by Lyndsey Cole
“I don’t know, but I’m hoping to ask the house manager some questions.” Lily paused. “Ryan told me nobody has been found and he said it’s too early to be able to classify her as missing. It doesn’t hurt to chat with the mom though.”
Daisy shook her head. “You just can’t keep your nose out of any mystery, can you? Even after all the close calls you’ve had? Won’t you ever learn?”
Lily glared at Daisy, annoyed that her sister didn’t share her curiosity. “You sound like Ryan and I certainly don’t need both of you lecturing me, thank you very much. Besides, Ryan said that person might have seen us so we’re involved whether we like it or not. We, Daisy, not just me. You saw it too.”
Daisy put up her hands. “Don’t yell at me, I’m just pointing out the obvious.” She shrugged and changed the topic. “I guess dinner shouldn’t be dangerous. Are you going to pick me up?”
“I have to deliver some arrangements at the hospital then be at the Black Horse Farm at four. That will give me plenty of time to pick up Rosie from Walter’s house, stop at the farm then drop Rosie at my house before I pick you up around six. Dinner isn’t till seven but maybe we can walk around and chat with the owners. Just a friendly chat. How does that sound?”
Daisy sighed. “I don’t like all this drama, but I guess I’m along for the ride whether I like it or not. I hope you can figure it out before anything bad happens to us.” She picked up her bag, gave Sweet Pea another cuddle, waved, and walked to the door.
Lily heard the door jingle as she carried her arrangement into the cooler.
“Yoo-hoo? Anyone here?”
Lily cringed before she put on her ‘be nice to customers face’ as she returned to the front of the store. “Good morning Tamara. How can I help you today?” Lily tried not to let her mouth fall open when she saw how Tamara was dressed. It isn’t that pink tent thingie she wore to the wedding, Lily thought, it’s worse. Lily stared at the ample figure in front of her dressed in purple spandex.
Tamara flapped her hand at Lily. “Your mother’s wedding was just the most beautiful event I’ve ever been to. The weather couldn’t have been better, and that Lyman Estate.” She patted her heart. “Elegant doesn’t even give it its due. She’s so lucky with that Walter Nash. Isn’t he a dear? I want to send them an after the wedding bouquet. Is there such a thing? Well, maybe I’ll just start a new tradition. What do you think? Isn’t that a brilliant idea? Maybe I can promote it and make a line of greeting cards to go along with it. What do you think, Lily dear?” Tamara finally took a breath and looked expectantly at Lily.
Lily didn’t know where to begin answering the barrage of questions. She opened her mouth but before she could get one word out, Tamara started again, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Did you hear about the missing girl?”
Lily’s attention zeroed in on Tamara’s conversation. “What missing girl?”
“Well,” Tamara looked around as if someone might be spying on them, “you know I never gossip.” Lily tried not to roll her eyes, waiting for Tamara to continue. “But I heard this from the source. I was getting coffee at the Sunflower Café and I ran into Anna Sparks. She works at the Black Horse Farm? Do you know her? Anyway, she told me that her daughter, Kari, never came home last night and she’s out of her mind with worry.”
“Do you know more about her? How old is she? Maybe she stayed at a friend’s house?” Lily questioned.
Tamara sat on the stool next to Lily’s work table, with her purple bottom overflowing on all sides of the seat. “I think she’s twentyish. Anna didn’t give me any more information, but she acted very concerned. She even called the police but they aren’t doing anything.” Tamara looked away before continuing. “You have a knack for figuring out these mysteries so I told Anna about how you solved my daughter’s fiancé’s murder and the murder at the museum and she wants to talk to you. Soon.”
Lily could hear Ryan’s voice in her head warning her to keep her nose out of this mystery. “You are giving me more credit than I deserve, Tamara. I was just lucky those other times.” She paused as Tamara’s stare didn’t waver from Lily’s face. “Okay, listening can’t hurt. But, the daughter is probably already home, safe and sound.” Lily tried to sound reassuring even though she had a sinking feeling in her gut.
Tamara hugged Lily, almost suffocating her in that purple haze. “I told her you would do it. Now, what do you have that I can bring over to your mother?”
Lily thought for a minute before answering. “She still has all the flowers from the wedding.” She looked around her store and walked over to some potted plants. “How about one of these beautiful orchid plants. The sunroom is perfect for these phalaenopsis and I know Mom and Walter don’t have this white one with purple on the edge of the petals. Doesn’t it look like someone painted it?” Lily picked up a large potted orchid plant loaded with white and purple blooms.
Tamara swooned when she saw it. “It matches my outfit. Do you have two? It’s just too beautiful to not buy one for myself.”
“I don’t have two exactly the same but these are similar. What do you think of this one?” Lily held up another beautiful orchid plant that had mostly purple flowers tinged with white on the edges.
“Perfect, I’ll keep the one with more purple. Lily, you always know how to solve problems.” Tamara took out her credit card and Lily rang up the purchase.
As Lily wrapped the plants in paper sleeves, she asked Tamara about her job. “How’s it going at the museum? I’ve been too busy to stop by.”
“You know how I was the director after that murder? Well, it was fun but I don’t have the time to devote to it. Fortunately, the board hired someone permanent for the position so I have my time back again.” Tamara picked up the wrapped orchids. “Toodle-oo Lily,” she said as she flapped her arm on the way out the door.
Lily smiled to herself. Tamara is a good person but she can drain the life right out of me with all the constant talking. But somehow she always seems to know the scuttlebutt before everyone else and she shares more details with me than Ryan does. Lily finished up the arrangements she needed to deliver to the hospital on her way to the Black Horse Farm. At least it should be easy finding out about the missing girl since Tamara already told Anna about me.
Lily loaded her minivan and left to make the deliveries. It was a quick in and out of the hospital, leaving her with plenty of time to find the Black Horse Farm. She headed north to the farm, anxious to see the place and to talk to Anna.
Chapter 4
Black Horse Farm was at the northern edge of Misty Valley; a farm of several hundred acres with immaculate barns and rolling fields. It was a beautiful time of year to drive up the winding roads with the trees turning to their spectacular fall colors. Lily saw the sign for the farm and turned right through an open gate that led up a driveway bordered by fields with horses peacefully grazing. Several looked up with curiosity at the sound of her minivan. Rosie sat alert in the back seat with her nose twitching in overdrive at all the smells that were drifting in through the open window.
“This is fancier than I expected. What do you think Rosie?” Lily slowed the minivan so as not to stir up too much dust as she looked around at the beauty.
A cluster of whitewashed barns appeared as she crested the knoll. To the left of the barns was a large, rambling, white updated farm house. It looked like several additions and wings had been added over the years. Lily parked her minivan under a big old maple tree that was glowing in its fall splendor. “You need to wait here. I know you’d like to get out and explore but I don’t know how they feel about a dog sniffing around.” Rosie’s ears drooped with disappointment as Lily got out and closed the door.
Lily walked to the front door and her knock was met almost immediately by an attractive woman, a bit taller than Lily. The outside edges of her eyes crinkled when she smiled in greeting.
Lily held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Lily Bloom. Emma asked me to stop by to discuss some flower arrangements she
needs for an event.”
Lily’s hand was encompassed by a warm, rough palm. “I’m Anna Sparks, I work for Emma. Emma isn’t back yet but she told me you were stopping by. Please, come in.”
Anna led Lily through a spacious entryway into a sun filled living room, tastefully decorated with antiques. A silver tray was loaded with delicious pastries, a tea pot and a selection of herbal teas.
Anna motioned for Lily to sit in an overstuffed, dark blue chair facing the window and she took the matching chair on the opposite side of the small table holding the silver tray. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
Lily selected a green tea bag and accepted the steaming cup. “Help yourself to a pastry, I made them.” Anna smiled shyly. “Baking is a passion of mine. I’m always trying new recipes and I love to get feedback.”
Lily carefully sipped her hot tea. “You should meet my sister, Daisy. She loves baking too and is always experimenting with new recipes.” Lily put her cup on the tray and selected a pastry. It had a flaky crust with a thin cream cheese layer topped with swirls of chocolate and fresh raspberries. She took a bite and was pleasantly surprised with the burst of tanginess mixed with the sweet chocolate. “This is delicious, the best crust I’ve ever had. My sister could learn something from you. Do you do most of the cooking for the Turners?”
Anna smiled broadly, obviously pleased by the compliment. “Yes, I do the special meals and oversee the daily menu planning and the housekeeping. The Turners have been wonderful to me and Kari and I’m extremely grateful for my job.”
“Your daughter Kari? Tamara Biotchi told me about your daughter. I hope you don’t mind me bringing this up, but have you heard from her yet?”
Anna sighed a deep sigh and relaxed back into the chair. “I was a nervous wreck when she didn’t come home last night, but she strolled in just before you got here. She hasn’t told me any details, but I can read her. Something’s wrong.”
Lily tried not to show her surprise. Her instinct had told her the body she had seen must be Anna’s daughter. “I’m glad she’s back. I can imagine how relieved you must be.”
Anna stood up. “Follow me and I’ll explain what Mrs. Turner is planning.” They left the living room and Lily followed Anna into a large dining room with a long cherry, hand cut farmer’s table with matching chairs. “She’s planning a baby shower for her niece and wants to serve a buffet lunch which I will be planning. She was hoping you could make several arrangements.” Anna looked at Lily to gauge her reaction. “Pinks and blues for the table, and also a big arrangement for the entryway and the living room. It’s scheduled for this coming weekend.”
Lily scanned the room, nodding. “That won’t be any problem. I can deliver everything first thing Saturday morning.”
Anna and Lily walked back to the front door. Anna put her hand on Lily’s arm, stopping her before they went outside. “Thank you for asking about Kari. She’s a good kid but she needs to find a direction for her life and I’m not crazy about some of the friends she has at the moment.”
“Does Kari have a job?”
“No, and that’s part of the problem. She has too much time on her hands and she hangs out with this one girl in particular who is on the wild side, if you know what I mean.”
As they walked outside, Lily caught the sound of an angry female voice. Looking toward the barns, she saw a tall young woman and a man in a heated disagreement. The woman was pointing at the man, jabbing her finger to make a point. The man grabbed her hand and shook his head.
Anna’s face turned hard. “Kari! Gabe! What is going on?” She jogged to them and Lily followed, hoping to find out what was going on. Who is that muscular guy holding an axe?
Kari’s face fell and her body went rigid. She looked at the ground as her mother grabbed her arm. “Are you going to tell me what is going on?”
Kari mumbled, “Nothing, Mom.”
The sound of a helicopter broke the tension as they all looked up and watched it disappear behind the barn.
Anna suddenly remembered Lily was still standing near them and she introduced her. “Lily, this is my daughter, Kari, and this is Gabe, the farm manager.”
Kari and Gabe both glanced at Lily and mumbled a hello. Gabe used his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead before he returned to splitting wood. He swung the axe powerfully, striking the wood and shattering it with one blow as Kari marched off to the house. He paused and glanced at Kari before swinging the axe through the next piece of oak on the chopping block. His skin glistened in the afternoon sun and his muscles rippled as he lifted the axe again.
Anna walked Lily to her minivan and Lily had to keep herself from glancing back at Gabe as the sweat ran down his back. “Don’t mind them, it’s probably a lover’s spat.” Rosie stuck her head out of the open minivan window, startling Anna. “Oh. You have a dog with you. Can I meet her?”
Lily’s face brightened. Her estimation of Anna moved up several notches since anyone who was an animal lover was high on Lily’s list. Lily opened the door and an excited Rosie jumped out and stretched her legs before she sniffed Anna’s outstretched hand, wagged her tail and gave her a goofy grin.
Lily looked around at all the space. “This would be a great place for a dog, or lots of dogs.”
“Mr. Turner has several hunting dogs that are in a kennel and Mrs. Turner has her spoiled Labrador retriever, Abby, short for Lady Abigail.” Anna leaned close to Lily. “Abby goes everywhere with Mrs. Turner, even sleeps with her. I don’t know how Mr. Turner can put up with that.” Rosie darted toward the barn as Mrs. Turner and Abby emerged, followed by the pilot.
Abby’s hair ruffed up when she saw Rosie. They sniffed but when Rosie went down in a play bow, all the tension was released and the two dogs took off chasing each other.
Lily noticed that the pilot laughed at their antics but Emma looked annoyed so Lily called Rosie over and made her sit.
Emma approached and greeted Lily. “It’s nice to see you again. Did Anna explained everything for the shower?”
“Yes, I’m all set. I told Anna I would drop the flowers off on Saturday morning.” Lily bent down to pat Abby, noticing the colorful scarf around her neck instead of a collar. “What a sweet dog you have.”
Emma smiled politely but ignored the compliment, answering simply, “Saturday morning will be perfect.” She snapped her fingers and walked to the house with Abby plodding behind.
Lily raised an eyebrow as she looked at Anna. “Is she always so abrupt?”
“She has good days and bad days. I think it all depends on Mr. Turner’s business schedule.”
“Oh?”
Anna looked around. “That’s a story for another day. I have to get back to work.”
Lily climbed into her minivan, but as she tried to pull the door closed it wouldn’t budge. She looked to her left and saw the pilot holding it open. His face was cracked with a smile and his shaggy sun-bleached hair made him look young and carefree.
“Fancy seeing you here.” He held out his hand. “I never introduced myself yesterday. My name is Nick Sampson.”
Lily grasped his strong hand. “I’m Lily Bloom, but I have a feeling you already know that.” She held his gaze. “I was getting used to thinking of you as ‘the pilot’. Nick doesn’t have the same mysterious charm.”
Nick laughed out loud. “Mysterious? I like that. So, did you think about my offer to go trail riding? With your friend? I would love to meet her.”
“That would be fun. I haven’t talked to Nina yet but I’m sure she’ll be up for it.” Lily looked up as the gentle breeze ruffled the leaves.
“Mr. Turner is gone for a few days, so as long as her highness,” Nick nodded toward the house and rolled his eyes, “doesn’t need me to take her anywhere, I should have a lot of free time.”
“Okay. Give me your number and I’ll let you know after I talk to Nina. She’s a newspaper reporter and a workaholic.”
“That sounds serious. Are you sure she likes to have fun?�
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“She manages to squeeze fun in.” They exchanged phone numbers and Nick closed the minivan door.
Lily watched him walk back toward the barn. I wonder where his apartment is? His swagger gave him an air of self confidence and he oozed sexy. She shook her head and opened her phone. A quick check for messages and Lily saw she’d missed one from her reporter friend, Nina Baldwin.
Disappointment surged through her body. She had hoped to see a message from Ryan since he hadn’t called or stopped by the store like he had promised. Listening to the message, she felt the air get sucked out of her lungs. “I heard over the scanner that a body has been found. Do you know anything about this? Your hot cop boyfriend isn’t giving me any details.”
Lily gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. As she looked back toward the house, thoughts flew through her brain. It can’t be Anna’s daughter, I just saw her, but I suspect she knows something. She watched Gabe for a few more moments as he furiously swung the axe, over and over, splitting the chunks of wood effortlessly like he was ridding himself of a demon.
Chapter 5
“Nina? Got your message. Call me back. I’m heading to the Stone House Inn to meet my mom and Walter for dinner.” Lily snapped her phone shut and threw it into her tote, frustrated that she hadn’t gotten a message from Ryan. She sighed, dropped Rosie off at her house and headed to pick up Daisy.
When Lily walked into Daisy’s house, Daisy was ready to go but she took one look at what Lily was wearing, crinkled her nose and shook her head in disbelief.
“What?” Lily asked as she looked down at her jeans and polo shirt. “Oh. I guess I didn’t think this through very well. Do you have something I can wear?”
Daisy laughed. “You know the answer to that. You always raid my closet. Come on, let’s go take a look.”
Daisy was dressed in a flowery waffle knit long sleeve dress with a dark orange bolero jacket and black high heels. She was all fall colors, oranges, blues, reds and yellow with her auburn hair pulled back in a loose twist.
