B00CZBQ63C EBOK (20 page)

Chapter
35

T
hank you,” Laurie finished her call before turning to Mr. Quinn,
fidgeting nearby. The man didn’t usually hesitate.

“We have a problem.” Mr. Quinn cleared his throat noisily before gesturing toward the door. “Your father.”

Sweat broke out between her shoulder blades
.
She pulled off the headset, yanking at the wire when it wedged on a button on her dress. The other operators kept their faces fixed on their stations.

Dad’s voice carried through the hushed room. “I need to see my daughter. Laurie?”

With a few rapid movements, she shut down her station, the tempo of her heart quickening with every lost second. “I’ll take care of it, Mr. Quinn.”

“See that you do.” His lips puckered.

Laurie intercepted her father at the door, steering him away from the entrance and back to the sidewalk. “Dad, what are you doing here? What’s wrong?”

He pushed against her hand. “Stop dragging me, girl.”

“You can’t be here. I’m working. Why aren’t you?” Her mind rushed to fill in the possible answers.

Her father shook his head. “The boss-man sent me home. He said I was working too slow.” He dragged his hand over his face as if pulling off a mask. “Said to come back tonight and work a double-shift.”

Laurie’s chest squeezed. “Too slow?”

He shrugged. “I’m dragging. What can I say? I just need to get a drink or two and I’ll be fine.”

She ground her toe into the sidewalk.
That’s the last thing you need.
“So why are you here?”

“I can’t find your brother. Do you know where he is?”

She rubbed a hand over her cramping neck muscles, staring up at the clouds in frustration. “Wasn’t
he
at work today, either?”

“He’s been on late shift. But he’s not home right now. I thought you might know where he loafs around.”

Laurie crossed her arms and stared at her father. “I don’t know where he is. Why don’t you go home and get a bite to eat, instead.”

He glowered at her. “I don’t want a bite. I want a drink.”

“I can’t help you.”

Her father turned and stormed off.

She exhaled, the weight of her day blowing out with her breath. The sun beat down, warming the sidewalk. She turned back to the exchange and braced herself for Mr. Quinn’s disapproving stare.

Daniel glanced out from the storeroom door when the front door jingled, a jolt of surprise rushing through him. Laurie’s father? He didn’t remember ever seeing the man in town before. He closed the wooden box and returned it to its spot on the shelf.

Daniel strode toward the front of the store. “Mr. Burke. Such a pleasure to see you. Is there anything I can help you find?”

Ray stood just inside the door, glancing around with wide eyes. “You’ve changed things.”

“Yes sir. My grandfather has made quite a few changes in the past year. You haven’t visited the soda fountain since it opened?”

The man took off his cap and ran a hand through his thinning hair. “No. I . . . uh . . . I don’t come into town much. I work long hours. Laurie runs most of my errands.”

Daniel smiled. “I’m pleased that you stopped by. Why don’t you sit down and I’ll get Marcie to whip you up something.”

Ray ambled forward and frowned at the cherry-red stools. “I ain’t never been to a soda fountain.”

Daniel stepped behind the counter. “They’ve grown pretty popular lately—Prohibition’s answer to the neighborhood bar, I suppose.”

Laurie’s dad scuffed a foot on the tiles. “Yeah. I see. So, what you got?”

“We’ve got all kinds of soft drinks. Ice creams sodas, phosphates, egg creams—just about whatever you could want.” Pride crept into Daniel’s voice.

“Whatever I could want, eh?” Ray snorted, but lowered himself to a seat. “I don’t think so.”

Daniel let the comment roll off the counter. “Most anything. What do you fancy?”

Ray’s eyes glazed over. “Don’t rightly know. What do you suggest?”

“Laurie is particularly fond of egg creams.”

Her father rested an elbow on the counter. “Is she now? She comes in here often, then?” His eyes—so like his daughter’s—stared directly at Daniel.

“She comes in occasionally.” Daniel turned to Marcie, feeling the sudden urge for company. “Marcie, you’re more familiar with the fountain drinks than I am. What is your favorite?”

The young woman pushed a lid back onto a jar of chopped nuts. “It’s all good, sir. But my favorite is the chocolate malted.”

One corner of Ray’s mouth lifted. “I’d rather have my malt in other forms.”

Daniel placed his hands on the counter, ignoring Marcie’s giggle. “How about a soda? A cola, maybe?”

“Yeah, that’ll work, I guess.” Ray rubbed his eyes. “I hear that’s good to perk a person up.”

Marcie bobbed her head as she reached for a tall glass. “Oh, yes. I make sure to have one every morning. It wakes me right up.” She settled the glass under the tap.

Daniel leaned against the freezer. “I’m more of a coffee man, myself. I guess I never cared for the sugary sweetness.”

“Good man. You know what they say about too much sweets.” Ray winked at Marcie as she set the tall glass in front of him. “Of course, a little sweetness never hurt a fella. If you know what I mean.”

Daniel’s stomach churned. “I’d better get back to work. Let me know if there’s anything else I can get for you.” He started back to the storeroom.

“There might just be one thing, there, Daniel.” Laurie’s dad trailed after him, the soda glass still gripped in his palm. He glanced behind him before turning his bloodshot eyes back to Daniel. “I need some of my medicine.” He rubbed his shoulder and grimaced.

A weight lowered onto Daniel’s chest.
I’m going to need some help here, Lord.

Ray took a swallow of the soda and coughed. “I’m all out at home . . . and . . . and I gotta work tonight. My shoulder’s been paining me something fierce.”

Daniel set his jaw. “I’m afraid that’s the one thing I’m
not
going to be able to help you with.”

Burke’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? I have a prescription. Just talk to Doc Pierce.”

Daniel took a deep breath. “Mr. Burke, I’ve made a decision. I cannot in good conscience give out alcohol to customers who—um—who . . . ”

The man straightened to his full height, his eyes narrowing to a squint. “Who what?”

Daniel placed a hand on the counter for strength. “Who I don’t feel are actually in need of it.”

“And how do you know what I need? Are you a doctor?”

No, not a doctor. Just a drunk like yourself. Or a former drunk.

Rubbing a hand through his hair, Daniel shook his head. “Look, Mr. Burke. I understand your struggle with alcohol. I can’t be a party to that.”

The corner of Ray’s lip twitched. “A party.” He snorted. “I ain’t got a problem with alcohol. I got a problem with pain. And I got a problem with a boss who wants me to work two shifts after I was up half the night with that pain.” He took a step closer to Daniel. “Right now it seems my biggest problem is you.”

Daniel kept silent.

“Miles Larson never had a problem filling my prescription.”

A sick feeling twisted in Daniel’s gut. He hadn’t told his grandfather of his new resolve. He didn’t yet have the authority to make those kinds of decisions for the store—only for himself. “I have a problem with it.”

The large man leaned against the counter. “She got to you, didn’t she?”

“Who?”’

His lips drew back from his teeth. “My bossy, good-for-nothing daughter. The one who keeps telling me to quit drinking—like it’s a choice.” He brought a finger up into Daniel’s face. “You want to get in good with her, so you’re letting her order you around.”

“I make my own choices. I have to stand up for what I believe.”

Ray curled his fingers into a fist and slammed it down against the counter. “What kind of man are you, anyway? You—in your starched white shirts with your egg creams and root beer—you’ve probably never done a real day’s work in your life. You don’t know nothing about what a real man puts up with.” He snarled, spittle forming at the corner of his mouth. “You stay away from my daughter.”

Daniel set his jaw. “This has nothing to do with Laurie.”

Laurie’s father pressed his hands against the counter and leaned in. “Your grandfather’s going to hear about this, Shepherd. The whole town is going to hear. Let’s see what that does for business.”

Ray strode to the front door. As he reached the front, he turned, face twisted. He lifted the half-filled glass and heaved it across the room. It smashed against the tile floor, shards of glass and sugary syrup spraying across the store.

He stomped out, slamming the drugstore door behind him, vibrations rippling through the blue liquid of the show globe like a storm kicking up waves in the blue sea.

Laurie gathered her pocketbook, hat, and gloves from the exchange’s coatroom, stretching the tension from her shoulders. She dithered for a few moments, folding and refolding her handkerchief as she waited for Mr. Quinn to work his way to the far side of the building. She didn’t need another quarrel with him. Her job dangled by a thread already.

When he fixed his attention on Susan’s station, pointing out three misplaced switches, Laurie jammed the handkerchief into her pocket and darted for the door. Stepping into the bright sunshine, she lifted her chin, allowing the rays to warm her skin.

“Rough day?” Daniel stood on the corner, a smile lighting his face, a bouquet of pink dahlias in his hand.

Laurie measured her steps, fighting the urge to dash to the man’s side. They’d settled into a comfortable routine, sharing a coffee before work and ending the day with a sunset stroll. But tonight, he leaned against his freshly washed Buick. The automobile lacked the allure of Samuel’s fancy Studebaker, but she much preferred the owner.

“I thought you might prefer to take a little drive tonight.” Daniel swung open the automobile’s door.

She abandoned the dignified act and hurried to his side, squeezing his elbow in greeting. “How did you know?”

The low rays of the evening sun emphasized the dimple in Daniel’s cheek when he smiled at her. She settled herself on the seat. “We don’t have time to make it to the lake, I’m afraid.”

He laid the flowers on her lap and made his way around the automobile to climb in beside her. “How about Crescent Beach? I imagine there’ll be a lovely sunset this evening.”

She laughed. “Where we first met? Perfect.”

He glanced down at her thin sweater. “Are you going to be warm enough? You know how breezy it is down there.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’ve got a picnic blanket you could probably wrap around your shoulders.”

She scooted closer to him as he guided the car out onto the downtown street. “Or I could just stay close to you.” She wove her hand through his arm.

He lifted one hand from the steering wheel and looped it around her shoulders. “I’ve got to be the luckiest fellow in all of Port Angeles.”

“Probably.”

The evening sun offered little opposition to the cool wind blowing in off the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Laurie didn’t wait for Daniel to open her door, springing from the automobile as soon as it came to a stop on the windswept bluff. She hurried to the overlook, pulling her sweater snug to block the biting wind.

Daniel caught up a few breaths later, wrapping both arms around her waist, leaning his chin against the top of her head, his body radiating warmth. “I want to tell you something.”

She held her breath. He couldn’t have brought her to such a romantic location to deliver bad news.

“I’ve decided to stop filling your father’s prescriptions.”

Laurie relaxed. “You have? That’s . . . ” She thought about her words. “I’m pleased. Thank you.”

He sighed, his breath stirring her hair. “You’re not going to be pleased for long.”

“What happened?” She tugged his arms tighter around her mid-section, tucking her icy fingers inside the sleeves of his coat.

“He came in this afternoon and—and it wasn’t pretty.” He nestled his chin into the gap between her neck and shoulder, his stubble tickling her skin. “I’m afraid that he blames you for this decision, even though I assured him that you were not responsible.” He took her hand and turned her to face him. “I’m concerned for your safety, Laurie. I saw the look in his eye.”