Cottage on Gooseberry Bay: Charmed Summer

by Kathi Daley

  “So, at what point did Warren begin to believe that you weren’t with Marilee after all?” Jemma asked.

  “After he stopped adding money to the two bank accounts, he expected that I, who was nineteen by this point, and Avery, who was seventeen, would reach out to him. Warren thought it might take a while, but he figured that someone would come around looking for more once the balance in the accounts dried up. No one ever did. He looked for Marilee at this point, but her family told him that she hadn’t been seen or heard from in years. He then looked for Avery and me but came up totally empty. It was at this point that he began to suspect that all of us were dead and that someone else had been draining the accounts each month.”

  “Is that what you think happened?” Jemma asked me.

  “I don’t know. I know I’m not dead, but I suppose for all intents and purposes, Ava Macalester has been dead since nineteen ninety-five. As for Marilee and Avery, I hope they are alive, but I’m no closer to figuring that out than I was when this whole thing started.”

  Jemma tucked her feet up under her body. “I hate to say it, but it sounds like Marilee is the bad guy in all of this.”

  “Yeah,” I sighed. “Adam and I discussed the fact that it really does look like she made up the whole thing about Warren killing my parents and being a threat to Avery and me so that the family would help her with us while she made away with our money. If I had to guess, she pawned both Avery and me off on kind and caring people in her life who would want to protect an innocent child, and then she spent the next sixteen years draining our bank accounts every month.”

  “So why did she take you from Piney Point? Why give you to someone all the way in Georgia?”

  “Adam and I aren’t sure, but if you remember, once she took us to Piney Point, she left and only popped in now and then. It was Winnie who took care of us. Adam suspects that Marilee was away making arrangements for the money during this time. He also suspects that someone in the family might have begun to suspect something was off, which caused Marilee to take us somewhere where no one would know who we really were. Either that or Marilee had a partner who was actually calling the shots. There’s still a huge void understanding what happened to us after we left Piney Point.”

  “So if that’s true, it’s quite possible that Avery really is out there living the life she was handed with no idea who she actually is.”

  “Probably,” I said. “Avery was just one year old when this all happened. I have limited memories that seem to randomly filter through, but she won’t have any. If she is alive, and I hope she is, I plan to try to find her. I have no idea how I’m going to do that, but I’m going to try.”

  “And Marilee?” Jemma asked.

  I shrugged. “I imagine Marilee is either dead or in the wind. No one in the family has seen or heard from her for years. Wilma either.”

  Jemma picked up her wine and took a sip. “Talk about a crazy story.”

  “Yeah.” I thought about the boxes. “But it hasn’t been all bad. Warren is a really nice man, as is his wife, Giovanna. I hope to meet them both in person soon. Plus, Warren told me that he has been hanging onto the money Avery and I inherited. It’s just sitting in a bank, waiting for one of us to claim it.”

  “Are you going to claim it?”

  “I don’t know. I guess maybe eventually. I would rather wait until Avery is found. In the meantime, Warren set up an account for me that I have access to so that I can make a withdrawal any time I need. He sent an envelope with information about this account as well as financial statements relating to the cash and investments he’s been managing for Avery and me. I haven’t had a chance to really look them over, but it appears that I really do have a lot of money.”

  “It almost sounds as if you think this is a bad thing.”

  I shrugged. “It feels strange to even think about using any of this money. I don’t feel like Ava Macalester. I feel like Ainsley Holloway. And even if I could convince myself it really was mine, what would I do with it? I certainly don’t need it.”

  Jemma untucked her legs. “I guess it’s nice to know it’s there if you ever do need it.”

  “Yeah. I guess. I suppose it’s odd that while I’m not really all that thrilled about the money, I am thrilled to find out that I’m related to Warren and Giovanna. Since Adam first told me about them, I’ve spent hours stalking them on the internet. I was obsessed with learning everything that I could about them. Initially, I was looking for confirmation that the guy was the lowlife Marilee had told the family he was, but what I found was a really great guy who seems to use his money and influence to benefit his village. Not only does he give of his time and his money, but there are dozens and dozens of photos of the couple attending fundraisers and ribbon cuttings, as well as very high-end parties and exclusive events. It’s almost like they’re royalty.”

  “It sounds like they are royalty in their own little corner of the world.” Jemma glanced at her watch. “I’m supposed to meet Booker at the marina at five. He wants to talk to me about a birthday gift for Tegan, so we’re going to have a drink. Do you want to come along?”

  “Are you sure he won’t mind?”

  “He won’t mind. I guess there’s a specific gift he wants to get Jemma, but it’s one of those items that are hard to find, so he’s hoping I can use my computer magic to track one down online. He wanted me to meet him, so he wouldn’t have to make an excuse for coming to the cottage to talk to me without Tegan tagging along.”

  I slid my legs to the side to stand up. “Okay. I’ll go with you. Let me run a brush through my hair.”

  Once I tidied up a bit, I let the dogs out for a quick bathroom break, and then Jemma and I headed toward the marina.

  “I wonder what’s going on,” Jemma said after we’d noticed Deputy Todd talking to a group of teenagers on the beach who appeared to have been out paddleboarding.

  “I don’t know. It looks like everyone is standing around that blue paddleboard, although I can’t tell who it belongs to. It looks as if everyone in the group has their paddleboard.”

  Jemma narrowed her gaze and then nodded toward the parking area for the marina. “It looks like Parker is here.”

  Parker Peterson is a friend of ours who also happens to be the best reporter in town. If Parker decided to show up, then chances were that Deputy Todd was talking to the group on the beach about something more important than littering or unsafe roughhousing.

  “I’m going to text Parker and let her know we’re up here in the parking area. Maybe she can stop by when she’s done with Todd and fill us in,” Jemma informed me.

  I watched as Parker headed straight toward Deputy Todd. She said something to him, and he nodded, glancing toward the blue paddleboard on the sand. She said something else, and one of the boys Todd had been talking with pointed out toward the eastern shore of the bay. Parker commented again, and Deputy Todd knelt down on the sand to take a closer look at the paddleboard. Jemma and I couldn’t hear what was being said by anyone involved in the conversation, but it did appear that the blue paddleboard was the topic of conversation.

  After about fifteen minutes, Parker turned away from the group and headed toward where Jemma and I were waiting.

  “What’s going on?” Jemma asked when Parker sat down next to us.

  “Zane Maddox was reported missing by his mother this morning,” she answered. “Apparently, he went out paddleboarding yesterday afternoon but never returned.” Parker looked at me. “Zane is a fifteen-year-old and the youngest son of Harold Maddox.”

  I knew that Harold Maddox was one of the members of the town council. I seemed to remember that Harold’s family had lived in Gooseberry Bay for generations.

  “I take it the blue paddleboard belonged to him,” I said.

  “Yes,” Parker confirmed. “When Zane was last seen, he was leaving home with his blue paddleboard. His parents told Deputy Todd that they were pretty sure he planned to meet up with some other kids from the high school, but
Zane didn’t specifically say who he was meeting.”

  “So, how are the teens on the beach involved?” I asked.

  “They’re the ones who found the paddleboard floating in the bay. There’s a chip on one end of the paddleboard that looks new. Although Deputy Todd doesn’t know if the paddleboard was damaged during whatever occurred to cause Zane to go missing or if it was washed up onto some rocks at some point after whatever happened to Zane occurred.”

  “So what does Deputy Todd think happened to Zane?” Jemma asked.

  “He has no idea at this point. Given the fact that his paddleboard was found floating in the middle of the bay, it appears he may have drowned, but without a body, there’s no way to know that for sure.”

  “I guess Deputy Todd will open a case and look into it,” I said.

  “Yeah,” Parker agreed. “That’s the plan. He mentioned trying to track down whomever Zane met up with yesterday. Someone must have seen him. If he can figure out where Zane went after he left home, that will at least give him a starting point.” She glanced away from the water. “So what are the two of you up to?”

  “We’re supposed to meet Booker for a drink, but the walkway to the marina’s office is blocked by the two cops who seem to be herding people away from Deputy Todd and the group he’s talking to,” Jemma said.

  I glanced back toward the beach where the group that had gathered had begun to break up. Deputy Todd was carrying the paddleboard toward his car, and the teens that had gathered began wandering off in different directions.

  “It looks like Todd is about to be freed up,” Parker said, turning and trotting in his direction.

  “Did you know Zane?” I asked Jemma.

  “Not really, but I know who he is, and I’ve chatted with his mom, June, a few times. June works part-time for the town and she volunteers at the library. She’s a nice woman, and I know she adores her children. I hope Zane’s okay.”

  “And Zane’s father?” I asked.

  “He’s actually a bit of an ogre. I never really liked him or his politics.”

  “Does Zane have siblings?”

  Jemma nodded. “He’s the baby of the family, but he has a sister named Cora, who I think is a freshman in college this year. I seem to remember I heard that she was headed toward the east coast this past fall.” Jemma paused, furrowing her brow slightly. She glanced back toward the beach. “I don’t know Zane well, but I do know someone who might know something about what’s going on.”

  “Oh? Who’s that?”

  “A boy named Artie Drysdale. Artie is Jim Drysdale’s son, the man who owns the curio shop a few doors down from your office. I think Jim knows Josie from a book club the two used to belong to.”

  “And you think Artie might know what’s going on with Zane?”

  “Artie and Zane run with the same group of kids, so I think he might.” She looked at her watch. “I’ll text him and ask him to call me when he has a minute. I don’t know for certain if he knows anything, but if he was part of the crowd Zane was supposed to meet up with, at the very least, he should know if he ever showed up.”

  “It seems like it might be worth looking into things. If Zane’s missing and still alive rather than a drowning victim, then finding him as soon as possible is important.” I glanced back toward the crowd. “Should we try to make our way over to Booker?”

  “Yeah. Let’s give it a try. If we can’t get in for some reason, I’ll text Booker and suggest he just meet us at the bar.”

  Chapter 2

  The cops near the marina’s entrance weren’t letting anyone in, so Jemma texted Booker to suggest that he just meet us at the bar down the street. He indicated that he would and that he should be there shortly, so Jemma and I went ahead and set off in that direction. When we arrived at the pub where we’d arranged to meet Booker, Jemma headed to the bar for a couple glasses of wine while I snagged a table near a window.

  “So, how’s the PI business been treating you while I was away?” Jemma asked once we’d settled in to wait.

  “It’s been slow, but I knew going in that getting established would take a while.”

  “I guess you really don’t need the money.”

  I thought about the bank account Warren had established for me. “No,” I answered. “I guess I don’t need the money, but I enjoy the challenge of taking on a new case and helping people.”

  “Anything interesting?”

  I shrugged. “Not really interesting. I was asked to help one of the vendors on the boardwalk figure out who was vandalizing his cart at night, and after my success with Lizzy’s lost cat, I’ve had a few lost dog cases. Oh, and a woman asked me to try to figure out where she might have left her purse. I guess she had a bunch of cash inside when she misplaced it.”

  “She misplaced it? Where was it?”

  “She’d left it in the ladies’ room at a restaurant she’d visited earlier that week. Once we retraced her steps, it was pretty easy to find. I don’t know why she even needed my help, but she did seem confused, and I think having someone to talk things through with helped her remember. I didn’t charge her for such a simple case, but she did give me an unopened roll of mints as a tip.”

  Jemma smiled. “Well, I guess everyone has to start somewhere. It sounds like your name is getting out there.”

  “Yeah. I feel like that first big case is just around the corner.” I waved at Booker, who’d just walked in. He motioned that he was going to grab a beer, and then he crossed the room and joined us.

  “Thanks for meeting with me,” he said after he slipped onto the stool.

  “No problem,” Jemma said. “We were happy to. I think it’s sweet you’re going to so much trouble for Tegan’s birthday.”

  “What are you trying to find?” I asked.

  “A first edition of The Prairie Wife Cookbook. It was originally published in eighteen eighty-two. It wasn’t super popular like Betty Crocker cookbooks, so there aren’t a lot of copies out there. Tegan told me a while back that her grandmother had one, and she’d always wished she’d kept it since it reminded her of the woman who’d first taught her to cook.” He pulled his phone out and showed Jemma the cover. “I tried all the ordinary places but haven’t had any luck. I thought you might have more luck.”

  “I’m happy to take a look. Can you text me that cover?”

  He nodded and did so. I wasn’t sure why a meeting was required for this simple request, but I supposed Booker really did want to make sure the gift was a surprise.

  “I’d also like to throw Tegan a party this year,” he continued. “I hoped we could have it at your place.”

  “Josie and I would be happy to host. Have you settled on a theme? A guest list? A date?”

  “No. I sort of hoped that you girls would just do whatever needs to be done.”

  I smiled. Now I knew why Booker had wanted to talk to Jemma in person.

  “We’d be happy to throw Tegan a party,” Jemma said. “Tegan’s birthday is June third, so maybe we can have the party on Saturday the fifth. How about I check with Josie, and we come up with a plan. I’ll email you the information, so you can take a look before we put anything in play.”

  Booker looked relieved. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that. I know Tegan will enjoy a party, but the whole thing seems sort of overwhelming.”

  “No problem,” Jemma said.

  He took a long sip of his beer.

  “So, do you know anything about the missing teen?” I asked. I supposed that just because Booker worked at the marina didn’t mean he knew anything, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask.

  “Not really,” Booker said. “One of the guys said that he might not be the only kid missing, but he didn’t elaborate, so I’m not sure who he was talking about if, in fact, it’s true and there’s a second victim.”

  “So maybe Zane was with someone when he went missing,” Jemma stated.

  Booker shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe. I’m not even sure that particular rumor is true.
” He looked at his watch. “I need to get going. I’m supposed to meet up with Tegan.” He hugged Jemma and me. “Thanks again. I really do appreciate the help.”

  After Booker left, Jemma and I decided to order an appetizer to go with our wine. While we were waiting for the appetizer to be delivered, Jemma got a text from Artie.

  “Artie says that he hasn’t seen Zane since Friday at school. He said they sometimes hang out on the weekends, but Zane told him he was busy. Artie had no idea what he’d been busy doing, and he had no idea why Zane wouldn’t have called and invited him to go paddleboarding with him if that’s what he had planned since they generally went together.”

  “So Zane’s behavior was atypical leading up to his disappearance. I wonder what he was doing.”

  “I don’t know, but the odds are that whatever he was doing this weekend that would cause him not to hang out with his regular crowd most likely is what’s behind the abandoned paddleboard.”

  Jemma and I decided to return home after we’d eaten our appetizer. Jemma was tired after her trip, and I wanted to look in the boxes Warren had sent, so after we arrived on the peninsula, we each went our separate way. I had so many conflicting emotions surging through my mind as I looked more closely at the financial paperwork that Warren had sent. It seemed odd to me that not only was I Ainsley Holloway, but that I was Ava Macalester as well. I really wasn’t sure what to do with that. In a way, having two identities made me feel fractured.

  The boxes contained photo albums, framed photos, letters, and diaries. There were also a few pieces of jewelry, a family bible, and other odds and ends Warren had saved when he’d cleaned out my parent’s home. The note Warren sent explained that he had a warehouse full of furniture and other items he’d been saving for Avery and me if we ever made an appearance and that I was welcome to come and take a look at any point.