When they came to a turn in the road, she noticed twinkling lights down the beach. Samantha, Wil, and Barbara plodded across the sand and found Haybrook’s.
Samantha sighed. “Not a bit of this rings a bell.”
Wil pointed, his voice full of encouragement. “Samantha, look, there’s the jetty!”
Samantha gave a half-smile; at least she knew the concession stand and the jetty were real places. But what about the house?
“You know, I have a great idea,” Barbara said. “Is anybody up for dinner?”
“I don’t think I can eat until I find Julie,” Samantha said.
“Of course you can,” Barbara insisted. “What kind of shape will you be in if you collapse from starvation? When I looked up Haybrook’s, I read they have a great menu. In this town, you can bet the clams were dug up this morning.”
“Barbara’s right,” Wil said, steering Samantha toward the clam bar. “Dinner’s on me.”
“I won’t argue with you on that one,” Barbara said. Between the mysterious flight out here and the cost of renting a car, she was nearly broke.
The blue-and-white awning surrounding the building flapped in the ocean breeze, giving the illusion that the dolphins were dancing. They walked up three wooden steps to a pair of glass doors.
A man in a white captain’s uniform greeted them in the waiting area.
“Good evening,” he said. “Table for three?”
“Yes,” Samantha said. She added quickly: “Nonsmoking.”
They were led to a table dressed with a blue-and-white-striped cloth. A blue-candle had been set in the middle, held in place by an arrangement of seashells.
Although it was just sundown, the restaurant was already crowded. Wonderful smells filled the air, mixing with the sea air that blew in through the open windows. The awnings at the back of the building were rolled up, affording a view of passing boats. Their tiny lights moved slowly along the water, like little fireflies.
The maître d’ told them the specials of the night, then started to walk away. Wil stopped him.
“Mind if I ask you some questions about the town?”
“Sure,” the maître d’ said. “What would you like to know?”
Wil looked at Samantha, then back at the host.
“Well, we visited here when we were very young children,” Wil said. “We thought it might be fun to find the house where we stayed. It’s yellow, with green shutters. I thought it was near the jetty, but we weren’t able to see it.”
“I suppose because it’s too dark,” Samantha put in.
The maître d’ gazed out at the water, thinking.
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember any such house,” he said. “But you know who might? Our cook. Gordon Freeman’s lived in this town for sixty years.”
“I’d like to talk to him, then,” Wil said.
“Why don’t you take a look at the menu?” the maître d’ suggested. “I’ll talk to Gordy and send him out when he has a few minutes.”
He walked away. Barbara opened her menu, and her eyes widened.
“Wow,” she said.
“I told you I’m paying for it,” Wil reminded her.
“It isn’t the prices,” Barbara said. “Look at this menu. I’m in heaven! Steamed lobster, marinated swordfish, striped bass in sorrel sauce . . .”
“Must have gotten the sorrel from our own desert,” Wil said.
“Well, I was under the impression it was just a little concession stand,” Barbara said. “Fish and chips, that sort of thing. This is a lovely menu.”
“Maybe the material you looked up about Haybrook’s was dated,” Wil suggested.
Samantha’s eyes quickly scanned the menu. She found something right away, and closed it.
“That was quick,” Barbara said.
“I guess I’m more hungry than I expected,” she said.
It didn’t occur to her that she had read the menu ten times faster than either Wil or Barbara, and hadn’t skipped a word.
Barbara and Wil finally closed their menus. Barbara rested a hand on her chin and stared out at the night.
“It sure is different here,” she said. “I hadn’t expected the East to be this pretty.”
Wil laughed. “And everyone here thinks we westerners spend all our time kicking around in cowshit.”
Samantha couldn’t help laughing at that, and Barbara joined her. For just a moment both women put aside all thoughts of mystery and allowed themselves to enjoy their surroundings.
A waitress came by and took their orders. Moments later, steaming bowls of seafood chowder were placed before them. Wil bombarded his with oyster crackers and pepper.