by Sarah Fox
“You’re going to tell me it’s too soon to file an official missing person report, aren’t you?” I guessed. “But this is so unlike him. I’m worried something terrible has happened. I’m retracing his steps between his house and the banquet hall. At least, that’s what I was doing when I saw all this.” I gestured at the emergency vehicles.
“Hold on,” Ray said. “It’s not too soon to file a report. One of my deputies will come by the pancake house to do that as soon as I can spare someone. In the meantime, go back to retracing Tommy’s steps. If you don’t find him, call the hospitals.”
That was a job I dreaded. I desperately hoped it wouldn’t be necessary.
“And if he still hasn’t turned up after all that?” I asked.
Ray removed his hat and ran a hand through his brown hair. “Let me know whether you find him in the next hour or so. If you don’t, we’ll get an official investigation underway.”
Deputy Eva Mendoza appeared on the front porch of the museum, disposable booties covering her footwear. “Sheriff!” she called to get Ray’s attention.
He glanced her way and then returned his attention to me. “I’m sorry, Marley. I’ve got to take care of this. We’re really tied up at the moment. But keep looking. And let me know what happens. If I don’t answer my phone, leave a message. If I don’t hear from you, a deputy will be by to see you soon.”
I nodded, suddenly unable to speak. Whatever was happening here at the museum was clearly taking up the attention of Ray’s department. I was glad that he and his deputies would launch an investigation as soon as they could, but I wished they could start right away. By the time they finished up at the museum, it might be too late.
No, don’t think like that, I scolded myself. Stay positive.
The more time that passed, the more difficult that was to do.
I turned my back on the museum and continued along the street, my feet so heavy they felt as though they were made of lead. I took only a few steps before stopping and putting my phone to my ear.
“Tommy’s missing,” I blurted out as soon as Brett answered the call.
Three seconds of silence followed.
“For real?” Brett asked.
The whole story poured out of me in a rush. By the time I reached the part about seeing the emergency vehicles by the museum, I was almost in tears.
“Where are you now?” Brett asked as soon as I’d finished speaking.
“I’m still at the museum. Out front.”
“I can be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you.” I nearly sagged with relief as I ended the call. I’d feel much more capable of facing whatever lay ahead once I had Brett by my side.
I paced along the sidewalk, unable to stand still while I waited. I stopped when I noticed Deputy Devereaux reappearing from around the far side of the museum. Winnifred Woodcombe had her arm hooked around his. She held her silver-handled cane in her other hand, and she leaned on both it and the deputy for support.
Desperate for a distraction, I tried to focus on what was happening before me. Somebody had died, and that knowledge added to my trepidation. The person who spent the most time at the museum these days was Jane Fassbender, but she wasn’t that much older than me, and she seemed healthy. Maybe someone else had died. But who? There couldn’t be a good answer to that question.
Deputy Devereaux walked Mrs. Woodcombe over to one of the parked cruisers. He opened the door and helped her get settled in the front passenger seat. He leaned down and said a few words to her before crossing the lawn again, leaving the cruiser door open.
I glanced around. No other deputies were nearby.
I slowly approached the cruiser, my nerves so frazzled that I didn’t know if I could handle any more bad news. At the same time, I wanted to talk to Winnifred.
“Mrs. Woodcombe?” I said as I approached the passenger side of the cruiser.
The pallor of her skin and the shock in her blue eyes startled me.
Despite her obvious distress, she offered me a hint of a smile. “We met the other day.”
“That’s right.” I stepped closer. “Marley Collins.” I hesitated before speaking again, not sure if she’d want me asking questions. “Are you all right? What happened? Deputy Devereaux said somebody died.”
Mrs. Woodcombe blinked away tears. She looked years older than she had a few days ago. “Jane contacted me last night. She said she found something interesting and thought I’d want to have a look for myself.”
“The letters?” I guessed.
She seemed surprised that I knew about them. “Yes.”
“I was here when Jane found them,” I explained.
Winnifred nodded, but I wondered if she’d really heard me. Her gaze had gone unfocused.
“I came by this morning to meet her.” Winnifred’s voice trembled, and she stopped speaking, her right hand gripping the handle of the cane that lay across her lap.
I did my best to steel myself for the bad news. “Is it Jane?” I asked. “Is she the one who died?”
Winnifred nodded. She drew in a shaky breath and sat up straighter. I got the sense that she was gathering her strength. “I’m afraid so. I found her inside the museum…lying on the floor.”
My heart ached for both her and Jane. “That’s terrible. I’m so sorry.”
Winnifred shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s even worse.”
“Worse?” I asked, wondering how that could be.
Winnifred closed her eyes for a moment. “Jane is dead, and not from natural causes.”
Chapter Eight
“Are you saying it was murder?” I asked once I’d recovered from the worst of my shock. Another possibility crossed my mind. “Or an accident?” I hoped that was the case.
Winnifred shattered that hope with her next words. “Murder, I’m afraid.” She shook her head as if unable to believe it. “How could this happen?”
I didn’t have an answer to that question.
“I’m sorry you had to see something so terrible,” I said. My next words came out before I could stop them. “Are you sure it was murder?”
“I don’t see how it could be anything else. There was blood on her head.” She closed her eyes briefly. “And there was an antique clothes iron on the floor next to her. There was blood on it too.” She fingered her gold necklace. “Someone must have hit Jane with it. Who would do such a thing?”
“Hopefully, the police will have an answer to that question soon if they don’t already.”
I glanced toward the museum. Ray and his deputies remained indoors or around the back.
“Did you notice anything else?” I asked.
Winnifred released her hold on her necklace. “Such as signs of a robbery?”
“Anything.”
“There wasn’t anything else amiss. Except…there was a ribbon in Jane’s hand, but I don’t see how that could be significant.”
“What kind of ribbon?” I thought I might already know the answer.
“It had red polka dots,” Winnifred said, confirming my suspicion.
“Did you see any letters?” I asked.
“Letters? Do you mean the ones Jane was planning to show me?”
“Yes. They were tied together with a ribbon with red polka dots.”
An extra line appeared across Winnifred’s already creased forehead. “I don’t remember seeing any letters or papers of any sort. Jane was in one of the exhibit rooms, but everything was neat and tidy. Except for the clothes iron. And the blood.”
The hint of color that had returned to her face drained away again.
I rested a hand on her shoulder, knowing I shouldn’t bother her with any more questions. “Is there anyone I can call for you?”
She reached up and patted my hand. “Thank you, dear, but it’s all right. The deputy already
contacted my grandson. He’ll be here to pick me up soon.”
Brett’s work van turned onto the street and drove slowly past the emergency vehicles. My drooping spirits lifted slightly at the sight. He parked across the street from the cruiser.
“That’s my husband,” I said as Winnifred’s gaze drifted toward the van. “Would you like us to stay with you until your grandson gets here?”
“That’s not necessary, but thank you. Perhaps I’ll stop by your pancake house sometime soon.”
“I’d like that.”
I said goodbye and walked toward the back of the cruiser. Brett jogged across the street and met me on the sidewalk. I wrapped my arms around him, and he held me close.
“Jane’s dead,” I said, still having trouble believing it.
“What?” Brett pulled back so he could see my face. “How?”
“She was murdered. Winnifred Woodcombe found her.”
It took a second or two for Brett to digest that information. “Have the police arrested anyone?”
“I don’t think so.” I hugged him again. “This is the worst day in a long time.”
He rubbed my back. “No further news of Tommy?”
I shook my head as I released him. “Ray said he’ll send a deputy to The Flip Side later so I can file an official missing persons’ report.”
“Let’s hope it won’t come to that.” Brett took my hand. “Are you ready to start looking?”
Although I was terrified of what we might—or might not—find, I didn’t want to delay the rest of the search any longer.
“Let’s go,” I said.
I kept a firm grip on Brett’s hand as we set off down the sidewalk. It was easy to see on the residential streets that there wasn’t anyone lying injured on or near the road. Still, we made sure to scan every front yard and check between parked cars.
As we drew closer to the Wildwood River, we reached a stretch of road without any houses. Instead of a sidewalk, there was only a grassy verge between the road and a ditch, which was currently dry. The other side of the road was the same. Beyond the ditch, trees and thick underbrush made it unlikely that Tommy could have wandered far in that direction.
We rounded a gentle bend in the road, and my heart slammed against my chest.
There was something in the ditch up ahead.
“Oh no.” I dropped Brett’s hand and ran forward. “Tommy!”
The crumpled form in the ditch didn’t move. I nearly fell as I scrambled down the bank. I ended up on my knees next to Tommy at the bottom of the ditch. I could barely draw in a breath. Fear had a tight grip around my rib cage.
“Tommy?” I said, scared that I wouldn’t receive any response.
Brett dropped to his knees on Tommy’s other side and checked for a pulse.
Tommy’s eyes flickered open. Relief hit me with the force of a rogue wave, leaving me lightheaded.
At first, Tommy’s gaze was unfocused, but then he met my eyes.
“Marley?”
“You’re going to be okay,” I said through tears. I desperately hoped I was speaking the truth.
“Marley, call 911, okay?” Brett said to me.
I nodded and pulled out my phone.
Brett had first-aid training, so he spoke to Tommy, assessing his injuries, while I made the phone call.
The ambulance that responded must have been the one that was parked at the museum because I heard its approaching siren less than a minute after I placed the call for help. A moment later, the ambulance came into sight.
I stood up and waved to get the driver’s attention. The siren cut off, and the ambulance pulled to the side of the road. Chloe’s boyfriend, Deputy Kyle Rutowski, arrived next in a sheriff’s department cruiser.
While the paramedics were getting out of the ambulance, I knelt beside Tommy again and gently squeezed his hand.
“Help is here, Tommy,” I said.
Since our arrival, he hadn’t moved much other than his eyes and his fingers.
Now he cracked the faintest of smiles. “I knew you’d find me.”
Choking back a sob, I let go of his hand and backed away so Kyle and the paramedics could move in. Brett spoke with them for a moment while I clambered my way out of the ditch to stand on the grassy verge. Brett soon joined me, putting an arm around me.
I held onto him like he was my life preserver in a stormy sea. “How badly is he hurt?”
“I’m pretty sure he’s got a broken leg,” Brett said. “And he says it hurts to breathe. Could be broken ribs. Maybe a collapsed lung.”
I closed my eyes and buried my face in Brett’s chest.
He put a hand to my hair. “He’s going to be all right, Marley.”
I looked up at him. “Really?” I needed to know he wasn’t just saying that to make me feel better.
“I really believe he will.”
I held on tightly to both Brett and that assurance.
We stood there at the side of the road while the paramedics assessed Tommy and loaded him onto a stretcher.
“I’ll come by the hospital soon,” I said as the paramedics wheeled Tommy past us.
It lifted my spirits when he cracked another smile and gave me a thumbs up.
Even so, when the ambulance pulled away, my knees buckled.
Brett tightened his hold on me as I sagged against him. “Whoa. Sit down for a moment, Marley.”
“I’m all right,” I protested, but Brett had already lowered me to the grass.
I sat there, with my forehead resting against my knees, while Brett rubbed my back.
“I’m sorry,” I said before slowly raising my head.
“Don’t be. Just take a minute.”
I did as he suggested, while he filled Kyle in on what we knew about the accident. Kyle assured us that he’d tell Ray that we found Tommy.
As soon as I’d stopped feeling light-headed, I carefully climbed to my feet, Brett helping me with a hand on my arm.
I needed to get to the hospital, but first, I had to break the news to my Flip Side family.
Chapter Nine
Brett dropped me off at the pancake house and headed out to finish off the job he’d been in the middle of when I’d phone him. We planned to cut our workdays short so we could head to the hospital in Port Angeles. I knew I wouldn’t be able to relax until I’d seen Tommy again and received confirmation that he’d be okay.
I entered The Flip Side through the back door, not wanting all the customers to see my red eyes. I’d already texted Keegan to let him know we’d found Tommy, so I bypassed the office and headed for the kitchen. On my way down the hallway, Sienna spotted me and rushed over to meet me.
She grabbed my arm. “Did you find him? Is he okay?”
I stopped just inside the dining area and waved to get Leigh’s attention. “Yes, he’s okay,” I said to Sienna as I gestured for Leigh to join us in the kitchen.
As soon as we were all gathered together, I told them about Tommy. “We found him in a ditch at the side of the road. Brett’s pretty sure he’s got a broken leg and maybe some other injuries, but we think he’s going to be okay.”
Sienna burst into tears. I pulled her into a hug.
“When they were loading him into the ambulance, he gave me a smile and a thumbs-up,” I told her. “He’ll be fine.”
“But what happened?” Leigh asked. She had tears in her eyes.
“He was hit by a car,” I said.
Tommy had told Brett that while I was on the phone.
“And the driver didn’t stop?” Ivan practically bellowed the words.
His grip on the ladle in his hand was so tight that his knuckles had gone white. I was surprised the ladle didn’t snap in two.
“I guess not,” I said, “because Tommy was there all night.”
Leigh put a h
and over her mouth. “Poor Tommy. If it had been colder last night…”
She didn’t need to finish her sentence. If not for the nice spring weather, Tommy could have died from exposure. That frightening thought had already gone through my head many times.
Sienna cried harder in my arms.
“The important thing is that he’s in good hands now,” I said. “I’m going to close early, and Brett and I are going to the hospital.” I gave Sienna a squeeze. “Do you want me to call your mom? You can go home now if you want.”
She shook her head and stepped back, wiping her eyes. “I want to stay.”
“Leigh?” I checked with her as well.
She blinked away the tears in her eyes. “I’m staying too.”
When I glanced Ivan’s way, he glared at me before ladling crêpe batter onto the hot pan.
We were all staying.
While Sienna made a quick trip to the restroom to wash her face, I headed out into the dining room, determined not to give away that I was upset. Hopefully, my eyes weren’t quite as red now. I smiled and greeted some of our regular customers on my way to the door, where I flipped the sign, so the closed side faced out. We still had a decent crowd in the restaurant, enjoying brunch, but I wasn’t going to let any more customers in. When our current diners were done, I’d close up for the day.
Somehow, we all managed to get through the next hour or so. Some of our regular customers realized that something was up after I flipped the sign on the door, so I gave them a brief explanation. Everyone was shocked and worried about Tommy.
After the last diner left the pancake house, I locked the front door and leaned against it. Time had moved so slowly since I’d arrived back at The Flip Side, and the strain of worrying and holding myself together had left me exhausted. I couldn’t give into my fatigue yet, though.
I helped Leigh and Sienna clear and clean the tables. The two of them left shortly afterward, once I’d promised to text them with an update as soon as I’d seen Tommy. I planned to help Ivan in the kitchen, but he wouldn’t hear of it.
“Go to the hospital.” It sounded like an order, but that was just Ivan’s way. “Tell Tommy we’re all thinking of him.”