Ghostly Holiday (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 11)

by Lily Harper Hart

  Mel shot Jared a dumbfounded look that was somewhere between sympathy and frustration. “Seriously? Of course he was trying to get her on his side. He doesn’t have a lot of moves to make. If Harper were to change her testimony ... well ... that’s pretty much his only option.”

  “She’s not going to do that.”

  “Of course she’s not going to do that. He has to try, though, doesn’t he?” Mel pulled into Luke’s driveway and killed the engine to his cruiser. “Look, I get why you were upset. Whether you want to admit it, Quinn had a huge impact on your life.”

  “I wouldn’t say huge.”

  “I would. When you came to town, Harper was starting to come around again,” Mel said. “She spent a long time focusing on work and Zander — they were essentially each other’s worlds — but that changed when you arrived.

  “You two have been good for each other,” he continued. “Heck, you’ve been good for Zander, too. I worried he was going to melt down when Harper finally decided to take back her life.”

  Jared was incredulous. “Where have you been? Zander does nothing but melt down when he doesn’t get his way. He’s still whining about us moving across the street.”

  “See, but that’s only one of the reasons you’ve been good for him,” Mel said. “Harper and Zander can’t live together forever. They’re not Bert and Ernie ... or the Golden Girls. Not only did you find a solution that worked for you and Harper, but you found a solution that worked for Zander.

  “Of course he’s going to stomp his feet and kick up a fuss,” he continued. “That’s what he does because ... well ... he’s a whiner. He’ll be fine after the fact, though, and by keeping him close to Harper, you’re proving that you understand what’s best for both of them.”

  Jared’s sigh was long and dramatic. “And what does that have to do with Quinn calling Harper to visit him?”

  “Oh, right.” Mel returned to the here and now with a sloppy grin. “Quinn knows that he’s in real trouble and his options are so limited that his only shot is trying to lure Harper to his side.”

  “That’s not going to work.”

  “No, but he has to try something. Otherwise he’s going away for the rest of his life.”

  Jared muttered something unintelligible under his breath. Mel recognized it as a string of curses, which caused him to smile.

  “Fine.” Jared finally threw up his hands in defeat. “I’m obsessing about nothing. Can we get back to questioning the world’s worst father? I can’t tell you how happy I am to be spending time with him again.”

  IT TOOK FIVE KNOCKS for Luke to answer the door, and when he did, it was obvious to both detectives that he’d only heard the noise because they’d been so insistent. His eyes were red-rimmed, dark shadows haunting them, and his face was unusually pale.

  “What do you want?” he asked, his temper on full display. “I answered all your questions yesterday. Unless ... did you find her? Where did you find her?”

  Mel and Jared exchanged a quick look.

  “We haven’t found her,” Mel said finally. “We need to ask you a few more questions, though. Something interesting has turned up.”

  Luke frowned but opened the door to allow them entrance. Once in the kitchen, Jared couldn’t believe his eyes. There had to be at least eighteen beer bottles strewn throughout the room. It was obvious Luke tied one on the previous night. The question was, why.

  “What insightful questions do you want to ask me now?” Luke asked, heading straight for the coffee pot. “Let me guess, you want to search my mother’s house in case I’ve stashed Zoe there. Well, I can guarantee my mother doesn’t have her either. She’s in Florida already for the winter, and before you ask, she left a month ago. She doesn’t have Zoe.”

  “We already checked on your mother’s whereabouts,” Mel offered, ignoring the way Luke rolled his eyes. “We’re reasonably assured she didn’t return to the area to take Zoe.”

  “Oh, well, if you’re reasonably assured ... .”

  “We’re more interested in Jessica,” Mel admitted, watching Luke’s face closely for a reaction. “As far as we can tell, no one has seen her since yesterday afternoon. Her neighbor says she left with a bag and hasn’t returned and her mother says she hasn’t talked to her in days because Jessica was upset over your breakup ... and Felicia basically thought it was funny.”

  Luke rubbed his chin as he absorbed the information. “I don’t know what you want me to say,” he said finally. “If you’re asking if I think Jessica is capable of taking Zoe, I don’t. That’s not how she operates. No matter how mad she was, she wouldn’t take Zoe.”

  “Her mother said she never wanted children.”

  “That’s true.” Luke bobbed his head. “She thought we’d bonded over that. She assumed that I didn’t want children, so she laid it on thick with the kid hate when we were hanging out.”

  “You know why she assumed you didn’t want children, right?”

  Luke balked. “What happened with Ally wasn’t my fault. She trapped me.”

  “You probably don’t want to go there right now,” Mel warned. “People are up in arms about Zoe’s disappearance. If you start your nonsense about attacking Ally again, the pitchforks might actually come out.”

  “Whatever.” Luke screwed up his face into a harsh glare. “She knew I wasn’t ready and yet she got pregnant anyway. If that’s not a trap, I don’t know what is.”

  “We’ll have to leave that discussion for another day,” Mel said. “Right now, we’re focusing on Jessica. She hasn’t been to work, although they call her when they need her and only one call has gone unanswered so that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. We need to know if there’s any place you can think of that Jessica would go to hide.”

  “No.” Luke was earnest. “Listen, I honestly don’t think she would do anything to hurt Zoe. What would be the point?”

  “Maybe she wants to erase your mistake,” Jared suggested, his eyes never leaving Luke’s face. “Maybe she thinks getting rid of Zoe will win you back.”

  “No.” Luke vehemently shook his head. “She wouldn’t do that. Even if she was angry with me — which she probably is, I won’t deny that — she wouldn’t hurt Zoe. That’s not who she is.”

  Jared held his gaze for a long beat and then nodded. “Okay. We still need to find her, rule her out. Where would she hang out?”

  “If she’s not home, I honestly don’t know.”

  “Then think about it. This is important.”

  THIRTY MINUTES LATER, Luke still had no suggestions on where to look for Jessica. Mel and Jared were no further ahead than they had been when they arrived. They waited until they were back in the cruiser to give voice to their thoughts.

  “What do you think?” Mel asked, turning the ignition key.

  “I don’t know what to think,” Jared admitted, holding his hands in front of the vents so he could feel the warmth the second it came. “He’s a mess, though. He’s not holding together very well.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s being eaten alive by guilt. That’s why he’s drinking the way he is.”

  “What kind of guilt?” Mel was legitimately intrigued at the prospect. “Is he feeling guilty for not being there when his kid needed him, or guilty because he’s done something he can’t take back?”

  “That is the question.” Jared pursed his lips as he stared at the house. “I don’t know what to believe. I find it interesting that no one has seen Jessica in twenty-four hours, though. What are the odds she would disappear at the exact same time Zoe was taken? I mean ... that’s weird, right?”

  “I’ve known Jessica on and off for a long time,” Mel countered. “She’s never struck me as unbalanced.”

  “Fair enough. The thing is, Luke strikes me as the sort of guy who can derange a woman in five seconds flat. Maybe she wasn’t unbalanced until he broke up with her.”

  Mel opened his mouth, a denial on the tip of his tongue, and then he changed cou
rse. “It’s weird that she’s suddenly gone. I can’t argue with that point. I would feel a lot better if we could find her.”

  “We need to look elsewhere.”

  “I’m open to suggestions.”

  “That’s the problem. I have no idea where to start.”

  HARPER MET ZANDER AT the coffee shop upon leaving the county jail. She knew Zander would melt down if he didn’t get an update ... and fast. She was also determined to be involved in the search for Zoe, so it made sense to kill two birds with one stone since the coffee shop had become something of a makeshift command center.

  “What’s going on, Rose?” Harper asked as she waited for the woman to make her drink. “Any news?”

  “I was going to ask you the same thing,” Rose replied. “I’ve seen the state police running all over town with dogs today, but they don’t seem to be going far.”

  “They’re probably double-checking yesterday’s results.”

  “Which were?”

  Harper wasn’t sure she should be spreading police business far and wide, but Jared hadn’t admonished her not to tell, so she didn’t see the harm in it. “The dogs stopped right in the middle of the intersection. That probably means, whoever it was lured Zoe into a vehicle and then drove off with her.”

  Rose’s expression darkened. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “Join the club. Have you seen Mel and Jared yet today?”

  Rose shook her head. “No, but I heard they visited Felicia Hayden. She told Jenn Dombrowski that Jessica is wanted for questioning, and she’s not happy about it.”

  “I can’t say as I blame her, but a little girl’s life is on the line,” Harper noted. “She needs to suck it up.”

  “I agree with you there. I can’t picture Jessica as a kidnapper, though.”

  In truth, neither could Harper. “They’re probably trying to eliminate her from the list. Since they don’t have an obvious suspect, they have to work backwards instead of forward.”

  “You know a lot about police business,” Rose said, handing over Harper’s coffee. “Is that because you’re moving in with a police detective?”

  Harper shook her head. “No. Zander loves police procedurals.”

  “Ah, well, he’s waiting for you in the corner. Let me know if you find out anything.”

  “I definitely will.”

  Harper sidestepped two excitable women as she crossed the shop, joining Zander at the table. She slipped out of her coat and sighed when she realized he’d snagged the table with the heat vent directly underneath it. The spot had been their favorite since they were kids and their mothers brought them in for quick visits.

  “You remembered.” Harper smiled as she sipped her coffee and kicked her feet over the vent. “Ugh. I want to live here it’s so warm.”

  Zander smirked as he turned his attention to her. “You look okay,” he said after a beat, his fingers gentle as they ordered Harper’s hair. “I take it Quinn didn’t try to emotionally manipulate you too badly.”

  “Oh, he tried. I simply didn’t let him.”

  “Good for you.” He patted her wrist. “Tell me what he wanted, though. I’m dying to hear what kind of scam he tried to run this time.”

  “I think you’re destined for disappointment. He didn’t try anything unique. It was a little sad really.” Harper told Zander about her morning, leaving nothing out. When she was done, Zander’s fury was palpable.

  “I can’t believe he thought you would simply change your testimony to help him out of the goodness of your heart,” Zander seethed, his eyes flashing with malice. “I mean ... what is wrong with him? Did he really think he would be able to charm you into doing his will?”

  “I think part of him thought it was well and truly possible,” Harper admitted. “The other part, though, well ... that part knew that it simply wasn’t going to happen. He invited me there to play games. He’s bored and wanted news from the outside world.”

  “Did you give him any?”

  “Other than telling him I was busy and didn’t have time for his crap, not really. He called me a martyr because I was looking for Zoe. I pretty much ignored him.”

  ‘Do you think you’ll go back?”

  She shook her head. “No. I said all I wanted to say. I have no interest in listening to him. He’s broken, and he has nothing to offer me.”

  “What did you want him to offer you?”

  “Maybe an explanation. Maybe something to explain his actions. I don’t know. It sounds weak and ridiculous in hindsight, but I wanted to understand how he could be so evil.”

  “I don’t think he’s capable of explaining that.”

  “No.” Harper took another sip of her coffee and scanned the coffee shop. “It looks like the search is continuing with no luck, huh?”

  Zander bobbed his head. “Everyone is out looking, although it’s not going well. I think we’ll be out of places to search by the end of the day.”

  “She’s not hiding behind a dumpster waiting for us to find her,” Harper noted. “Someone took her. We need to shift the search parameters.”

  “Do you have any idea of how to do that?”

  “No, but I’m going to give it serious thought.”

  “Good. I ... .” Zander trailed off, his coffee mug close to his lips, and focused on the door as it opened. Naturally, Harper followed his gaze and found Shana striding into the shop. She looked tired, as if she’d been up late into the evening, but her shoulders were broad as she headed toward the counter.

  “Rose said that Ally left with Shana last night,” Zander volunteered. “I’m guessing that Shana took care of her, which is pretty nice considering everything Shana has been through.”

  “Maybe situations like this bond people,” Harper mused, her mind busy. “Maybe, once you’ve been through a legitimate trauma, you really do have insight on how to help people.”

  “Maybe.” Zander didn’t look convinced, but since Shana was heading in their direction, he had no choice but to paste a bright smile on his face as she approached. “Hello. We were just talking about you.”

  “Really?” Shana arched an eyebrow. “What were you saying? Good things, I hope. I like hearing good things about myself.”

  “We heard you took Ally home last night,” Harper volunteered quickly. “That was very nice of you, especially since no one else could figure out what to do with her given the circumstances.”

  “Well, that’s not exactly true,” Shana hedged. “I took her home. To her home, I mean. I sat with her, waited until she fell asleep, and then slept on the couch. I figured she shouldn’t wake up alone.”

  “Given the circumstances, I would agree with that.” Harper sipped again, something occurring to her. “Was Ally better this morning? I know Jared and Mel need to question her, so it would be really helpful if she was feeling better.”

  “She’s still a mess,” Shana replied. “I think she’ll grow stronger as the day progresses, but it’s going to take some effort. I decided to give her a break and a bit of time alone, which is why I’m here. I also wanted to find Jared and Mel. When I saw you, I thought perhaps you were expecting them to meet you.”

  “I believe they’re busy elsewhere,” Harper said. “Is there something specific you need from them?”

  “Actually, there’s something I want to share with them.” Shana glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening and then lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I heard gossip on the street on my way here, and someone said there was a van with dogs painted on it in the intersection close to the time that Zoe disappeared yesterday.”

  Harper was taken aback by the conversation shift. “A van with dogs on it?”

  “Yeah, like a white van, but it had cute puppies painted on it,” Shana replied. “If you ask me, that seems like a weird thing to paint on your van.”

  “I would agree with that,” Harper said. “Unless ... well, I guess the van could belong to a mobile veterinarian or something.”r />
  “I don’t know about that.” Shana held her hands up in mock surrender. “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. It’s just ... I think it’s important for the police to look everywhere. If they overlook something, they might regret it later. I know all about regret. It’s not fun.”

  Harper instinctively nodded, her heart constricting at the way Shana said the words. “I definitely agree with that. I’ll call Jared right away and make sure he has the information. Do you know anything else about the van?”

  Shana shook her head. “Just that it was white with either decals or a custom paint job. I’m sure it can’t be hard to find.”

  “That would be my guess, too.”

  “Thank you for relaying the information to the police for me.”

  “No problem. I ... .” Harper didn’t get a chance to finish what she was saying because Shana had already turned on her heel and moved to the other side of the shop and was already engaging in a new conversation. “Apparently she found people who were more interesting than us, huh?”

  Zander snickered. “No one is more interesting than us, Harp.”

  “What do you think about the van story?”

  “I think that a van with puppies on it would be a good way to entice kids.”

  Unfortunately for Harper, she felt the same way. “Yeah. I need to call Jared. It might be nothing but ... .”

  “It might be the break we needed,” Zander finished. “Definitely call him. It couldn’t hurt.”

  Eight

  Harper called Jared right away, which was a relief to his continually expanding emotional upheaval. Instead of explaining the information she had over the phone, he insisted on coming to her. He assumed she needed to talk about what happened with Quinn. So, when she immediately launched into Shana’s van story, he was understandably confused.

  “Wait ... what?”

  “There was a van with puppies on it?” Mel asked, furrowing his brow. “That doesn’t sound normal.”