by Jenn Cowan
Josh is on my heels, but still giving me space. He knows I’m one fuse away from exploding and anything could set me off.
I yank open the mine door and am greeted by a sulfur smell. Yuck. It didn’t smell like this yesterday, did it? I was probably too focused on finding Violet to notice, but today the smell is assaulting me so I cover my nose with my shirt and head toward the back of the mine. It’s dark with only slivers of light shining through the old planks on the wall. The only sound is heavy footsteps walking across the boards, when they stop so do we. I don’t want to give my dad any time to think of a cover story. I want to surprise him and then interrogate him. It’s not the best plan, but it’s the only one I’ve got.
When the footsteps stop completely, Josh and I tiptoe around until we find my dad standing behind an old desk. There’s a model of Daysville with all the businesses and some new businesses and condos that are scattered around the town.
I gasp and my father’s head jerks up.
“Autumn. Josh. What are you doing here?” He grabs an old white sheet and tries to cover the model, but there’s no reason for him to hide it now.
“Us? What are YOU doing here?”
My father opens his mouth then closes it. He runs a hand through his gray hair and mutters something I can’t make out. “You weren’t supposed to see this.”
“See what? That you’re working for the awful developer who’s planning to change everything we love about Daysville?”
His head snaps up to meet my glare and I’m glaring hard. If my eyes were lasers, my dad would be a pile of ash on the floor, right now. “It’s not what you think.”
I cross my arms over my chest and so does Josh. We both love Daysville just the way it is and want to raise our children in the same small town we grew up in. “Then tell us what it is.”
“I can’t.” My dad swipes a hand down his face.
“You can’t or won’t?” I put my hands on my hips and narrow my eyes.
“Both. You both need to leave and not tell anyone what you saw here. You have to promise me.” His face is stoic and unreadable, but his tone is firm with a slight quiver to it.
I relax my stance slightly because my father seems genuinely concerned about this information getting out. “Why?”
“I can’t explain it right now, but I will. When the time is right. Please Autumn, you have to trust me.”
Josh nudges me with his elbow. “Let’s go,” he murmurs, not making eye contact with my father. He takes my hand and pulls me toward the exit.
I have a million questions running through my head, but I know by the look on my father’s face he won’t answer a single one. My stomach churns at the thought of my father being a part of the destruction of Daysville. How could he?
When we reach the Jeep, Josh pulls me into his chest and squeezes me tightly.
I breathe him in, taking comfort in his arms and his familiar smell of tea tree and mint. “What do you think is going on?”
Josh kisses the top of my head then says, “I don’t know, but whatever it is, it’s not good. I can’t believe your dad is mixed up in something that will ruin Daysville. Your mom loves this town.”
“I know.” I shake my head. “I don’t understand. This all seems like a bad dream.”
“I wish it was,” Josh mutters before letting me go and opening the passenger side door.
I slide into the seat and let out the breath I’m holding when my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number. “Hello?”
“Autumn, it’s Chase. Can you meet me at the hardware store?”
“Sure, we’ll be right there.”
“We?”
“I’m with Josh.”
There’s a pause then Chase says, “Fine, you both can meet me at the shop.” Then he hangs up.
I frown at the screen wondering what that’s all about.
“Who was that?”
“Chase. He wants us to meet him at the hardware store.”
Josh puts the Jeep in reverse. “Did he say why?”
“No, but he didn’t seem to like the fact that you were with me.”
“Hmm.”
I turn my attention to my fiancé. “What does that mean?”
“I know Chase says he’s Harold’s son, but…” his voice trails off.
“But what?”
“I don’t know. Something seems off about him.” His eyes slide over to me before returning to the road.
I smirk. “How so, Mr. Parker?”
He runs a hand through his dark hair. “What if he’s not really Harold’s son?”
My jaw drops because Chase looks exactly like Harold. “Um, Josh. I’m pretty sure he is.”
He cocks his head. “Why do you say that?”
“You’ll see,” I reply, opening the door when Josh parks in front of the hardware store.
He follows me to the front door where Chase meets us.
Chase eyes Josh suspiciously for some reason before opening the door for us to come in.
I immediately point to the picture framed by the door and watch as realization comes over Josh’s face.
He looks back and forth from the picture to Chase then nods at me.
The picture is of thirty something year old Harold standing in front of the store when it opened. He and Chase could be twins with all the similarities in that picture.
Chase grins at the picture. “I guess we look a lot alike. Mom had several pictures of him over the years, but I think I like this one the best.”
“So, you plan to keep it up?” Josh asks, gesturing to the picture.
Chase frowns and studies Josh for a moment before answering, “Yes. I don’t plan to change anything in the store. I want to run it just like my father did.” He pauses then continues, “I’ve read several of my father’s journals. They were in a safe in the office. He talks a lot about you, Josh. You two were close?”
Josh’s jaw clenches momentarily, then huffs out a breath. I know talking about Harold is hard for him. Josh misses him a lot. They were closer than Josh and his own father. “We were,” his says, his voice cracking slightly.
“Maybe we can have lunch sometime and you can tell me about him.” Chase sticks out his hand to Josh.
Josh stiffens next to me, but when I nudge him lightly, he accepts Chase’s hand and says with a firm shake, “Maybe after the case is solved.”
“Ah, yes the case. It’s why I called you.” He turns his attention to me. “I think I know who the developer is that Wyatt was working with… but first, have you heard anything about how Allison’s doing? I’ve tried to see her at the hospital after I heard what happened last night. I’ve been out of my mind with worry.” Chase rakes a hand through his hair revealing a deep scratch on his forearm, which looks fresh.
My thoughts flit back to when Allison said she got away from her kidnapper. Did she injure them… or him? “Where were you last night?”
Chase’s expression darkens. “I didn’t kill Wyatt or kidnap my wife, Autumn.”
“How did you get that scrape on your arm?”
He points to a cock-eyed shelf. “I’ve been wrestling with that thing all morning. I’m afraid it’s getting the best of me.”
Josh moves over to the shelf to inspect it then begins to fiddle with it.
We watch him momentarily before Chase says, “I can assure you, Miss Fisher that I had nothing to do with anything going on in this town. I want to help solve this so I can get my wife back.”
I cross my arms over my chest and study him. “And you think she’ll take you back?”
He throws his hands up in the air. “I have to try. I love her… I’ve never stopped loving her. She’s not just my wife. She’s my best friend. When we lost the baby, I didn’t know how to help her. I wanted to try again, but she was so upset and started growing distant. I thought giving her some space would help, but then I came home one day and she was gone. Her mother told me she moved back to Daysville. I needed to get my act together before seeing her aga
in. I want her to see me as a new man. A better man. A man worthy of her.”
I nod because the lump in my throat at his words has me thinking about everything Josh and I went through the past few months to be together.
Josh meets my teary eyes and winks at me.
I smile back at him before clearing my throat and focusing back on Chase. “What’s this about the developer?”
He pulls a document off the counter. “I got this email from Wyatt’s bag. Seems the developer is working out of the old mine here in town. Wyatt’s supposed to be meeting him there today at two. Maybe we can show up and find out who this guy is.”
“Hmm.” I scan the email and notice the initials at the bottom of the page. My heart nearly skids to a stop in my chest. It’s my father’s initials. This confirms he’s working for the developer. I swallow down the bile in my throat and shake my head. I have to stay focused on the case and my gut tells me the developer doesn’t have anything to do with it, but someone else is on the top of my suspect list. “When was the last time you talked to Allison’s mother?”
“Jean? I talked to her this morning. Why?”
“Allison seems to think she had something to do with all of this.”
Chase snorts then begins to laugh and laughs so hard, he’s holding his side by the time he’s done.
I raise my eyebrow, not finding any of this amusing at all. “Care to share why Allison’s theory is so funny?”
He takes a breath, a smirk still playing on his lips. “There’s no way Jean could orchestrate any of this. She would be too concerned about breaking a nail or for that matter a sweat. Jean isn’t the kind of woman to get her hands dirty.”
“But she could have paid someone to do it or maybe she had help,” I chide, still not ready to give up on the idea of Chase being innocent.
His smirk turns to a frown. “No. No way. Jean has always been on our side. There’s no way she would do something like this. Kill my best friend. It’s ludicrous.”
“Your best friend who is in love with your wife?”
Chase opens his mouth to respond, but then closes it. “Jean didn’t have anything to do with this. Besides she’s been at a wellness spa for the past week.”
“In Chicago?”
He opens his mouth again, but pauses then says, “I-I don’t know. She didn’t say, but she should be here today.”
“Interesting.”
Chase shakes his head. “I know you’re the town sleuth and all, but Jean is like a mother to me. She wouldn’t kill someone and frame her daughter then kidnap her daughter. That doesn’t make any sense. She loves Allison.”
“Not according to Allison.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Allison says her mother loves you more.”
Chase rolls his eyes. “She and Allison have always butted heads, but when we got married it seemed they put their differences aside. Jean made me feel like a part of their family. She’s like a second mother to me. Then when Allison left, Jean sided with me, which drove the wedge deeper between them. They didn’t talk for six months then Allison brought Travis and Cat to Chicago for a visit last year. Jean was furious and basically cut off all contact with Allison. She always thought we’d work our differences out and get back together… so did I.” He rakes a hand through his hair then continues, “There’s no way Jean was any part of this.”
I study him for a moment and he must have read my mind.
“I didn’t have anything to do with any of this either. I would like nothing more than for my best friend to be alive and my wife back in my arms.”
I nod, satisfied he’s telling me the truth. “Then will you help me figure this out so I can get married tomorrow?”
“Yes. Anything.”
“Call Jean and find out the name of the spa she was staying at then call the spa and confirm it. Text me when you have her alibi. Can you do that without tipping her off that she’s a suspect?”
Chase nods then heads back to his office just as my phone rings.
It’s Regina. “Hello, is everything alright?”
Silence.
“Regina?”
She clears her throat. “Yes, dear. It’s me.”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Travis.”
My heart skips in my chest at the mention of his name. “Wh-what about him?”
“He’s awake.”
Relief washes over me and I smile. “That’s great news.”
Silence.
“Regina?”
“Can you come to the hospital now?”
I gulp and my stomach drops. “Sure. What’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here… please hurry.”
14
“Where is he? What’s wrong? Did something happen?” I spew questions like I’m the host of trivia night. My heart is racing in my chest and my palms are sweating. Tears are prickling at the corners of my eyes, but I’m holding them at bay as to not upset Josh. He keeps glancing at me every five seconds to ensure I’m not completely melting down, which I feel I’m on the verge of doing.
Regina opens her mouth to answer when a shrilly voice interrupts her.
“Excuse me,” the snarky nurse who took care of me says, “We’ve been looking for you. Where have you been? You know you can’t just leave the hospital without the doctor releasing you and signing some discharge papers. We’ve been calling your phone and your mother is worried sick.”
I know Josh texted our mothers that we had some pressing stuff to take care of and had left the hospital before being released. So, her “mother being worried” comment is a stretch. I hold out my hand that’s shaking so badly I can hardly snatch the discharge papers from her hands. “I’m fine. I’ll sign whatever.”
The nurse huffs and grumbles something about patients being non-compliant before handing me a pen. I scribble my signature then turn back to Regina as the nurse storms off down the hallway.
“Can I see him?”
“Yes, dear.” She wrings her hands while glancing nervously at Josh. “Would you mind giving us a few minutes alone, Josh?”
Josh frowns, but nods. “Sure. I’ll be in the waiting room if you need me, babe.” He kisses my cheek and heads down the hall.
I furrow my brow at Regina, upset she made Josh leave. He’s going to be my husband. I tell him everything… eventually, but that’s beside the point. He shouldn’t have to leave. “What’s so important Josh couldn’t be here? You know I’ll tell him anyway, right?”
She takes my hand and leads me to the door outside Travis’s room. Cat’s sitting outside the room crying.
I bend down and place my hand on her knee. “What’s wrong sweetie?”
Cat looks up at me then to Regina. “You haven’t told her yet?”
“Told me what?”
Regina sighs. “Travis…” her voice trails off as she stares at Travis lying in the bed.
I follow her gaze. His eyes are open and he’s watching a re-run of Saved by the Bell. I smile because that was my favorite show in high school and we used to watch it together while we did our homework. “Regina, what is it? He looks fine to me.”
Her lower lip quivers and tears fall down her cheeks.
Cat places her hand on top of mine and says, “He thinks he’s still in high school. That you two are dating. He doesn’t know who I am,” she sobs and throws her arms around my neck.
I think I’m in shock because I’m numb and have no idea what to think or say. I pat Cat on the back and try to wrap my head around what they’re saying.
“The doctor thinks he’s resorted back to a happy time in his life. A time when he was safe… loved. He wants us to keep him calm and not upset him, which means Cat can’t see him until he regains his memory. He got really worked up when she told him she was his daughter and he keeps asking for you. Thinks it’s two thousand and two and you two are dating.” Regina wipes a tear from her cheek. “I know this is a lot to ask Autumn, but can you go in
there and pretend you two are a couple?”
I stiffen at her words. This whole thing screams disaster. There’s no way Josh will be ok with me getting cozy with Travis. I remember how Travis and I were in high school. Always holding hands. Snuggling. I gulp… kissing. I’m not comfortable with kissing Travis when I’m supposed to be getting married to Josh tomorrow. My head starts to throb and my stomach churns. I feel like I’m going to be sick. “I-I need to talk to Josh.”
Regina’s shoulders slump because she knows like I do that Josh will never go along with this, but she can’t expect me to pretend to be in love with Travis when my fiancé is in the other room, can she? She opens her mouth to say something when Travis calls out to us.
“Aunt Regina, is that Autumn?” He squints then his green eyes open wide and a huge grin spreads across his face, “Aut! Get in here, gorgeous. I’ve missed you,” Travis sits up in bed and tries to move the bandage away from his eye.
I force a smile, grinding my teeth the whole way as I push open the glass door. “Hi, Trav. How are you feeling?”
“Better now that you’re here,” he says, motioning for me to come closer. “I’ve missed you. Where’ve you been?”
I glance at Regina whose green eyes are pleading with me to play along. I sigh. “I had to help my mom with something.”
Travis frowns. “It’s Friday. Shouldn’t you be in school. Did your mom let you miss because of my accident? I can’t believe someone hit me from behind.” He gently touches the back of his head.
I slowly make my way to the side of the bed, feeling Travis’s eyes on me the whole time.
“You look different today.” He cocks his head to the side and studies me then notices the blood on my clothes. “What happened, babe? Were you in the accident too?”
“I had a mishap out at the seed company. Cut my ankle on one of the bins.”
Travis’s eyes grow dark. “Was Devin there? Did he have something to do with this? You’ll tell me if he hurt you, right?” The monitor’s beeping increases beside him.
I rush to his side and take his hand. “I slipped that’s all. You need to calm down. Breathe.” I swipe a strand of hair out of his face then cup his cheek like I did in high school.
