A Toy for Christmas Read online

  Charley knelt beside her Grandpa. “I don’t care what Doc Stew says. When you get back with Dad, you put your feet up and rest.”

  “Lean in, my little darlin,” he said. “A hug from my favorite granddaughter is all I need.”

  “Hey, I’m your only granddaughter and don’t you forget it,” Charley countered with a big smile.

  Dr. Stewart led the way out the front door to his car. He asked Bernard to come with him so he could hear more about his golf outing and his woozies. Geoff followed behind.

  The family and Jane stood at the front door watching the procession of vehicles turn out of the driveway and then they returned to the terrace.

  Charley helped herself to a cup of tea. It was always fun to watch Jane and her grandfather. Another time they would have made a cute couple sharing their golden years. But she didn’t like his color. Whatever happened to him, it had taken a toll. She trusted Dr. Stewart. He’d cared for the family since she was born. Sidling over to her brother, she landed a friendly punch on his arm. “Your drone…tomorrow? That’s exciting, Frankie.”

  “Yep, my team’s been working hard. I didn’t want to show the family, especially Dad, until I was ready.”

  “Don’t worry. The weather is supposed to be glorious. Frank, I don’t think Grandpa looks good. He’s very pale. Not himself…normally rugged, tan from hours in the sun golfing, gardening. What do you think?”

  “I think you worry too much.”

  Frank drew his sister into a big hug.

  Charley pushed away, frowning. “I’m just saying, he looks…he doesn’t look his robust self.”

  Chapter 3

  ────

  AS CHARLEY DECLARED, THE day was glorious for Frankie and his team. The sun had breached the horizon a scant two hours earlier. It was still except for a slight puff of air from the gentle surf rolling in at low tide. The beach’s white pristine sand was dotted with occasional joggers, others out for an early morning stroll. The scene—calm, beautiful as described in travel brochures.

  “Wait! Wait!” Charley raced down the weather-beaten boardwalk, stopping only to pull off her sandals before her feet hit the cool sand.

  A group gathered in a circle a few yards away glanced up and then back to the drone, three feet in diameter if you include the propellers, resting on a heavy forty-two inch nylon launch pad.

  Charley turned to Grandpa Bernie as he laid his arm across her shoulders. Standing on tiptoe, she gave him a peck on the cheek. “You’re looking dapper this morning, Grandpa. How do you feel?” she whispered.

  “Fit as a fiddle…maybe a bit tired.” Confessing he was tired, his five-foot-eleven frame stood military straight nonetheless.

  “New sunglasses?” Charley said, her eyes searching his face, noting the fatigue. The tufts of his silver hair had lost their shimmer.

  “Michael Kors. You like?” he whispered back, his voice a mellow base.

  “I like. Jane’s going to love them.”

  “She called. Can’t make it today. She said the next launch she’d definitely bring her niece and her husband. Seems the two private investigators were hot on the trail of a drug dealer. And Dr. Stewart had an emergency,” he said chuckling. Looking at his granddaughter his brow crinkled. “Something bothering you, my little chick-a-dee?”

  “No, no, nothing.”

  Geoff, his face drawn, strode up to his father and daughter. He was in no mood for levity.

  “Hi, Dad, did I miss anything?” Charley said.

  “Hush, Charley. Your brother is performing the pre-flight procedures. You’re late.”

  Charley swallowed a retort. Late? So five minutes or ten was unforgivable? She was aware her father had invested in Frank’s project. She didn’t know how much, but assumed it was a lot. She understood that he was eager to witness the product of that investment.

  At low tide the expanse of beach was perfect for the demonstration. Frank and his two partners seemed prepared to pilot Mercury on its first official flight for their benefactor.

  Charley broke away, jogged over the packed sand throwing her arms around her brother. She stepped back laughing. “Is this the little marvel? Bigger than I thought,” she said looking down at the sleeping drone.

  “Yup. Hang on a minute, I’d like you to meet my partners,” Frank said grinning nodding to the pair standing beside him. “Michael Rich and Gideon Knight, GK. Guys, this is my sister Charley.”

  “For Charles?” GK asked.

  The partners smiled at Frank’s pretty sister.

  Charley nodded, yanked the bill of her ball cap lower, at the same time tugging on the ponytail holding her auburn hair. No. Not Charles. Plain old Charley, she thought scowling out at the waves.

  She was mad at herself for continually letting the question of her name irk her. It was an irritation she couldn’t control ever since her mother related the story that Geoffrey Kingman, her father, had picked the name before she was born. It didn’t matter she was not the boy he wanted, Charley was printed in big letters at the top of the birth certificate. She grew up as a smart, confident, hardworking woman. Even though she had a big heart, she was a woman to be reckoned with. No one knew that only one person intimidated her—her father. Geoffrey Kingman got his boy. Frank, their second child, was born a year later. She wondered what he was going to say when he found out she had changed her last name to King. She had to wait until all the Florida documents were reconciled before printing business cards, or even talking about it. It had been almost a month since she started the process and expected to receive the final paperwork any day.

  Michael took the opportunity to pull Frank’s sister into a hug. “Happy to meet you Charley. Frank never mentioned a sister, a very pretty sister.”

  GK nodded then looked away. His clean shaven baby face was topped with gelled spikes of dark brown hair.

  “Okay, okay, son. NOW, can I see what I’ve spent a fortune on?” Geoff asked striding up to his son, hands on his hips. He stopped, looked down at his investment, feet spread apart anchoring his six-foot body in the sand. In jeans and golf shirts, father and son towered over everyone.

  “Hey Dad, show a little respect to my two amigos. They came to meet you and to personally show off our prototype. Mercury is the featured guest today. Just to let you know Michael and GK are registered as speakers at a technology conference in Las Vegas beginning the first week of June.”

  “Speakers? How exciting, Frankie,” Dottie said, shading her eyes from the sun. “What are you two boys going to talk about?”

  “Actually, Mom, there are three seminars. I’m also speaking at one.”

  “Our son, a famous engineer,” Dottie said, grasping her husband’s hand.

  “Frank, you didn’t tell us. They scheduled you for the technical session?” Michael asked as he handed the head gear to Frank so as pilot he could view what Mercury was filming with the onboard camera while in flight.

  “Last night I got an email asking me to speak about the drone industry from a startup’s point of view. Mom, Michael will be speaking and demonstrating the video that Mercury captures this morning. And this morning, just for you and Dad and Grandpa, GK will preview our video game with drone warriors.”

  “Is the conference only for dronies?” Charley asked.

  Charley thought his partners were a bit geeky. Spiky would have been a better nickname for GK. But what did she expect from frat brothers immersed in the world of computer science. Michael seemed a little too friendly for her taste. A buzz cut and a soul patch tuft of hair under his lips…what was that crazy combination? She checked her grandfather standing by Frank. He definitely had regained some color but not all. Her dad was out of sorts but what else was new. Her mom always played the consummate mediator between her husband and everyone else.

  “Anyone interested…hobbyist, entrepreneurs, investors, reporters,” Frank said to a large imaginary audience. “Hey, enough questions. Let’s get Merc in the air, demonstrate how clever he is,” Frank sa
id. With the remote controller firmly in his grip, right index finger ready to tap buttons on the device, eyes riveted on the display, the drone came to life.

  The first two minutes of Mercury’s flight were thrilling. Four propeller pods spinning in a blur as Mercury rose a few inches off the launch pad, hovered, then darted skyward about seventy-five feet. All eyes followed the quadcopter obeying the signals Frank was sending from the remote. Mercury performed several loops then darted overhead, hovering. Suddenly Mercury displayed a will of his own performing a pirouette, flying away, making a sharp right turn out over the sparkling water unresponsive to his pilot. Frank frantically worked the remote, but Mercury continued to fly away from the group huddled onshore, buzzing out over the water, diving. His propellers caught a cresting wave causing Mercury to tumble into the water.

  “Hey, Frank, we agreed…no water ballet today,” GK shouted.

  “I didn’t send him out. He…he…I can’t bring him back. Shit, I lost control.”

  “No need to swear, dear,” Dottie said her hands covering her eyes scanning the surf for the drone.

  Michael grabbed for the remote but Frank was too quick, whirling out of reach. GK turned, dashed into the surf, dove under a wave as Mercury emerged somersaulting from the top of another wave out of sight. Charley ran into the water, throwing off her cap. Arms and legs working in unison her eyes glued to the spot where Mercury disappeared fifty yards out.

  “What happened,” Michael yelled fists balled ready to punch Frank.

  “I don’t know. It happens. A flyaway happened to us before. I need more time to test. I’ll figure it out. What’s Charley doing?” Frank yelled, his eyes following his sister as he stashed the remote in Mercury’s case.

  Charley surfaced triumphant with Mercury in hand. GK shook his sticky hair out of his eyes, waved to her with a thumbs-up signal.

  “It seems to me, Frank, that you’re not ready for prime time,” Geoff said spitting his words through clenched teeth. “Forget about the speeches in Vegas. You’d better do some speedy calculations or cancel your plane tickets. I told you, my seed money is about to dry up. Vegas was supposed to be your big break, debut your drone to the world, your prototype. Mercury, or better yet, you geniuses need more training. Mercury obviously didn’t get your signals.”

  Turning on his heel, Geoff swore at a pelican swooping over the swimmers heads, then cursing about losing his investment. Charley handed the drone to GK as they stepped out of the water.

  Frank laughed at his dad. “Hey, what do you expect from Mercury’s first flight—perfection?” he shouted.

  Charley flopped on the sand. Her breathing returned to normal as she ran her fingers through her wet hair, looking over at her brother full of bluster. Always wanting to show up their father, best him at everything—getting higher grades in college than his dad, joining the frat that spurned his dad. Now, he was driven to be a better entrepreneur, make more money. This time Frank was embarrassed but refused to let it show. Charley saw through him. He had failed in front of his father.

  Scowling, Michael ran after Geoff, calling to him, “Not to worry, Mr. Kingman, we’ll be ready for Vegas.”

  “Nobody leaves to do any recalculating until we eat,” Dottie said sweetly not taking no for an answer. “Brunch was planned for this morning, and brunch there will be. Hildy is serving up her special eggs Benedict along with Bloody Marys on the terrace. She’ll be ready for us in a half hour. Charley, can you help me?”

  “Sure, Mom,” Charley said falling into step beside her mother.

  Bernard stood by his grandson. “Mercury’s a beauty, real sleek. Frankie, you’ll figure it out.”

  Charley and her mother followed Geoffrey across the beach. “Why were you late, dear? You know how your father can’t abide tardiness.”

  “I know, Mom. Sorry.”

  “What was it? A client ready to buy a house? Then you’d be forgiven.” Dottie said, pausing while Charley slipped on her sandals.

  “Not exactly.”

  “Well, you’d better get out of those wet clothes or you’ll get sick for sure. Do you have something in your closet?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Honestly, Charley, I don’t know why you insisted on moving out. I don’t like those little motel cabins in Edgewater. You’re not safe alone in a summer rental, especially one on a busy street. I wish you’d move back home. “

  “It’s just until I get a foothold at the agency, close a few sales. Then I’ll find an apartment.”

  “Your father can be gruff at times, but he loves you. He’s not happy with your decision.”

  “Let’s face it, Mom. He’s never happy with my decisions, or anything else I do. I couldn’t take it any more…being under a microscope, his microscope. It’s easier to stay focused out of the house.”

  “Well, I don’t like it. This, this, whatever it was this morning that made you late isn’t going to make him happy either. Frankie was sure his little drone was going to please your father. Now? Well, I’m not sure what he’s going to do. You and Frankie are grown. Out on your own…trying to be out on your own. You both should be home, make sure your future is on a good path before moving out.”

  She looked over her shoulder to her son and his partners. They were arguing as they packed up the pieces of the failed flight. Bernard was in the middle, as usual, trying to tamp down the flaring tempers.

  ────

  Everyone was in a foul mood as they helped themselves to the breakfast feast that Hildy had prepared. Charley joined Michael sitting at the round glass table under a green umbrella providing shade. He smiled as if his day had brightened considerably now that Charley had chosen to sit by him.

  “I understand you’re a real estate agent?” Michael said.

  “Yup, but still new to the business, getting my feet wet I guess you’d say.”

  “Drones are gaining in popularity in real estate you know. They provide incredible videos of a house, in and outside. It’s too bad your Grandpa’s friend, Jane I believe her name is, and her PI niece and husband, didn’t come today. On the other hand, maybe it was better they weren’t here given that Merc went rogue.”

  “I know what you mean. They couldn’t make it and Dr. Stewart had an emergency. Maybe next time. Frank has to show Dad that his investment is safe before you guys go to Vegas.”

  Chapter 4

  ────

  A PALL FELL OVER what was supposed to be a celebration. Geoff closed himself in his den, but the partners left their argument on the beach. Others milled around the brunch buffet on the terrace scooping green, red, and orange melon balls from a crystal bowl onto their plates. Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon, a platter of sausage as well as scrambled eggs dotted with bits of green and red pepper was on a large platter. Biscuits were slathered with butter and topped with raspberry jam or orange marmalade.

  Frank and his team had rented a condo as a place to live and work. They always took advantage of free food. Everyone filled a mug with coffee then settled on lounge chairs to devour Hildy’s sumptuous feast. The Atlantic Ocean sparkled in the background, waves swirling in with the tide. A yacht was trolling for sailfish off in the distance.

  Conversation was sporadic, sarcasm springing from Frank’s lips out of earshot of his mom and grandpa. “Poor Dad, no prospects of adding to his millions today,” Frank said washing down a large bite of biscuit with his coffee.

  “Maybe a game of drone warriors will boost his spirits.” A ray of hope from GK.

  “Well, maybe you should have done more testing, Frank,” Michael said taking a bite of egg with hollandaise sauce. Always strapped for cash, he worried the most about running out of money.

  “Charley, what’s bothering you?” Frank said, in a whisper. “One minute you’re dashing into the water saving the day and now looking like your best friend left town.”

  “I lost what was going to be my first sale. It’s harder than I thought to break into the business. Rachel, my bo
ss, has been supportive, but I don’t know how much longer she’ll put up with me.”

  “You need an edge. Drones are hot in real estate marketing,” Frank said. “Fly around the property in the sky, bird’s eye view. Inside the house, videotaping from room to room with a hand-held drone using its tricks, catching every nook and corner. I can—”

  Michael had squeezed into their conversation.

  “Hey, partner, you let me help your sister. Charley, Frank is spot on. How about coming over to our condo tomorrow? I’ll give you a demo of what you could do. Then you can select a property you’re trying to sell…I’ll shoot a video,” Michael said.

  Dottie approached the group. “Hildy brought out fresh coffee if you’d like a cup.”

  Frank sprang to his feet, set his empty plate on the end of the buffet table. “Thanks, Mom. Come on, GK, time to show the king-man your Drone Warrior video game. That’ll bring a smile to his sourpuss self. You too, Michael.”

  “Me too,” Charley said. “I’m up to see if you can make Dad smile. How about you, Mom?”

  “I’ll wait out here…pick up the pieces.”

  Hey, Mom, no faith in your son all of a sudden? A few minutes ago you were singing my praises.” Laughing, Frank led the way to the den. GK, his hair now slicked back, grabbed his briefcase with the flash drive from the hall console table along with two remote devices for gaming. Frank rapped twice on the oversized mahogany door, and then pushed it open. Geoff stood at the window, staring out over the ocean.

  “GK, load the video on the computer,” Frank said, waving to the table in front of a long line of mahogany bookcases. “The king-man won’t mind you’re taking over his computer. Come on, Dad, stop sulking and watch. It’ll blow your socks off.”

  “Lost my shirt on the launch pad, might as well take the socks too,” Geoff snapped as he swatted an imaginary bug off his bald head.

  Dottie passed the den on her way to the front door. Pulling open the door she glanced down at a package the size of a shirt box. Amazon printed on the side. She quickly looked up, smiled at the sight of a drone rising above the house, darting out of sight. She read an article in the News Journal that Amazon had been given permission to test deliveries of a certain size and weight in areas with a large expanse of space between the houses. However, there was a stiff fine if the drone ventured out over the beach where sunbathers, vacationers or town’s people congregate. This morning the beach was empty except for the Kingman family. The Kingman address was on the list for the experiment. She picked up the package, pausing at the den’s open door. Hearing foul language she strolled on down the hall to the kitchen. She was worried if anyone would report Frank for flying his drone on the beach. She was thankful there were no people nearby.