by Rose Pressey
He spun around as if he was confronting a burglar. I was probably lucky that he hadn’t instinctively punched me.
“You scared the hell out of me,” he said with his hands still up in defense.
“Sorry.”
“I saw your car and wondered if everything was okay.”
Yeah, I didn’t believe that story. He had to have driven down here first before even seeing my car. “Everything’s fine, but I found this tape.” I pulled the cassette from my pocket.
He took it from my hand. “What do you think it is? Is it important?”
“Look at the back.” I pointed.
He flipped it over and then met my stare.
I nodded. “Exactly. Why else would it have Porter’s name on it?”
“So you think this is something your uncle secretly recorded?”
“That’s what I have to find out. But I don’t have a way to play it. I looked all over the house for a player.”
He grabbed my hand. “Come on, we’ll buy a tape player.”
I couldn’t believe that I was back in the truck with Grant again. How did I continually end up with him? He tapped his fingers against the wheel as he steered.
“Are you wondering what is on that tape too?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yeah, I’m a little curious. This could be exactly what we need to find your uncle.”
I released a deep breath. I hoped what he said was right. Another disappointment was the last thing that I wanted.
“Now we just have to hope that we find a way to play the tape.”
“We’ll find a way, don’t worry,” he said.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Grant was thankful for an excuse to be with Chloe
I pulled into the first available space and shoved the truck into park. We jumped out at the same time. Chloe didn’t even give me a chance to help her out of the truck. I couldn’t blame her; I wanted to know what was on the tape too. The store was mostly empty with only a couple employees at the registers. Chloe practically ran back to the electrics department.
“I hope they have one,” she said over her shoulder.
“Wait for me,” I said.
When we made it to the correct aisle, she stopped and placed her hands on her hips. “I don’t see anything. What will we do now?” Chloe sounded as if she was about to panic.
I spotted one in front of me, but didn’t tell her. I wanted a chance to find another one before I pointed the pink one out.
“Right there,” she said, pointing to the Disney Princess sing-a-long cassette player.
I reached down and grabbed the box. “Disney Princess it is. Just don’t tell my brothers.”
“If you’re good I’ll let you have it.” Chloe chuckled. Her laughter was music to my ears.
When we reached the register I realized the woman working, Paige, was friends with Ty. So much for not telling my brothers.
Paige looked down at the pink box. “Birthday gift?”
I grabbed the box. “Yeah, that’s it. Birthday gift.”
“Is that all for you?” Paige asked.
Chloe grabbed a package of chocolate chip cookies from the display near the register and placed them on the counter. “I’ll need these for later.”
“Tell Ty I said hello,” Paige said as we walked away.
Chloe was still laughing about the pink princess cassette player as when we reached the truck. I was glad that this had relieved her tension for a couple minutes. I’d sacrifice my ego in order for Chloe to feel better. I pulled the cassette player out of the box while Chloe unpackaged the batteries. I shoved the batteries in and we were all set.
“I’ve got the tape,” she said, pulling it from her purse.
After slipping the cassette into the slot, I pushed play and then held my breath waiting to hear the mysterious message. With our luck the tape would be blank, only adding to the puzzle surrounding her uncle.
Chloe fidgeted with her hands as the sound came from the speakers. There was movement as if someone was walking and then Taylor’s voice.
“I came to ask you one last time if you’re going to do the right thing,” Taylor said.
I recognized the next voice right away.
Porter Brennan said, “I told you what I need in order to get it done.”
“So you’re blackmailing me? Is that the way you do all business around here?” The anger in Taylor’s voice was evident.
There was more movement, and then Porter said, “We’re through here.”
“Oh, so you’re going to shoot me?” Taylor asked.
I glanced at Chloe. She looked as if she might be ill.
“Fine, I’m leaving. Don’t touch me,” Taylor said.
It was then that the tape shut off. I pushed eject and took the tape out of the player. I was glad the tape had cut off because I didn’t want Chloe to have to endure any more of it. This would only increase her suspicions that her uncle had met with some serious trouble, and rightfully so.
Chloe placed her head in her hands. “He has to have done something to my uncle.”
I touched her hand. “We’ll find out.”
Chloe leaned her head back against the truck’s seat. “My uncle used to pick me up every Saturday when I was young and we would go out junking, as he called it. I brought home so much random junk, it probably drove my mother crazy. But we had so much fun.”
I laughed. “Your uncle likes a bargain.”
“That’s a nice way of saying he likes random junk.” She chuckled.
Chloe wiped her cheeks and a silence settled over us. I didn’t want to interrupt her thoughts until she was ready to talk.
“Can you take me back to my car?” Chloe asked.
I didn’t want to leave her in this condition, but what other choice did I have?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chloe searches for a clue
Grant asked me to come back to his place when he dropped me off at my car, but I figured that wasn’t anything I needed to do right now. I wanted to go to the police right away with the tape. Grant had called his brother and told him about the tape. He said they would come by and pick it up. Maybe then they’d open a missing person case on my uncle.
In the meantime I was going to try everyone else I could think of to find Uncle Taylor. I had the name and address of the hotel that had been charged to his card recently. Even though I was anxious about what I might discover, I picked up the phone and dialed the number. It would be a long shot, but maybe someone there would remember him.
After a couple rings, a woman answered, “Orange Hill Inn. How may I help you?”
“Good evening. My name is Chloe Beaumont. I wonder if you can help me locate someone who stayed at your hotel.”
There was silence on the line.
“Hello?” I said.
“I don’t think I can help you with that information,” she said.
Before she could hang up, I rushed my words. “My uncle is missing and he stayed at your hotel. You don’t have to tell me what room he is in, just if you saw anyone with that description. Please.”
“I really don’t think I’m supposed to do that.”
“Please. It’s important that I find him. This is the only clue I have to his possible whereabouts.”
If she said no then I had no clue what I would do next. My options were exhausted.
Finally, she sighed and said, “Okay, but this is off the record. Don’t tell anyone I gave you information.”
It would be a long shot that she would have even seen him.
“Thank you. I appreciate your help. His name is Taylor Beaumont and there was a charge from this hotel. He is tall with dark hair. He always wears shorts and polo shirts.”
“Oh yeah, I remember him.” There was excitement in her voice, which made me excited too.
“So he was there,” I said.
“He was here the other day, but he checked out. I think it was yesterday.”
Of course that made my heart sink.
I left her my contact information to call me if he returned. Why had he taken off? I doubted whether this woman was truly sure that it was my uncle that she’d seen. But her information had given me new hope that we would find my uncle alive. Was someone with him? I should leave tomorrow to go to that hotel. There was no way that I would tell Grant that I was leaving though.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Grant might be on to something
I needed to talk with Anna Louise. If she dated the inspector maybe she could give me information. It could lead nowhere and it probably would, but I’d give it a shot anyway.
I drove the short distance to the diner. The parking lot was mostly empty, which would give me more of a chance to talk with her. After parking the truck, I hopped out and hurried across the parking lot. The diner was close to Belle Grove Inn and I wondered what Chloe was doing. I had to shake off the thought. The more I thought about her, the more I was building myself up for disappointment.
When I stepped in the door, I scanned the area. A couple people I knew were sitting in the corner of the diner, so I tossed my hand up that way and then sat at the counter by the register. I grabbed a menu and pretended to look it over as if I didn’t know every single item on it already. It hadn’t changed much in all the years I’d been coming in. I spotted Anna Louise in the kitchen, but she hadn’t noticed me yet. I continued to look over the menu and finally decided that I wasn’t going to eat anyway, so I’d just order a water. And maybe a slice of apple pie.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Anna Louise headed my way, so I dropped the menu and smiled at her.
She returned the expression as she grabbed her coffee pot. “Do you want some coffee?”
I didn’t have the heart to say no now that she’d flipped the mug over and already poured half a cup. “Thanks,” I said as I grabbed the sugar.
Anna Louise seemed quiet today and I wasn’t sure that I would be able to get her to talk. She set the pot down and turned to face me. “Are you ready to order?” She placed her hands on her hips and stared at me, making me have second thoughts about only ordering the pie. Maybe if I left a bigger tip she wouldn’t be angry with me.
“Can I get a slice of apple pie and a glass of water?”
She picked up a few plates from the counter and said, “You want ice cream with that?”
“No, I’ll skip the ice cream today.”
“All right, coming up.” She spun around again without giving me a chance to say another word.
Somehow I would have to get her to hang around long enough for a conversation. After a couple seconds she placed the slice on the plate and then prepared my glass of water.
She set the plate in front of me. “What else can I get you?”
I grabbed the fork. “This looks delicious. Did you make the pie?”
I sank my fork into the crust and cut off a chunk. She stared at me for a moment and then snorted.
“No, we buy it prepackaged. There’s not much that’s homemade here in the diner.”
“Why does the sign say homemade pie?”
She shrugged. “I suppose it’s homemade by someone.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“So can I get you anything else?” she asked.
I finished chewing my bite and then said, “I want to ask you about Porter Brennan.”
Her expression changed and she looked around. “What do you want to know about him?”
“Well, excuse me if this is too personal, but didn’t you date him for a while?”
“That is a personal question,” she snapped.
I nodded. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to know more about him.”
“What do you want to know?”
“He’s been in town for a while and I don’t know much about him. He’s not the friendliest guy around.”
“Porter is okay.” She wiped off the counter, but I knew she was avoiding my stare.
“He’s been trying to talk with my friend Chloe. I want to know why he would want her out of town. Do you know anything about that?”
Anna Louise’s face had turned pale. “I don’t know why he would want anyone out of town. He’s always nice to everyone.”
“Yeah, I haven’t been witness to any of his pleasantries.”
Anna Louise didn’t deny it and I knew that she agreed with me. “Why don’t you ask him?”
“He’s not really answering my calls right now. I’m not his favorite person,” I said.
She stopped wiping down the counter and looked me in the eyes. “Porter helps a lot of people in town.”
I knew she wasn’t telling the truth with that one. “What kind of help?” I asked.
“Like when they need help with the building process,” she said smugly.
I shrugged. “Maybe so, but that’s not what I’m worried about. I just need to know why he’s so hostile toward Chloe.”
She poured more coffee into my almost full mug. “I thought you two weren’t friends anymore.”
I stared at her. “You heard wrong.”
Anna Louise shrugged. “She seems like a nice girl. If only she wasn’t hanging around Gina.”
“What do you mean by that? What problem do you have with Gina?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Never mind.”
I finished off the last of the pie. “So who are the other men Porter has been hanging around with?”
“I’m not his keeper, how should I know who he’s with?”
“I just thought you might have seen him with the men lately. They seem to be spending quite a bit of time together. What’s their relationship?”
I had to find out who the man was we’d seen that night at my office. There had to be a reason why they were acting so mysterious and secretive. Getting answers from Anna Louise wasn’t easy though. It would be easier to get an answer from the glass of water in front of me.
“Like I said, I don’t know who they are. I haven’t seen him talking with anyone lately.” She quickly looked away.
I was getting closer to getting something from her and I couldn’t give up now. I would press her for more info. “He has been in several places around town with these men.”
She waved her hand. “Sorry. I don’t know what to tell you. How about another slice of pie?” She smiled widely.
The pie wasn’t going to make me stop asking her questions. It was good, but it wasn’t that good.
“I don’t believe what you’re telling me, Anna Louise. So why don’t you just be honest with me? Why are you trying to hide something from me?”
She scowled. “Look, I don’t you I don’t know anything. Besides, even if I asked him he wouldn’t tell me anything. He’d just tell me to mind my own business.”
“Porter sounds like a great guy. Why would you even talk to him?”
“He has his good qualities,” she said, filling my glass with water again. I couldn’t imagine that was possible. She was just trying to make excuses for him. ”He won’t tell me anything. He’s helped me a lot though, so I owe him my friendship.”
I frowned. “What is that supposed to mean? You mean he is buying your friendship?”
“Of course not,” she snapped.
“Then what do you mean?”
“He’s loaned me money when I needed help and no one else would. I just think he deserves my friendship because of that.”
“I don’t think that’s true if he’s not nice to you,” I said.
She looked down.
“Why don’t you tell me the truth?”
“Why should I talk to you?”
“Because I will truly be your friend.”
She sighed and then finally looked at me. “I can’t get away from him.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“It’s just like I said, he helped me and now I have to help him.”
“What do you have to help him with?”
“Anything he wants. Sometimes I just run errands for him. Sometimes I just offer him my frien
dship.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what she was talking about. But it sounded odd and not like a normal friendship. Not like a friendship I’d heard of before.
“Does he bully you?” I asked.
She picked up my plate. “No.”
Something in her eyes told me that wasn’t the case. The more I heard about this guy the less I liked him. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to hear more. I’d heard plenty. So he was used to getting favors for money. I wondered if he did that with everyone.
“I heard he likes the ladies. You know, he has a lot of dates.”
That made her face turn red. “That’s not true. Who told you that?”
I took a drink of water and then said, “It’s just the rumor around town.”
“Well, it’s not true.” She glanced around the room. “I can’t talk anymore right now.”
“Do you mind if I come back to talk later?” I asked.
“There’s nothing else to say,” she said.
I leaned back on the stool. “Oh, I don’t know. Something tells me that I will find something else to talk about.”
She scowled. “You can do whatever you want.” She placed the ticket next to me on the counter.
I fished out a few bills and laid them next to my glass. “Great. Thanks again for the pie, even if you didn’t make it.”
She shook her head. “Whatever.”
I watched as she walked away. She probably knew that my eyes were still on her. I wanted to know what kind of jobs she had done for Porter. How many other people did he have doing jobs for him? That was probably his connection to the other men. It seemed like I would have a difficult time finding out though. Anna Louise wasn’t willing to share much and everyone else would probably be that way too. I’d ask Ty what he knew about this situation. Although if he had info I was sure he would have told me by now.
I would just have to hang around Porter’s office until I caught one of these guys going in to visit. I’d confront him then.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chloe loves apple pie too
Grant was walking out the diner’s door. I hadn’t noticed his truck when I’d pulled into the diner’s parking lot. Hoping that he wouldn’t notice me, I slid down in the seat. I peeked out the side window of my car and watched as he climbed into his truck. He started the engine and backed out.
