Читать книгу Safety Harbor - Chuck Cooper - Страница 7

The weather had returned to normal with an early morning fog that kept a chill on everything until about noon. Later, the sun would come out, warming it into the sixties.

Nate was the first to arrive for breakfast. “You’ll have to close the place down,” he said after hearing the details.

“Well, we can at least serve coffee, and we have our daily order from the bakery.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Nate agreed.

He unloaded the pastries from their boxes onto the counter. Sally already had table settings ready from closing time yesterday. She wrote out a sign and taped it to the front entrance. There would only be a continental breakfast served today.

Everyone who came through the door thought they were asking the question for the first time.

“Where’s Joe? Where did he go? Do you know when he’ll be back?”

“Don’t know,” was the answer.

It was a quiet morning. Everyone spoke in low tones or didn’t speak at all. The conversation at Father Callaghan’s table, which consisted of Jeremy Woods, and Mayor Lou and Hope Schofield, finally became audible to those at the table next to them. They quieted down to hear what was being said. Gradually, the whole diner was listening.

“Do we call the police?” queried Jeremy.

“I hardly think that’s necessary,” said Lou. “The last thing we need during Coast Days is the report of a missing person!”

“Lou!” exclaimed Hope.

“Joe left of his own accord. He has a right to his own business.” Lou held his ground.

“True enough, most likely,” said Father Callaghan, “but we have to face the fact that it’s not like him just to up and leave!”

“We only know he’s never done it since he’s been here with us,” said Lou.

They were reminded of just how much they didn’t know about Joe, who he was, and where he had been before he had come to town, before he had bought an old empty shack, and made it into Joe’s Fine Dine-ing.

“And what did he mean, ‘Carry on’?” mused Jeremy.

“Sounds like maybe he was just talking to Sally about carrying on with the cafe operation,” said the mayor.

“Now, how could he possibly have meant that, Lou?” asked Hope. “She doesn’t have the funds or the means without operating expenses. It seems impossible.”

Jeremy’s hands propped up his head as he placed his elbows on the table, staring down.

“True enough, he could come back any time.”

“Then again, it may be a while,” said Father, quietly.

“Let’s give it a day and see where we are tomorrow at this time.”

The voice was that of Wendell Cone from across the room at his regular station. Everyone was surprised. He barely said a word any more.

“I agree,” said Katye.

Eyebrows were raised again. Katye spoke up even less than Wendell. Lou nodded his head in agreement. “There’s no sense in making drama if there isn’t one already!”

“Let’s meet tomorrow night if he’s not back,” said Susanna. “We can meet at Argostoli’s. I’ll have Greek coffee and some baklava.”

“No one could object to that!” said Father Callaghan.

The conversation melted into painful silence. The air seemed to go out of the room as the inhabitants of Joe’s Fine Dine-ing realized that Joe really was gone. Slowly, people exited the door into uncertainty.

The day went on in Safety Harbor, but with an uncharacteristic anxiety and lack of focus on the part of those who knew and loved Joe. Nate took out a full boat of tourists. Katye taught two summer classes at Harbor Community College. Johnny worked at the midway that had been set up by the water’s edge. Luther led a Bible day camp on the beach. Margaret went to her local office. Lou met with city commissioners in the morning and went down to the festivities in the afternoon. Susanna went about her day, keeping an eye on the dozens of new paintings on display. Doc Bailey was called down to the waterfront for an emergency. Chief-of-Police Carmelita Biffle wrote seventeen courtesy parking tickets. As Vice President of Harbor Days, Father Callaghan called a meeting at the rectory for three in the afternoon. He invited Sally as a new member since she had the parade instructions from Joe.

Everything went on as usual, yet, to many, it felt that life as they knew it had come to a halt. Joe was gone.