Kayla's Chronicles- Will Travel For Murder

by Candy O'Donnell

  “That’s awful. I’m sorry your dreams are not amazing like mine were. I used to dream about fast cars during my early years.” Detective Tyler stepped next to Kayla and glanced out over the Mississippi River. A breeze had cropped up and caused tiny waves to form over the bulging water. “I can drop you off at Monteleone Hotel if you’d like.” His eyes wandered from the moving river to Kayla standing steadily on both feet. Darkness had almost fully encapsulated them by now.

  “This place is quite amazing, Detective Tyler. I see it as a puzzle waiting to be solved. Is it like that for you too?” Kayla’s eyes connected with his.

  “I would say this place has a way of revealing its secrets one at a time. I have not been able to decipher as much as most living here in this city with its hidden underground passageways and above ground stone crypts.” He motioned for her to follow him back to the car waiting on the side of the road. When they arrived, Tyler opened the door for her.

  “You should take me to one of those concealed places you know of. I’d like to walk through empty halls once occupied by the spirits of the past. You never know, I might dream about what took place within there and let you know what I find.” Kayla watched him shake his head when he slowly closed the door.

  The driver side door opened and Tyler slipped into the seat next to her. “You’re the most unusual person I have ever met in my life, Kayla.” He eyed her.

  “Hang out with me long enough and buckle your seat belt because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” Kayla buckled her belt and sat with lips sealed the entire way back to the luxurious hotel where she bid him farewell and answered her cell phone to her dad who asked if she were okay. “I’m a great dad. Detective Tyler just dropped me off at my hotel.”

  “Good, I’m glad to hear you’re okay. I did something this morning that possibly encouraged Muddles to have a heck of a day.”

  “What happened, dad?” Kayla slightly cringed when she waved at the doorman.

  “I left my sock drawer open, and your cat pulled out every single sock I have. My socks are now scattered throughout the house. I cannot find a single matching pair to save my life.” He wanted to laugh but didn’t.

  “That’s Muddles. My cat usually plays with the matching pair for a few minutes, and after separating them, sometimes permanently, Muddles hides them under furniture. Good luck, dad.” Kayla grinned to herself.

  “Okay, I will have a long night ahead of me, Kayla. Talk to you later. Muddles…” His tone was one of exasperation now.

  “Love you, dad,” Kayla whispered into the phone so no one else near the reception could hear her.

  “I love you too, Kayla.” He hung up.

  Lizzie rushed past Kayla with a bag over her shoulder. “Good-bye, Kayla. Enjoy the rest of your stay. I must go back home now.”

  “Bye.” She raised her hand to wave. A text came through. When Kayla looked down at her phone, it was Callie.

  Let me know when you come back into town. Stan and I broke up for good this time.

  Kayla rolled her eyes and murmured, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” She went to step into the elevator with an older couple uttered how spectacular the hotel was and how they loved every aspect about it.

  Chapter Eight

  Kayla stood motionless, almost breathless on the wooden river bank overlooking the great Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana. She held her breath when her eyes sought the spot she had been searching for. Her body felt a chilly breeze shoot through her. When Kayla looked down at her outfit, it was pink fluffy pajamas pants and an off-white t-shirt staring back. She never felt embarrassed or anything when she surveyed two fishermen wearing waterproof pants. They were taking their chances along the rocky shoreline of this broad river.

  Its slightly rough waters were still muddied after the previous night's torrential downpour, and when Kayla set eyes on this large river when a shiver wavered through her when she saw an image of a man in the shallows nearby. This bearded man’s eyes appeared vacant and sad. After staring at this man's form, Kayla felt death and anger. Whatever took place here along the bank of the river wasn't pleasant and did not end well for this man.

  Kayla suddenly heard two voices behind her, and when she turned to see whose voices were arguing, it was a man and a woman. The woman had light brown hair and blue eyes that pulled anyone to her who dared to gaze into them, and the man had brilliant truth-filled blue eyes. As their voices grew louder, Kayla turned from them and noticed no one else could see them or hear what they were saying. Kayla seemed to be the only one who could.

  Wet drops dripped down the man’s pale face and soaked body. After glancing back at the semi-calm waters, no dead body was seen. That was when Kayla knew these two were a deceased couple. Why they appeared on the shoreline seemed to have no explanation when their words echoed throughout Kayla’s head. After observing the two fishermen and realizing they were not paying attention, Kayla asked the woman, “What happened here?”

  Kayla popped her eyes open to the same scenario as it played out before her once again. “Will it ever end?” She asked the empty hotel room. No one was there to witness her dream, and no one was there to comfort her during those moments when she thought something new might crop up. Nothing different revealed itself to her when Kayla climbed out of bed, dressed and went downstairs to eat after receiving a message from Detective Tyler asking if she was up to visiting the local library that morning. She was more than willing when she hurried through her breakfast and met him outside in the hotel parking lot.

  A drizzle started to come down, and Detective Tyler reminded her of changes in the weather on a dime. She was prepared when she pulled out her pink umbrella. “Already ahead of you. I overheard the news in the dining room informing the public of unstable weather conditions today. I’m prepared, Detective Tyler.”

  “That’s good.” Tyler wheeled the car from the lot and onto the street as rain tumbled down. It was abundantly clear when traffic slowed that weather dictated the speed.

  When the New Orleans public library came into their view, Kayla was astonished by the massive building with concrete walls and a charcoal grate lining the upper portion. It was beyond enormous to gaze upon, and it was quite beautiful too. Such a structure obviously took a lot of planning as Kayla’s heart swelled when her eyes roamed over it.

  “This public library encompasses three floors, and it has two sub-basements. It holds a wide variety of research resources as well.” Tyler pulled into a vacant spot in front of the building, killed the engine, and sat with eyes staring at this library.

  “It’s marvelous,” Kayla asked when she unsnapped her belt and turned her head toward him.

  “My father would bring me here when I was a kid. Whenever I had a research paper due or when he wanted to come here and check out information about work, we would spend hours upon hours inside stacks of books. It was like sitting next to a fireplace with a good book.”

  “That’s a good thing, right?” Kayla lifted her leg over the other and tapped her finger on her opposite arm.

  “Yes.” He nodded.

  “I still go to the local library in the city of Rocklin back home. It’s enormous with two stories, and it has a quarry filled with water in front of it. I love wandering through rows of books beckoning me to read each and every one of them. It’s amazing to know I can become lost in whatever mystery I pick up and choose to read.” Her eyes had a love of books not even her dad understood.

  “Books have a way of doing that. It’s like they have minds of their own.” Detective Tyler went to open his door.

  “Did you know an author pours a little of themselves into everything they write? No matter what genre, you can find that author in there somewhere.”

  “I didn’t know that. How is that possible? Eventually, wouldn’t they end up with nothing for themselves.” Tyler stepped from the vehicle.

  “Yeah, but we are energetic beings, so we have a lot to give.” Kayla’s eyes met his, and an unseen smile pass
ed between the two of them.

  He leaned in and asked, “What do you think of this place? Isn’t it beautiful?”

  Kayla tilted her head up and stared at the enormous library. “If we are ever going to find any information, we need to go in and start doing a whole lot of research.”

  “What exactly are you looking for, Kayla?” Detective Tyler asked when he held the car door open with his hand, he then slowly closed it and moved around to her side of the car where he opened the door for her.

  “Anything on the Blackwell family. I left a message for my boss, and I believe a certain antique table previously owned by the Blackwell family came into our shop in Northern California. If I’m right about that, slowly this tale will weave itself together before our very eyes.” She showed him the photo they had been looking for.

  “Where did you find it?” The detective examined the photo.

  “It was with my food from the hotel yesterday. I don’t believe in coincidences, ever.” Kayla inserted the picture into her pocket.

  “I don’t believe in them either. I hope you're correct about the Blackwell family. It’s a giant leap to overcome.”

  “Are you doubting me?” Kayla eyed him when they arrived at the front door.

  “No, I do not doubt you whatsoever, Kayla. I think when you interject yourself into a project, you dive in with both feet, and what comes out of your inquiry are facts.” He opened the front door and allowed her entrance into the library first.

  “Good, I’m glad you’re okay with what I do. Most people shy away from me whenever I tell them about my dreams. They seem to haunt me just about every night now, detective.” Kayla watched a woman carrying a small black purse hurry to the door and wrap her arms around Detective Tyler.

  “Carrie, it’s so good to see you again. I have not seen you around in a while.” Tyler released her, and when she stepped back, her foot almost stomped on Kayla’s.

  “I’m so sorry.” Carrie apologized.

  “Kayla, this is Carrie. Carrie and I knew each other in high school.” He smiled, and when she lifted a hand to his shoulder, it quickly faded.

  “He's so modest. We dated in high school for two years. Everyone suspected marriage was in our future, but that quickly faded when I rode off to college. Actually, we dated throughout high school off and on.” Carrie brushed back a lock of short brown hair and beamed with a hand holding Tyler’s.

  “Okay.” Kayla looked past her and into the library itself. Books motioned for her to come in and sit with eyes roaming through every page.

  “Does Mrs. Ridge still hold down the book fort?” Detective Tyler asked, and when he spotted a red-headed woman scolding two teens who raced past her desk, he pointed and whispered, “Yep, she sure does.”

  “I’d be quiet if I were you two. The librarian will rebuke you pretty hard. We should meet for lunch sometime, Tyler. That would be great.” Carrie hugged him again and hurried off when Tyler was about to introduce him to Kayla.

  “She seemed nice.” Kayla’s head bobbed down, and slowly raised when she walked past shelves of books lining each one after they stepped over the threshold of the library. After passing circular desks with four chairs each, every writing table had at least one person on a computer performing research with free access to the internet.

  “Yeah, nothing is going on between Carrie and me, Kayla.” Detective Tyler held her arm lightly and expected her to look up at him. “Nothing at all.” He added. “I want you to know that Carrie is merely a friend, and nothing more.”

  “I never asked, Detective Tyler. That business is not for me to investigate, but apparently, you want me to know.” Kayla looked at the librarian whose eyes were plastered to hers. “Besides, we are here to look for information regarding the Blackwell family, and not research your past with anyone.” Kayla brushed it off to insecurity he might have, or perhaps an old flame that never died from the past.

  “We really should be quiet here on the first floor. Why don’t we go upstairs and look up the Blackwell family? We will avoid prying eyes.” Tyler moved to the staircase when Kayla halted her steps behind him.

  She glanced over at the librarian near a bookcase with a book held in one hand. Recognition hit her, and it brought back memories of when she and her dad would go into the library when she was a kid. Kayla didn’t know if it were happenstance or not, but it appeared as if most librarians had a certain look about them.

  “Do you know her?” Detective Tyler came to her side and accidentally bumped into her shoulder.

  “No. the librarian is not someone I have ever met before. I think most librarians have the same adherence to the rules.” Kayla traced after Tyler up the stairs to a ton of bookshelves waiting to be opened by her curious hands. “Where do we begin?” Her eyes drank in what was before her. This library contained such a large amount of material, Kayla didn’t believe she could take it in all at once. “This place is amazing.”

  “It truly is.” Tyler stared at Kayla when she moved through each tall bookshelf sitting in tight rows before them. It was like observing someone who had never entered a book-filled building before. He had to crack a smile at what he was watching.

  “I love it here, Detective Tyler.” Kayla slid in and out of each large encasement with fingers rubbing each book like they were delicacies from unknown origins. She couldn’t help herself. “Where should we begin?”

  “Over here, I think.” Tyler went to a computer sitting on a desk and began to search through its contents when Kayla strolled through more bulging bookcases sitting not far from him.

  She almost ran into a woman peering down at her phone near the back wall, and after both apologized, she went her way and Kayla went back to staring at each shelf like her life depended upon it. “This place is impossible to take it all in.” After diving into the elaborate undertaking, Kayla skimmed through each title and couldn’t help but believe every author found their calling which was writing complex stories of revenge, love, and other mysterious stories made up within their minds.

  “I found a few things on here. Over here, Kayla.” Tyler’s voice was a little too elevated for a member sitting at a nearby table, and when she hushed him, he nodded and quickly walked to where Kayla was standing between two shelves. He then led her to a short stack of books resting on a low cart that possibly had what they were looking for. “I believe these are all they have right now. A few have already been checked out, but these concentrate on the Blackwell families of New Orleans. We might discover a secret or two in them.”

  Kayla took the stack of five books to a nearby table and began to open the first tattered book with care as Tyler dug into the second one. Each had their own writing pencil and a blank sheet of paper the library provided at each table. After thumbing through the first book, nothing about the Blackwell family leaped out at her, nothing of importance anyway. When she went to the next book on the stack, on the second page, a picture of a Blackwell family stared her in the face. She wrote down W. L. Blackwell and Elizabeth Blackwell, and neither of them had the look of an Irishman. Kayla sighed.

  “What did you find?” Tyler leaned over his book to see what she was writing. “I hope it’s of importance.”

  “I’m not sure, but this W. L. Blackwell might be one Blackwell to keep in mind. I’m just not sure about this right now. Harris looks Irish or Scottish.” When Kayla received a text from her boss, Tabitha, her eyes widened. “We might be onto something here concerning the Blackwell family.”

  “Really!” He looked around and calmed his voice to a whisper. “Really, what might that be?”

  “The table at the antique shop came from a Liz Blackwell in California. This woman didn’t want the table anymore, and all she cared about was getting rid of it. Tabitha is telling me that Liz said it held too many bad memories for her.”

  “What does that mean? Is it cursed or something?” Detective Tyler eyed her.

  “I’m not sure, Tyler. It’s weird though. If it came from New Orleans, it migh
t be.” Kayla watched Tyler shrug as she continued her search of this family, and when nothing else was revealed to her in the book she closed it, nothing more moved her along.

  “I found a Henry Blackwell right here. Did you find anything on that name?” Tyler appeared to be thinking to himself.

  “What are you thinking about, detective?” Kayla looked down at the page, and that was the only name written down in it. “I didn’t find an H name written anywhere in here.” She set the book aside and took up another.

  “My father knew a Henry Blackwell once. I’ll have to ask his old partner about that.” He grinned when he began to text someone.

  Kayla leaned on her elbow and shook her head. “Who are you texting? Is that someone I might know?”

  “No one.” He pushed back from the table and narrowed his eyes at her with a crooked smile racing over his face. “Your father might know this one, Kayla.”

  “You have been in touch with him this whole time, I suppose.” She went back to the old book before her. After finding a few family trees on a Blackwell family, Kayla soon came to realize it might be the same family, or it might not be the same family.

  “Attempting to discover who the Blackwell family was will take some time, Kayla. What are you hoping to accomplish here today?” His question went by the wayside when a call came in. He answered and whispered, “Yeah, I’ll be right there.” When he hung up, he added while standing, “Another case came in. It never ends.”

  “Right, it never ends.” Her eyes glided past his. “I’ll be okay here alone. If I need a ride, you will be the first to know.” She went back to the book. Her mind was concentrating on finding a link between the dead man in the river and his family. She could be grasping at straws, but Kayla wanted to see something, anything to halt the dreams about Harris’s murder.

  “Okay, we should meet for lunch later, if that’s okay.” Tyler watched her nod with her head still crammed into the book. He then hurried to the stairs and raced down them until he was out of sight.