by B. J. Scott
“I’m sorry, did you say something?” Gwen asked, then faced her friend.
“Are you okay, Gwen? You’re as pale as a ghost, and judging by your wide-eyed expression, you’ve seen one too.”
Gwen dragged a shaky hand across her brow. “I find it really stuffy in here and could use a breath of fresh air.”
Beth glanced at the portrait, then touched Gwen’s cheek. “No wonder you’re staring. You and the woman in the painting could be related, if not twins.”
There was no denying the resemblance. Gwen noticed it the minute she looked at the portrait and the longer she studied it, the harder it became to dismiss likeness as pure coincidence. “What time is it?” She glanced at her watch, then changed the subject. “We’ll have to head back to the hotel soon and pick up Kyle before we go to the pub at eight.”
“It’s only five, so we still have plenty of time before our reservation at the Copper Mug.” Beth glanced over her shoulder at the guide and shot him a come hither glance. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to Thomas before we leave. Hopefully, he’ll ask where we’re staying.”
“Thomas?” Gwen teased.
Beth leaned in close so only Gwen could hear her. “Thomas is the tour guide and he’s looking our way. I think he’s flirting with me. Do you mind if I go talk to him?”
“Who am I to stand in the way of love-at-first-sight?” Gwen laughed and patted Beth on the shoulder. Her friend had always been a sucker for a brawny man with a handsome face, and the Highlanders they’d met in Scotland were gorgeous. “While you do that, I’ll wait for you near the gate. I noticed some stone benches in a rose garden and will be there when you’re done.”
“You’re the best.” Beth quickly kissed Gwen on the cheek, then smoothed her hands down her dress. “Do I look okay?”
“Lovely as always. Go talk to the hunky Highlander and I’ll wait outside.” She glanced up at the portrait again, attempted to suppress her sudden feeling of déjà vu as the product of an over-active imagination, and headed for the door.
Upon leaving the visitor’s center, Gwen tilted her face skyward and inhaled deeply, her mind wandering back to the portrait and the brooch. She swept her hand over the pin on her sweater, then gave her head a shake. “Coincidence and nothing more. For all you know there could be hundreds of these,” she muttered aloud, then headed for a bench in the rose garden that was located near the postern gate.
Gwen sat on the stone seat and pulled the cell phone from her purse. After leaving Kyle a text message, informing him they were running a bit late, she decided to call home before it got too late. The sound of her mother’s voice and her calm cool logic was what she needed to put the silly notions she had about the woman in the picture into perspective. Unfortunately, the phone clicked over to voice mail.
“Hi Mom. I know it is after ten and figured you might be in bed already, but on the off chance I thought you might still be up. I wanted to say hi and to thank you and Dad for the birthday flowers. They’re gorgeous. Miss you and can’t wait to thank you in person. Give Dad a kiss for me.”
She ended the call and as she was about to put the phone back into her bag, she caught a quick glimpse of a little girl—a child no older than five—as she scooted past the gate, then ran toward the woods. Gwen did a quick scan of the area, hoping to locate the child’s parents, but her search came up empty. While it was none of her business, she couldn’t turn her back on a possible child in need, and decided to go after her.
“Wait,” Gwen called out to the red-haired lass as she disappeared into the forest surrounding the castle. Concerned for the girl’s safety, she raced after her, soon finding herself on a well-worn path surrounded by bracken and trees. This is insane, she thought. The girl could live in the area and frequent the castle grounds. But when she heard a child giggling, then saw the girl standing in a clearing a few feet away, Gwen felt compelled to make certain she was safe. If she didn’t and anything happened to her, she’d never forgive herself.
“Wait, sweetie, I won’t hurt you,” Gwen said as she approached the girl with her hand outstretched. “Are you lost? Where are your mommy and daddy? They must be worried sick about you.”
The girl inclined her chin, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. Then from all around them came what sounded like hordes of children laughing.
Gwen immediately turned full circle, but saw no one. “What’s going on? If this is some sort of game, I don’t find it amusing. I—” Gwen was about to explain the dangers of running off from her parents, but halted when the child’s face transformed into that of an old woman for a few seconds, then changed back. This was no ordinary little girl, and if she wasn’t mistaken, she was standing in the center of what according to Scottish lore could be a Fairy Ring.
“Come on, Gwen, get a grip. This is just superstitious nonsense,” she reassured herself aloud. “Either you tell me your name so I can find your parents, or I’m going back to the castle and get the police.” But before she could follow through, her head began to pound as if it were in a vise. She gripped her temples against the pain and dropped to her knees. Her mind clouded and she collapsed to the ground, twilight fading to black.
Chapter Three
“What do you mean you’ve done all you can for now?” Kyle crossed the visitor’s center and addressed the police sergeant in charge of the investigation into Gwen’s disappearance.
“We’ve interviewed everyone that was here when the last tour ended. I’ve taken statements from the tour guide, the ticket taker at the entrance, the custodian, and Ms. Williams,” the sergeant replied. “Have you given us your statement as to your whereabouts when Ms. Lindsay disappeared, Dr. MacKay?”
“Yes, I gave my statement to the constable when I arrived.” Kyle pointed to an officer standing by the door of the visitor’s center. “I was at the hotel all day and had no idea Gwen was missing until Beth called me. Maybe someone else on the tour noticed something.”
“According to the tour guide, the other visitors had already left the castle reception area before Miss Lindsay entered the rose garden. That was the last anyone saw of her.”
“A woman like Gwen doesn’t just disappear into thin air, unless something has happened to her.” Kyle was usually a calm and patient man, but it was Gwen who was missing. “Damn it, man, she could have been abducted or wandered off and gotten lost. For all we know, she could be injured and in need of medical attention.” He lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry for losing my cool, but Gwen means the world to me.”
“I understand your concern, Dr. MacKay. I have a wife and two teenaged daughters at home, and I would be beside myself if anything happened to one of them. But we do have to keep in mind that Miss Lindsay is a grown woman. Perhaps she got tired of waiting for her friend and decided to go back to the hotel,” the sergeant said. “We’ve sent officers to check.”
“There isn’t much point in looking at the hotel. I was in their room taking a nap when Beth called at seven, and Gwen was not there,” Kyle said. “It was almost two hours after she disappeared, so she had plenty of time to get back to the room if she decided to return without her friend—which is highly unlikely. I got a text from her at five, stating they were held up and would be a bit late, so if things changed, she would have let me know. Something has happened to her. I can feel it in my bones.”
Beth moved to Kyle’s side and grasped his hand. “Try to have faith. I know you’re worried, and so am I, but they really are doing the best they can to find Gwen. Maybe she did decide to go back to the hotel without me and you just missed each other.”
“You know as well as I do that Gwen would never leave without telling you,” Kyle said, more abruptly than he’d intended. Usually in complete control of his emotions, he immediately regretted raising his voice to Beth. She was his friend and colleague, and this was not her fault. But he’d never felt this sort of desperation before now. He swallowed against the lump in his throat, then softened his tone. “I’m sorry. Tell me
again what happened.”
Beth wrung her hands and lowered her gaze. “We’d just finished the tour of MacQuin Castle and were about to leave, when I noticed the tour guide was smiling at me from across the room. I asked Gwen if we could hang around a little longer so I could talk to him,” Beth explained. “Gwen said she’d wait for me in the rose garden, then left the visitor center. That’s the last time I saw her.” She released a shuddering breath, tears running down her cheeks.
Kyle raked his fingers through his hair. “It’s not like her to say one thing and do another.”
“The woman manning the ticket booth said she saw Gwen sitting in the rose garden right after the tour, but the next time she looked up, she was gone. When I couldn’t find her, I asked Thomas to help me search. When we followed the path behind the castle, we found this.” She handed him a Celtic charm Gwen had attached to her purse. “Thomas figured she caught it on a branch, but it did give us an idea which way she went. The path ended in a clearing, but there was no sign of her anywhere.”
Kyle fisted the charm as if doing so might bring him closer to Gwen. “She got this from her grandmother and I don’t remember a time I saw her without it. I never thought of Gwen as a superstitious woman, but there was something about this bauble she cherished.” He glanced at Beth. “You told the constable you found this, didn’t you?”
“Yes. He said that since I picked it up and Thomas handled it, we’d compromised it as far as fingerprints go. But he did tell me they might need it later on as evidence,” Beth explained. She peered up at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “I’m so sorry, Kyle. I should never have let her wander off alone while I flirted with Thomas.”
Kyle wrapped his arms around Beth’s shoulders and drew her against his chest. “It’s not your fault, kiddo. The cop was right when he said Gwen is grown woman, and she doesn’t require a sitter. We need to concentrate on finding her, not placing blame.” He honestly didn’t believe Beth was responsible for Gwen’s disappearance, but wished he’d insisted they’d let him tag along, rather than staying at the hotel to catch up on his sleep. “Did you notice anyone hanging around the visitor’s center that took an interest in Gwen, someone who might have taken her?”
Beth pulled out of Kyle’s embrace, sniffled, then swiped the back of her hands across her eyes. “The police asked me the same thing, but I never noticed anyone. Why would someone take her? I don’t understand. Gwen is the sweetest, kindest person I know, and she doesn’t have an enemy in the world. Not to mention we’re in a foreign country and don’t know anyone.”
“We don’t know for sure that she was abducted, but we can’t rule out any possibility,” Kyle said. “It’s more likely that Gwen wandered off and got lost. The woods around the castle appear to be pretty thick, and you know how she loves to explore.” He was grasping at straws, but the thought of her being taken against her will was something he couldn’t bear to think about. However, if she did wander off, she could be injured or worse, which didn’t set his mind at ease either.
The police sergeant in charge of the investigation approached. “We just heard from the officers that went to the hotel. Miss Lindsay is not there. Normally—”
“I told you that,” Kyle interjected before the man could finish.
“Normally, we wait twenty-four hours before we consider someone missing, but given Miss Lindsay is not a local, and could have wandered off and be lost in the forest, we are foregoing that protocol,” the officer said. “As we speak, a search party is being organized. However, given that it is Halloween, getting volunteers is not going to be easy.”
“Why would that matter?” Kyle asked. “Lost and in need of help is just that, no matter what day it is.”
“I’m aware of that, but Highlanders are a superstitious lot and Celtic lore plays a big part in their lives. Even many of the police officers and emergency rescue personnel are hesitant to venture into the wood on Samhain Eve.”
“You can’t be serious.” Kyle couldn’t believe that trained professionals would hesitate to help a person in need based on folklore.
“It’s true. There are many who believe the fae and other things that go bump in the night, roam the earth on Samhain Eve, especially in a castle steeped in legends and reported to be haunted. Fortunately, we do have officers who set no store in Scottish legends,” the sergeant said, his expression quite serious. “I do need to ask if Miss Lindsay was upset about anything or is prone to depression.”
“Gwen Lindsay is the happiest, most well-adjusted women I know,” Kyle said. “If you’re suggesting she just decided to run away or might do herself harm, you’re wrong.”
“Kyle’s right. Gwen had no reason to run off. It’s her birthday and after the tour we were going out to celebrate. But now—” Obviously fighting back another bout of tears, Beth wrapped her arms around her middle and peered up at the officer. “Please, you have to find her.”
The officer patted Beth’s shoulder. “We’ll do what we can. Is there anyone you know of who might wish to do her harm, or perhaps hold her for ransom? Does she come from a wealthy family?”
“Gwen has no enemies that I know of,” Kyle replied. “She has tons of friends and everyone loves her. She volunteers twice a week at a local senior center and organizes a charity picnic for the kids suffering from cancer every year at her parents’ horse farm.” He knew the officer was only doing his job and trying to be thorough, but Kyle wished they would stop asking questions and start looking.
“What about her parents?” the officer asked, maintaining a calm demeanor. “The more we know about Miss Lindsay, her family, and friends, the better chance we’ll have of figuring out what happened to her. Even small details might be useful.”
“Her parents are great and I doubt they have any enemies either. Her mom is a lawyer and her father a surgeon. Gwen just finished law school and is supposed to join her mother’s firm when she returns from Scotland.” Kyle hung his head. “If she returns.” The words got lodged in his throat.
“We’ll do everything we can to make sure she is found. It will be easier in the morning to follow any tracks we might turn up and will expand the perimeters, but we’ll continue searching the castle grounds now. Why don’t you and Ms. Williams go back to the hotel and get some rest.”
Kyle stiffened and met the officer’s gaze. “With all due respect, I want to stay here and help in the search.” He had no intention of leaving MacQuin Castle until Gwen was found and in his arms where she belonged. “I’m not going anywhere, but I agree that Beth should go back and get some rest. Perhaps one of your officers could give her a ride back to the hotel.”
Beth grasped Kyle’s forearm. “I don’t want to go back to the hotel. I’ll go nuts if I’m there alone. Gwen is my dearest friend and I want to stay here and help look for her.”
“Neither of you are familiar with the area,” the sergeant pointed out. “The last thing we need is for one of you to get lost too.”
“We’re staying.” Kyle was emphatic and determined to help, and no one was going to sway him. He looped his arm around Beth’s shoulders and tugged her against his side. “Assign an officer to accompany us if you want, but we are going to help look for Gwen. Best we get started. Standing around talking is wasting precious time, time Gwen might not have if she is in trouble or injured.” Kyle released Beth, then he rushed out of the visitor center, with her following closely on his heel.
~ * ~
Gwen moaned as she dragged the back of her hand across her eyes, then squinted, trying to focus on her surroundings. While her muddled mind cleared, she shot up and quickly scanned her surroundings. She shivered, her teeth chattering as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to conserve some body heat, but her efforts failed. Her sweater and slacks were soaked from the heavy dew on the grass, and the thick mist rising up from the earth encompassed her. She was in the Scottish Highlands at the end of Oct and the temperature at night dropped to near freezing.
“My God,
what time is it, and what on earth happened to me?” After a bout of nausea and dizziness passed, she slowly climbed to her feet.
She recalled leaving the castle, going to the rose garden to wait for Beth, then following a little girl she’d seen running toward the woods. She remembered standing in the clearing, encircled by what sounded like the laughter of children before she collapsed. Turning full circle in search of the girl, she quickly realized she was very much alone. She hoped the child had found her parents, but right now, Gwen needed to sort out her own precarious situation.
When she entered the forest, the sun was still shining, but now the full moon was the only thing illuminating her surroundings. Having no idea how long she’d been here, she tried to check her watch, but could not see the face. Judging by the moon’s placement in the sky, she guessed it must be close to midnight, and she couldn’t understand why Beth hadn’t come looking for her.
Aware she had to get back to the castle and let everyone know she was okay, Gwen grabbed her bag and darted toward the path. But as soon as she took a few steps, she once again experienced a vice-like pain in her head that was so intense, it brought her to her knees, for the second time. Her body began to shudder and her mind clouded, but unlike the first attack, the episode passed quickly and she didn’t black out. “What’s happening to me?”
“You entered the fairy ring and have made the choice to leave it before dawn. Now you must face the consequences,” the woman’s voice echoed in the clearing, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly where it was coming from.
Although her body felt like it had been zapped of strength, Gwen somehow managed to stand. “Consequences? Fairy Ring? Who are you? Step into the clearing so I can see who I’m talking to.” As the words left her lips, she regretted the decision to invite the person to join her. She had no idea if they might do her harm, but it was too late to rescind the request. Chewing on her lower lip, she pensively watched a dark figure emerge from the forest.
