Closer Than You Think — Mara Purl

Continuing the slice of life in a small, coastal town -- enchanting and eccentric, a haven for some, a trap for other. A missing person investigation leads to an oil magnate, while artist Miranda Jones enthralls Zack Calvin, who in turn is caught up in a sexy but unwholesome relationship with Cynthia Radcliffe. Meanwhile not only is the usual home cooking and gossip dished up at "Sally's," but Jack Sawyer finds the conversation too close for comfort, Rune Sierra savors his rebellious success, Sally encounters a long lost love who's now a disabled veteran, Susan Winslow gets a taste of her own medicine when she meets a mysterious man she names "Notes," and environmentalist Samantha Hugo finds her own self-revelations mirror the extinction of species which she so greatly fears, and feels that her long lost son may be closer than she thinks. Of added interest is the backdrop of a real Doobie Brothers concert, given as a benefit for veterans, where characters enjoy the music and have personal encounters backstage.