Tangled in Time, (Miss Main Street Book 1)

by Angela Castillo

  “Frank, would you look at this banister!” said the woman. Her silver ponytail sprung up from a visor with the name of a nearby seafood place printed on the front.

  The man gave a low whistle. “They don’t make them like that anymore.”

  The couple moved on and began poking through the aisles. Darcy sat behind the register, reading the third Mary Stewart book recently purchased from Ms. Travelsham’s store. She found if she listened to the customers for a moment before asking them if they needed anything, more of their interests would be revealed. Browsers often talked like no one else was in the building.

  The woman’s voice floated through the store. “Frank, look at this darling little teacup. Too bad they don’t have any of those pillboxes of yours. Or my salt and pepper shakers.”

  Darcy sat up straight. “Hello, folks, and welcome to Tangled in Time.”

  Two visor-topped heads peered out from the shelves.

  “Oh, hello, dear,” said the woman. “We thought you might be out back.”

  “I heard you say something about salt and pepper shakers. We have several over on this shelf.”

  The woman shuffled over to the indicated location. “Oh, Frank, look at these! And such reasonable prices!”

  Frank’s cheeks sagged like an aging bulldog’s. “Now you’ve gone and done it,” he said to Darcy. “We won’t be able to fit everything in the hotel room.”

  “I can always arrange to have items shipped for you,” Darcy said brightly.

  “There you go. That’ll make everything hunky dory, now won’t it?” The man’s shoulders drooped and he turned back to his partner.

  After several moments of browsing and negotiation, the couple left with over a hundred dollars’ worth of ‘doo-dads,’ including a rusty wagon-wheel chandelier that had been in the shop for at least ten years.

  I wonder where Mr. Cole has gotten to? Darcy went out the back door to check the garden.

  The inspector was leaning against the exterior wall, poking at a small hole in the shingles.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked.

  He squinted up at the roof. “Sure. I haven’t found anything to warrant concern. In any case, I called my supervisor to check the records. You were right about the structure’s age. They found some build record, all the way from Austin.”

  Darcy nodded. “Someone told me this shop had been moved here, but I didn’t know when.”

  Mr. Cole took a penlight from his pocket, bent down and shone it behind a tangle of morning glories. “My secretary sent some files to my phone. This building is actually almost one hundred and fifty years old.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing.” Darcy traced the wooden siding, thick with multiple coats of paint.

  The inspector tapped the wall. “Something else you might not know. I’m convinced there’s an extra room in this area. Are you aware of any secret panels or hallways?”

  Darcy blinked. “There’s a closet upstairs I haven’t been able to unlock, but no, I wasn’t aware of any secret passages.”

  “This wall is too thick. Doesn’t seem to match with the inside layout of the house. I wouldn’t be surprised; I’ve seen it in many of these older buildings. Strange though, that the carpenters your grandma hired before didn’t notice it. We will have to find out for sure, simply to make sure it doesn’t contain mold or any other toxins.”

  Stepping back, Darcy surveyed the building. “These walls are pretty solid, and I don’t have the money to have someone pull them down to check for secret rooms, as much as I’d like to know if there’s one here.”

  The inspector patted the siding. “No lead paint problems. You have the paperwork, and I haven’t seen any exposed areas. I’m going to take a few soil samples, but I don’t think I’ll find anything, unless someone decided to dump toxic waste under here.” A grin spread over his face. “I don’t see any glowing rocks, do you?”

  Darcy had to smile back. “No. But let me make sure I understand. The only thing you’re worried about . . .”

  “Would be the room.” The inspector rubbed his neck. “Tell you what, I’ll give you two weeks to try and get that closet upstairs open. Of course, there’d be no guarantee the two areas will be connected. I’ll have to come back by then, and I must have access to that room if you want to keep the shop open.”

  “Fair enough.” Darcy sighed. As if I don’t have enough to do. I must get those sheds cleaned out before the summer rush hits. This was the last week in April. From what she’d learned at the meetings, tourist season had already started and would hit harder in May.

  After the inspector left, Darcy went back into the store to find Agatha waiting at the counter.

  The elderly woman held up a small bottle. “I made a new batch of peppermint mist. Thought it might help you with those headaches.”

  Darcy sprayed a little on her wrist and gave a small sniff. “Oh, that smells like Christmas candy. I had no idea peppermint helped with headaches.”

  “The good Lord gave us cures for everything; we just haven’t found them all yet.” Agatha patted Darcy’s hand. “Have you still been feeling bad?”

  “Off and on. I went to a doctor in LA for the headaches a few years ago. He said they were stress-related, and I guess I’ve had a bit more to worry about than normal with the shop and all.”

  Agatha’s forehead wrinkled up to the colorful scarf she’d bound around her white curls. “Hmmm. The newspaper article and all those people in from the county don’t help.”

  “Drat that Vera!” Darcy grabbed a rag from the counter and began swiping at one of the shelves so violently that crystal glasses tinkled. “The lead inspector who came in today thinks I might have a secret room downstairs below the closet. He’ll have to get inside to make sure it’s not a health hazard.”

  Agatha clasped her hands in front of her. “A secret room? Isn’t that wonderful! Imagine what’s hidden away, just waiting for you to discover.”

  A thrill of excitement ran up Darcy’s spine, tugging away the worry that had shrouded over her. “It is a fun thought. I wonder if my grandma even knew about the room below the closet?”

  Agatha pursed her lips. “Knowing your grandma, I’d think she’d want to share something that special with everyone.”

  “Exactly.” Darcy rested her chin in her hands. “Whether she knew about it or not, I need to figure out how to get in there now. But I don’t have any way to access the closet without destroying a very valuable door and I can’t find out about the room without tearing up a wall--which I would then have to repair.”

  Agatha squinted at the back wall. “A secret passage would mean you’d need an entrance-- and an exit.” She shuffled over and pressed her palm against the boards. “Where did the inspector think the passageway might be?”

  Darcy followed her. “Maybe there’s a small compartment with a trap door underneath?” She pointed to the corner wall, which was covered in photographs. “The inspector was outdoors, on the other side of that wall when he discovered the possible room. And now I can see what he was talking about, there certainly is a difference. Wonder why I never noticed before?”

  Agatha chuckled. “We miss so many things in life just ‘cause we aren’t looking for them.”

  Darcy and Agatha spent the next thirty minutes taking down picture frames, rapping on the wall and searching for knobs or cracks that could indicate a door. They found nothing.

  “Whew!” Agatha sat on a chair and fanned herself with a 1979 Life magazine. “As much as I’d like to keep looking, this old woman is plumb tuckered out.”

  “Me too.” Darcy sat down beside her. “And it’s too dark to go poking around under the house tonight. I’ve only seen garter snakes since I’ve been here, but we have plenty of Copperheads in these parts as well. I remember Gran killing one several years ago.”

  “Yep, us country ladies can’t be squeamish about such things,” said Agatha. “I’ll never forget the ice cream social when the new pastor’s wife sat herself down on
a rock beside the biggest horned toad anyone of us had ever seen.”

  “Did someone put it there on purpose?” Darcy grinned.

  “Could never be proven, but a few of the local boys didn’t like her. She yelled at them for skateboarding in the church parking lot, and had a habit of calling the town ‘Wibber.’ Anyway, she was holding a bowl all full of soft, homemade ice cream, fresh from the churn. That horned toad must not have liked her much either, ‘cause it began to hiss and squirt blood out of its eyes.”

  “Goodness. That would be scary.” Darcy admitted.

  “She tried to throw her ice cream at the reptile, but mostly got it all over her lap. She ran screaming into the sanctuary and we found her perched atop a pew, ice cream streaming down her skirt, bless her heart. A few months later, the pastor and his wife moved somewhere up north, and I’d gander they found some city church with plenty of concrete ‘round it.”

  Darcy shrugged. “I guess some people weren’t meant for country life. The boys were mean, though.”

  Agatha frowned. “Takes all sorts to make a town. I moved away from here for thirty years when my man asked me to live with his family in Louisiana. But when he passed, I came right back. Sometimes you choose a town. And sometimes a town chooses you.”

  “That’s amazing,” Darcy breathed. “That’s exactly how I feel. My life in California was so, so different. But it never seemed like home, even though I was born there.”

  Agatha rose from her perch and put the magazine carefully back in its place. “I have errands to run tomorrow. I spotted a Limenitis Arthemis yesterday and I’d like to find it again, I haven’t seen one in these parts for years. But you’ll let me know if you find the secret room, won’t you?”

  Darcy gave Agatha a quick hug. “Of course I will. Thank you for the help. And the story.”

  “Oh, the stories flow like breathing,” Agatha replied. “No stopping them. Might as well ask the wind to quit blowing.”

  16 BREAKFAST

  K ayla set a platter with slices of bread, strawberries, and mounds of whipped cream in front of Darcy. “Lattes’ll be right out. Enjoy.”

  “I might enjoy it, but my diet won’t.” Darcy balanced a perfect bite of French toast on her fork and eyed it with approval. “Oh well, an extra half hour at the gym.”

  Ramsey smiled. “Wimber never does things halfway. Especially not breakfast.”

  “True.” Darcy made a mental note to eat plain oatmeal and egg whites for the rest of the week. She shook her head. Here I am, sitting across from a sensitive, attractive man who is obviously crazy about me, and all I can think about is calories?

  After taking a few bites of bacon, Ramsey nodded to her. “You’ve been quiet this morning. Are you still upset about your dad?”

  “No. He called me last night to apologize, and I think he meant it. I’m twenty-four years old. I guess it’s just been hard for him to understand his ideas for my future might not be the same as mine.”

  Ramsey stared down at his plate. “Like being with me.”

  Darcy put down her fork and took his hand. “Please don’t worry about that. My father has no clue about my happiness. He’s always tried to make choices for me, even more than my mother. In high school, he forced me to join extracurricular groups for activities I hated so my college portfolio would look better. I was in the chess club for two years and I still couldn’t tell you the difference between a knight and—those castle things.”

  Ramsey dripped Tabasco on his eggs. “That must have been hard. Though everyone else in town seemed to think they knew what was best for me, at least my parents always encouraged me to follow my heart. Though I think my dad was pretty happy when I told him I’d be back to work in the shop after college.”

  “I think that’s why I loved coming here. Gran never tried to tell me how to live.” Darcy tasted her coffee, which had magically appeared at her elbow. She allowed the milky richness to roll over her tongue. “I was free to be myself. For a long time, I wondered why my dad allowed the trips, but then I realized he and my mother liked to go on cruises without me tagging along.”

  Ramsey raised his eyebrows, but didn’t speak.

  Darcy fiddled with her spoon, spinning it on the red Formica tabletop. “His plan backfired, you know? I discovered what I wanted out of life. Eventually, I chose my own course. And I’m happy with it.”

  Ramsey leaned back in his chair. “Do I make you happy?”

  Heat crept into Darcy’s cheeks and she shoveled in another bite, pure whipped cream this time. “Maybe.” She gave what she hoped was a mysterious smile.

  “Just maybe?”

  She stirred a spoonful of whipped cream into her coffee, watching the white puffs dissolve into the light brown liquid. “I know what would really make me happy. If you would come over and crawl under the shop.”

  “Hmmm. Now that’s something I’ve never had a girl ask me before.” Ramsey stacked his orange peels neatly on his plate and topped them with his crumpled napkin.

  Darcy laughed. “I have to figure out how to get into that secret room, or whatever it is. And see if it’s connected to the closet upstairs.”

  Ramsey checked the receipt and placed some folded bills on the table. “Let’s go see what we can find.”

  ###

  Ten minutes later, Ramsey crawled out from under the house and snapped his flashlight off.

  “Did you see anything?” asked Darcy.

  “A few crickets and part of what might have been a ‘coon’s nest. The floor is elevated above the ground all the way across, but I didn’t see a trap door or an opening. But part of the area is made from a different type of wood. I think the owners must have covered the space over when they moved the house, possibly to keep out drafts. It makes sense.”

  Darcy sank into her garden chair. “I guess there’s nothing else to do but tear down the wall.”

  “Or we could cut a hole through the floor. Either way, it’s going to be time-consuming and cost some money. Sorry I can’t give you better news.” Ramsey reached for her hand, glanced at the dirt on his fingers and pulled back. “Are you sure you’ve looked everywhere for the key?”

  “No.” Darcy sighed. “There’s just so much to comb through. I’ve spent a lot of time looking, but it could take months. And I haven’t even touched the sheds. I planned on searching through them weeks ago.” She put her head in her hands. “Drat that Vera Greer.”

  “Well, maybe this is a good thing,” said Ramsey. “You’ve always wanted to know what’s in that room.” He grinned. “Hey, if we do find jewels and treasure, at least they’d pay for repairs.”

  Darcy rolled her eyes. “I doubt it. If the closet held untold riches, Gran probably would have sold them.” But she wondered. After all, Gran had kept her husband’s political memorabilia, even though it was worth so much and she could have done a lot with the money while she was alive.

  “You mind if I clean up really quick?” Ramsey inspected his hands. “Not that it matters. I’m going straight to work from here.”

  “Sure, come on in.”

  “Nah, I’ll just use the hose.” Ramsey leaned over and turned on the spigot.

  “Suit yourself. I’ll go get you a towel.”

  When she came back out, Ramsey was pushing wet hair out of his eyes. He took the towel and wiped his face and hands.

  Darcy reached out to take the towel, but instead he took her hand and drew her close. He kissed her, drops of water moistening her cheek.

  Pinpricks danced across her neck and she pulled him closer. The muscles of his back tensed under her fingers. He was so strong, so comforting.

  Finally, he stepped back. “I have to get to work.” He rubbed her chin with his thumb.

  “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

  She lowered her eyes. “Thank you.”

  “Try not to stress out today. I’ll see if I can get off early tonight and help you look some more.”

  She gave him a weary smile. “I knew this was
n’t going to be easy, but I didn’t expect quite so much . . . animosity.”

  Ramsey’s face tightened, and a muscle in his cheek twitched. “I’d like to storm into Vera’s shop and demand an explanation. But this is your deal, and I’m sure you can handle it yourself.”

  “Yes, I think I can.” Darcy lifted her chin. “I don’t know why she’s coming after me, but there must be a reason. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Okay, but if you need anything, let me know.” Ramsey gave her another quick kiss and went out the garden gate.

  Darcy touched her lips and smiled as she headed upstairs to clean up. At least one thing was progressing nicely in her life.

  Someone was already at the door when she came down.

  Mrs. Johnson stepped in. “Hello. Ramsey mentioned you had a lot going on this week and suggested I come by. I have some free time if you’d like me to work the shop a bit.”

  “Oh, that was nice of him.” Darcy flattened her palm against her chest. Her heart thumped so loud she was sure Mrs. Johnson could hear it. Could she see us kissing over the fence? Surely, she’d say something.

  Gathering herself together, Darcy gave a quick smile. “Ramsey’s right.” She went over and checked her ledger. “I’d be able to pay you for ten hours of work. Would five today and five another day this week be good?”

  “I think so.” Mrs. Johnson held up a bag. “I’m just going to set some new little critters on my shelf if that’s okay.”

  “You’ll be pleased to see some gaps,” said Darcy. “Your stuff has been pretty popular, and with all the tourists coming in, things have been selling well throughout the store.” She rummaged through a drawer and grabbed an envelope. “Here’s what you made last week.”

  Mrs. Johnson put the envelope in her purse. Then she began to pull out felted gnomes, fairies and fluffy rabbits from the bag. “So, what’s this I’ve been hearing about trouble in the shop? Ramsey said I needed to ask you about it.”

  Darcy gave Mrs. Johnson a quick update about all the visits from inspectors, the news reporter, and how she was positive Vera Greer had her finger in every one of the mud pies that had been flung her way. She concluded with the search for the passage. “Ramsey crawled under the house this morning. He said he didn’t see an opening.” She watched Mrs. Johnson’s expression.