smiled into her drink.  “Does the installation person know that?”

Montgomery shook his head.  “Now, Gabriella, why would I tell them and deprive them of such a wonderful surprise?”

Gabbi picked up the check and gave the waiter her credit card.  “My treat.  It’s the least I can do.  I think you should save your money to give a sizable tip to that install person.”  She smiled.  “I remember the Christmas lights of 1996.  Unless your electronics skills have greatly improved…you’re going to need it.”

Montgomery enjoyed their banter and it was a good sign that she was joking with him.  He hadn’t felt this close to his daughter in a long time.  He just wished it could have happened without some idiot scaring her half to death.  When he found the person responsible…well, whoever it was, they’d better pray the police found them first.

Jack looked at Moira.  She was such a wonderful contradiction.  When she wasn’t trying to single-handedly solve the island’s drug problem, she was chatting with their waitress about her plans to start college in the fall. 

“Oh, I think Bellingham would be a wonderful place to go to school,” Moira said.  “Do you know what your major will be?”

The waitress was smiling and lit up at the question.  “Yes.  I want to take journalism and economics.”

“That’s a smart combination,” Moira agreed.  “It sounds like you have it all planned out.”

“As soon as I save enough money,” she replied.  “I could take out loans, but I don’t want to graduate with a huge debt hanging over my head.”  The waitress looked at Jack.  “But why don’t I take your order, so you two can get back to your dinner.”

Moira looked at Jack.  “What would you suggest?”

“I know the steak and pasta is good,” he replied.  “Do you like steak?”

“I’ve been living in Montana the past sixteen years.  It’s almost a requirement,” Moira replied, smiling at Jack.

As the waitress left, Jack just shook his head.  “You realize you’ve completely charmed that young woman.  People around here aren’t used to strangers taking such an interest.”

“Well, we’re not really strangers, are we?”  Moira looked at him over her water glass.  “We’re locals now.”

“Does that mean you’re planning to stay beyond the six months?” Jack surprised himself at how much he hoped her answer would be yes.  Too much, for someone he’d only met a few days ago.

Moira smiled.  “Yes.  I wasn’t sure until this morning.  When someone tells me to leave, it makes me want to do exactly the opposite.”

Good to know, thought Jack.  He looked into those green eyes and saw the determination in them, then watched them suddenly sparkle.  “What is it?” he asked.

Moira smiled.  “Jack, do you think you could help me find a dog?”

Montgomery left his suitcases in the bedroom over the conservatory, then went downstairs to the kitchen.  Gabbi was making hot chocolate, which had always been a favorite of theirs. 

She smiled.  “Now, I can add more than cinnamon to the hot chocolate,” she said, pointing to the little bottles of liqueurs in the pantry, “but it’s still my favorite.”

Montgomery nodded.  “A McCrae family tradition.  Mom used to make her hot chocolate that way, so I did it with you.”  He looked around the kitchen.  “A lot of memories here.”

“Too many?” Gabbi asked, concern clouding her face. 

“No,” he reassured her.  “At least, not bad ones.  Lots of good memories.”

Gabbi smiled.  “Did it look like this, when you and Aunt Joselyn were little?”

“Oh yeah,” Montgomery laughed.  “Exactly like this except the range used to be harvest gold.”

“Well then, it would have matched the refrigerator.”  Gabbi smiled and looked around the room.  “What was the house like back then?  When you lived here with Gran and Aunt Joselyn?”  She paused.  “And your dad?”

Montgomery took a deep breath and gave her a shaky smile.  “It was wonderful.  I mean really wonderful.  If it hadn’t been so perfect, we might have been able to handle it better.”

“You mean when he died?” Gabbi knew this was hard on her dad, but she really wanted to know about her grandfather.

“I know we didn’t talk much about this when you were growing up and looking back…I cheated you.  I cheated us.”  Montgomery looked down at the table, passing a hand lightly over the top.  “My dad used to sit here every morning and read the newspaper.  He’d drink his coffee and watch my mom fry up some eggs or serve him her homemade granola when she was on one of her health kicks.” 

Gabbi smiled.  “What about Aunt Joselyn?  Did you two get along?”

Montgomery laughed.  “She always had a group of girls with her.  It was annoying when I was eight.  By the time I was fourteen it was a lot more fun.”  His eyes twinkled.  “Did I mention my older sister was also a cheerleader?”

“No, somehow that never came up.”  Gabbi laughed. “So, a bunch of cheerleaders, two years older than you, were always around?  And you were up on the third floor playing a guitar?”

“Not when they were over.”  Montgomery shook his head.  “So many memories and being here, it seems like yesterday.  I don’t know how Mom did it.”

“Maybe that’s why she traveled so much but never sold the house?” offered Gabbi.  “A way to keep what she loved but give herself some breathing space.”

Montgomery sat down at the table.  “I was sitting right here eating a sandwich.  Bologna and cheese.”  He stopped and looked over at the range.  “Mom was cooking some stew on the range.  Joselyn was out with her friends.  She was back from college, the summer of her sophomore year.  I had just graduated from high school and wanted to work a year before I went to college.  Dad and I were still discussing that….”

Gabbi held very still.  She didn’t want to break the spell that seemed to surround them.  They were in 2016, but also 1986.  She knew what was about to happen. She had looked it up years ago.

“I remember the phone was ringing,” Montgomery continued, staring over towards the refrigerator.  “It used to hang right there by the pantry.  Mom walked over and picked it up.  It was just another normal day until that moment.  When I think back on it, I wish I’d told her not to answer the phone…but it wouldn’t have changed anything.”

Montgomery looked up at his daughter.  “Joselyn walked in and your grandmother and I were just sitting here, stunned.  We were staring at each other and as she walked in, time started to move again and so did we.  I remember Mom walking over to Joselyn and telling her.  I couldn’t hear it again, so I went out back and ran into the woods as fast as I could.  I didn’t know what else to do.”

Gabbi gave her dad a big hug.  “I’m sorry, Dad.  I knew this would be hard for you.”

“No, it’s time to put these demons to rest.  I’m not eighteen anymore, and it’s time I acted like your father, not a devastated teenager.”  He rubbed his hands over his face.  “Dad was a fanatic when it came to maintenance, but that day the plane developed mechanical difficulties.  He was flying some guests over the islands, and they were coming back across Whidbey.  We only had the Bed and Breakfast open in the summers and then only for regulars.  It was more of a hobby by then for my parents.”

He looked up at Gabbi.  “They said he knew something was wrong even before the engine sputtered.  He told them to hang on, and he fought the plane all the way to the ground.  He managed to land, but the left wheel gave way and they hit the rocks, hard.  Both passengers were in the back seat.  One ended up with a broken leg, another with a concussion.  Dad was the only one who died.  Mom had talked about going, too, but at the last moment she decided to stay and try out a new bread recipe to go with her stew.  If she had been there, they probably both would have been killed.”

Gabbi put a hand over her mouth.  She had no idea Gran was supposed to be on the plane. 

“Joselyn never forgave her,” Montgomery said, looking down at the table.  “When I got back to the house, she was furious.  She was yelling at mom, asking what good was magic if it didn’t save our father.”  He looked at Gabbi.  “She wasn’t making any sense, but I understood her anger.  It was so unfair that our dad was suddenly gone.”

“That’s why Joselyn left, wasn’t it?” Gabbi asked.  “You said she left school to become a model and after three months, she decided it was better to be on the other end of the camera.”

Montgomery nodded.  “That’s right, and I couldn’t do anything.  Not for my mother and not for my sister, so I left, too.  All I could think about were Dad’s stories.  About flying in Korea and how much he loved that damned plane.  I thought if I could learn to fly, maybe I would get a part of him back.”

Gabbi hugged him again.  “And then you met Mom, and everything got worse.”

“Your mother and I don’t agree on much, but we did fall for each other.  Too soon, looking back.  We got married and a few months later, I was thrilled when she told me she was pregnant.  Scared, but thrilled.  She was so beautiful just like you,” he said, smiling.  “Blue eyes that changed to amethyst when she was passionate about something and long, dark hair.  She was 5’2” and the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.”

“When did things go wrong?” asked Gabbi.  She had never gotten her dad to talk about any of this before.

“Five months after the wedding.  When she started to show she was pregnant.  She never forgave me for ruining her figure, which is ridiculous.”  Montgomery shook his head.  “She went up one dress size.  I never understood why that was such a big deal.”  

Gabbi smiled.  “Mother is the most self-involved person I’ve ever met.  I can only imagine how fun that must have been when you finally saw Gran.”

Montgomery laughed.  “Oh, sure.  I can laugh now.  But at the time, it was horrible.  One look and I knew, she thought I’d made a terrible mistake.”  He looked at his daughter and smiled.  “Until she saw you.  She dropped in to visit us on her way back from Asia when you were six months old.  She took one look at you and her heart melted.  She picked you up and let you play with her necklace.  She ended up leaving it for you.”

“The one with the crystal?” Gabbi asked, surprised.  “I didn’t know that was Gran’s.”

“She said it was special, and we should keep it for you.”  Montgomery stopped as Gabbi ran out of the kitchen.  “Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back,” she replied as she ran up the stairs.

Moira looked at Jack as he drove back across the bridge at Deception Pass.  It was getting cold, so he’d put the convertible top up on the car, but it was still a lovely drive.  They’d had a great time at dinner, talking about everything except the smugglers.  She thought it better not to bring that up in a crowded restaurant.  Now, that they were driving back home, she asked him the question she’d wanted to ask all night.

“Do you know Dr. Matthew Rogers very well?”  She looked over at him as she spoke.

Jack shook his head.  “Not really.  He’s worked with Callie for a few years, but I’ve never spent any real time with him.  Callie has a lot of respect for his abilities.  The veterinarian who used to own the clinic hired him.”

“I only ask because his property is adjacent to ours, and he didn’t seem as concerned as Ben when we told them about the lights in our woods.”  Moira shrugged. 

That’s the second time she’d mentioned this Ben.  “Who exactly is Ben?” Jack asked.

“Ben Welles.  He’s living in Matthew’s guest house and helping him with the vineyard.”   Moira paused.  “Ben said he saw the lights on the water last Friday night.  The same night I saw them from the bedroom.”

“Ben is helping Matthew with the vines.”  Callie had said something about this, he recalled, a few weeks ago.  “And he saw the lights, too.  Now, what did Matthew do that made you suspicious?”

“He didn’t seem as concerned about the lights.  Gabbi says he has a really nice car and now this expensive home with its own guest house.”  She shook her head.  “None of that is any of my business except that I can tell Gabbi likes him, so I want him to be a good guy and not a bad one.”

Jack smiled.  “Okay, now I see why you’re concerned.  You want to make sure your cousin isn’t getting involved with a drug smuggling vet.”

Moira laughed.  “Something like that.”

“I’ll tell you what I know about him.”  Jack slowed down and pulled over, so he could see her face.  This was important to her.  “Matthew Rogers is the great-grandson of Howard Trevor, who was one of the wealthiest men in the area.  He was one of the original owners of the refineries and he and his son were involved in the environmental problems in the 1970’s.  Matthew’s mother was in school with my mom, and they were pretty close at one time.  Her friend left for college and when she came back, her family convinced her to marry a man, who seemed great on paper, but turned out to be abusive.  They had Matthew and soon after, she divorced him and moved to California.  She took Matthew with her. and the ex-husband took off for parts unknown.  Matthew moved back a few years ago and started working at the clinic.  According to Callie, he bought the house because it overlooked the water, and it was close to their clinic.”

“That makes sense, and it explains the car and the house.”  She let out a breath.  “Ben said he could see the lights from his place, but Matthew wouldn’t from the main house.”

Jack nodded.  “I know you want to find out who is responsible for the lights and the message, but I don’t know if there’s any way we’ll ever be able to trace them.  The spray paint is available at any hardware store, and there was no other evidence at the scene.”  He reached over and held her hand.  “I’m sorry I can’t give you a better answer as to why all this is happening.”  He looked into her eyes and for a moment time seemed to stop.  Finally, he let go of her hand and pulled back onto the road.  Five minutes later, he turned into the private drive to the mansion.

“Thank you for taking me to dinner,” Moira said.  “I had a lovely time.  And thank you for telling me about Matthew.”

Jack parked and took her hand again.  “I know you want to solve these mysteries but leave it to the professionals.”

As Jack walked around to open her door, Moira got out and took a deep breath.  “Jack, I appreciate your concern, but this is my home.  These are my woods, and that is my fountain.”  She looked over at it.  “Do you see those three women in the circle?  They knew how to take care of themselves, and so do I.”  She turned and started for the house. 

Jack caught up to her and gently took her arm.  She resisted the urge to jerk it away.  “Moira, I’m sorry.  I know this is your home, but this is not a game.”  He looked into those dark green eyes. “We haven’t known each other nearly long enough, but I’m going to say it anyway.  You matter to me.  More than I care to admit in all honestly…but I want you to realize why I am asking you to please be careful.”

Moira nodded.  “Asking is fine.  Telling me is not.  So, since you’re asking, I promise to be careful.”  She smiled and those gorgeous green eyes sparkled.   “Now, turn around and say hello to my Uncle Montgomery.”

Jack turned and saw a man staring at him through the leaded glass sidelight.  The door opened, and Moira walked in and gave him a hug.  “Uncle Montgomery, this is Jack Stewart.  He’s the detective, who is investigating the crime scene on our porch.”

Join us next week for the another chapter of The Magic of Burrows Bay!