by Milly Taiden
In his hand, the frame came apart, leaving the faded photograph. Something was taped to the back. He flipped it over to see a small key attached. He pulled it off and studied it. “Dad, do you know what this goes to?”
“It could be to your mother’s keepsake chest. She has so much stuff in it,” he replied.
That surprised Quinn. That was the first he’d heard of the chest. Was it the same as the one they had found in the attic? “Where is it, Dad?”
The old man frowned, his brows twisting. “I don’t know. Ask your mother when she gets back.”
Quinn sighed and realized his father had no idea what he was talking about. He pocketed the key and gathered the shattered pieces and set them on the nightstand.
“Come on, Dad. Breakfast will be ready soon.” Quinn placed a hand on the elder’s shoulder and his father stood and shuffled forward to the kitchen. After seating his father at the table, Quinn kissed Ms. Grendel’s cheek. “Thank you for coming by this morning.”
The bear blushed. After all these years spent with his family, the female black bear was still around. Quinn didn’t know what he would have done without her. When he had still been too young to care for an aging father falling into dementia and the clan at the same time, Ms. Grendel came into their employ.
She’d been taking care of another local elder who passed away just when Quinn was looking for help. She stepped in and took charge like she’d been there forever. Since his father wasn’t a heavy burden when Quinn opened the B & B, he hired her to spend half days running the kitchen and cleaning service. Visitors loved her and she thrived in the social atmosphere.
Why she had never mated and had cubs, he never asked. He felt that was too personal for him to ask about. He figured if she wanted him to know, one day she would share.
But he came to realize that those she cared for were her family. She might not want or need anything else. Or at least, that’s what he thought since she’d never resigned. He’d keep her as long as he could.
Quinn pulled out plates from the cabinets and set them next to the skillet where Ms. Grendel fried eggs. “How are you this morning, Ms. Grendel?”
She scooped scrambled yokes to the top plate. “Same as usual for an old bear. Seems more things pop and crack every time I get out of bed.”
“You are not old,” Quinn said. “Methuselah was old.”
She laughed, carrying a plate to the table and placing it in front of his father.
“Didn’t you know he was my younger brother?” she asked.
Quinn smiled at her joke. “Nice try.” He set orange juice from the fridge on the table and pulled out glasses. “But I don’t buy it.”
She patted him on the shoulder on her way to the stove. “You’re such a charmer, young alpha. I’m glad you found the one born for you. It’s such a blessing.”
Quinn sat at the table, silent, hoping she would elaborate.
“You know,“ she said, “so few find that one being meant for them. But sometimes a bear’s life isn’t meant to be mates and cubs. Sometimes, something more important comes along.”
“Is that what happened to you?” Quinn asked softly.
She chuckled. “I guess you could say that. It took me a while to see it, but when I did, nothing was the same. I’ve tried to make up for past wrongs. I figure I’ll be doing that ‘til the day my soul is called away.” Ms. Grendel set a plate in front of him and brought over a big basket of fried bacon.
Quinn was dumbfounded. A confession of sins was not what he was expecting this morning. Along with finding a strange key, what other little mysteries would crop up? His mate was already dealing with a few things—including one for him.
He pulled the key from his pocket. “Ms. Grendel, have you ever seen a key like this?” She held her hand out and he placed it in her wrinkled palm. Her fingers closed over it and she turned away for a moment. He tried to scent the reason for her not facing him.
She cleared her throat and poured a cup of juice from which she sipped. “Well,” she said, “it’s old. What has been around long enough to have a tarnished key?” He sat speechless. She held it up. “Looks like a mailbox or possibly a bank key.”
“A bank key?” he asked. “Why would a key to a bank—”
“Not to a bank,” she said, “but a security box. I bet that’s what it could be for.” She handed it back to him and disappeared into the back of the house.
Quinn wondered why a security deposit box key would be taped to the back of a photo of his family from so long ago. “Dad,” he said, “do you have a box down at the bank?”
“Ask your mom about it. She wanted to set it up.”
Quinn sighed. Not what he was wanting to hear. But hold on... His mother set up an account? He had no idea. What could the box be holding? He nearly jumped out of his chair with excitement. It could be a clue to what happened to his mom and brother.
But what bank? There were several in the area. Hell, he’d drive to each of them within a hundred-mile radius if he had to. Maybe not the newer ones. The key was old, so the bank would probably be an older on.
The bank in town had been there since before he was born, and it was the closest. He’d try there first. “Ms. Grendel, I’m going to check out something.”
She hollered from the back, “Take your father with you.”
He loved his father, but the man was too slow and too much to deal with at the moment. “He’d be better off—”
“Take. Your. Father. With. You,” she said. Even his alpha side didn’t want to argue with that.
Shit. “Okay.”
His dad had eaten his egg and was munching on bacon. There was about half a pound remaining, so Quinn wrapped it in a paper towel and helped his father up. “Come on, Dad. We’re going for a ride. You can eat the bacon in the truck.”
“Wonderful,” his dad said. “I’ve always wanted to ride in a pig truck.”
“A what?” Quinn shook his head. “Never mind.” He hollered back to the housekeeper, “We’ll be back in a bit, okay?”
“Okay, I’ll still be here.”
Quinn got his dad outside, then buckled into the Jeep. In seconds, he was burning rubber on his way to town. “This is so exciting, Dad. I wish you would’ve remembered this earlier. Who knows what we’ll find?”
“There’s always something to find,” his dad commented. “You just have to know where to look for it.”
Quinn snorted. “Damn, Dad. That’s always the problem, isn’t it? Where to look?” He wondered how lucid his dad was. “Dad, how did you know to go to Mom’s old house to find that photo?”
The old eyes stared out the windshield watching the world pass by. Quinn waited, but his father never said anything. He spent a lot of his time just hoping. It was a heavy burden.
He slowed at the town limits as more people crowded the sidewalks and businesses. The barbershop had a new sign, he noticed. They had gotten so busy that the barber added a female black bear to help with the young ones’ styles that required more than a buzz across the top.
He thought back to what his dad said about his mom’s family not ever associating with them. What did he mean? Lots of black bears and even other species of shifters lived and worked in town. They didn’t attend the den meetings, for the most part, but they were social and well-liked.
Without so much diversity, the town would’ve died out a long time ago. It definitely wouldn’t have been as prosperous as it was today. The den brought in enough money to donate to outside charities and help anybody needing financial assistance. He was proud of what they were able to build for their community.
The bank sat in the middle of what they called the old town—the original group of stores and businesses that were around when the alpha incorporated for legal property status. A few buildings were still in use, but most had been torn down to make a park and recreation facility for an after-school program for kids.
He pulled into the gravel parking lot and found a spot close to the building. H
e turned off the Jeep and turned to his dad. “I’ll be back in a minute. Will you be okay here alone?”
His father slowly turned his head and lifted a brow. “Is that a condescending tone I heard?”
Oh, shit. Quinn hated not knowing what state of mind the man was in, he moved in and out so quickly. “No, Dad—”
The old man lifted a hand. “Take your brother with you. I’ll wait out here while you try on clothes.”
Quinn wiped a hand down his face. “Thanks, Dad.” As he climbed out, his father rolled down the window and took a deep breath, then leaned back with a smile. Quinn was so very thankful the man was at least happy in his world. He could only ask that much when his time came.
Inside the bank, the scent of musty carpet snuck up on him. The heavy, dark wood accents and overhead chandeliers gave the place a long ago feel. Back when banking was more for the wealthier citizens than the everyday man.
“Good morning, Alpha,” Mrs. Somerset said from behind the counter separated into private sections. “How can I help you?” Quinn had never been in this bank since, like most people nowadays, he banked online. And the one place he did have an account was a national institution.
He pulled the key from his pocket and handed it to her. “Oh,” she said, “I didn’t know you had a security box here. Give me one minute.” She stepped through the door behind the counters and returned a moment later with a thick softcover book in hand.
She opened it toward the back and skimmed her finger down the column of handwritten names. “Here it is. Anthony Teddy.” She looked up then around the lobby. “Is your father with you? Since his name is on the account, I need him to be here.”
“Of course,” Quinn said, ready to kick himself for being so stupid. Of course, his father would be the one on the account. Seemed Ms. G knew what she was talking about when she said to take his dad along. “Give me one second. He’s still outside.”
Quinn rushed out and shepherded his father inside.
“Well, hello, Gertie,” his dad said when seeing Mrs. Somerset, “how are you today?”
Quinn was shocked his father recognized her. She smiled back. “Good morning, Alpha. Good to see you. How are you doing?”
“Good,” his dad replied. “Out enjoying the park with the boys. Their mother is shopping, so I said I’d watch them.”
“Their mother?” Mrs. Somerset’s brows drew down as she glanced at Quinn. He shook his head and gestured for her to not worry about it. “Okay, then. Alphas, this way and I’ll take you to the deposit room.”
She escorted them through another two doors into a room filled floor to ceiling with metal box fronts with small numbers etched into them. She left them and closed the door behind her.
Quinn looked for the box with the same number as the key. When he found it, he stared at it for a moment, not able to bring himself to open it. He was almost afraid to see what was inside. Could the one thing needed to find his mother and brother be hidden in there for the last thirty years?
He calmed his heart and took a deep breath. With shaking hands, he inserted the key and twisted it to the side. The door popped open. Inside sat another metal box which he pulled out and set on the table in the center of the room.
Quinn lifted the lid and saw clear, plastic storage bags filled with material. He lifted one out, studying the contents. “What is this?” he asked the empty room as he set the bag down and looked at another one. He took it out, leaving it closed, and shifted the fabric inside to see that it wasn’t just material, but scarves. The bags were packed with wraps made of vibrant colors and geometric designs that reminded him of fashions as old as he was.
His dad gasped and breathed out loudly. Quinn looked over to see he had opened a bag and held it up to his nose. His dad wobbled on his feet, but reached a hand out to grab the table.
“Whoa, Dad,” Quinn said, grasping his arm. “You okay?”
His dad looked at him with undazed eyes. “These are your mother’s scarves she wore all the time.” He buried his nose in the bag and groaned. “Bess, my love.”
“Dad! You’re back.”
“Bess’s scent is strong enough to hold back the madness. For now.” He took another deep breath then zipped the bag closed.
“What are they doing here?” Quinn asked.
“I don’t know, son. I’d forgotten we’d purchased this deposit box. As far as I knew, we never used it. But Bess insisted we get it before she disappeared.”
“So Mom knew something was going to happen that would separate you?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe she suspected something.”
“Dad, she had to have known. I mean, the photo, the key... How did you know to go to the house?” With all this new info coming to light, he needed to call Summer.
His dad thought for a moment, then his eyes widened. “Our housekeeper told me to go to the house and where to find the picture.”
“Ms. G? How did she know?”
His dad snorted. “The same way she knew what this key belonged to.” His dad grabbed the plastic storage bags. “Let’s get home. We need to have a long talk with Ms. Grendel.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Summer drove down the street to the address on the business card for Dates & Mates. It was a cute name, but not as cool as Paranormal Dating Agency. At the address sat a small house. The dying grass out front was mostly covered in white rock where a car was parked.
Above the front door was a sign that had the name of the company with a heart symbol in place of the ampersand. At one time, this must have been someone’s home. It was too casual, too cozy to have been planned as a work building.
Summer parked next to the car and went inside. “Hello?” she hollered to the empty desks. Seemed nobody manned entrances in this town.
“Here I am,” said a woman dressed in a short skirt with a jacket that stretched around her large breasts. “Sorry, sweetie, need my mid-morning coffee, you know?” The woman smiled with squinted eyes and wrinkled nose. “What can I do for you, darling?”
Before Summer got a chance to say anything, the woman squealed while setting down her coffee. “Aren’t you the cutest little thing. I know just the man for you, honey. Gus is big and strong and knows what he’s doing, if you know what I mean.” She winked at Summer. “And he’s my cub. Would you like me to set you two up for dinner tonight?”
Summer stepped back, hands up in front of her. “Uh, thank you, but I’m not looking for a date, actually. I’m hoping you can help me find a friend’s home. The lady at the town museum said you could give me his address.”
After a loud inhale, the woman lifted a brow. “Oh,” the disappointment on her face was humorous. “Is your friend single?” Summer nodded. The gal turned in her seat toward the back. “Jared, honey, would you bring the book up front?” She twisted her chair around and gave Summer the fakest smile. “Jared can help you.”
Summer watched as the woman went back to where she came from down the hall and Jared exited from another office, headed toward her. He set the book on the desk and put out a hand.
“I’m Jared Blackburn. How can I help?”
Summer shook his hand. “I’m Summer Delgado. I was told Annabella knew everyone. I’m hoping to find out where a friend of mine lives here in town.”
“You don’t know where they live, and they are your friend?” he asked.
Damn, she hoped she’d get by without anyone asking too many questions. “Well, I know him from work, and he resigned unexpectedly. So I never really knew where he lived except here in Blisstown.”
Jared sniffed. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No, I’m from the city.” She laughed to lighten the mood. Jared didn’t seem too willing to share information. “Kind of lost back here in the woods. Never been here before.” Jared’s narrowed eyes didn’t look happy with her comment. “It’s beautiful here, though.”
“Yes, it is.” He opened the notebook in front of him. “If he’s single, we probably
have his address and phone since he lives in town. Who are you looking for?”
“His name is Barry.”
Jared glanced up at her. “Last name?”
Oh shit. “Um, I thought everyone would know Barry. He worked at the...” she tried to remember what the historical society lady said, “at the fancy hotel in the city.”
Jared flipped passed several pages. “Barry Hardman,” he said, glancing at her again. She nodded. His eyes scanned down a page. “What do you want to see him about, again?”
Summer sighed. She’d had enough of this skirting the truth crap. She just wanted the damn information. But she understood if he was protecting a friend. “Look, Jared, Barry said he had something to tell me and I didn’t see him at work before he left. I need to know what he knows.”
Jared looked behind him then turned back to her. In a lowered voice, he said, “Barry is a nice bea—guy. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to him.”
“Bad?” Summer asked. “Why would anything bad happen?” This man knew something about what was going on.
Jared mashed his lips together and scowled at her. Then her phone rang. Of all the sucky timing. She glanced at the ID and saw Quinn’s number then glanced at Jared. “One second, I need to take this.” She backed away and turned her back to the desk.
“Hey,” she said, “what’s up?”
“It’s Quinn,” which she knew, “can you come to Dad’s house, right now? You won’t believe what’s happened. It’s a big clue to my mother and twin brother’s case.”
“I’m in Blisstown, so it will take me a bit to get back.”
“You’re with the black bears?”
“Yeah, it’s for Gerri Wilder’s case,” she said.
“Got it. How long do you think you’ll be?”
“Hopefully not long. I’ll call you in a little while.” She hung up, dropped the phone into her purse, and turned back to Jared. His eyes were wide. She thought she saw fear in them, but it was quick then gone.
He asked, “You know Gerri Wilder?”
