Page 80 of Look for Me

Regardless of Delilah’s grammatical issues, she had shown only kindness to Pete and Angelina. Delilah discounted their extended stay on account of their age, and invited them to the Super Seniors Bible study group at church.

During the week, Pete turned out to be a hard worker at MacMuscles Classic Car Restoration and knew so much about engines that Martin’s dad had taken a liking to the man. It helped that they had both been in the service, and they were about the same age. Both were grandfathers with grandkids out of town.

By September, Pete and Angelina had settled into their new life in Savannah and Tybee Island, with a little help from Martin. Forever grateful, they often invited Martin over for dinner on random nights. Martin wasn’t always available, but he tried his best to eat with them once a month.

This time, they had postponed dinner twice. Angelina twisted her ankle walking on the uneven grounds at the campground, tripping over a tree root. They had to cancel dinner so that Angelina could rest.

Martin only agreed to the raincheck because Pete promised to grill hamburgers. Frankly, Martin was getting tired of spaghetti every time Angelina cooked. How many ways could she cook spaghetti?

Tasked to bring a dessert, Martin picked up a pecan pie from Piper’s Place in downtown Savannah on his way to Tybee Island. The pie wasn’t very big, but it was enough for three people to have seconds.

Martin was late by a few minutes because he had a business meeting with Dad about the feasibility of opening a small branch of MacMuscles in Miami. Dad pointed out that Martin was grasping at straws if his thought of Miami and that part of the region had anything to do with an ex-girlfriend.

Corinne had been gone for over a year. In fact, thirteen months, two weeks, and a few days.

No one had heard from her or of her. In fact, Agent Tanaka had also vanished. When Martin tried to contact her at the FBI regional office in Savannah, he was told that no such agent worked in the FBI.

Basically, just go away.

Perhaps Tanaka had been fired. Perhaps she had gone incognito. Perhaps she was even dead.

What about Corinne?

Martin parked the SUV in front of Pete’s RV, but didn’t get out of the car.

“Lord, please take care of Corinne and her children. I know You have, You do, and You will. Just let me—teach me—to trust You and not be so worried out of my mind.” Martin leaned back against the headrest. “I mean, is she even alive?”

He willed himself to get out of the car. After locking it, he dragged himself to the door of the RV. Before he reached it, Pete appeared around the back of the RV. He was wearing a brightly colored apron.

“Glad you could make it.” Pete waved with his spatula.

“Ah, I forgot the pecan pie in the car.” Martin went back to get it.

“See you around back where the grill is.”

“Okay.” The smell of hamburgers wafted over and around the RV into Martin’s nostrils, and suddenly he was famished. After getting the pecan pie out of the backseat and locking his vehicle door, he quickly followed the smell of food.

“Hello, Martin!” Angelina was limping around a folded table under a canvas canopy, putting condiments in the center of the table. There were no chairs around the table, but there were four camp chairs under a string of lights.

Four chairs.

Martin freaked out a little, wondering if the fourth chair was for…Corinne?

His hopes were dashed when an old ginger cat leapt up into the chair and settled down, going to sleep.

“A cat chair.” Martin handed the pecan pie to Angelina.

“Yep.” Pete flipped the burgers. “He came wandering into our RV one day when the door was open and that was it. He hasn’t left.”

“A stray cat?”

“Delilah said he usually comes and goes but rarely stays.”

Angelina stroked the cat’s head. “This time he chose us.”

“How old is he?”

“At least ten or fourteen. I don’t know.” Pete chuckled. “Angelina named him.”

---