Sweet Friend of Mine (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 8)

by J A Whiting

  Ellie called. “You in back?”

  Jenna and Ellie entered the back room of the candy store.

  Jenna’s blue eyes glanced around at the foursome. “We saw your car out front,” she told the chief.

  Ellie nervously pushed her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “We can tell by the looks on your faces that the chief isn’t here on a social call. What’s wrong? What’s happened?” She and Jenna pulled up chairs and joined the circle. Their sisters, Chief Martin, and Mr. Finch took turns recounting the tale of the missing young man.

  “Oh.” Ellie’s face paled and she rubbed at her temple. “How awful. What could have happened to him?”

  “I knew something was about to happen.” Jenna took off her jacket and hung it on the back of the chair. “I could feel it. I’ve had weird dreams, too.”

  Mr. Finch raised an eyebrow.

  Jenna’s long brown hair had a few snowflakes in it. “The dreams are dark. I can’t see anything, but I’m trying to find something. Someone needs our help and we’re searching everywhere.” She noticed the look on Mr. Finch’s face and she asked, “You, too?”

  Finch gave a slight nod and Ellie let out a groan. Some of the family members had experienced the exact same dream not long ago when they were involved with another case.

  Jenna went to Finch’s coffee machine and made two lattes. She brought one to Ellie just as Chief Martin’s phone buzzed.

  He stood, took the call, and listened, occasionally saying a few words. Clicking off, he turned to the group, his face serious. “Want to take a drive? They’ve found Ryan Allen’s car.”

  “And the young man?” Finch asked hopefully.

  Chief Martin shook his head. “Just the car.”

  “Where was it found?” Angie asked.

  “About three miles north of where Ryan said he went off the road. The car is on the north side of Mission River.”

  “So Ryan was mistaken about where he was.” Courtney’s forehead wrinkled in thought.

  “Ryan could have been drinking.” Jenna rinsed her cup in the sink. “That could be why he was mixed up about where he was and could also be the reason why he drove off the road.”

  “We’ll have to talk to the parents again and have a visit to Ryan’s friend. Find out if Ryan was drunk or not.” The chief shrugged into his wool coat. “It might be helpful if some of you could sit in on the conversations.” He raised an eyebrow as he made eye contact with the four sisters and Finch.

  “Not me.” Ellie reached into her bag for the keys to the van. “You know I’m no good in those kinds of situations.”

  “Courtney and Angie should sit in,” Jenna told the chief. “They have experience doing that with you and are good at picking up on what people say. I can help in other ways.” Jenna had a sixth sense and could often feel or see things that had happened ... and sometimes, she could see ghosts.

  Ellie downed her coffee and stood up. “My van’s outside. We may as well all drive together.”

  The group gathered their things and headed outside. Before locking the shop door, Mr. Finch turned the sign to “Closed.”

  As he opened the van door, the chief asked sheepishly, “Can we pick up the cats?” Chief Martin understood that the cats were able to sense things, too. He was still uncomfortable talking about it because it seemed so impossible, but he was fully aware that there were things in the world that couldn’t be explained.

  “That’s probably a good idea.” Angie opened the passenger side door and waited for Jenna to climb in.

  One side of Jenna’s mouth turned up in a half-grin. “So much for peace and quiet.”

  “I have to admit that things were getting boring.” Mr. Finch winked. He held Courtney’s arm as he pulled himself into the van. “Much better to be needed.”

  “Yeah, and who wants a mini-vacation anyway?” Courtney smiled.

  3

  Circe, the family’s black cat, sat on the second row seat between Courtney and Mr. Finch. Euclid perched on Finch’s lap so that he could stare out the window. Ellie drove north out of Sweet Cove, through Silver Cove, and into the small town of Mission River. For the last several miles, thick woods lined both sides of the road and the bare winter branches of the trees looked like skinny silver-gray bones reaching skyward. A light dusting of snow gathered around the base of the trunks. When the chief saw the police cars up ahead on the side of the road, he said, “Here we are.” He pointed to where Ellie should pull in behind the vehicles.

  One officer approached the van with the intent to shoo them away, but when Chief Martin stepped out, the young man’s demeanor changed and he huddled in conversation with the chief. The sisters and Mr. Finch got out and waited for instructions. They kept the cats in the vehicle and Euclid was so loud howling his annoyance with that decision that the officer took a few concerned glances at Ellie’s van.

  “It’s a cat,” Chief Martin assured the young man.

  “I wasn’t sure.” The officer finished updating the chief and then walked over to stand beside one of the police cars.

  Chief Martin gestured for the group to come forward. “Why don’t we have a look around and if it seems suitable, we can come back for Euclid and Circe.”

  They followed the chief a few yards up the road and stopped when they saw Ryan Allen’s car in a ditch on the side of the roadway. The late-model, beat-up, dark red sedan was facing down the embankment at an angle. The position of the car made it hard to see from the road. The four sisters and Mr. Finch stood quietly trying to pick up on what might have happened. The wind kicked up and everyone pulled their coats around themselves or adjusted scarves and gloves against the cold breeze.

  “So here it is.” Chief Martin stared at the vehicle. “The driver’s side door was unlocked. There’s a sweatshirt on the backseat, otherwise, nothing much. No sign of a struggle.” He turned to Angie. “The officer just updated me about the phone records.”

  “Do they indicate that Ryan called his parents from this spot?” Angie wondered if maybe someone had moved the car.

  “Yes. The initial call was placed within this area. Though the records can’t pinpoint the exact spot.”

  “Ryan and his friend must have had a few drinks.” Courtney stepped closer to the edge of the ditch and looked down. “How else would he have become disoriented?”

  “That is unknown at this time,” the chief said.

  “Like we said before,” Ellie reminded them. “He could have hit his head when the car went off the road, maybe he has a concussion.”

  Mr. Finch looked the car over. “Perhaps the young man was fumbling with his phone or the radio and lost control, spun out, and went off the road and over the edge.”

  Jenna looked around at the woods lining both sides of the road. “His friend lives here in Mission River?”

  “He does.” The chief took out a notebook and jotted some observations.

  “Nearby?” Jenna wondered how close the friend might have lived and whether Ryan may have headed in that direction.

  “No,” said the chief. “The friend lives with his parents about five miles from here.”

  “Have you spoken to him?” Angie asked.

  “Not yet, but I will. Some other officers talked to him to find out when he last saw Ryan.”

  “Why is Ryan’s car heading this way?” Ellie fiddled with the ends of her hair. “Shouldn’t it be facing south? Towards Sweet Cove? He was heading home, right?”

  “That’s what Ryan told his folks.” The chief turned sideways and started down the steep embankment. “Why don’t you stay here? I’ll just have a look at the car.”

  “Maybe the car spun around and ended up looking like it was headed away from Sweet Cove.” Angie walked around the berm looking for skid marks or anything that might indicate that the car skidded out on the gravelly road. “The road’s dry, but last night there could have been black ice. Ryan might have hit the ice and the car went flying.”

  Courtney ran her foot over some of th
e gravel on the side of the road. “We should ask the parents if Ryan mentioned ice on the road when he called them last night.”

  A tow truck pulled up and the driver maneuvered it into position angling the back end as close to the edge of the ditch as was possible. The man jumped out and worked a metal cable down to the red car where he attached it and then pressed on something that caused the cable to go taut.

  Angie wanted to walk around the car before it got towed away. She made eye contact with Chief Martin. The chief nodded, walked over to the tow truck operator, and then turned to Angie and waved her down.

  Jenna took her twin sister’s elbow. “I’ll go with you.”

  “Not me.” Ellie planted herself firmly where she stood.

  Courtney leaned into Ellie. “Why don’t you go get the cats and we can have them take a look around.” She touched Mr. Finch’s arm. “Shall I help you down?”

  “I think I’d better not attempt it, Miss Courtney. The embankment appears unstable. I’ll remain here with Miss Ellie.” He nodded to the young woman encouraging her to descend the slight hill.

  Courtney, Jenna, and Angie walked a few slow circles around the car and peeked inside to see the front and back interiors. As Angie leaned down to look through the passenger window, she rested her hand on the side of the door. Tiny jolts of electricity bit at her fingers and she pulled her hand back in surprise. Shaking it, she again gently placed her hand against the metal and while the shocks flashed against her skin, she closed her eyes and tried to open her mind to any sensations from last night that might have lingered on the air. A wave of anxiety washed over her, but the feelings were vague and unfocused. She lifted her hand and shoved it into her pocket.

  Angie could feel Euclid staring at her and she turned to see the huge orange cat sitting at Mr. Finch’s feet at the edge of the road, his plume of a tail flicking back and forth. The urge to get away from the car ran through her veins and she hurried up the hill. “Anything?” she asked Finch.

  “I have a feeling of unease and worry rushing over me. However, I don’t have a clear sense of the origin. Perhaps it is just the normal concern that anyone would experience knowing that a young man has gone missing.” Finch leaned on his cane.

  Angie looked down at the cat and Euclid met her gaze and let out a low rumble from deep in his throat. She told Finch and the cats about the jolts that bit into her fingers when she placed her hand on the car.

  Finch narrowed his eyes. “Puzzle pieces begin to gather.”

  Ellie came up to them, her long hair blowing out behind her in the breeze. “Why does the puzzle always have to be so difficult?”

  “Where’s Circe?” Angie turned her head from side to side scanning the area for the black cat.

  “She was here a second ago.” Ellie flicked her eyes around trying to locate the ebony feline.

  “Angie.” Jenna called from below. She waved at her sister to come down.

  When Angie joined her two sisters and the chief next to the red car, Courtney pointed. Circe was furiously pawing and sniffing at the frozen ground near the passenger side front tire.

  The chief said, “Let’s get the car out of the way.”

  Jenna scooped up the cat and Chief Martin gave the truck operator a wave to start the engine and tow the red car up the embankment. The group stepped back as the truck engine roared to life and the squealing and grinding of the tow line against the metal pulley filled the air. The old car lurched and moved slowly up the hill like a fish on a line.

  The three Roseland sisters and the chief stared at the spot where Circe had pawed near the tire. When the car was finally back up on the road, the four stepped forward, with Jenna still holding the cat in her arms. Something on the ground sparkled in the sunlight and Courtney went to inspect. She knelt and leaned forward. “There’s something here.” Keeping her hands away from the object so as not to compromise any fingerprints, she gestured to the spot on the ground.

  Chief Martin put on a surgical-type glove and picked up the item.

  “What did you find?” Jenna stepped closer with Angie right on her heels.

  Still on one knee, the chief held it up to the light.

  Angie squinted. “A ring?”

  The chief stood with the object held in the palm of his upturned hand. The simple white gold band sparkled in the light. There was a vine of leaves engraved around the middle of the band. Chief Martin lifted it and eyed the inner part of the ring. “Nothing engraved on the inside.” He glanced at the black cat. “Nice work.”

  Circe purred as Jenna ran her hand over the dark fur and scratched the cat’s ears.

  “How did the ring end up next to the tire?” Courtney scowled.

  “That’s a good question.” Angie looked up at the car and then let her eyes travel down the hill to the section where the car had come to a stop. “The frozen ground hides the tire marks and there’s very little vegetation here so nothing looks run over or trampled.” She shook her head in exasperation.

  The chief continued to look around at the ground where the car had stood and finding nothing more, he bagged the ring in a plastic evidence bag. Nodding to the hill, he said, “Shall we?”

  The group trudged up the embankment.

  “I’m going to catch a ride back to the station with Officer Talbot. I’ll arrange a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Allen and with Ryan’s friend. If you can sit in on the interviews, I think it would be helpful.”

  Courtney and Angie agreed to attend.

  The chief started away to the police car. “Thanks for your help. I’ll be in contact.” He gave the black cat a tip of his cap.

  Jenna pulled her woolen hat down over her ears. “If Ryan Allen lost control of his car and went off the road, how could his ring come off and get wedged under the front tire?”

  Shivering, Angie rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “A very good question. Let’s get out of this cold and go home.”

  “Time to put our heads together.” Courtney reached over to Circe still snuggled in Jenna’s arms and scratched her cheek. She gave the cat a wink. “I think you deserve a silver deputy’s badge, too, little one.”

  4

  As soon as they returned home to the Victorian, Angie put an apron over her head, pulled out a big mixing bowl, and took flour, butter, vanilla, and sugar from the cabinets.

  Courtney took a seat at the kitchen island. “Oh, good. What are you making for dessert?”

  “Cupcakes. Different flavors. Pistachio, for one.” Angie removed the measuring cup and spoons from the drawers of the island. “I’ll take suggestions for other flavors. You can vote.” Angie could always think better when she was baking, but she had to be careful of what was going through her mind as she worked because she had the ability to transfer intention into her baked creations. Angie was often happy and optimistic and when people ate her baked goods, they would be filled with the same emotions that she was feeling as she mixed and baked. Once, Mr. Finch ate muffins that Angie had baked while she was thinking of her boyfriend, Josh Williams, which caused the older man to immediately fall in love with her. Thankfully the “spell” only lasted for a few hours.

  “What intention are you putting into the cupcakes?” Jenna sat on a stool next to Courtney.

  Angie had a smudge of flour on her nose. “I’m trying for clear-headedness. Is that even a word? We need to approach this case with clarity.”

  The two cats sat on top of the fridge watching the young woman mix the ingredients and Euclid trilled his approval.

  Mr. Finch put the tea kettle on and hooked his cane over the edge of the countertop while he reached for the mugs and lined them up on the counter. Ellie took milk and cream from the fridge and put the sugar bowl on the kitchen island. No one had said much about the visit to Mission River while driving in the van or since they’d arrived home. Each one had been quietly mulling over the scene on the country road of the car in the ditch and what they’d heard from Chief Martin about the case.

  Angie sli
d the tin with the pistachio muffin-cupcakes into the oven and set the timer. “What other flavor should I make?”

  “Red velvet.” Courtney licked her lips.

  “Tom loves your chocolate ones.” Jenna helped Mr. Finch prepare the tea.

  “I’ll make a batch of each if that suits everyone.”

  Murmurs of agreement had Angie reaching for the cocoa powder.

  Jenna’s fiancé, Tom, and Ellie’s boyfriend, Jack Ford, were joining the family for dinner and Ellie had begun preparing the filling for the veggie enchiladas. Jenna and Courtney helped Mr. Finch up onto one of the stools and the three sipped their tea as they watched Angie prepare batter.

  “We need to talk.” Courtney crossed her arms on the top of the island. “What does everyone think is going on with this guy, Ryan Allen.”

  “Something happened at the car. What, I don’t know.” Angie cut squares of butter into the flour mixture. “I felt sparks of electricity when I touched the car.”

  Even though she had her back to her sisters and Finch as she cut up some red peppers, Ellie was listening to every word and a little gasp of alarm escaped from her throat when Angie mentioned feeling something at the scene.

  “Ryan’s ring was partially under the tire.” Jenna glanced up at Circe and smiled.

  “Which suggests,” said Mr. Finch. “That the young man lost or removed his ring after getting out of his car once the vehicle plummeted into the ditch.”

  “Maybe the ring slipped off when Ryan was checking the tires for damage?” Courtney was thinking out loud.

  “Or, perhaps, Mr. Ryan had some help removing the piece of jewelry.” Mr. Finch lifted his teacup to his lips.

  Everyone turned and stared at the man.

  “Are you thinking foul play?” Ellie’s jaw had dropped. “I’ve been hoping that Ryan just wandered off.”

  “If he just wandered off,” Courtney asked, “then where is he?”

  “You think it was foul play, too?” Ellie’s voice shook.

  Courtney pulled her honey-colored hair into a ponytail. “I don’t know what it is. I’m not saying he didn’t wander off. He could have. But where is he?”