The Girl on the Beach by Larry Darter

Author:Larry Darter [Larry Darter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Larry Darter
Published: 2021-11-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

There was a good afternoon crowd at the Likelike when they arrived, but Joe Rose didn’t seem to care. He leaned over the bar on his forearms, head down, staring morosely into his Glenlivet, no ice.

“I’m never falling in love again,” Rose muttered sadly. “Never.”

Bishop took a drink from his bottle of Longboard.

“I wonder why Weaver led me all over the estate that day,” he mused.

“What did being in love ever get me?” Rose said. “What?”

“From the bamboo grove to the cabana, to the potting shed.”

“I’ll tell you what it got me. Nothing. Nothing but a lot of pain and heartache. But, I’ll tell you something, pal. I appreciate you helping me find Elle… or Kate, or whatever the hell she calls herself. One thing is obvious. She never gave a damn about me.”

“And that monogrammed handkerchief. Half in the ground, and half out of it.”

“You don’t have to take it easy on me. I can take it. Tell me you told me so. You were right all along, Richard. Now, I know it’s over. And, I don’t even care. I don’t care.”

“Why would she do that?” Bishop said, swallowing more beer.

“One night… one walk on the beach in the moonlight… one kiss. Richard, if I ever fall in love again, you should just shoot me.”

“I think I know the answer.”

“Huh?” Rose said.

“It was probably all about the book. Weaver was pretending to be Elle Palmer’s ghost to generate publicity and drive interest in the story to sell more books when she gets it published.”

Koko walked over. “You need another Longboard, Rick?”

“Sure, that would be great.”

Koko smiled and nodded and then looked at Rose.

“No more for you, Joe. Booze will only make you more depressed than you already look.”

Koko walked over to grab a Longboard from the cooler. She popped the top and set the beer on the bar in front of Bishop.

“You know, Rick, you still owe me dinner at the Beachcomber,” Koko said.

“Sure,” Bishop said. “When are you off again?”

“Monday night.”

“Perfect. I go back to the doctor Monday morning to get my medical clearance. Then I’ll be driving again. We can have dinner Monday evening, no problem.”

“You promise you won’t have someone hit you with a shovel or beat you up again to get out of it?”

Bishop chuckled. “I promise.”

“Okay, pick me up at seven, Monday evening.”

“You got it.”

Saying nothing, Rose picked up his drink and walked out the side door onto the deck.

“Poor guy,” Koko said. “He wasn’t this depressed when Melanie dumped him.”

“Well, when we went to see Kate Weaver, she made it clear she had no interest in Joe. Still, I think he will be better off once he puts it behind him. That Weaver woman is nothing but trouble.”

“I guess you were right all along when you first told Joe you wouldn’t help him find her. Now it seems like he would be better off if you hadn’t.”

“I was right. But if Joe hadn’t seen her again, he would have never faced reality.”

“Maybe, but I hate seeing him so heartbroken.

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