Summers at the Saint

Andy tells Traci that the changes Ric made to Fred’s will leave everything to surviving heirs. However, there is a daughter of Fred’s that no one else knows about. Twenty-one years ago, Fred told Andy he’d been tricked by “a little gold-digger” who got pregnant on purpose (331). After a paternity test proved positive, Andy drew up a financial settlement for the young woman, in return for which she signed a nondisclosure agreement. When he realized that the young woman had been manipulated, Andy felt ashamed of going through with the contract. Traci asks the identity of the young woman.

Shannon enters and reveals that Fred is Livvy’s father. She stares at the Eddings family photograph, “her expression one of pure poison” (334). Traci takes the portrait down.

About a week before Hudson died, Fred asked Shannon to come to his house in the evening. She thought he was going to offer her a promotion. Instead, he made her a drink, coerced her into having sex, and then threatened her if she told anybody. Shannon doesn’t want to call it rape because she believes that makes her a victim, but she was too ashamed to tell Traci, who was happy with Hoke. Fred used Hudson’s drowning as an excuse to fire Shannon. Around four months later, Shannon realized that she was pregnant and insisted that Fred give her money. At the time, she thought he was giving her a huge sum.

Traci tells Shannon that Livvy will be included in Fred’s new will. She and Hoke wanted children, but he was sterile due to a childhood illness. They talk about the men they are dating, feeling their friendship returning.

Shannon takes Livvy to lunch and tells her that Fred is her father. Livvy is horrified. Shannon admits that she thought it was her fault she was raped. Shannon thinks that Ric is as potentially dangerous as his father, which is one reason she didn’t want Livvy to work at the Saint. If Livvy inherits some of the Eddings family fortune, she will have many more options than Shannon did.

Livvy researches the Eddings family. F. A. Eddings moved south from Philadelphia, opened a manufacturing business in Bonaventure, and bought land that he developed into a hotel and named after his daughter Cecelia.

Garrett, who is playing video games, asks Livvy what Chelsea said about him.

Livvy and Felice worry that Garrett suspects they know about his illegal activities. Chelsea told them that someone slashed the tires on her car and that she’s leaving town. Livvy asks Felice to help her break into Garrett’s room and search it. She drinks a glass of wine while Felice drinks kombucha. They find that both Garrett and KJ have removed their possessions from their rooms.

Traci tells Whelan about her discussion with Shannon earlier. Whelan reports that the sheriff’s office is trying to get in touch with the Jamaican steel drum band that played at the Beach Bash because the singer, Cedric, was seen talking to Parrish at the after party. Whelan also reports that Charlie Burroughs is bankrupt and in financial trouble. Traci returns home and regards all the family heirlooms she’s been keeping—none of them she would have chosen for herself.

An explosion wakes Felice, and she realizes that the dorm is on fire. The door to her room won’t open. She breaks the window, climbs out, and breaks the window to Livvy’s room. Livvy is barely conscious. Felice struggles to get her outside. Felice tries to return to check on KJ and Garrett, but the fire is intense.

Felice waits with Livvy as emergency responders arrive. An EMT, Dave, asks if Livvy was doing drugs. KJ comes out of some bushes, looking beat up, and claims that it was Garrett’s idea to hurt the girls. Then, he runs away. Felice and Livvy are taken to the hospital.

Traci and Shannon rush to the hospital. Traci tries to see Felice by claiming that she is Traci’s daughter. Shannon runs in to see Livvy. A sheriff’s deputy stationed with Felice tells them that KJ is in custody. Felice asks about Garrett and Charlie, telling Traci that Livvy found Parrish’s notebook in which she recorded things she was suspicious about. Detective Shapley reports that Charlie fled his residence and that Garrett is missing. Traci invites Felice home with her when she is released from the hospital.

Shannon visits Livvy and learns that she was drugged. In the hospital cafeteria, Traci and Shannon talk. Traci is in shock at Charlie’s betrayal and wonders if Livvy will want to come back to work at the hotel. She tells Shannon that Whelan found out that Hudson likely died of an undiagnosed peanut allergy from a treat that Ric gave him as a bribe. Shannon scoffs, “Whenever something bad happens, it’s always Ric” (385).

Whelan arrives at the hospital, and Felice and Livvy are discharged. Livvy doesn’t remember what happened. Traci takes Felice home, and Felice is distraught that she has lost everything she owns: her clothing, her laptop, and her chef’s knives. Traci suggests that Felice move into the executive suite at the hotel. Traci makes a list of things she’s grateful for, which includes Livvy and Felice being alive, Shannon being back in her life, and Whelan.

Traci meets the fire marshal at the burned-out staff dorm and then visits KJ in jail. KJ has never been in trouble before. Traci thinks it’s “[b]ecause [he’s] a Saint—a rich white kid who never had to take responsibility for his actions” (395). KJ got caught up with Charlie and Marcie’s schemes because they threatened to tell KJ’s family that he is gay. Garrett talked KJ into drugging Livvy and Felice and setting the fire, but Garrett was the one who locked them in their rooms. Charlie said he would help them escape but never did. KJ and Garrett waited in the woods until the explosion happened, and then Garrett took off. When Traci asks how Parrish died, KJ says that it was a mistake and demands a lawyer.

Traci visits Shannon to check on Livvy. She sees a picture of Livvy and Parrish in their Beach Bash dresses. They look almost like twins.

Traci has takeout dinner with Felice and Whelan. Traci shares her theory that Parrish’s death was accidental and suggests that someone was trying to kill Livvy instead: “[W]hat if someone found out that Livvy stood to inherit a big chunk of Fred Eddings’ money? And they wanted to stop that from happening—at any cost” (407). She wonders if Madelyn discovered the nondisclosure agreement while she was cleaning out Fred’s house for his move to the cottage. Felice saw Madelyn and Garrett spending a lot of time together, and Traci wonders if they were having an affair. She and Whelan embrace but are interrupted by a call. Charlie is in the hospital after a severe car wreck that happened while he was trying to evade the police.

Traci takes Lola for a walk and then gets an alert from her security camera that Garrett is at her house. She calls 911 and Whelan. When she returns home, Garrett is holding Felice at gunpoint. Felice gets angry and attacks Garrett. Traci grabs the gun. Whelan arrives to find that the women have subdued Garrett, who has a bloody nose.

Garrett blames Madelyn for trying to get rid of Livvy: “Traci listen[s] while her former favorite waiter tonelessly laid out his crimes against her and her business” (416). Garrett claims that Madelyn was behind most of the decisions to bill the hotel for high-priced items and replace them with cheaper versions, like the mattresses and TVs. When she learned that Garrett and Charlie were embezzling in other ways, she demanded a cut. The fentanyl-laced joint was meant for Livvy, but Cedric confused the women and approached Parrish instead. Madelyn discovered the nondisclosure agreement that Shannon had signed and realized that Livvy could demand money from Fred’s estate. Madelyn was supposed to help Garrett get off the island but, on the night of the fire, refused to return his calls. He tried to force Traci to help him but found Felice in the house instead. The sheriff instructs Garrett to ask Madelyn to meet.

The sheriff asks Traci to let him handle the meeting between Garrett and Madelyn, but Traci and Whelan sneak into the cottage where Garrett and Madelyn had their trysts. They overhear Garrett and Madelyn and then hear a gunshot. Garrett’s arm is bleeding, and Madelyn is handcuffed.

Whelan and Traci return to her house, and she invites him to her bedroom. She says that he’s fired, so he’s no longer her employee.

Six weeks later, while buying groceries, Traci confronts Ric in the parking lot of the liquor store. He still blames her, but Traci tells him, “You are the architect of all your own misfortune” (429). His infidelity was the reason Madelyn cheated on him. Traci insists that Ric treat Livvy fairly. Ric gets a fine for parking in an accessible parking space.

The novel flashes forward a year.

Traci and Livvy are business partners, and Whelan is the Saint’s new general manager. Traci is married to Whelan and is pregnant. Livvy is nervous about the media coverage and thinks everyone is waiting for her to screw up. Traci felt the same way when she married Hoke. Whelan teases Livvy about the doctor that Shannon is dating. Felice brings out special appetizers and reveals that she is dating Dave, the EMT she met the night of the fire. At sunset, they go out onto the patio of the hotel. A trumpeter plays, and Livvy welcomes everyone to “another beautiful summer at the Saint” (436). Traci and Whelan take the golf cart around the grounds to look at the new staff housing that Javi is building and then go home.