“Never seen him before,” Francine said. “Sorry.”
A sharp chirping broke into the conversation and Ginger excused herself to answer her cell phone. Francine waved to her as she went before turning back to face us. “I wish I could help, but that’s all I know. When all this happened, Ginger and I were both in the laundry room. We work all our shifts together because she’s my ride.”
Nick nodded and pocketed the photo. “All right. Thanks for your help.”
“Sure.” Francine turned and followed the path her co-worker had taken and disappeared around a corner.
I shook my head, still processing how the new piece of information fit into the overall puzzle. “Well that’s an interesting little tidbit.”
“Very.” Nick started back toward the elevator. “At least we have a name. Chief should be able to find an address.”
“Unless she uses a fake name,” I replied.
“Looks like I’ll be going to The Grasshopper tonight,” Nick said.
I laughed. “You remember when I told you that you needed to get a girlfriend? I didn’t mean by the hour.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. I’ll swing by the station and catch Chief up, then head home to grab a few hours’ sleep before I go looking for a call girl.”
I elbowed him playfully. “Sounds like quite the night.”
****
Nick dropped me off at the manor and I crept inside, hoping against hope that everyone would still be asleep even though it was nearly nine o’clock. Luck wasn’t with me. As I walked into the kitchen, I was greeted by Mort, Bella, Adam, and Evangeline, all bright-eyes and sunshine as they sat around the kitchen table. A large breakfast was laid out across the table. An old insecurity raced back to the front of my mind as I surveyed the magazine-perfect scene. Evangeline with her flawless, caramel-colored skin, exotic eyes, and literal movie-star smile next to Adam, his parents beaming across the table at them.
“Morning, Holly,” Adam said after wiping his mouth on a napkin. He hopped up from his seat and came over to me. “Let’s re-do these introductions, huh? Mom, Dad, this is Holly Boldt.”
My cheeks warmed. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. St. James. I’m really sorry for last night … it was all a big misunderstanding.”
Mort and Bella both smiled politely. “Of course. It’s very nice to finally meet you,” Mort said.
“It was all a mistake.” Evangeline reiterated and smiled brightly. “I mean, we’ve all been there, right?”
“I wouldn’t say all,” Bella muttered as Mort picked at his plate. They both kept their eyes downcast. Evangeline cringed and mouthed “sorry” to me.
Adam cleared his throat and wrapped an arm around my shoulders to steer me into the kitchen. “Let’s get you a plate,” he said, a little too loudly considering the table was less than three feet away.
“So, Mr. St. James—” Evangeline started, breaking the awkward silence.
“Please, call me Mort,” Adam’s dad corrected.
“Kill me,” I whispered under my breath to Adam.
He nudged me with his elbow.
Evangeline asked Mort something related to his work and a lively conversation kicked up. Adam grabbed a plate for me but refused to release it when I reached to take it from him. His eyes locked with mine. “Where were you, Holly? I came down to wake you up for breakfast and your room was empty.”
“I’m sorry. I went to make amends with Nick. My meddling cost him a client and I needed to apologize.”
Adam let go of the plate. “For two hours?”
I yanked it away from him and nodded. “Don’t do this, Adam. Not right now,” I hissed, casting a pointed glance at the table where Evangeline was thankfully keeping Adam’s parents occupied. “I said I was sorry. Drop it.”
Adam rubbed at his jaw and nodded. “Fine. For now.”
The look in his eyes stung me. He wasn’t angry anymore. He was disappointed. For some reason, that hurt a lot more. I took the plate to the table and sat on the other side of Evangeline. The food was mostly cold, but I loaded up my plate with fruit and eggs and soggy buttered toast anyway. “Who cooked? Mrs. St. James?” I asked, expecting her to grant me permission to call her Bella.
She pursed her lips and clipped, “Adam did.”
“Oh.” I smiled over at Adam as he retook his seat, sandwiching Evangeline between us. “I’m surprised at the lack of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.”
Crickets. Okay, so Holly’s magical comedy tour was officially not going to dig me out of this one.
Evangeline looked at me out of the corner of her eye and offered a weak smile before saying, “Well, I’ve gotta get to work.”
Take me with you, I silently pleaded.
She patted my knee under the table and then stood, gathering her plate and coffee mug in one sweep. Her absence left a gaping hole between me and Adam. “Mort, Bella, it was very nice to meet you. And, Bella, remember to stop by the spa. I’ll have Lucy refresh that manicure, no charge.”
Bella beamed at Evangeline. “Wonderful! Thank you, Evie.”
Evie? They were already calling her Evie?
I sagged in my seat, desperately wishing I could use the Larkspur and vanish myself to some faraway corner of the beach where no one but the seagulls could find me.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Tragically, a day at the beach wasn’t in the cards. After a stilted breakfast, Adam informed me that his parents wanted to take a tour of Beechwood Harbor, as they had never been before and had arrived too late the night before to really see much of anything. I hurried to dress and wished I could suck down a vial of Permasmile. Hey, it worked for Lucy. Once I was dressed, I peeked outside and frowned at the clear blue sky. At least if it started pouring down rain, I’d have a good excuse to get out of going on a walk with them.
“All right, Boots,” I said, turning away from the window. “Pep talk time. Whatcha got?”
Boots yawned widely and then laid his head back on his front paws.
I frowned at him. “Well that was inspirational.”
I went to the wardrobe, grabbed a scarf, and wound it around my neck. “I’ll see you later. Enjoy your nap.”
Halfway down the hall, I plastered on a smile and hoped I looked excited instead of deranged. I thought I’d pulled it off until Adam spotted me and asked if I’d been drinking. Mort and Bella came down the stairs a few minutes later, wearing smiles that were about as convincing as mine. Adam led the tour, pointing out the historical buildings and some of our favorite haunts as we wandered through town. I stayed beside him with my hand looped through his arm, periodically adding my own commentary.
We stopped at the bakery for a treat and then popped into Siren’s Song for a pick-me-up. As we pushed through the doors of the coffee shop, I finally started to relax. Bella was starting to come around and Mort even chuckled at one of my jokes and asked for my recommendation on what to order. We took our coffees and pastries to go and continued our leisurely stroll through town.
Bella sidled up beside me. “So, Holly, Adam told us that you’re from the Seattle haven. Any plans to return?”
I struggled to swallow my bite of bear claw. “Um, not exactly,” I replied. I hung back a step and shot Adam a glare as Bella and Mort continued forward. What was I supposed to say?
Adam pulled me forward and flashed his parents a winning smile. “I’m afraid I’ve corrupted her,” he started. “She likes life outside the bubble.”
“Honestly, Adam. I don’t understand why you are so rebellious.” Bella shook her head. “I’d hoped that with your work trips into the city, you would find a nice young woman that would convince you to stay.”
I looked over up at Adam, my eyes wide. Does she not see that I’m walking right beside her?
He winced. “Mom, we’ve gone over this already,” he replied tersely.
“Well I want to go over it again,” she snapped. “You’re a shifter—”
“Mother!” Adam hisse
d, casting a glance around the streets. It was mid-morning on a weekday, so there wasn’t anyone within earshot to hear Bella’s declaration. “This isn’t the time or the place.”
Mort bristled. “Don’t speak to your mother that way,” he said firmly.
Bella looked over at me. “Listen, Holly, it’s not anything personal.”
Clearly.
“I just want Adam to have the best opportunities in life. That’s all any parent wants for their children. You’ll see, someday you’ll have your own and it will all make sense.”
I didn’t know what to say. Adam had a successful business and lived life on his own terms. What more did she really want for him? If it was really about him getting married and having a family, then shouldn’t she be encouraging our relationship rather than pecking at it? None of it made sense to me.
“Mom, leave Holly out of this,” Adam said, putting himself between his mother and me. “I’m happy here. End of story. All right?”
He gave me a sympathetic look and I returned my attention to the pastry in my hand. But its appeal was lost. The woman actually managed to ruin my bear claw. That was an unpardonable offense in my book.
****
“Back so soon?” Nick greeted when I pushed into his office later that afternoon.
I threw myself into one of the navy blue chairs and released a long, slow sigh.
“Wow. What’s up with you?”
I massaged my temples. “Adam’s parents came into town early.”
Nick’s eyebrows arched. “Oh?”
“Yeah. They weren’t supposed to be here for another week. Surprise!”
Nick chuckled. “Isn’t this supposed to be a good thing? The whole ‘meet the parents’ routine? It’s like a rite of passage.”
“Passage to where? Off a cliff? Cause I’m pretty sure that’s where it’s going to lead.”
Nick winced sympathetically. “Ouch.”
I leaned forward and dropped my face into my hands. “I’m probably being paranoid, but I’m pretty sure they hate me and it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours yet.”
“And you thought escaping here would help? Who knows what Adam’s told them about me. We both know he’s not exactly a fan.”
I glanced up at him. “No. He’s just—”
“Holly?”
I sighed. “Okay, fine. You’re right.”
He chuckled again and kicked back in his seat. “Well, you wanna get out of town later tonight? I’m going up to that bar to see if I can hunt down the elusive Naomi. I haven’t been able to dig up much about her, but it’s pretty likely that Naomi Givens isn’t her real name.”
“I wish I could but Adam would go postal if I missed dinner. Let’s just say breakfast was a little bit tense.” I grimaced at the memory. “I told him I was going out to grab some soda and iced tea. If I was gone for two hours, he’d probably notice.”
Nick smiled. “Fair enough. Well I’ll let you know what I find out. Tomorrow I’m going to the police station to comb through some of the security footage Chief Lincoln got from the hotel.”
“All right. Well if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
Nick stood from the desk and reached for his coat, and I got up too. “Good night, Holly.”
“You mean good luck?” I asked, pausing at the door.
He laughed. “That too.”
I left Nick’s office and made my way to Thistle, the small natural foods store. They had the best root beer and were also conveniently on the route back to the manor.
While I was standing at the cash register, my cell phone rang. I blinked at the caller ID. It was Lacey. I didn’t even realize she had my phone number. The cashier shot me a scowl when I answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Holly?”
I gathered my groceries quickly and haphazardly threw them into my cloth grocery sack. “Yeah?”
The background noise was so overpowering I could barely make out what she was saying. “You need to—I think—his name is—”
I waved at the cashier and she gave me a tight smile as I backed away and headed for the door. “Lacey? Where are you? I can barely hear a word you’re saying!”
“Hold on a sec.” The sounds muffled like she’d wrapped a hand around the microphone on her cell phone, then her voice came through loud and clear. “I’m at Raven. You need to get down here. There’s a guy you need to meet. He might be able to help with the case.”
I chewed on my lip, remembering my promise to Adam. I’d sworn I wouldn’t get involved.
“Holly, he’s got information on the dead guy.”
My heart hammered. “I don’t even know where the club is, Lacey.”
The background noise—now a hypnotic, pulsing type of music—drowned out all other sound again for a few moments but then died off as though Lacey had moved to another room or a quiet alcove. “You know that abandoned liquor store off the highway when you take the exit for Beechwood?”
“It’s there?” I asked incredulously, imagining the dusty, boarded-up shop. It was no bigger than a gas station convenience store and had been closed as long as I’d been in town. Apparently the locals hadn’t taken to having a liquor store in town and had held some kind of protest until it closed down. I found it ironic, considering that it was common knowledge around town that there was more than just tea leaves inside the mugs of some of the most noted protest participants.
Lacey confirmed that I had the right place. “Yeah. Go around to the back. There’s one of those garage-type doors that used to be used for deliveries. Knock twice and someone will answer. The password is gingersnaps.”
I suppressed a smile. “Gingersnaps?”
Lacey sighed. “Just use it and they will let you inside. Then come find me.”
“All right.” I committed her instructions to memory and gave a nod. “Thanks, Lacey. I’ll be there soon.”
She clicked off the call and I glanced up and down the abandoned street before me. It was just starting to get dusky out, but the chilly temperatures kept people inside most nights. The local restaurants would still have patrons, but it wasn’t like summertime when live music filled the streets and people sat outside at the patio tables. Everyone was inside and would rush home as soon as their meals were done.
I looked up the hill in the direction of the manor, and a hot poker of guilt stabbed at me. I knew Adam would be furious if I skipped out on dinner with his parents, but considering the way the rest of the day had gone, could he really blame me? Evangeline could take my spot at the table and carry on all kinds of charming and effortless conversation. I grimaced as the happy picture of the quartet from breakfast that morning flashed through my mind.
With a shake of my shoulders, I convinced myself it would blow over. After all, they weren’t even supposed to be in town for a few more days. Surely Adam couldn’t expect me to drop everything just because they’d changed their plans. Besides that, this was no longer about me being curious or nosy. I had to protect Nick and hold up my end of the bargain with Harvey if I had any hope of getting my business back. And hey, a thirty percent slice of 100,000 dollars would be nice right about now.
With my resolve firmly locked into place, I hurried up the hill. Adam and his parents were in the living room. Adam and his father were watching a football game while Bella worked her way through a thick stack of magazines that I recognized from when I’d lived inside the haven system. They were the supernatural equivalent of the gossip rags that humans stock at the check-out lanes of grocery stores. All eyes turned to me when I walked in.
Adam smiled at me. “Hey, gorgeous.”
“Hey there! I got some stuff from Thistle. For dinner.”
Adam pushed up from the couch as his parents returned their attention to their own interests. “Let me help you,” he said, reaching to take the single bag from my hands.
We went into the kitchen and Adam started unpacking the groceries. He closed the fridge and turned to face me. “Listen, Holls, about earlier—”
I held up a hand. “It’s fine, Adam. I get it. I’m not what they were expecting.”
“No, no,” he insisted, rushing forward to grab my arms. He held me steady, his eyes wide with concern. “That’s not it. I swear, Holly. This isn’t about you at all. I’m the one they’re disappointed with.”
I arched an eyebrow at him. “It sure doesn’t feel that way. Were you not listening when your mother went on for twenty minutes about how ambitious you’ve always been and how hard you’ve worked to build your business? I mean, I’m impressed too, but that was borderline nauseating.”
Adam smiled even as he flicked his eyes toward the ceiling in a subtle roll. “Believe me, I heard it all. You just gotta trust me on this one. They want me to move back to the haven, stop working for humans, and basically be a good little shifter.”
“If that’s what they’re upset about, then why does it feel like they hate me?”
Adam ran his hands up and down my arms. “They don’t hate you, gorgeous. They’ll only be satisfied when I find some woman who wants to drag me back to the haven and can convince me to continue the family name by passing it down to a whole house full of little Adams.”
My lips quirked into a smile. “Which, as a concept, terrifies me. I can barely keep up with one full-grown Adam.”
He laughed softly and pulled me into his arms. I rested my head against his solid chest and took a deep breath. “Promise me you’ll give it another chance, Holly? I’ll talk to them. I’ll fix this.”
I sighed. “I don’t think this is something you can fix, Adam. They’re not going to change their minds or lower their expectations for you.”
“Well they’re going to have to, because I have no intention of going back to a haven anytime soon.” He looked down into my eyes and traced a finger down the side of my face. “Especially not without you.”
“Good thing you didn’t tell them about the whole banishment thing then, huh?”
Adam cringed. “Yeah …”
“Well why don’t you have dinner with them solo tonight. Maybe you guys can work through some of these issues and we can all have a do-over dinner tomorrow night when I get off work.”
Witch Slapped: A Beechwood Harbor Magic Mystery (Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries Book 3) Page 11
