by J A Whiting
“That’s how it looks,” the chief agreed. “But we don’t know for sure if Rachel followed up on the information she gathered.”
“Someone might have caught up with her before she could set a plan in motion,” Courtney speculated.
“That could be.” The chief took a bite of a cookie. “So we add another detail to the case notes. Rachel was reading information about how to disappear. And from that, we frame some questions. Was Rachel interested in the subject for a reason other than wanting to run away herself? Did she have a compelling reason to leave her identity behind? Did the person she feared catch up to her before she could make her escape?”
“More questions and not enough answers,” Angie said.
“The case is becoming stranger each day,” the chief admitted. “Did she stage the attack to throw us off her trail?”
“Was she in trouble over something?” Courtney asked. “Did she have something to run from?”
“We’re looking into all that.”
“She’s still missing, right?” Angie looked at the chief. “Are there any new clues or hints to where she might be?”
“None. Dead ends. We’re talking to people who knew her … people at work, the guy she was dating, the neighbor, friends. So far, nothing. We’re looking to see if there were any disgruntled clients. Has the sister arrived?”
“She has. We spoke with her right before you got here,” Courtney shared. She and Angie took turns relaying what they’d found out.
“That neighbor we talked to claimed he liked Rachel and that all the trouble they’d had was only a misunderstanding,” the chief told them.
“Right.” Courtney’s tone was distrustful.
“The inheritance information is interesting,” Chief Martin said. “We’ll keep that in mind. Good work.”
“What’s the next step?” Angie asked.
“If any of you have the time, I’m speaking again with the neighbor. It wouldn’t hurt if some of you could come along.” He told them the time and both sisters agreed to go.
“I’ll ask Mr. Finch if he’d like to join us,” Angie said.
“Okay, good. I’d better get going. Thanks for the coffee and cookies. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
They walked the chief to the door and as he stepped out, Rufus came in.
He hugged Courtney and then looked over to the staircase.
“There’s that odd light again.” Rufus glanced all around the foyer and into the living room and dining room trying to determine the source of the light. “What is that?”
Angie and Courtney shared a look, and after taking a deep breath, Courtney said to her boyfriend, “I’ve been meaning to tell you something. Want to go for a walk?”
Alarm washed over Rufus’s face. “You’re not dumping me, are you?”
With a smile, Courtney took his hand. “Never. But after you hear this, I wouldn’t be surprised if you dump me.”
As they left the house, Angie mouthed to her sister, Good luck.
8
It was well after dinner and everyone was nervously waiting for Courtney to return from her walk with Rufus.
“They’ve been gone for hours.” Jenna sat at the counter next to Libby in her highchair. “Is that a good sign or a bad one?”
“Well, there’s a lot to talk about,” Josh said. “So it might be a good thing.”
Euclid trilled from on top of the refrigerator. Violet and Circe sat on chairs at the kitchen table across from Mr. Finch
Finch turned the page of the newspaper he was reading. “Rufus is an intelligent man. I believe he’ll be open to new ideas and possibilities.”
Angie stood at the kitchen island mixing ingredients in a bowl. She decided to bake to blow off her nervous energy. In her highchair, Gigi played with her small dog and cat figurines.
Ellie was making homemade pretzels and mac and cheese cups for the B and B guests. “I think Rufus is the type of person who would be open and accepting to the idea of special skills.”
“You mean, like you do?” Jenna kidded her sister and everyone chuckled since Ellie herself wasn’t particularly open to the idea of paranormal phenomena.
Ellie ignored the comment.
“Should I text her?” Tom asked.
Everyone in the kitchen replied in unison, “No.”
“Don’t interrupt them,” Jenna said. “The conversation could be at a critical point and the text might stop the discussion.”
“But Courtney always keeps her phone on silent,” Tom protested. “What if Rufus stormed away and she’s sitting somewhere alone and upset?”
Angie smiled at Tom’s concern. “She knows where we are. If she needs time alone, then we shouldn’t bother her.”
“Anyway, they’ve only been gone for about five hours,” Josh joked and the group laughed again.
“We need to keep talking,” Angie suggested. “The silly comments are breaking the tension we’re all feeling.”
“I wish they’d get back so we could stop worrying.” After Ellie formed the dough into pretzel shapes and placed them into the gently boiling water, she slipped the mac and cheese muffin tins into the oven.
As if on cue, the backdoor opened and Courtney walked into the kitchen … with Rufus right behind her. All eyes shot to their faces.
“It’s okay,” Rufus grinned. “I still love all of you.”
Whoops of joy went up and everyone broke into applause before rushing over to the Englishman to hug him and shake his hand.
“Sorry you were the last to know,” Angie told him.
“Well, to be accurate,” Finch said, “our Rufus is the second to last to know. I haven’t told Miss Betty yet.”
“Oh, right.” Jenna put her arm on Finch’s shoulder. “You might want to do that one of these days.”
“I’m afraid I must.” Finch leaned on his cane. “But I will think of many excuses to avoid the topic before I do.”
“It wasn’t so bad, Mr. Finch.” Rufus smiled at the man. “It was sort of like listening to Courtney tell the plot of some movie.” He turned to Ellie. “Hey, Ellie, how about a demonstration of telekinesis?”
“How about not,” she replied.
Rufus spotted Violet’s light sparkling in the kitchen chair. “There’s the dog.” He walked closer and patted Circe, then looked at the glittering light. “Hello, little dog. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Her tail is wagging,” Jenna told him. “If you try to touch the light, you can pat her. You won’t feel her, but she’ll feel you.”
Rufus gingerly extended his hand and attempted to pat the ghost.
“She likes it,” Jenna said.
Rufus chuckled with delight when the dog’s particles glowed brighter. “This is amazing. You’re all amazing. Except for Josh and Tom, that is.”
“We can see the dog, too.” Tom defended himself and his brother-in-law.
“I’m hoping the longer I hang out with Angie, the more chance I’ll have to develop skills of my own,” Josh said.
“That would be brilliant.” Rufus looked at Courtney. “Maybe I’ll develop skills. Can you teach me?”
“I’m trying to improve my own skills. Mr. Finch might be able to help you though,” Courtney suggested. “He’s been working with me on my abilities.”
Rufus turned toward Finch. “Mr. Finch? Is there a possibility I could learn?”
Finch smiled. “I believe every person has the capability to expand and build on their senses. We can certainly try.”
“If you’re going to teach Rufus, then Josh and I want to be included,” Tom said. “Right, Josh?”
Josh agreed. “And don’t forget Jack. He’ll want to be involved, too.”
“We’ll have a group class,” Finch nodded.
Courtney leaned closer to her sisters and whispered, “This ought to be good.”
“It would be cool to be a warlock.” Rufus had a wide smile on his face.
“We’re not witches,” Angie protested.
�
�Yes, you are.” Rufus was serious.
“It depends on the day,” Tom kidded.
Courtney headed for the freezer. “This calls for ice cream. Who’s with me?”
Euclid and Circe trilled while Courtney filled the bowls, and Jenna took out sprinkles, chopped nuts, and mini chocolate chips for toppings.
Angie got cream from the refrigerator and beat it into peaks of whipped cream.
The men made coffee and brought out mugs, spoons, and napkins and set the kitchen table.
“I love this family.” Rufus beamed.
The next afternoon, Courtney, Angie, Mr. Finch, and Violet met Chief Martin at Rachel’s house. Angie didn’t want to go back inside, but she steeled herself and took a deep breath when the chief opened the door for them.
“Officers check the house a few times a day to see if Rachel made her way back home,” Chief Martin told them. “So far, nothing.”
When they were there last, the house had been filled with crime scene investigators and all the lights were on. In contrast to that night, the atmosphere inside was now calm and quiet, but it was an eerie quiet because they all knew what had gone on. Either someone attacked Rachel and took her away, or Rachel staged the fight and slipped away by herself.
“It feels so different here,” Courtney said. She looked around the kitchen, getting a better feel for the space. Blood was still on the wall, but it wasn’t as shocking as it was before. Instead of horror and revulsion, the strongest emotion they all felt was a deep, deep sadness.
“What happened?” Courtney asked no one in particular. “Was Rachel attacked and killed? Or did she escape from the person she feared would harm her?”
When Angie noticed Violet curled up on the dog bed that Rachel still kept in the corner, her heart sank into her stomach.
Mr. Finch walked around the rooms running his hand along the counters, the wall, the furniture. The others moved through the rooms trying to pick up on the energy that had been left behind the day Rachel disappeared.
When they congregated back in the kitchen, Angie shook her head. “I don’t feel just one person in the house. I don’t feel someone planning an escape. I sense raw fear. If I had to decide, I’d say Rachel was attacked.”
“I feel the same things,” Finch said. “More than one person was here. I feel their energy floating on the air, the energy they left behind that day. Fear, anger, pain.”
“I agree with both of you,” Courtney said. “I pick up on terrible fear, but I also feel seething rage. Two people were in this kitchen that day. Rachel wasn’t alone in this room.”
Chief Martin looked at them. “Okay, then. Rachel may have been thinking about taking off, but she either changed her mind or she didn’t get away fast enough. Someone attacked her and probably took her away.”
Everyone nodded.
“Here’s the important detail … she knew someone wanted to harm her. She knew she was in danger. That’s the angle we have to investigate.”
Angie thought of something. “Did Rachel clean out her bank accounts?”
“She’d recently made large withdrawals, but there was still plenty of money in the accounts.”
“Were the large withdrawals unusual for her or did she do that on a regular basis?” Courtney questioned.
“It was unusual activity,” the chief said.
“Then she must have been making preparations to leave.” Finch placed both hands on the top of his cane.
Chief Martin looked at his watch. “We don’t have to meet the neighbor for thirty minutes. Anything else you’d like to look at?”
Angie watched as Violet stood up suddenly and trotted into the living room. She followed and saw Violet standing next to the sliding glass patio doors.
“What is it?” She walked over to see what caught the dog’s attention, and when she spotted it, her breath caught in her throat. “Chief Martin,” she called.
The chief, Courtney, and Finch entered the room.
“What is it, Angie?” The chief went to stand next to the young woman.
“Over there. There’s a man in the bushes over by the garage.”
The chief instinctively placed his hand near his weapon. “I’ll go see what’s going on. Stay here.”
In a moment, the Roseland sisters and Finch saw the chief approach the man. Courtney slid the door open a little so they could hear what was being said.
“Mr. Mills?” the chief asked, his voice stern.
“Oh, Chief Martin.” The man who emerged from the bushes was about fifty years old, had graying hair and a strong, stocky build. He was wearing jeans and a flannel shirt.
“What are you doing?” the chief asked.
“Just making sure everything’s okay with Rachel’s place. I cut through the bushes from my yard.” Mills gestured to the tree line. “I didn’t know you were stopping here before you came to my house.”
“You shouldn’t be doing this,” the chief informed the man. “The house is a crime scene. You don’t have permission to be on the property.”
“Well, I was just trying to be helpful.”
“If you’re free, we’ll come over and talk to you now. That sound all right?”
“Sure, sure. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Mills plodded back through the bushes to return to his yard.
Angie made eye contact with the ghost dog and Violet whined.
Courtney rolled her eyes. “Pretty weird.”
“Indeed,” Finch agreed.
9
Bob Mills owned a four-acre parcel of land with a two-story house of eight rooms. A covered porch on one side of the house faced a four-car garage and a couple of other out buildings where he stored yard equipment and other tools.
Chief Martin introduced the two Roseland sisters and Mr. Finch as consultants who advised the police department.
Mills nodded his head. “Consultants, huh? You need three of them?”
The chief said, “There are two others, but they couldn’t join us today.”
“Must cost you a pretty penny. But I guess it’s taxpayers’ money anyway, so what the heck.”
Angie could tell her sister was bristling at the man’s words.
Courtney said, “The chief tells us you were on Rachel’s property just now. Do you do that often? Go over to her place and walk around?”
“I go over to make sure everything’s okay. The house is empty and its set back from the road. It’s an easy target for thieves and vandals. I thought I should help out.”
“That’s nice of you, Mr. Mills,” Finch told the man. “But I believe that the police are monitoring Miss Princeton’s home.”
“Yeah, the chief told me.” Mills shrugged. “Just being a good neighbor. Why don’t we sit on the porch? It’s a nice day.”
Angie watched Violet head off toward the man’s garages and out buildings.
“The chief tells us that you and Rachel had a dispute about the property line,” Angie started the conversation.
“Yeah.” Mills shook his head. “It makes me look like a bully, but I thought that section of land was on my side of the line. I was wrong. What can I say? Everyone makes mistakes.”
“You had other issues with Rachel?”
“Like what? What do you mean?”
“Something about her dog?” Angie asked.
“Oh, that. I don’t want other people’s animals coming over to my property. Her dog wandered over a lot at first. I asked her to keep the dog on her own land. No big deal. I have a right to do that. It doesn’t make me a monster.”
“No, it doesn’t. We’re only trying to understand the nature of the relationship.”
“We didn’t have no relationship. We were neighbors.”
“Were? Don’t you mean are?” Courtney asked. “Rachel is missing. She hasn’t been found yet.”
“Well, she’s been missing for a few days now,” Mills said. “I watch TV. I know the longer someone is missing, the less chance they’re alive. She’s been gone about three or four days
now, hasn’t she? That’s not good. I don’t think she’s still alive. The odds are against it.”
“Mr. Mills,” Finch said, “did you hear anything on the day Rachel went missing?”
“Like what?”
“Shouting, yelling, things breaking, things falling over, angry voices. Anything like that? Anything out of the ordinary? Something you hadn’t heard before coming from Rachel’s house.”
“I don’t think so. I don’t remember anything like that.”
“What were you doing that day?” Angie asked.
“Same as I do every day. Work around the yard. Work on broken tools. Fix things. Work in the garden. Paint.”
“What do you do for work?”
“I was a painter. I only work part-time now. I saved up. I paid off my place. I got no debt. I only take jobs when I want to.”
Angie looked for Violet and saw her glittering in the sun over by a tool shed.
“Did you see anyone lurking around on the day Rachel went missing?” Finch asked. “Maybe someone in a truck you didn’t recognize?”
“I don’t know. Nothing sticks out in my mind.”
“Can you see Rachel’s house from your side?” Angie questioned.
“There are a lot of trees and bushes between us,” Mills pointed out.
“Is there somewhere on your side where you can look into Rachel’s yard?” Angie asked again. “Where do you walk through to get to her yard?”
“Right over there.” Mills gestured. “By the big Maple. The bushes are a little thinner there. That’s how I walk over to her place.”
“Can we see?”
Mills shrugged. “Sure.” He led the way.
Courtney said, “Oh, I see. You have a decent view of Rachel’s garage from here.”
Mills didn’t say anything.
“Did you see anyone parked near the garage that day?” Finch brought up the question a second time.
“No. I didn’t. I must have been working in the garden. It’s on the other side of the house.”
They started to walk back to the porch when Angie noticed Violet staring at her. She walked toward the out building.