Chapter 19

nineteen

T he staff breathed a collective sigh of relief when the bachelorette party left for their outing. According to Jenna, the girls would return late from Charleston. With checkout at eleven tomorrow morning, Shelby hoped they'd seen the worst from the group. The house couldn't withstand another night like last night. Fortunately, Hilda reported only minor damage to the upstairs, including a broken lamp, bloody sheets, and a trail of vomit from the bed to the toilet in one room.

Shelby went outside to see them off, a parade of green-clad bridesmaids led by the bride in a flowing white pantsuit. As she watched them drive away, she thumbed off a text to Matt but erased it before pressing send. Blossom's words came back to her. Make things right with Matt, baby girl. He's one of the good guys. You don't want to let him get away. Matt had overstepped a boundary when he'd called her out for being rude to her grandmother, and he owed Shelby an apology.

Around dinnertime, Shelby took a bag of trail mix and her Colleen Hoover novel out to the dock. Leaning against the piling with one calf dangling off the end of the dock, she had just settled in when she noticed Matt speed by in his boat. When she waved at him, he slowed down and turned back toward her.

"How was fishing?" she asked as he pulled up beside her.

Matt hooked a rope around a cleat. "Phenomenal. We released two blue marlin and three sailfish. We also caught several large mahi. Dad was beside himself with excitement."

Shelby set the paperback down and shifted on the dock to face him. "I guess so."

His face grew serious. "I owe you an apology for yesterday. What I said about your grandmother was out of line."

"Apology accepted. My relationship with my grandmother is complicated. To explain, I'd have to revisit the past," Shelby said in a teasing tone.

His lips parted in a sad smile. "I sense a bond developing between us, Shelby. I'm ready to venture into the past if you are."

She wasn't sure she was ready for this next step, but she thought they would better understand each other if they shared their histories. "If you're sure."

"I'm positive. I would suggest we talk right now, but I'm sweaty and fishy, and I prefer to be clean when I confess my past sins. What does your day look like tomorrow?"

Shelby ran down her mental list of their guests' arrivals and departures. "I should have a window of opportunity between one and three."

Matt thought for a minute. "Why don't I pick you up here on the dock at one? We'll zoom over to town and grab some lunch at Comet Dogs."

Shelby curled her upper lip. "Dogs, as in hot dogs?"

Matt laughed. "These aren't your normal hot dogs. Everyone raves about them," he said, pushing off from the dock.

As he drove away, a sense of dread overcame Shelby. She hoped the revelations of his sins would not alter her opinion of him.

* * *

Shelby was reading in bed around ten o'clock that night when she heard the party bus return—slamming doors, squeals of laughter, men's riotous voices. She sat up straight in bed. Men? Not again.

Shelby jumped out of bed and flew to the window. A crowd of approximately thirty men and women migrated from the van into the house. Accompanying the bachelorettes was a clown, a male stripper in a gold metallic thong, and a large muscular guy cradling the passed-out bride. Her dark hair was draped over his arm, and one foot was missing a gold sandal. Noticeably absent was Jenna. The last person to enter the house, a beast of a man with Rastafarian hair, slammed the door behind him.

Seconds later, Silas's truck appeared in the driveway, screeching to a halt in front of the house. He strode up to the door and punched in the code to unlock it. But the door wouldn't open, as though something on the other side was blocking it. He hammered on the door with his fist, yelling, "Security! Open up!"

Music blared from inside the house in response.

Shelby slipped a T-shirt over her sleep camisole and hurried outside. She approached the bus driver, who was leaning against his vehicle, scratching his head in bewilderment. "You have a right to be upset. I couldn't stop them." He gave his head a grave shake. Those women are a disgrace to society."

"I won't argue with that," Shelby said. "Where's Jenna?"

He shrugged. "She didn't make roll call for the ride home."

Shelby's jaw went slack. "What do you mean? Where is she?"

"I don't know. She was with the group at the bar in Charleston. I tried to send someone back inside to fetch her, but they refused. I was afraid to leave my bus unattended with that unruly mob. I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't know what else to say." With shoulders round and head bowed, he shuffled off toward the garden house.

Turning away from him, Shelby marched over to Silas on the front stoop. He was staring at the door, looking completely miffed. "What's going on?" she asked.

"They've barricaded the door from the inside. They either don't hear me, or they're ignoring me. I'm sorry to say I'm in over my head in this situation. Because of my prison record, I'm not allowed to carry a weapon. There's only so much I can do."

Loud noises came from within—hollering and banging and shattering glass.

"They're out of control," Shelby said, pulling out her phone. "I'm calling the police."

When the emergency operator answered, Shelby identified herself as the manager of the Magnolia Shores B&B and briefly explained the situation. "Please! Send the police before they tear the place up!"

"I have a patrol car in the area, ma'am. They'll be there momentarily," said the operator.

As she ended the call, Shelby noticed her grandmother standing in the open doorway of the cottage. She called out to her, "Stay where you are, Izzy. The police are on the way."

Izzy nodded, pulling her robe tight around her.

Within minutes, a patrol car bumped down the driveway, and two young officers climbed out, one baby-faced and the other awkwardly thin. "You're Shelby," said the baby-faced officer. "I'm Cody Porter, Harper's fiancé. She told me a lot about you."

Shelby accepted his outstretched hand. "I've heard a lot about you as well, Cody. Thanks for getting here so fast. We have a situation." She briefly told him about the bachelorettes, the offensive crew they brought home from Charleston, and the barricaded door.

"We'll take care of it." Cody glanced around, his eyes zeroing in on Silas's truck. "You two take cover behind that truck."

Shelby and Silas followed his instructions. The truck was parked close enough to the house for them to see and hear what was happening on the front stoop.

Cody rapped on the door with his billy club. "Police! Open up!"

"Go away, pig. We don't want any," came a deep voice from inside, followed by female laughter.

Cody turned to his partner. "Call for backup. Tell them to bring the paddy wagon."

While the partner stepped away to make the call, Cody surveyed the exterior of the house. When he returned, he reported to Silas and Shelby that the party was a banger. "We could break in through the French doors, but with that many out-of-control drunks, I'd rather wait for backup. They should be here soon."

Shelby nodded. "Whatever you think is best."

The sounds of the raucous party inside the house made Shelby sick to her stomach. She was sure all her grandmother's priceless antiques, fine china, and expensive trinkets were being destroyed. Twenty minutes later, as the first of a long line of headlights was coming down the driveway, a second-floor window opened, and one of Izzy's large heirloom Chinese vases flew out, smashing to pieces on the cobblestones. Shelby screamed, and Silas shielded her with his body as a straight-back chair sailed past.

Everything happened so fast. Patrol cars parked haphazardly in the courtyard, and officers swarmed the house, breaking in through the kitchen window. The music died, the front door flew open, and police officers wrestled handcuffed men and women into the awaiting paddy wagon. The dazed bride was the last to be escorted out.

In the commotion, Shelby failed to notice Pritchard arrive until he was standing beside them. "This is a disaster."

Shelby glanced sideways at her uncle. "Tell me about it. Did Izzy call you?"

"Not Izzy. Cody called Harper, and she called me."

A tearful Izzy joined them. "Pritchard! Thank goodness you're here. They've destroyed my house, our beautiful home."

Pritchard pulled her close. "I know you're upset, Mother. Maybe the damage won't be so bad."

Izzy brought her fist to her mouth. "Maybe. But I doubt it."

The paddy wagon, followed by the convoy of patrol cars, departed the driveway. Luggage-toting guests filed out of the pool and garden houses, got in their cars, and drove away.

After helping his wife into the car, one furious man stormed over to Shelby and Izzy. "What kind of place are you running? We were terrified during that hostage crisis."

When Izzy looked to Shelby to respond, she chose her words carefully. "I understand you were afraid, sir. But you were never in any danger. No one was being held hostage. Our guests hosted a party that got out of hand. You won't be charged for your stay."

Incensed, the man said, "Charged? I certainly hope not. You'll be lucky if we don't sue you."

Silas stepped forward as if to intervene, but Shelby grabbed his arm, holding him back.

"Sir, I'm sure you're aware this is only our second weekend in operation. We're still working through some issues. If you allow us, we'd like to comp you a stay at a weekend of your choosing in the future."

"Well, okay. That might be all right. Let me think about it," the man said and stomped off.

"Nice job, Shelby," Pritchard said, patting her back. "You handled him beautifully."

Noticing Cody in the doorway, the foursome walked toward him. "Can we go inside?" Pritchard asked.

"Not tonight," Cody said. "Our crime scene investigation team is on the way."

"What about the bachelorettes?" Shelby asked. "Will they be coming back tonight?"

Cody shook his head. "They'll spend the night in jail. Because we arrested such a large group, the judge may hold a special session of the magistrate court in the morning. Otherwise, we'll hold them until Monday. Once released, they'll have to come back for their belongings."

Shelby grimaced. "Ugh. Can't we just ship them their stuff?"

Cody appeared to consider this. "You could. But it would cost you a fortune in shipping. If something gets lost, they'll blame you."

"I agree," Pritchard said. "We should proceed with caution in case we have to sue them for damages."

"I guess you're right," Shelby said in a reluctant tone, dreading the thought of facing the bachelorettes again.

As though reading her mind, Cody said, "Don't worry, Shelby. You won't have to interact with them. Our officers will take them to their rooms and supervise them while they're inside the house." The sound of an approaching vehicle grabbed his attention. "There's the CSI team now."

Pritchard stepped down off the front porch. "I guess there's nothing left for us to do. We might as well get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Do you want me to hang around for a while?" Silas asked. "I can stay the night if you need me to."

"I don't think that's necessary. The house is crawling with police. I imagine they'll be here for a while." Pritchard placed an arm around Izzy, pulling her in close. "If it makes you feel more comfortable, you and Shelby are welcome to stay with Savannah and me tonight."

Shelby and Izzy shook their heads in unison. "We'll be fine here," Shelby said. "I'll keep an eye out for Izzy."

"I'm only a phone call away if you need me," Pritchard said, kissing Shelby's cheek before walking Izzy to the cottage.

Shelby felt an overwhelming sense of foreboding at the thought of what they might find inside the house tomorrow. Her grandmother's house held her fondest memories of childhood. She and Grace rarely argued during the weeks they spent here over the summers. Their grandparents doted on them, and their days were filled with exciting activities. Maybe she belonged at Magnolia Shores after all.

* * *

Pritchard tiptoed around the room, undressing and slipping into bed, trying not to disturb his sleeping wife, but Savannah was already awake.

"Is everything okay?" she asked in a groggy voice as she threw her leg over his body.

He put his arms around her, holding her close. "There was an incident at Magnolia Shores. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Go back to sleep. I'll tell you about it in the morning."

"I've been awake since you left. You might as well tell me what happened now."

Pritchard gave her the abbreviated version of the night's events.

"That's awful, Pritch. How's your mother? She must have been terrified."

Pritchard kissed the top of Savannah's head. "She's pretty upset, mostly about the condition of her house. Shelby handled this situation like a pro though. She's turning out to be a valuable asset."

"Good! She's a nice girl. This is the second night in a row you've been called out for an emergency. If you decide to move forward with the expansion, we'll have to live on-site."

"And sell our love nest? No way! I've learned a valuable lesson this weekend. If we expand, we'll be able to hire an entire security team. I won't be called during the night for emergencies. If we remain a simple bed and breakfast, a mom-and-pop operation, we can only afford Silas, which means I'll have to be more hands-on."

"I haven't thought about it like that." Savannah rolled onto her back. "I've been thinking a lot about your father's idea for Magnolia Shores. And I admit the project excites me. I'm not agreeing to anything yet. Izzy and I would need to iron out our differences. But I might be willing to help you manage the resort."

While Pritchard couldn't see his wife's face in the dark, he could hear the smile in her tone. "It means a lot that you're even considering it. We would make an amazing team. Through reading Dad's journal, I feel as though I absorbed his passion for this project. But one step at a time. I'm terrified of what we'll find inside the house tomorrow. We have an enormous challenge ahead of us getting the bed and breakfast back up and running."

Savannah hooked an arm around his neck, pulling his head to her chest. "I know, sweetheart. Close your eyes and try to get some sleep."