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fall in love with Serenity Cove, but the town scarcely mattered unless I solved the mystery of me. M iss Emmy taught me that when God slams a door , a window is sure to open . She also used to say , “B reath e out the negative and inhale His hope. ” Where’s the window , God? Where’s the hope?
     

Chapter Five
    In the passenger seat of Arnold’s tow truck, I buckled up and gripped the handle . How many speeding ticket s did this guy have? “A ny ideas on two tires going flat?”
    Arnold lifted and adjusted the greasy cap covering his balding head. “ We’l l know soon enough, o nce we get to the garag e and pull ’em o ff. Could be Maggie drove near a construction site and pick ed up nails . Lots of building going on in Serenity Cove these days. ” He swerved into his auto r epair shop a bout a half- mile from the shops on Main Street. W e exited the truck and met i n the back where the red convertible sat on the flatbed of the tow truck.
    I stepped back as Arnold unhooked one of the chains from Maggie’s car . “I’m going to Jake’s while you check out the tires .”
    “W on’t take long. Bring me a sand wich?” He reached into his pocke t and pulled out a ten-dollar bill folded in half .
    I waved away his money. “A ppreciate your help.”
    I trekked the half-mile to Jake’s , and returned as Arnold lowered the hoist with Maggie’s car . I put the bag from Jake ’ s on his workbench.
    Arnold rubbed his greasy sleeve across his forehead. “ Not a thing wrong with the tires. Someone must’ve let the air out.”
    “ S trange. ”
    “It doesn’t take long to take the cap off and depress the stem with a key or something , a minute or two at the most. Only enough air was let out so the tires were too flat to drive on.”
    “Sounds like mischievous teens.” I tugged my wallet from my pocket . “How much ?”
    He pointed at the bag from J ake ’ s. “ C all it even—k ey s in it.”
    “Good deal . Take care. ” Compared with my truck, Maggie’s car was small and cramped. It mystified me w hy she preferred driving the thing . I waited for the cars to clear and swung onto Shoreview Drive.
    The coastal road had recently begu n experiencing rush - hour traffic. T he growth of our town was changing the norm in many ways . With all of the new construction going on , it would soon be necessary to add to the police force. I pulled onto Maggie’s he rringbone - patterned driveway.
    We ate in the gazebo-covered patio built a ways from the hous e , near the sea. My grandfather had built it for my grandmoth er—her quiet place.
    “W hat happened with the tires ?” Maggie forked a bite of food into her mouth and waited.
    “ My gu ess is some kids let the air out.”
    Sam shot me a quizzical look . “ That’s a rotten thing to do.”
    My gaze rested on Sam. Her sm ile. Her eyes. S he tucke d strands of hair behi nd her ear—w hy did women do those things? M y heart rate responded.
    “I have an hour . Enough tim e to walk off some of this food—t he three of you in? ” I winked in Goldie ’s direction and smiled at Sam.
    “Great idea.” Sam antha reached down and removed Goldie’s vest.
    Maggie rested her elbows on the table. “ Think I’ll sit here and make a few calls. I need to let Gina know her tabl e arrived today. It’s a French marble top gué ridon— the claw-feet are amazing . ”
    “I t sounds awesome.” Sam stacked a couple of plates.
    “ Gina ’s goin g to use it in her florist shop—i magine sitting around it with a bride and groom ordering wedding flowers. ” Maggie motioned her away . “Go on your walk—w e can talk antiques later .”
    Sam and I strolled toward the beach , laughin g as Goldie repeatedly tried to snap bug s from the air. We lounged on a driftwood log . Sandpipers ran along the tide , poking their sle n der bills into the sand , searching for dinner.
    I shifted toward Sam . “ You had an eventful day.”
    “I enjoyed the morning —the rest of the