Free Beach Rental by Grace Greene

Emerald Isle afternoon. The colorfully painted homes and low green shrubby growth contrasted with the well-manicured lawns. It was a scene he was familiar with having lived here most of his thirty-eight years, but he rarely failed to appreciate the gift anew—the gift of being able to live in this place and to have successful business enterprises with which to support himself and his employees.
    Today, he gripped the steering wheel tight with one hand and the gear shift with the other. Not that there was need to shift on this empty road.
    He was at war with himself, torn between removing himself from the equation altogether or trying to protect his cousin. Ben had sat at his desk with a grin on his face, a silly grin, a foolish one. Ben had always had a good heart, but he’d never been soft in the head—until now. He acted like a teenage boy with his first crush.
    It was a crush. Nothing more. It would burn itself out.
    Luke turned onto his street. When he’d first heard about Ben’s condition he’d been especially glad he lived nearby. Ben would need him and he wanted to be there for him.
    A nearby buzz, then his cell started ringing. The Flight of the Valkyries . Adela’s song.
    Adela knew what was best, always, for everyone.
    He couldn’t speak to her—not in this mood. Wouldn’t even touch the phone until it stopped ringing.
    He pulled into the driveway and sat in the car.
    Luke wanted to be happy for Ben, but what were the odds Ben and the girl just happened to be at the party, one a guest and one working, had met and Ben found her so attractive and engaging that in one evening he knew he wanted to marry her?
    It was insane. It was too crazy by far to be by chance.
    For Ben’s sake, he wanted to believe, but seeing her aggravated him almost beyond bearing. Like the way she’d stood with one hand on her hip—a posture with attitude—when he left Ben’s study. It hadn’t looked like anger. More likely it was guilt.
    She’d heard him. So what? He had genuine concerns and all of them were solely about what was best for Ben. It was his duty to do what he could for Ben’s sake.
    But it if were true and this was an honest relationship, then he had to be happy for Ben.
    No, he’d seen her in the Hammonds’ coatroom with the young man who’d looked like trouble from the get-go. His manner was careless and underhanded, beginning with the scene in the dark hallway at the party.
    Could it have been innocent? Maybe. But too many ‘could’ve been innocent’ events smelled like something bad. Then Juli had rushed into the room, spoke with the young man and began digging around in the wraps. Luke had stepped forward to ask them what they were doing when Juli left abruptly, nearly slamming into him with a backpack.
    The owners of the missing items had reported their losses to the Hammonds and Marcel had engaged the police. Luke didn’t know anything was missing until a few days later. He’d been all set to tell Marcel what he’d seen when he remembered Ben mentioning Juli, the girl he’d left the party with.
    Ben not only mentioned her, he couldn’t stop talking about her.
    Luke remembered her, too. She was pretty, but when you lived at the beach pretty girls were everywhere.
    He walked up the front steps and unlocked the door. He tossed his jacket onto the back of a chair and went into the kitchen for a drink. The housekeeper, Esther, had gotten the mail and left it on the counter.
    Esther had also prepared lunch and left it in the fridge. She had some interesting ideas about what constituted a meal, but it was always tasty. Today he had chicken salad on whole wheat with bean sprouts.
    He put the plate on the table and was struck by the empty seats. Just him. Always. Unless he entertained.
    Ben saw the same.
    Ben got comfort from his church family and faith, but when he came home, the chair on the other side of the table was empty. Luke had found comfort in church once upon a time. He looked through Ben’s