by Rose Pressey
“Well, at least maybe he’ll find her.”
“I hope so, for her sake and for mine too. I can get in a lot of trouble for this. She was my responsibility.”
“I don’t see how that’s possible. What could you do? You couldn’t babysit her all the time,” Mary Jane said.
“I guess you’re right,” I said.
Just then the police car pulled up. There were no sirens or flashing lights. The officer got out of the car and walked up to us.
“What seems to be the problem?” he asked.
The door to the cottage was still open so I gestured toward it. “Our friend is missing and we think something serious happened to her.”
“What makes you think that?” he asked.
“All of her belongings are here but she’s not.”
“Maybe she just went for a walk,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s what happened. It’s been quite a while and she hasn’t responded to my text messages. Besides, everyone takes their phone with them on a walk and she isn’t answering hers. As a matter of fact…” I dialed my phone. “See, before you say maybe she didn’t take it with her, it’s right there in that room.”
Mildred’s phone rang from inside the cottage.
“Did she leave the cottage door open?” he asked.
I knew he was going to ask that question.
“Well, no. Actually, she didn’t. When she didn’t answer the door, I decided that I had to see if she was in there and hurt. I went around to the side and the windows were open, so I went in that way.”
“Let me get this straight. You broke into the cottage? You know that’s illegal?”
“We’re not talking about what I did wrong right now. We’re talking about finding our friend,” I said.
He eyed me again. “So the door was locked? Did you check before going in through the window?”
“Actually, no, it wasn’t locked.”
“So either she let someone in and went with them or she left on her own and didn’t lock the door behind her.”
Why was he arguing with me about this? He could see that she was gone and this was really a dangerous situation. What did I have to do to convince him of that?
“Aren’t you going to check around and see if everything is okay in the room?” I asked.
He stared at me for a moment and then walked into the cottage.
“Oh, no,” Mary Jane said, looking over my shoulder.
I spun around and saw that the bed-and-breakfast owner was headed our way. Now I would have to deal with her too.
She walked up to us and placed her hands on her hips. “What’s going on here?”
“The police are checking for my friend,” I said. “Since you wouldn’t look.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “How did you get into that room?”
“The door was already open,” I said.
She narrowed her eyes. “I find that hard to believe. Just make sure nothing is out of place.”
“I’ll try my best,” I said.
She turned around and walked back to her place.
“She’s grumpy,” Mary Jane said.
I needed to have the police speak with her. Maybe she’d seen something, and she just wasn’t telling me. She’d be more likely to tell them.
The police officer stepped out of the cottage. “Well, everything seems normal in there so there’s not much we can do right now.”
I released a deep breath. I figured he would say something like that.
“Perhaps you should speak with the bed-and-breakfast owner. She might be more willing to talk to you than me. Maybe she saw someone around. There was a man last night and he was watching Mildred. I suspect maybe he came by here and got her.”
“Who is this man?” the police officer asked.
“I don’t know his name. He showed up at the café, Mystic Café,” I said.
He eyed me up and down. “Yes, I thought I knew who you were.”
“Anyway, after we closed, I took the trash out and the man was outside creeping around.”
The officer pulled out a notepad and pen from his pocket. “Can you give me a description of this man?”
“He has beady eyes and a little mouth. It seems to be always in a frown.”
“That’s quite a description,” he said with a chuckle. “Can you tell me about his hair, height, and weight?”
“Oh, right, that… well he was balding, and he was probably in his thirties. Five foot seven and maybe one hundred and forty pounds.”
“All right, well, I’ll be on the lookout for him, but like I said, until more time has passed and she doesn’t return, there’s not much we can do.”
“It could be too late then,” I said.
“There’s nothing I can do.” He stuffed the notepad and pen back into his pocket.
He walked to his car and got in.
“Can you believe that?” Mary Jane said.
“This is an outrage,” Laura said.
“What will we do now?” I asked.
“I suppose we should just close the door and get to the café. It’s almost time to open.” Mary Jane checked the time on her phone. “The breakfast crowd will be there soon. We don’t want them to beat us to the café.”
I released a deep breath and said, “I guess that’s what we have to do.”
I gave one last glance around the room before closing the door. I wished there was more we could do to look for Mildred. Maybe find fingerprints or check for surveillance videos… anything. But after all, Tom would be here soon, and he was the detective. He would probably accomplish a lot more than the Mystic Hollow Police Department. This appeared to be a magic case.
After closing the door, I headed over to the car. Mary Jane and Laura were waiting for me. As we drove away the sinking feeling in my stomach remained. Glancing in the rearview mirror, I saw the bed-and-breakfast owner watching us. The smile on her face made me assume she was glad to see us go. The officer hadn’t even talked to her to ask if she had seen anything out of the ordinary. Tom would talk to her though. Now I couldn’t wait for him to arrive. If she was hiding something he would surely find out. She wouldn’t be able to resist his charms.
A small part of me hoped that Mildred would be waiting for us at the café. But when we reached the café and I unlocked the front door my hopes slipped away. There was no sign of her. I flipped on the light and headed toward the kitchen so that I could get everything started. Laura followed me and Mary Jane went to work setting up tables and taking the chairs down. It felt strange being here without Mildred, even though she had only been in Mystic Hollow for less than twenty-four hours now. I had anticipated working with Mildred all day during the slow times.
“I’ll get the biscuits started,” Laura said.
She knew she could handle that without having to add the magic to them yet. No chance of messing that up. Well, I hoped not.
“Thank you, Laura,” I said.
“Don’t worry, Elly, she’ll show up.”
I forced a smile. “Yeah, she’ll show up.”
Alive, I hoped.
Chapter 8
The crowd had started to thin out now and I finally got a chance to take a deep breath. It wouldn’t last long. We were so busy with breakfast that I had almost forgotten about the events of the morning.
When I spotted Tom walking down the sidewalk, it all came flooding back. Not that I had forgotten about Mildred, but just that I had forgotten about everything other than pancakes, biscuits, and bacon. Thank goodness Laura hadn’t messed up any of the magic spells. The last thing I needed was more drama added on to what had already happened.
Tom stepped through the door and my heart sped up. His stare was focused on me as he made his way across the floor. My anxiety spiked with each step he took.
“That sure didn’t take you long to get here. What flight did you take?” I asked.
“Let’s just say I wasn’t in Las Vegas when I talked to you.” Tom walked with his usual ai
r of confidence over to the stools.
“Oh? That’s where you said you were,” I said.
“You never know where I’m going to be,” he said with a wink.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I said.
Tom quirked an eyebrow at my comment. “Any word from her?”
“Nothing at all, but I’ve been busy here at the café. I wanted to go back to her cottage and look for any clues to where she went, but I have no idea where even to start.”
“Do you think Mary Jane and Laura can handle this place for a few minutes while we go back to that bed-and-breakfast?” Tom asked.
I looked over at Mary Jane and she nodded.
“No spells, Laura,” I said.
She tossed her hand up in acknowledgement. I took off my apron and grabbed my bag, following Tom to the door. Once again, I felt the energy zing between us. Tom held the door open and I stepped outside onto the sidewalk. A luxurious black Mercedes was parked out front of the café.
“I see you upgraded your car,” I said.
“Only the best to come and see you,” Tom said.
I wasn’t sure why he said that because I was used to riding around in Rory’s pickup truck. Not that I’d mind riding in the Mercedes by any means. Tom held the door open for me and I slipped inside, relishing the feeling of the leather seats. I buckled my seatbelt as Tom walked around the back of the car and over to the driver’s side. His spicy scent filled the car when he got behind the wheel.
Tom started the ignition. “I hope I remember how to get to this place.”
I pointed. “Turn left at the light. I’ll give you directions.”
At least Rory wouldn’t see me in the car since there were tinted windows. But this was part of my job, so I hoped that he would understand if I had to spend time with Tom. Though I totally understood why Rory felt the way he did.
“What do you think happened to her?” I asked.
Tom glanced over at me. “I really don’t know, Elly. I tried calling her, but she doesn’t answer.”
“I know, I’m really worried.” I released a deep breath. “I think that the strange man did something to her. Do you know who he is?”
Tom stared at the road ahead as he drove along. He knew more than he was telling me.
“You do know who that man is?” I repeated.
“No, I don’t know that specific man, but I do know that there may have been people who wanted to get to Mildred.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked. “You brought her here knowing that something like this could happen? That put us in danger too.”
“I didn’t think you’d be in danger. You know I’d never do that to you,” Tom said.
“No, I don’t know that. What made you think that I would be able to keep watch over her? I’m just now learning how to do spells.”
“You’ve known magic for quite a while now, Elly. Don’t act like you’re clueless.”
I scoffed. “You need to tell me everything you know.”
“Oh, look, we’re here at the bed-and-breakfast,” Tom said as he pulled in the drive.
If he thought that was going to get him off the hook from telling me anything then he was wrong. I had plenty of time to continue asking him for the details. He pulled the car up close to the cottage. Everything looked as it had before. The door was closed. Tom and I got out of the car and walked up to the door. He knocked, but I assumed it would have the same outcome as when I had knocked. I hoped for a different outcome, but I wasn’t holding out much hope. There was no answer, so he knocked again. Still no answer. He grabbed the doorknob and twisted. The door was still unlocked.
“What will the innkeeper do with her belongings?” I asked.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Tom said.
Tom pushed the door open. The lights were off, of course, and everything looked exactly as it had this morning. The daylight streamed through the open door and allowed us to see around the room. Her luggage was there along with her purse and cell phone.
“I can’t believe the police wouldn’t do anything about this,” I said.
“Make sure not to touch anything,” Tom said. “I’m going to call a few people and get them over here to take fingerprints.”
“Well, I’ve already touched some stuff, so I hope I didn’t contaminate anything.”
“What did you touch?” he asked.
“The window and the door. Oh, and the bathroom door and light switch. The bed comforter and the pillows. That’s pretty much it.”
His eyes widened. “Well, I guess it could be worse. I’m not sure how, but it could be worse. Just don’t touch anything else.”
“This is making me nervous,” I said. “I feel like something really bad happened to her.”
“We really need to get an ID on that man you all saw at the café. Perhaps he left a clue somewhere around here.”
“What about the hotel where he’s staying?” I asked.
“We’ll have to get over there right away and look for something. In the meantime, I need to get some other detectives here to help me. I’m going to go talk to the bed-and-breakfast owner to see if she has any kind of surveillance that may have captured anything.”
“I hope she’s in a better mood now than she was this morning,” I said.
“I have a way of charming my way into information.”
“Is that right?” I asked with a smirk.
“You don’t believe me?” he asked.
Oh, I believed him all right. I had witnessed and fallen for the charm on more than one occasion. I stood on the sidewalk and watched Tom as he moved around the room.
He flashed his phone’s light around on some of the items but never touched anything. I supposed he was waiting for the other detectives to show up so that they could check for fingerprints.
After a few more seconds, Tom joined me on the sidewalk. “Nothing seems out of place.”
“How long will it take before the other detectives arrive?” I asked.
“They’ll be coming from different areas, but I would assume within the hour the first one will show up. He’s not too far away.”
“Exactly where were you when you came here?” I asked.
“I was in Chicago.”
“What happened to Las Vegas?” I asked as I stood by the door.
“I wrapped it up sooner than I thought,” he said.
He never gave detailed answers for anything. But I supposed I was just being nosy anyway. It was none of my business. What I thought was my business though was more details about Mildred Melton.
“So while we wait I guess you’ll fill me in on all the details about Mildred?” I asked.
Movement caught our attention and we noticed the innkeeper was headed our way. Now there would be even more drama.
“Hold that thought,” he said as he focused his attention on the woman.
Oh, I would definitely hold that thought. He wasn’t going to get by without answering all my questions. All he was doing now was stalling. The appearance of the innkeeper had given him the excuse he’d needed. He wouldn’t have excuses forever. Her glare was focused on us as she marched up.
“Exactly what is going on now?” she demanded.
“We’re still looking for our friend,” I said. “And I would advise that you help us out.”
Tom cast a glance my way as if to say that it was his job to tell her that. Perhaps we could play good cop, bad cop. I’d be the bad cop.
“Ma’am, my name is Tom Owenton. I’m a detective with the National Organization of Magic.” Tom’s words were followed by his sexy lopsided grin.
She frowned. “What the heck is that?”
“It’s the National Organization of Magic, duh,” I said.
“I’m still cranky from lack of sleep,” she reminded me.
“I investigate magic crimes. And it seems as if one has been committed here at your lovely bed-and-breakfast.” Tom’s words dripped charm, but none of it was penetrating h
er rough exterior.
“That’s nonsense,” she said.
“Wake up, woman.” I clapped my hands.
Uh-oh. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say. After all, I had woken her up early.
“I’m awake thanks to you,” she said, placing her hands on her hips.
I’d known she’d say that.
“What I mean is the evidence is right in front of your eyes. My friend has been gone for quite a while now with no sign of her and all of her belongings are here. So we have to investigate.”
Tom gave me a look to let me know that I wasn’t helping. At least I tried.
“Ma’am, we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you, but if you could help us perhaps then we could get out of your hair quicker. I’m sure you would be happy to help. You seem like such a lovely woman.” Tom winked.
Now he was really laying on the charm. He smiled at her and she didn’t return the pleasantry. Well, Tom didn’t have the ability to charm everyone like he thought. Two seconds later she chuckled and smiled at him. Oh, for heaven’s sake. It worked after all. No one could resist Tom. And I totally understood why.
“I’ll help if I can,” she said. “What would you like to know?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Thank you,” Tom said. “Did you see anything out of the ordinary at all? Perhaps a man.” Tom looked to me so that I could give her a description. I’d been the only one here to see the man.
I wasn’t sure it would do much good because she hadn’t wanted to help in the past and she said she hadn’t seen anyone. “He was about five foot seven with beady eyes and balding hair,” I said.
Her eyes widened. “Actually, I saw him. He came in and wanted to know if I had any available rooms.”
My stomach twisted into a knot.
“Did he give you his name?” Tom asked.
“No, I don’t believe he did. I told him I didn’t have any rooms available. We have several guests and one cottage is being remodeled.”
“Did he say where he was going? Did you maybe recommend any other place?” Tom asked.
“I told him about the hotel in town. So I’m not sure if he went there or not. He was kind of odd. Super quiet.”
This was extremely disturbing news.
Tom pulled out his card. “If you think of anything else please call me, all right?”
