Darcy Sweet Mystery Box 1

by K. J. Emrick

  “Good morning,” he said to her, scrubbing a hand through his hair and coming over to kiss her lightly on the cheek. “That smelled so good I just had to come see.” He peeked over her shoulder and raised a knowing eyebrow seeing his frying pan there on the stove.

  They ate at the kitchen table, talking about this and that, about the weekend at the cabin, about what they had to do at work today. It was a leisurely meal with plenty of time for both of them to wake up. It was a rare thing for both of them. Soon enough, though, it was time to finish getting ready.

  Jon drove them into town. Usually Darcy walked or in better weather would ride her bicycle. It wasn’t that far into town from their place. Jon needed the car today for work, though.

  They drove by Anna Louis’ old place, and Darcy again thought about who could have possibly moved in there. “How could someone have bought the house so quickly?” she wondered out loud. “We were only gone for a weekend.”

  He drove on in silence for a moment, then reached out and took her hand. “I can see this is bothering you. Do you want me to look into it today? Everything should be public record.”

  Darcy didn’t want to be one of those people. She usually hated gossip. But it bothered her, knowing that someone new was living in Anna’s house. Someone she didn’t know.

  Plus, when she stared at the front door, a cold feeling slithered up her spine. That was never a good thing. She’d learned, over the years, to trust feelings like that. She had been born with a gift, an ability that made her sensitive to the other side. The messages she got were usually unclear, but she knew better than to ignore them.

  “Yes,” she said to Jon. “I’d like to know who’s living there. Thank you, Jon.”

  Chapter 2

  Jon dropped her off on Main Street. He had to go one way to the police station and she had just a short walk down the street to get to the Sweet Read bookstore. They exchanged a quick kiss and a promise to try to meet for lunch so Jon could tell her if he found anything.

  The morning was crisp and clear and the breeze had just a hint of warmth in it. Spring might come early this year.

  She passed by a few of her friends. Linda waved on her way to open the library. Blake Underwood was headed to the post office. He smiled at her on his way, obviously in a hurry. She had to admit, it felt good to be home.

  The bookstore was already open, even though it was before nine in the morning. The sign on the door proudly read “OPEN a good book today.” Sue must already be here.

  Stepping through the door Darcy unzipped her coat and looked around. The stacks of books were nice and neat and in order. Two boxes of books, a new delivery, sat just inside to the right. Seeing them, Darcy had to sigh. When she first took over the bookstore she was taking in new shipments of books every week. Now, it was only a few boxes a month. Misty Hollow was a small town and even with the customers she took in from Oak Hollow and Meadowood and other nearby places, her income was way down. The surge in electronic media hadn’t helped the small bookstores in the least.

  She set that concern aside for another time and hung her jacket on a wall hook over the boxes of new books. “Sue?” she called out. “Where are you?”

  “In the back!” she heard Sue call back to her from the office.

  Sue Fisher was a twenty year old college student and Darcy’s only employee. She came out of the office now with a wide smile. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re back. I don’t mind running the store when you’re away on vacation but there’s so much I don’t know how to do!” She laughed, and Darcy thought it was a little forced.

  Darcy hugged her friend. She could tell right away that something was wrong. They’d worked so closely together for so long that they knew each other that well. She wanted to let Sue come out with it herself, but all she did was sweep back her long blonde hair and walk over to one of the already neat stacks of books and begin rearranging books that were in perfect order. She didn’t even ask how Darcy’s weekend had been.

  “Sue?” Darcy said. “What is it? Are you okay?”

  “Oh sure,” Sue answered. “Everything’s great.” She shuffled the same books she had just reshelved. “No. That’s actually not true. Everything’s not great. It’s terrible.”

  Darcy was worried now. “You know you can tell me anything, right Sue? Is it Zach?”

  Sue had started dating a boy named Zach just before Valentine’s Day. She had been completely head over heels with the guy but her taste in men hadn’t always been the best.

  “No, it’s not him.” Sue put the last book back in its place again and then shrugged. “Well, it’s sort of that. Look, I have some exciting news. I’m just not sure how you’re going to take it.”

  “Sue, you know I only want what’s best for you.”

  “I know that. Well.” She took a deep breath and then everything came out of her in a rush. “Zach and I have been talking. We, uh, want to spend more time together. And there’s this new curriculum at school, an advanced degree in literature. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve been waiting for weeks to get on the waiting list. Now there’s an opening and if I don’t take this chance now I’ll miss out.”

  She stopped, out of words, looking at Darcy, uncertainly biting her lower lip.

  “Sue, that’s wonderful news!” Darcy hugged her friend, honestly happy for her. “Why would you ever think I’d be upset over that?”

  “Because, it means I won’t be able to work at the bookstore. Not for a while, anyway. This is a pretty intense course.”

  Darcy nodded. She hadn’t thought of that. “Well, of course I’ll miss you,” she said. “But like you said this is an incredible opportunity and I don’t want you to miss out. I’ve been lucky to have you fit in your job here inbetween your school courses as it is. I’ve always known that.”

  They hugged again, and Sue told Darcy more about the course work she would have to do, and about her boyfriend Zach. As they worked, Darcy listened to every word but her attention was split between that and the store. Would she have to hire someone new to take Sue’s place? Considering how sales had slumped this winter, she probably could handle it by herself.

  Movement over in the corner of the store caught her eye. Great Aunt Millie stood there, transparent to the rest of the world, a shade of her former self. Millie had never moved on from the bookstore. Darcy had never asked why, respecting her aunt’s privacy. She figured when Millie was ready to leave, she’d let Darcy know.

  Now Millie looked slowly around the store, passing through book shelves even as she ran her finger along the spines of various books. This place had meant a lot to Millie. Her aunt had poured her heart and soul into it, almost literally. Looking at her specter now, Darcy thought it looked like Millie was asking the same question that she was.

  Would they have to close the bookstore?

  For lunch, Darcy took herself out to the La Di Da Deli. A quick phone call to Jon let her know that he wasn’t going to be able to join her so she was on her own. He had been very rushed with her on the phone. “The town has been busy while we were gone, sweet baby,” he said, using her pet nickname for her. “I’ll talk to you later, okay? I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” she said to him, and then he hung up. She grabbed her coat to leave feeling a little disappointed.

  She could have gone over to her friend Helen’s bakery, but the Bean There Bakery and Café was always so busy during the lunch hour. Helen was the mayor in town as well, and had hired some new help for her store. She was suddenly reminded that Helen had met a man, a baker who she’d hired for the store. Darcy could tell there was a lot more to it than that, though, and she promised herself to catch up with Helen soon to see how that was going for her.

  Helen Nelson was one of the people who had been caught up in the mysteries and secrets Misty Hollow had hidden so well for so long. Her husband Steve had been sent to jail for the murder of her friend Anna, and Darcy had been a big part of that. Helen didn’t like to talk about it anymo
re. She’d put that part of her life behind her, and Darcy couldn’t blame her one bit.

  Of course, that brought her thoughts back to the question of who was living in Anna’s house. She sighed as she walked through the town center. She supposed the easiest thing to do would be to just go up to the door of her new neighbor and knock. She’d have to ask Jon if he found anything out yet, of course, but saying hello was something neighbors did.

  Still arguing with herself she went inside the Deli and up to the counter. A young girl who Darcy recognized as one of the town’s young teenagers took her order. Victoria, she thought the girl’s name was. She smiled as she took Darcy’s money and made change, the transparent plastic braces on her teeth barely noticeable.

  She was burning with curiosity about what Jon had found out. It would just have to wait, though. Or maybe she could get Jon a sandwich and use it as an excuse to drop in on him? It was a sneaky thought. Not that she hadn’t ever done it before. He really had seemed busy, though.

  As she stood there pondering that idea she overheard a conversation between two other customers at a nearby table. There were a few round tables in the deli set out for customers to eat inside if they chose, even though most of the town got their food to go. Darcy recognized the two women sitting at this table. Cora Morton and Evelyn Casey were both members of her book club. They hadn’t met recently, what with everyone’s busy schedules, but Darcy knew these two had a handle on all the gossip in Misty Hollow.

  “Have you heard?” Cora was asking. “Someone moved into Anna’s house!”

  “Oh, yes,” Evelyn replied, taking a sip of her tea, “it’s nice to know that someone will be taking care of the place again.

  Both of the women were elderly, with very proper clothing and nearly matching pearl necklaces and gray hair done up in buns. Darcy took a few steps closer, trying to make it look like she was reading the menu board above the deli counter. She almost felt bad about eavesdropping. It had to do with Anna’s house, though, and Cora and Evelyn weren’t exactly being quiet about what they were saying.

  “Well that may be,” Cora said to Evelyn’s remark, “but she doesn’t have to be that rude about it, now does she?”

  “Oh, now how would you know that, you old coot?” Evelyn teased gently.

  “Well, I went to see her, now didn’t I?” Cora humphed. “Brought her a nice basket of muffins, too. She just slammed the door in my face.”

  “She did not!”

  Evelyn sounded horrified, and Darcy had to keep herself from giggling at the way the two women were carrying on about this bit of juicy gossip. She didn’t want to give herself away.

  “Oh yes she did!” Cora insisted. “I heard she did it to some other people in town, too.”

  “How terrible. I hope it was no one I know,” Evelyn said from behind her tea cup, making it perfectly plain that she actually hoped it was someone she knew.

  But Cora shook her head. “No. This woman is from out of town. I’m not sure where. Laura Lannis is her name.”

  “Lannis? Well, that’s certainly not a local name.” Evelyn sounded disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to spread gossip about anyone from town. “Who is her husband?”

  Cora frowned. “Well, that I don’t know. She’s living there by herself, at least for now. Oh, there’s a son. Someone told me his name is Max, I think.”

  “Older boy, is he? I have a niece who needs to settle down.”

  “No. Eight years old. Much too young for your niece,” Cora joked with a smile.

  “Oh, my dear,” Evelyn said with a wave of her hand, “where Kendra is concerned I’m not being choosy!”

  The two women laughed together and the conversation turned to the failed love life of Evelyn’s niece. Darcy wanted to sit down with them and ask more questions about this Laura Lannis who had moved into Anna’s house but she got the feeling Cora and Evelyn didn’t actually know anything else. The girl at the counter had her order ready then, anyway, all sealed up in a paper to-go bag with the Deli’s name on the front.

  “How strange,” Darcy thought to herself as she stepped out onto the sidewalk again. “Why would she be so rude to people just trying to welcome her to town?”

  She knew some people valued their privacy, but if this woman was going to make a home for her son here in Misty Hollow, she would need to meet the people here. Darcy found it very curious that anyone would come to a new town and not want to try to blend in and make new friends.

  She’d just have to wait and hear what Jon had found out.

  Back at the bookstore, Sue met her with an uncertain smile. “Are you sure you’re not mad at me?”

  Darcy had almost forgotten how upset Sue was over her news. “No, Sue, I’m certainly not mad at you. I’m happy for you that you’re going to have this opportunity. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll have one of your books on these shelves.”

  Sue laughed at the thought of that and seemed to feel better, even more so after Darcy gave her a quick hug. “Why don’t you take your lunch break now, okay?” she told Sue. “When you come back you can give me all the details about when you’ll have to leave.”

  Sue nodded, grabbing her coat and promising not to be long as she swept out of the door, making the little bell ring.

  Darcy twisted the delicate antique ring on the finger of her right hand over and over. It was a habit she had whenever she was nervous or worried about something. As happy as she was for Sue, her leaving for more schooling had really brought the situation of her bookstore to the front of her mind. She actually owned the building, but the business license payment to the town was a monthly expense she was just making now.

  “Millie, what am I going to do?” she asked out loud. She knew her great aunt was here. She always was. She just didn’t always answer.

  From the office, Darcy heard a thump. She rolled her eyes. A book had fallen off the high shelf above the desk, by the sound of it. “You can’t just come out and tell me?” she asked with a hint of irritation.

  Marching to the office, she found one of the leather bound history books she had picked up at a rare bookstore fallen onto the desk. She and Jon had gotten those on one of their first trips together. She remembered wanting them for the histories they had of the local towns, including Misty Hollow.

  Sitting at the desk with the book now, she opened it to the section she had marked. “Misty Hollow,” it read, “Established 1853.” There was a rich history to this town, even if the modern day buildings and paved streets didn’t always show it.

  She turned through the pages, skimming through the paragraphs and glancing at the photographs of how life used to be. Horse drawn carriages, men holding double-handled saws to cut down trees, children in school using slate boards and chalk to do their lessons. How different life was, she mused. Things change so quickly, and it’s hard sometimes to keep up with the changes…

  She sat bolt upright in the chair. That was it! That was the answer. It would be a big change for her little bookstore, but it felt like the right thing to do. She shook her head with a smile and looked around her at the empty room. “Thanks again, Millie,” she whispered.

  The bell over the door rang. Sue was back. “Darcy!” she called out. “I got a sandwich to go. I thought we could eat together, if you haven’t finished yours already.”

  Darcy had actually forgotten all about lunch. Excitedly she walked out of the office to meet Sue with a smile. “I have one last job for you to tackle for the store before I can let you go,” she said.

  That night on her walk home, Darcy couldn’t help but be in a good mood. She whistled as she went, watching the sun paint the clouds in different colors as it began sinking towards the horizon.

  Off Main Street she turned, following the path that led her home. Her good mood faltered a little as she passed by Anna Louis’ old house. Now it belonged to Laura Lannis, she supposed. Darcy stopped and stared at the windows with their lights burning brightly behind them. She thought she saw shadows move inside a c
ouple of times.

  What was Laura’s story? Why had she moved to Misty Hollow? Where had she come from, for that matter, and why was she being so unfriendly? There were any number of questions that burned in Darcy’s mind. That was the kind of person she was, after all. It had always gotten her into trouble, but even the trouble she got into ended up making good things happen. Usually.

  A chill went up Darcy’s spine as she stood there looking at the house. She shivered, but she knew it wasn’t from the cold. She knew the difference. There was something wrong with this situation. Her instincts always let her know. Clenching her teeth she decided to go over to meet Laura Lannis tomorrow morning. She felt a responsibility to know what was going on in there, since it had belonged to her friend.

  She was sure Jon wouldn’t approve her decision, but he had become accustomed to her following her instincts, or her gut feelings as he called it. He was still a little nervous about the way she could sense things or talk to people who had passed over. Even though he’d seen her do it any number of times, she knew it still made him a little uncomfortable.

  She huddled into her coat to ward off the cold tendrils that still lingered like icy fingers down her back and started walking toward her own house again. Like it or not, this was something she was determined to do.

  In the fading sunlight, mist rose from the ground along the path, collecting at the foot of the trees she passed, making the coming night seem even colder.

  Chapter 3

  Darcy spooned out balls of cookie dough onto the greased pan. The oven was set and she figured she’d have at least three dozen homemade chocolate chip cookies from this one batch.

  Smudge curled around her legs, meowing up at her. “Sorry, my friend,” Darcy said to him. “Chocolate isn’t good for cats. Be a good boy and I’ll give you a little milk before bed.”