The Mysterious Lost Child (The Inscrutable Paris Beaufont Book 2)

by Sarah Noffke

  The door at their back opened and a tall woman wearing way too much makeup, an outfit that looked like one of those bizarre contraptions that runway models wore, and a spray-on tan materialized. “Gray, we have reservations tonight at…” The woman with dark brown hair studied the mother and son. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

  “Oh, Tee, these are the consultants who are designing my escape room in the basement,” Grayson said in an excited voice. “Meet Michelle and James.” He glanced at Paris. “This is my fiancée, Tee.”

  An escape room, Paris thought, wondering what exactly that would entail. And fiancée? She was already tired of both Amelia and Grayson making things so difficult for the fairy godmothers. Couldn’t they just stop their feuding and fall in love already? It appeared that first, the fairy godmothers would have to break up some unhappy couples. Then they’d have to orchestrate a lot more.

  “Nice to meet you.” Paris discreetly glanced at the woman’s hand where she indeed had a large diamond engagement ring.

  The woman didn’t reply. Instead, she stared at Grayson. “I thought we were making the basement into a Pilates studio.”

  He shook his head. “You know how much I want an escape room for the employees. It’s my hobby, and it will promote team-building and problem-solving skills.”

  “Pilates will give them better posture and rounded behinds,” Tee countered.

  “I’ll partner with a local gym and offer the employees discounts on memberships,” Grayson stated.

  “I think it would better if you took them to Escape Rooms in London instead and made a Pilates studio in the basement.” Tee pouted with overly collagen-injected lips.

  “We’ve already discussed this, and I’ve made up my mind,” Grayson urged through clenched teeth. “The employees are getting an escape room.”

  Paris let out a breath of relief. She knew what an escape room was. They were complex puzzle-type rooms that several people went into and had to find a string of clues to break out of. Usually, it involved all sorts of brain-buster skills, and team players had to rely on each other to succeed. She thought it was a brilliant idea for a corporation to invest in for their employees. The fact that Tee was so unsupportive and selfishly driven would make getting the couple to break up easier.

  “Fine, but I’m in charge of the design for the penthouse,” Tee said smugly.

  Grayson rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Whatever you want, I guess.”

  “That’s what I want,” she stated tersely. “We have reservations tonight at the Ritz-Carlton.”

  He sighed. “I’m kind of tired and would prefer a night at home.”

  “I’d prefer a fancy dinner,” she said flatly and spun to march off, her stiletto heels unfortunately not breaking and making her fall. Paris had practiced restraint, not using magic to mess up Tee’s high heels.

  Grayson offered a polite smile to the mother and son. “Sorry for that. Things are a little tense around here with some industry turmoil, and it has us both on edge. Shall I show you the basement and the space you’ll be designing for the escape room?”

  Paris and Christine simply nodded, both of them teeming with excitement about all the important details they were learning on their covert mission.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Thankfully, because the parts littering the bottom of the well in the Serenity Garden were magitech, they would work for what Faraday needed. Otherwise, he could piece them together a hundred different ways, and they would never work.

  The squirrel had to dig pretty deep to find all the different parts he needed, including a screen, a circuit board, a transmitting device, and a few other things. The deranged AI servants were all huddled around the well, peering down into it and chanting senseless babble.

  “Master needs to be turned down, and the bed has to go to sleep,” a Mary stated.

  “The hounds are ready for your afternoon fox hunt. Good news, today you get to be the hunter and the fox,” an Alfred informed him.

  Faraday shook his head while screwing pieces into place. “You all are a bunch of nutters. Go and clean up the garden or something.”

  “If that’s what Master wishes, that’s what Master gets,” a maid chimed. “As long as Master doesn’t try to escape again.”

  “I’ll go and sweep the dirt path,” a butler sang, striding away.

  “I’ll go and organize the vines covering the gazebo,” a maid stated. “They’re all tangled.”

  “Just one more little connection and…” Faraday clicked a button on the device he’d cobbled together with the loose magitech parts. It wouldn’t work very well, but it should do well enough. There was no keyboard, so his communication options with it would be limited. He hoped that he remembered Paris’ mobile device number correctly.

  He’d paired his device so that it would link to her phone and only hers, but that could go one of two ways—it worked, or it didn’t. Then he didn’t know what his options would be. Maybe a lifetime of being waited on by the worst servants in the world. This was what his curious nature got him, yet again. It always got him into trouble, and yet, the talking squirrel doubted that it would be his last investigative mission if he survived this.

  Nothing happened on the device when Faraday pressed the main button. He gritted his teeth and jiggled some wires. Sometimes things needed overly technical methods to fix problems. Sometimes it simply required jiggling some connections.

  The screen lit up, and Faraday nearly yelped with excitement over his first stage of success. Now he had to hope that he had a connection. He was in the bottom of a well, inside a bubble that was unmapped and out of cell range for most. Paris had reception enough to make phone calls, which was what gave him this idea. However, he didn’t have a microphone, so the clever squirrel had to go the extra mile. If this worked, maybe he could make changes to Paris’ phone so it could text.

  There was also the possibility that because of the intensity of the magitech parts and the untested nature of the device that it could blow up, sending the squirrel flying. The only consolation there was that it might project him over the walls of the Serenity Garden and to freedom—if it didn’t kill him.

  Faraday held his breath and watched the screen, hoping that he could get the device to connect. Everything was riding on this.

  His tiny squirrel heart leapt when the device showed a connection. Now all he had to do was use the rudimentary system to send a message to Paris that hopefully, she could understand.

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  As with Amelia Rose, Paris quite liked Grayson McGregor. He was obviously intelligent with business sense and had a thoughtful concern for his employees’ wellbeing. Paris would have felt sorry that he was engaged to a first-class spoiled brat succubus if her instinct didn’t tell her that was part of the equation.

  Paris reasoned that sometimes a person had to be with the wrong person to recognize who the right person was when they came along.

  “You mentioned industry turmoil.” Paris found it harder to keep up in her pudgy form as she and Christine followed Grayson down to the building's basement.

  He nodded. “One of the reasons that I want an amazing escape room experience for my employees. Rose Industries across the river has been trying to steal my workers. I think that if I enhance their work-life experiences, they’ll be less likely to jump ship.”

  “Have you thought about providing them free lunch?” Christine said in James's form, the loafer that played video games in his mother’s basement. “People love free food.”

  Grayson shook his head. “I wish that’s all it would take. Rose Industries is cutthroat. They’ve been enticing my employees over to them by offering them premium benefits packages, ridiculous amounts of vacations, and company cars.”

  “They sound awful,” Christine said dryly.

  He cast an annoyed expression over his shoulder as he paused in front of a door on the lower level. “Believe me, I can’t blame my employees for taking better offers, bu
t it’s hurting my business.”

  “Maybe you should try and get a job over at Rose Industries,” Christine joked.

  To Paris’ surprise, Grayson chuckled at this. “I would, but I can’t stand their CFO, and it’s all about who you work with.”

  Interesting, Paris thought. Grayson hadn’t said the CEO, Amelia, was who he couldn’t stand. Instead, it was Bryce Tyler. She understood after spending an hour with the guy. He was definitely on the list of most boring people ever and reminded her of a lizard that walked upright. However, not mentioning the CEO made one thing abundantly clear—Grayson had feelings for Amelia. There was undeniable chemistry between them.

  He pulled back the door to the basement and held out a welcoming hand to them. Paris stepped through, and the overhead lights all flickered on throughout the huge space. Like an underground warehouse, the room went on for at least fifty yards. It was very industrial in contrast to the warm floors with wood paneling above them.

  The floors were all concrete and the walls and ceiling unfinished. Other than that, there wasn’t much to the space, merely a lot of potential. Paris’ mind started calculating all the possibilities. She never imagined that she’d be creating and building an escape room, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that was exactly what she needed to do.

  “As you can see,” Grayson held his arms wide and regarded the area proudly, “it’s a blank slate.”

  “Yes, I have lots of ideas of various ways we can build out the square footage for a fantastic escape room experience,” Paris stated.

  “You do?” Christine sounded surprised.

  Paris narrowed her eyes at her friend.

  “I mean, of course you do, Mom.”

  “Why don’t you go and take measurements, son?” Paris waved Christine away.

  “I would, but I forgot my measuring tape, especially the one that’s a bazillion miles long,” Christine joked.

  “Don’t worry,” Grayson interjected. “I can send the measurements to your office. Escapism Designs.”

  “Actually, you should send them to me directly.” Paris pulled out her phone. “Let me get your direct line, and I’ll message you my phone number.”

  “Oh, great idea,” Grayson said. “My number is—”

  The CEO’s words were interrupted by the horrified look that jumped to Paris’ face. She had several messages from a number she didn’t recognize.

  They read:

  “Par”

  “Far here”

  “Help!”

  “Trapped”

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  Paris left Christine with Grayson to get his contact details, stating that she had to rush off for a design emergency.

  Rushing through the portal to Happily Ever After, Paris didn’t stop running until she came to the Serenity Garden’s entrance. That had to be where Faraday was and had gotten himself into trouble. It was a Tuesday, and she knew he was curious about why he wasn’t supposed to go in there on that day. It seemed that he’d found the reason and it was dangerous.

  A ton of large stones blocked the arbor covered in climbing roses that led to the Serenity Garden. That was weird, she thought. What could pick up all the boulders from the retaining walls and place them in front of the only entrance to the Serenity Garden?

  Paris pointed her finger at the stones, considering that maybe she could blast them apart. Then she realized that she could also hit much more, and since she didn’t know what was on the other side, that was probably too much of a risk.

  Standing back, Paris looked at the stone walls that enclosed the Serenity Garden. They were slick with little way to be climbed, almost as if someone hoped to prevent this. Paris was in over her head now, she realized.

  She sighed and admitted that she would have to enlist help.

  Not only was Paris going to have to reveal something she hoped to keep covered up, but she was going to look foolish right after she had a small victory with the Amelia and Grayson case. She slumped, then trudged off for the FGE.

  To Paris’ relief, Mae Ling was in Willow’s office when she knocked. That made her feel better since the fairy godmother always seemed to be on her side. Not that Willow was out to get her or anything, but she was more objective with Paris.

  “Paris, are you and Christine already back from your investigations?” The headmistress looked surprised to see Paris.

  “I’m back,” she answered. “Christine remained, but overall the mission to find information was successful. I think we’ve dug up some things that will help get Amelia and Grayson together, but it will be complicated, not straightforward.”

  “Well, please come in and tell us what you learned.” Willow waved at the large armchair next to Mae Ling.

  Paris shook her head. “I would and I will, but right now, I need your help with something.”

  Willow tilted her head, confused. “Help? From us? Well, of course. What is it?”

  “Well,” Paris drew out the word after inhaling, preparing for what she had to confess. “There’s this talking squirrel named Faraday who I met right before the first time I came through the portal to Happily Ever After College. He’s very scientific-minded and wanted to come here with me to research how the college works. He’s been living in my sock drawer, and now it appears he’s gotten himself in trouble. That’s why I need your help.”

  Paris held her breath after completing the sentences in quick succession.

  Willow blinked and didn’t say a word for a moment as if she expected Paris to laugh and say, “Just kidding.”

  “A squirrel…who talks,” the headmistress said slowly, as though trying to digest the concept. “You understand that even in the magical world, animals who can talk are very rare and almost always suspect. Magic that would do something like that is simply too mysterious.”

  “I understand.” Paris twisted her fingers in her other hand. “I don’t know much about Faraday, but he’s…well, he’s my friend.”

  “I would hope so if he’s been sleeping in your sock drawer.” Willow glanced at Mae Ling. “Did you know about this?”

  “No,” Paris said at the same time that Mae Ling nodded.

  Headmistress Starr sat back in her chair and sighed. “Of course you did. I swear you know everything that goes on, it seems, and yet you don’t tell me most of it, I believe.”

  “I tell you what’s relevant,” Mae Ling stated simply. “More information isn’t always better. Believe me. It’s overwhelming. I don’t know everything. Just some stuff. Casanova mentioned that he sensed a new creature on the grounds of the college recently.”

  Casanova was the large fluffy orange cat that usually slept in the sitting room at the front of the mansion.

  “I thought you said that talking animals were rare and suspect,” Paris argued.

  Willow nodded. “Casanova can’t talk freely. He’s a tattle cat.”

  “A what?” Paris asked.

  “A tattle cat,” Mae Ling repeated. “It’s a cat who can only talk to tell on something wrong that someone is doing.”

  “That’s right,” Willow affirmed. “Usually, he tells us that Becky is planning a mean prank on someone or a student is stealing beauty potion ingredients from the greenhouse. Small things.”

  Paris nodded. She’d been suspicious of the fat cat since Mae Ling had thrown him out of the sitting room before their first meeting.

  “Your squirrel,” Willow began. “What kind of trouble is he in?”

  Paris gulped. “He went into the Serenity Garden.”

  Willow’s eyes widened and darted to the flowery wall calendar with cherubs on it. Her mouth popped open. “It’s Tuesday.”

  “Which is why he snuck in there,” Paris explained. “He wanted to know why it was off-limits on Tuesdays.”

  Mae Ling nodded. “Now he must be held hostage.”

  “Well, can you blame them?” Willow said to the head professor. “They must be lonely. We knew that was a growing potential.”


  “Who is lonely?” Paris looked between the two.

  Ignoring her, Willow began worrying her hands, rubbing them together. “I feared this would happen.”

  “Which is why we never wanted to risk anyone encountering them on their day off,” Mae Ling stated.

  “Feared what would happen?” Paris questioned. “Whose day off?”

  “They don’t have their intended purpose,” Mae Ling continued with her attention on the headmistress. “We knew they’d grow restless.”

  “Now I bet they’re holding this talking squirrel hostage,” Willow added.

  “They who?” Paris’ face flushed red with frustration.

  Both fairy godmothers looked at her.

  “Paris, we have to tell you a history of Happily Ever After College that few know about,” Willow began, her voice suddenly grave.

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  “So you kept a bunch of deranged magitech AI servants?” Paris was in awe after hearing the hidden history, not sure if she should be touched or repulsed.

  Willow sighed, obvious stress lining her features. “We knew that they weren’t right and sometimes dangerous. Some of us suspected that they would grow increasingly crazy, but they were also alive. It didn’t feel right to get rid of them.”

  “But they’re machines,” Paris argued. “It sounds like they’re far more machine than Wilfred, who I contend has sentient moments.”

  “That’s true,” Mae Ling affirmed. “Still, due to their magical aspects, the robots felt real to us, so we decided not to destroy the remaining staff.”

  “It was our mistake that created them,” Willow admitted, guilt heavy in her eyes. “So we decided to spell them into statues in the Serenity Garden but would release them on Tuesdays. Not only could we not destroy the butlers and maids, but we wanted them to have a semblance of a life—even if for only one day a week, we thought they should have freedom.”