Page 25 of An Island Summer
“Expansion?”
“Yeah. The owner wants to expand the inn. It’s all hush-hush,” Tabitha replied with a suspicious once-over of the room to ensure she wasn’t being overheard. “But I’ll bet the owner will buy someone off if he has to.” She leaned in closer to Meghan. “The rumor is he’s worth millions.”
“Really?” Meghan asked, soaking in this bit of gossip.
“Well,heisn’t—yet. But he’s about to get a windfall. It’s quite the scandal.”
“Scandal?”
Eyeing her as if sizing her up, Tabitha seemed as if she were deciding to tell her something. Then, with a line beginning to form for dinner, she took Meghan’s arm and led her around the other side of the wall to ensure no one could hear them. “Well, apparently, he had nothing—no income, no home, nothing. He suddenly showed up here, ready to take care of his grandfather and deciding to open the inn. It’s rumored that he’s funding it with the old man’s money.”
Meghan became incredibly curious after what she’d heard from the two men in suits yesterday. “Who owns this place, anyway? No one ever told me.”
“Well, he doesn’t come in much, barely at all really—some guy from Chicago who’s renting a house down the road, in Manteo. I’ve only seen him once. Named Toby Meyers.”
Meghan’s blood ran cold.
“Rumor has it that he’s put on this air of good guy for everyone, but his goal is to build onto the inn, sell it, and take off with the proceeds, leaving his grandfather behind. Someone said he wants to move to the Gulf Coast.” She shrugged. “I don’t care who owns it as long as I’ve got a job.” She turned toward the waiting crowd at the hostess podium.
Suddenly, Toby’s worries about her seeing Rupert came to mind. Was there something he didn’t want Rupert to tell her?
As Meghan and Tess got to Pappy’s porch after work, Meghan unlatched the door for Charlie to come out and then sat down on the steps, the Atlantic churning softly, the beach quiet, as if the evening had ushered out all the sounds and left only the wind and the shushing of the tide. Charlie rushed up to them, his tail wagging.
“Hey, boy. Did you miss us?” Meghan rubbed his ears and then opened the door wider to let him out.
Tess sat beside her. “You’ve been quiet tonight.”
“I heard something that’s been eating me alive all evening.” She told Tess what Tabitha had said. “Is Toby stealing money from Rupert?” she worried aloud. “I can’t imagine it.”
“Are you going to ask Toby?”
“I don’t know. But one thing’s for sure: If there is any funny-business going on, I’m going to protect Rupert, because he can’t protect himself.” She leaned against the railing, watching Charlie. “I feel like Pappy’s near me whenever I see Rupert. I can’t explain it. It’s like I’m supposed to be there.”
“Maybe you are,” Tess said, putting an arm around Meghan.
“I wonder if they knew each other when they were younger—Pappy and Rupert. Pappy never mentioned him.”
“I didn’t want to say anything until I knew you were ready, but when we got here, I found a photo album full of old pictures of your grandpa in my room. We could see if any of the people in them look like Rupert.”
“You did?” Meghan asked, a sudden eagerness to see it welling up. “Where is it?”
“I’ll go get it.”
Tess raced back inside while Meghan ran her fingers along the sandy step of the porch, watching Charlie as he sped up and down the yard, chasing the shadows of the seagulls. She was glad she’d come here for Charlie. His world seemed to open up here. He had acres of open beach instead of that little apartment, where he’d curled up all day, waiting for her to come home, only to go out to the city sidewalk on a short leash. She wished she could feel that kind of freedom.
Tess returned, sitting down next to her and handing her a brown binder. Meghan opened it to the first page and touched the black-and-white photo of her young grandfather. He looked to be around twenty-five or so, wearing a loosely fitted shirt, unbuttoned halfway, the sleeves rolled up, with jeans, cuffed at the bottom. His full head of dark hair waved along the top of his head, and he held a fishing pole, a rugged smile on his lips.
“Hewashandsome, wasn’t he?” Meghan said, scanning a few more pictures of him holding up a large fish he’d caught. She turned the page. “Oh, look.” She tipped the book to avoid the sun’s glare. Pappy had on a tuxedo with a black bowtie and Meghan’s grandmother was wearing one of the ball gowns Meghan remembered dressing up in as a child, her hair swept into a fashionable updo. “There he is with my grandmother. I think that dress is still hanging in the closet.”
“They look so young,” Tess said, peering down at it. “Such a beautiful couple. I wonder which one of your grandmother’s dinners they were going to that night.” She smiled before leaning in to get a closer look at something. “Are those the earrings from the lockbox?”
Meghan gasped. “Oh yes! They are. Look at them. They’re so beautiful.”
Charlie came running up the boardwalk, greeting them with a loud pant.
“You all done, boy?” Meghan said with a laugh. “Let’s go in.” With the book under her arm, she stood up and brushed the sand off her bottom with her free hand.
Inside, Meghan sat down on the sofa with the book and continued to look at the photos. There were some taken in town and out on the boat, others with a few people in them, but none of the pictures had anyone resembling Rupert.
