by Jane Hinchey
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Galloway’s smile was disarming, and the effect wasn’t lost on Elspeth, who fanned her face. “The pleasure is all mine,” she winked. Winked! I shouldn’t be surprised; Galloway hadn’t earned himself the nickname Captain Cowboy Hot Pants for nothing.
“Don’t mind her,” Blanche rolled her eyes, “she always did have a weakness for a pretty boy.”
This time it was Galloway's turn to blush. I wasn’t sure if it was from the pretty part or the boy part.
“You know us spinsters, hot for anything that breathes!” Elspeth had to be hamming it up, surely? “All the women of Willow Lake have been wary of us, thinking we’re going to steal their husbands. As if we’d want any of those lazy good-for-nothings.” She sniffed, then narrowed her eyes, looking Galloway up and down. “You, on the other hand.”
Blanche nudged her with her elbow. “Cut it out, Elspeth, you’re making Audrey uncomfortable.”
“Not at all. He is rather gorgeous, isn’t he?” I grinned, enjoying being on the other side of teasing for a change. I scanned the tables, searching for members of my family, my mind drifting from the two spinsters currently flirting with Galloway to the fact we were here searching for a murderer. And that my family was in on the investigation, running rampant somewhere in Willow Lake.
“Are the Vaughn’s still the only family living on the far side of the lake?” I asked. Blanche and Elspeth looked at me in surprise.
“Why’s that?” Blanche asked, clearly wondering what that had to do with how gorgeous Galloway is.
“Just that we found some kids tracks out that way this morning, and figured it was a long way to go for one of the town kids. Just wondering if anyone else has moved out there.” I explained.
Blanche and Elspeth exchanged a look. “Well. No one has moved out there, no. But we sort of have a new child in town,” Blanche said.
Elspeth jumped in before I could ask who. “Charlie Vaughn got custody of his son. They both live here now.”
What? Charlie Vaughn had a son? How had I not known that? “Charlie has a son?” I blurted. “Like a baby, a toddler?”
Elspeth frowned at me. “No! Gosh, Liam must be around ten years old by now.”
“Ten? But… Charlie must’ve only been twenty years old when he was born.” Practically a baby himself, definitely not ready for parenthood, not the Charlie I remembered anyhow.
Blanche nodded. “That’s right.”
“But how come I never knew this?” I cried. I’d been coming to Willow Lake every year since I was a child myself, and not one person had mentioned Charlie Vaughn becoming a father.
“Well, child, your family stopped visiting so frequently as soon as you children were adults. And Liam’s mom wasn’t from these parts. Charlie and Sophie had what you would call a passionate relationship.”
“If by passionate you mean non-stop fighting.” Elspeth cut in.
“I think Liam was the result of the making up part.” Blanche winked at her friend.
“You said Charlie had custody now?” Galloway asked.
Blanche and Elspeth sobered, faces solemn. “Liam’s mom died. Breast cancer. Before then, Charlie used to visit them in the holidays and such, so he could spend time with his son. Which is why you probably never saw him, Audrey. Whenever you were here, he wasn’t.”
“So it’s entirely possible Liam could have been out at his grandparent's place recently?” I asked. Which would explain the footprints we’d found in the snow. Liam probably borrowed his Grandpa’s boots to go exploring in the woods.
“Possible? I guess,” Blanche frowned. “Why’s that? Is there a problem?”
Elspeth nudged her friend. “I bet it has something to do with poor Henry! It does, doesn’t it?”
“Well—” I began, only to have Elspeth talk over me. “We heard you were a private investigator now Audrey, with your own firm, no less. How wonderful. Your folks must be ever so proud! If anyone can get to the bottom of Henry’s death, it’s you.”
A shutter came down over Blanche’s face, and she grabbed her friend by the elbow. “Come on now, Elspeth, let’s leave these nice folks to get on with their day. We have errands to run before tonight’s concert.” They brushed past us, snatched their coats from the rack, and were bundling into them as they bustled out the door.
“That was odd,” I muttered. “I wonder where they had to go in such a rush.”
Galloway shrugged. “Never mind that, we now know that the Vaughn’s have a ten-year-old grandson, and chances are those footprints we found belong to him. We have to talk to him.”
“To find out if he saw anything out at the lake.”
“Exactly.”
The only problem was, I had no idea Charlie Vaughn even had a son, let alone that he now had custody of him, and they both lived in Willow Lake. Last I’d heard, Charlie had moved to Colorado after high school. Seems a whole lot had happened in Charlie’s life that I had no idea about.
The waitress had finished clearing the booth that Blanche and Elspeth had occupied, and we slid into their recently vacated seats. “I’ll grab you folks a menu and be right back,” she smiled. Her name badge read, Louise, and I didn’t miss how her attention was focused solely on Galloway. He had that effect on people… especially women.
True to her word, she was back in less than thirty seconds, menu in hand. I was perusing the offerings when I felt an icy chill. I glanced to my left with a groan, and sure enough, Ben had settled himself next to me. Henry was hovering at the end of the table, unsure what to do.
“Galloway,” I hissed, “scoot over.”
“Scoot over? Why?”
I cocked my head toward Ben, but of course, Galloway couldn’t see our ghostly companions. “We have company,” I whispered. “Scoot over.”
“Ohhh. Right.” He obediently slid over, and Henry smiled in gratitude, taking a seat next to him.
“How’re things going,” Ben asked. “Find anything useful?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Some footprints, but we think they might belong to Charlie Vaughn’s son. We need to find him to see if he was out visiting with Greta and Bobby in the last few days and if he saw anything.”
“I doubt Liam was out at his Grandparents,” Henry piped up. “Charlie isn’t on such good terms with his folks.”
“Yet he moved back to Willow Lake? I assumed that was to be closer to his parents, so they could help with Liam?”
“Nope. He got a job offer. He’s now manager of the mill. Salary package includes a car and a house. Too good an opportunity to pass up, especially with Sophie passing, God rest her soul.”
“I didn’t know Charlie had a wife, let alone a kid,” I admitted.
“Oh, they weren’t married. Theirs was a volatile relationship. One of those on again off again type affairs, but as much as Charlie loved her, he never managed to get her down the aisle.”
A head popped up from the booth next door, and I met a set of curious brown eyes and a mop of curly brown hair.
“Hi,” I smiled at the child who continued to stare the way kids do.
“Who are you talking to?” the little girl asked.
“My friend here.” I pointed at Galloway, belatedly realizing that I’d been chatting with Henry and Ben not only in public but without using my phone as a prop. But at least I had Galloway with me. It wasn’t like I was sitting here talking to myself.
“Hey,” Galloway twisted in his seat to look up at the cherub face hanging over the top of the booth.
“Claudia, for goodness sake, sit down! How many times do I have to tell you seats are not for standing on, not to mention it’s rude?” Claudia’s mom appeared with an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry,” she mouthed.
“That’s okay. Kids are curious.”
Claudia disappeared from view, but her mom remained. “I couldn’t help but overhear you were talking about Charlie and Liam,” Claudia’s mom said. I exchanged a look with Galloway before replying.
“I was just saying that I didn’t know Charlie had a child, let alone a ten-year-old son. Last I heard, Charlie was living somewhere in Colorado.”
The woman nodded, then leaned further over the booth and lowered her voice. “There was quite the kerfuffle when he returned with Liam. He made a big fuss up at the school.”
“Oh?”
“Insisted that Liam only had female teachers. He insinuated that he was abused by a male teacher when he was Liam’s age.”
“What?” Henry stiffened in his seat.
“Did he say who?” I asked.
“Poor old Henry Peterson.” The woman looked from me to Galloway and back again. “No one believes him, of course, but the Vaughn’s never had a good relationship with Henry, Bobby was always accusing him of intentionally holding Charlie back and giving him unfair grades. I wouldn’t be surprised if the two of them cooked up the entire story.”
“Was it ever investigated?” Galloway asked.
She shook her head. “He wouldn’t officially tell the school who the perpetrator was, but he flapped his gums pretty freely all-around town.” She sniffed, then glanced down. “Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted you to know since it sounded like you wanted to go talk with Charlie. That yes, he may be an adult, but the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree with that one.”
“Thank you.” I watched as she disappeared from view to resume her meal in her own booth.
“That is not true!” Henry wrung his hands, agitated. “I would never do anything inappropriate with a child. I love children. And not in a bad way, but a wholesome way. Teaching was my life, and there was nothing I enjoyed more than molding young minds, of watching them grow and learn and forge their own path in life.”
I reached out and laid my hand over his, ignoring the icy chill and the fact that my hand passed right through his.
“I know,” I whispered, mindful that other ears were listening.
“It’s okay,” Ben said, joining me in consoling the distraught ghost, “obviously the folks of Willow Lake didn’t believe any of the drivel coming out of Charlie’s mouth. But I’m curious… this is the first you’ve heard of it?”
Henry nodded, eyes glassy. “I hadn’t heard a single rumor.” Seems the community of Willow Lake had done a stellar job of keeping such toxic rumors from reaching Henry’s ears, and for that, I was grateful.
7
“We really need to speak with Charlie.” I played with the salt shaker on the table, turning it around and around. I didn’t believe that Henry had molested Charlie as a child, nor it seems, did the locals; otherwise, there is no way they’d allow him to play Santa every year. If there was any comfort to be found, it was that Henry’s name wouldn’t be besmirched in such a way. Unless Charlie believed his own lies and had shot Henry out of some sort of warped sense of revenge when no-one believed him.
“Are you okay to do that on your own?”
I stared at Galloway in surprise. “Why? You got somewhere else you need to be?”
He nodded. “I want to drop in to visit the Sheriff. Getting that CCTV footage is paramount to the case.”
“But we’ve tipped the Vaughn’s off. Surely if it was Charlie, they’d just delete the footage.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But we both know they’ll be more cooperative without you around.” His grin softened his words.
“Ouch!” Ben snorted. “What did you do, Fitz?”
“I egged their house when I was a kid,” I whispered out the corner of my mouth. “It’s not my fault Bobby Vaughn has a memory like an elephant. I’d forgotten the entire incident until he reminded me.”
“Audrey Fitzgerald,” Henry admonished, “that wasn’t very nice of you.”
“I know. And believe me, I was punished for it. But it was twenty years ago, and I hardly think it has any bearing on what’s happening here today.” Catching sight of the waitress approaching, I leaned back against the booth with a sigh. So much for a relaxing Christmas. To think all I’d been worried about was how Galloway would handle his first Christmas with my family. Not what my family would think, I know they’ve all got us married off already. But that much pressure under one roof could send a man crazy.
At least my Christmas shopping was done, wrapped, and stacked beneath the tree. Laura, Dustin, and I always exchanged gag gifts, and this year was no exception. For Laura, I’d purchased fake piercings. She’d always wanted a nose piercing but had never been brave enough—now she can have the piercing without the pain or permanency. And for Dustin, I’d ordered custom face socks. And no, that’s not socks that you put on your face, rather a pair of socks plastered with a photo of my face. For Laura’s husband, Brad, I’d bought bacon bandages, and for Dustin’s wife, Amanda, baguette slippers.
Rather than gag gifts for Mom and Dad this year, we’d pooled together and bought them a weekend away in Las Vegas. Mom had been hinting there was a show on the strip she’d been dying to see, but Dad being Dad, he was oblivious to her hints. Problem solved. One trip, all expenses paid, coming right up.
“You folks ready to order?” Louise asked, notebook, and pen in hand.
“Coffee.” I promptly replied. “And a Christmas Cookie.”
“Santa or a Christmas tree?”
“Hmmm.” I tapped my lip. “Let’s go with the Christmas tree.”
“And how did you want your coffee?”
“Black.”
She turned to Galloway. “And for you, sir?”
“Hot chocolate, extra marshmallows, extra chocolate, and I’ll have two cookies, Santa and the tree.”
“Wow,” Ben looked at Galloway with admiration, “look who doesn’t give a damn about calories. Or diabetes.”
I giggled, causing the waitress to shoot me an odd look before tucking her pad into the pocket of her apron and hurrying away, gathering up dirty dishes from next door’s booth before heading toward the kitchen.
After our drinks and cookies were demolished, we headed out. We’d agreed that Galloway would drop me back at the lake house before heading back out to the Vaughn’s. That’d give me time to do some research online into Charlie Vaughn and find his address, then I planned to commandeer whoever came home first’s car. I’d just zipped up my jacket and was shoving my hands into my gloves when the bell above the door jangled, and Sheriff Dwight Caldwell’s big frame blocked the entrance.
“Sheriff,” Galloway greeted him. “How goes the investigation?”
Dwight took off his hat and dusted it against his leg, a sheepish expression flitting across his face. “I know it’s the holidays, and you’re here on vacation,” he began, “but how’d you feel about lending a hand on this?”
“We’re already on it.” Shoving my hands in my pockets, I rocked back on my heels, only I rocked back a little too far and nearly lost my balance. Hurriedly righting myself, I caught the tail end of Dwight’s frown.
“Not you. You’re a civilian. But the Detective is law enforcement.”
Galloway turned to face me, blocking Dwight from view.
“Remember what we talked about?” He mouthed.
“What?” I mouthed back.
He rolled his eyes. “The Vaughn’s dislike of you?”
“Oh, yeah. That.”
Then he raised his voice, loud enough for the Sheriff to hear. “You don’t mind if I leave you to your own devices for a couple of hours, do you, babe?”
“Nope. You go. Have fun. Catching bad guys. But give me the keys to your truck first.”
He froze, cocked his head, and slowly retrieved the keys from his pocket. I went to take them, but he snatched them away.
“Please don’t crash my truck,” he pleaded.
“Honestly, one little accident, and now everyone thinks I’m a menace on the road,” I grumbled, jumping up and snatching the keys.
“It was hardly a little accident. You rolled Ben’s car. Wrote it off.”
I sniffed and rolled my shoulders. “Yes, well. That’s what insurance is for.”
Oh, low blow. Also, aww, how sweet. Reaching up on tiptoe, I kissed his cheek and whispered, “I promise to be careful.”
Dwight cleared his throat, and Galloway grinned before pulling me in and planting a hard kiss on my mouth. In front of everyone in the bakery. I heard their collective gasps and the women’s sighs. Public displays of affection were not a common sight in Willow Lake.
With one final kiss on my forehead, Galloway released me and turned back to Dwight. “After you, Sheriff.”
We left the bakery together, Galloway and Dwight heading towards the Sheriff’s cruiser, while I went in the opposite direction to where Galloway’s truck was parked at the curb, Henry and Ben in tow. Climbing up into the cab, I sat behind the wheel, adjusted the seat and mirrors, and grinned as I started the engine.
“Right,” I said. “Henry? You know where Charlie and Liam live, right?” For I’d briefly forgotten that I didn’t need to go and look up anything, I had my own ghostly database sitting right here in the cab of the truck with me.
“Sure do. Maple Street.”
My phone dinged. Glancing at the screen, I saw it was a text from Galloway.
Be careful with Charlie. If he’s the killer, he could react violently if cornered.
Shaking my head, I typed back, he won’t do anything in front of his kid. It will be fine. I’ll be careful. I felt like the word careful was my motto in life. I was either being told to be careful, or I was promising someone else I’d be careful.
Don’t text and drive. He shot back.
Okay, Mom!
Throwing my phone into the cup holder, I pulled away, heading toward Maple Street. With Galloway no doubt filling the Sheriff in on the Vaughn’s CCTV, and me going to speak with Charlie, I was confident we’d wrap this case up in time for the concert tonight. Charlie Vaughn hadn’t done himself any favors by badmouthing Henry around town. Whether he had the skill to shoot Henry across a frozen lake was another matter entirely. One I intended to get to the bottom of.