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Authors: Darlene Scalera
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they noted the sheriff’s star on the vehicle’s door. This time Amy followed Jesse. He shot her a look as she stepped outside but didn’t try to stop her. Heads nodded in response to Jesse’s greeting but expressions remained cautious.
“I’m looking for a group of teenage boys,” Jesse told them. “Came down here to surf on the big waves brought in by the storm. I was hoping they stopped here or one of you saw them.”
Everyone seemed to relax. “Ask Marnie,” one man said, cocking his head toward the drive-in window. Others nodded. “If they stopped for food, she would have served them.”
Jesse went to the wide window where orders were placed. A heavyset woman was packing supplies into cupboards.
“Ma’am?” Jesse said at the window.
“No orders,” she barked, her back to the window. “Electricity’s been out and the generator’s almost out of juice. I’m packing up and heading inland myself.” She turned, took in Jesse’s uniform.
Jesse touched the brim of his hat. “Sheriff Jesse Boone, ma’am. Come down from Turning Point.”
“Sorry, Sheriff.” Wiping her hands on a towel, she came toward the window. “What can I do for you?”
“We’re looking for a group of teenage boys might have passed through here. They were heading to the shore to surf the big waves brought in by the storm.”
“Never fails.” The woman folded her towel, set it on a cardboard box. “Get a group of young yahoos every time, wanting to prove themselves by downing a caseof beer and riding the waves. I don’t know who’s worse—them or the ones who head here and order hot fudge sundaes as if it were a Sunday outing.” The woman looked out at the group, her expression resigned.
Her gaze returned to Jesse and Amy. “A group of boys did come by, but it was earlier, after lunch. I’d say one, one-thirty. They ordered burgers, onion rings, milkshakes to go. They were keen to get on their way. There were four of them, I think. They had their surfboards strapped to the car.”
“You hear them say where they were heading?”
The woman shook her head. “They drove off south. Probably heading for Padre Point. That’d be my guess. Popular spot with the young set.”
“How far off is it?”
“About ten miles.”
“And you didn’t see them come back through?”
“They didn’t stop here if they did. But that’s not to say they didn’t ride a few big ones, have their fun and head home.”
Jesse glanced at the group gathered under the overhang. “What about these people?”
She shrugged. “There’s always a few who come out, thinking it’s fun and games. Damn fools.”
“What about you?”
“I’m heading to my sister’s in Three Rivers soon as I close up here.”
“Might want to make that soon.”
“As soon as I shut down the generator, I’m on my way.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jesse touched the brim of his hat again. “Thanks for your help.”
“Wish it was more,” the woman told them both.
Jesse and Amy moved away from the window, back to the group. “There’s an evacuation center set up at the Turning Point high school.”
“Last report said the storm shifted to the southwest,” an elderly man said. “We’ll see the wind and the rain, but down by the Mexican border will get the brunt of it.”
“That report was a while ago. Anything could have happened since communication went down. Even if the storm did turn, you’d be safer on higher ground.”
“Thanks, Sheriff. Good to know if things get too wild round here.”
“It’ll be too late by then.”
The older man, his face narrow and cheeks sunken by age, took a long pull on his beer. “Then I’ll be here to meet it.”
“Damn fool.” Jesse echoed the drive-in owner’s declaration beneath his breath. To the group, he said, “If any of you change your mind, we’ll be coming back through here after we check out the point. You can follow us or there’s room in the back if you want a ride.”
“Thanks,
“I’m looking for a group of teenage boys,” Jesse told them. “Came down here to surf on the big waves brought in by the storm. I was hoping they stopped here or one of you saw them.”
Everyone seemed to relax. “Ask Marnie,” one man said, cocking his head toward the drive-in window. Others nodded. “If they stopped for food, she would have served them.”
Jesse went to the wide window where orders were placed. A heavyset woman was packing supplies into cupboards.
“Ma’am?” Jesse said at the window.
“No orders,” she barked, her back to the window. “Electricity’s been out and the generator’s almost out of juice. I’m packing up and heading inland myself.” She turned, took in Jesse’s uniform.
Jesse touched the brim of his hat. “Sheriff Jesse Boone, ma’am. Come down from Turning Point.”
“Sorry, Sheriff.” Wiping her hands on a towel, she came toward the window. “What can I do for you?”
“We’re looking for a group of teenage boys might have passed through here. They were heading to the shore to surf the big waves brought in by the storm.”
“Never fails.” The woman folded her towel, set it on a cardboard box. “Get a group of young yahoos every time, wanting to prove themselves by downing a caseof beer and riding the waves. I don’t know who’s worse—them or the ones who head here and order hot fudge sundaes as if it were a Sunday outing.” The woman looked out at the group, her expression resigned.
Her gaze returned to Jesse and Amy. “A group of boys did come by, but it was earlier, after lunch. I’d say one, one-thirty. They ordered burgers, onion rings, milkshakes to go. They were keen to get on their way. There were four of them, I think. They had their surfboards strapped to the car.”
“You hear them say where they were heading?”
The woman shook her head. “They drove off south. Probably heading for Padre Point. That’d be my guess. Popular spot with the young set.”
“How far off is it?”
“About ten miles.”
“And you didn’t see them come back through?”
“They didn’t stop here if they did. But that’s not to say they didn’t ride a few big ones, have their fun and head home.”
Jesse glanced at the group gathered under the overhang. “What about these people?”
She shrugged. “There’s always a few who come out, thinking it’s fun and games. Damn fools.”
“What about you?”
“I’m heading to my sister’s in Three Rivers soon as I close up here.”
“Might want to make that soon.”
“As soon as I shut down the generator, I’m on my way.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jesse touched the brim of his hat again. “Thanks for your help.”
“Wish it was more,” the woman told them both.
Jesse and Amy moved away from the window, back to the group. “There’s an evacuation center set up at the Turning Point high school.”
“Last report said the storm shifted to the southwest,” an elderly man said. “We’ll see the wind and the rain, but down by the Mexican border will get the brunt of it.”
“That report was a while ago. Anything could have happened since communication went down. Even if the storm did turn, you’d be safer on higher ground.”
“Thanks, Sheriff. Good to know if things get too wild round here.”
“It’ll be too late by then.”
The older man, his face narrow and cheeks sunken by age, took a long pull on his beer. “Then I’ll be here to meet it.”
“Damn fool.” Jesse echoed the drive-in owner’s declaration beneath his breath. To the group, he said, “If any of you change your mind, we’ll be coming back through here after we check out the point. You can follow us or there’s room in the back if you want a ride.”
“Thanks,
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