The Disappearance of Emily: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 2

by Elizabeth Pantley

  “Is there an offset printing press in here?” I asked.

  “No big equipment here,” my father answered. “We outsourced the print runs. Though since you’ll be fully online, you won’t need to worry about that.”

  My father pointed to the newspaper filing drawers. “You’ll find the most recent year filed out here, and older years in the back room. As you can see, there’s also a wide variety of research books on local topics plus area maps and business information.”

  That was very interesting, and an unexpected perk. As soon as he said that, I was itching to scan those shelves. And he did say maps. Perhaps I’d finally unravel the mystery of our exact location and learn the layout of the islands surrounding us.

  Over the next hour, my father walked me through the office and chatted with me about the paper. He suggested I read through some recent past issues to get a sense of what news had typically been covered in the paper. Well, you didn’t have to ask me twice.

  My father finished up the tour and description of the job and then left for another appointment. I had plenty of time before tonight’s family dinner to explore, and I fully intended to make the most of every moment. Putting my hands on my hips, I surveyed the room. It would take days to acclimate. Where should I start? I had a hard time deciding between the research books and the old newspapers, but I began with the last of the printed issues.

  Precise labeling on the drawers was a good sign. Whoever had worked here before had liked things orderly.

  The drawer with the final issues from six months ago was front and center. I pulled out the last few issues. The paper wasn’t printed in big-city size. It was more like an oversized magazine. The paper had been published monthly. The sections were specific and organized—news, local events, sports, community announcements, food, entertainment, real estate, deaths and births, and a spotlight feature of one resident or business. They sprinkled it with ads from local businesses and event notices. On my next visit here, I’d read through some issues and maybe take a few of them home.

  This project was totally do-able, particularly since it would be fully online. I opened a note page and began organizing a checklist:

  Create a website and subscriber sign-up page.

  Contact businesses who advertised previously—ask for new ads.

  Locate past subscriber list. Send an introductory note and sign-up info.

  Reach out to local schools, theaters, groups, clubs, churches for community notices.

  Find out if there is a local government office—Mayor? City council?

  Notify local funeral homes and maternity wards/birth centers/midwives.

  Get a list of all local businesses.

  Create mock-up for online format; choose and announce first issue date.

  Meet with Eleanor regarding expectations/update.

  I knew that the set-up and the first few issues would be the hardest. Man, I wish I had Luna as a partner on this. She was brilliant at organization. Not to mention, I missed the heck out of her. I was still holding onto the hope that the oval mirror was a way to connect with her and my family.

  I felt like I had a plan now. Once I got the ball rolling, it should be straightforward. I stood at the door, ready to leave, and scanned my new domain. I felt a tingle of excitement that I couldn’t contain. My squeal of delight burst out into the quiet space. I was glad I didn’t have an audience for that. This was going to be a fantastic opportunity; I could feel it.

  17

  Family dinner night around here is either a stuffy, boring event or a three-ring circus. I didn’t know which this evening would hold. I had been told that we’d be in the dining room, which was nice. I loved the outdoor events just as much, but I enjoyed the warmth and intimacy of the grand dining space in the home. You wouldn’t normally use both grand and intimate at the same time to describe a place, but that was true here. The ski lodge/cabin décor was warm and inviting, but the size of the space was vast. There were sparkling chandeliers dropping from incredibly high ceilings, set off by the tallest rock fireplace that soared all the way up. There was a unique combination of magnificent yet homey here at Caldwell Crest.

  I’d been planning to tell the family about Lola tonight, and hopefully, they’d welcome the kitten into the family. She had quickly found her way into my heart. Clearly, Latifa and Chanel had already bonded with her and had morphed right into the motherhood role.

  The minute I stepped into the dining room, it was clear I needn’t have worried. There was an enormous banner slung across the back wall that said ‘Welcome Lola!’ There were balloons and streamers all around. They were covered with sparkles, so I had a feeling Cleobella (the queen of sparkles) was behind the decorations.

  The dining room table was enormous today. The size changed depending on the number of guests, and a quick count showed about a dozen places set at the table. I guess welcoming a new kitten was a reason to gather. This family never ceased to amaze me. They’d seem all stuffy and formal and then turn around and put on a party for a little, black, fluff ball.

  I looked up to see my sister Indigo coming into the dining room. Her husband, Omar, and his brother, Dante, along with their two kids were right behind her. The kids were wearing headbands with cat ears, and they were each carrying a small gift, wrapped in paper covered with colorful cats.

  I walked over to say hello and leaned down to kid-level. “Hi guys. I love your ears! Did you bring presents for Lola?”

  They both nodded. Ian seemed to be more comfortable around me, and that brought out his chatterbox side, “We have cat toys for the kitty! Where’s the kitty, Hayden?”

  “I don’t know, Ian. We must watch for her. She’s really little, so if you see her you tell me, okay?”

  He said okay, and then he and Tiana ran off and began looking around the room for the kitten.

  “They’re going to love the kitten,” I said to the adults.

  “Yeah, and so will we,” said Indigo. “I understand you’re the one that found her?”

  “Actually, it was Hercules who found her. I was at Olivia’s at the time. The kitten was orphaned and hiding in a bush. She was so tiny and alone, I just had to bring her home.”

  “Good for you,” said Omar. “Abandoned kittens deserve a safe place, and a pet can always brighten a home.”

  Well, I’ll be darned! Omar was an animal lover! And he was conversing with me. He’d always been so quiet and stiff before. It was so nice that both he and Ian seemed to be warming up to me. That made me happy. I was feeling more like family all the time.

  I was chatting with the group when Sapphire and Axel came in. I was absolutely delighted to see that each of them was bearing a gift for the kitten. Sapphire had a small package, but I could barely see Axel’s head behind the rather large cat pillow he was carrying. Watching him struggle with the huge, soft pillow caused the conversation to pause while we all laughed. No one offered to help, as it was just too entertaining. Following the new trend of each cat having a pillow to match their eyes, this one was emerald green. Axel placed it down near the fireplace and turned around to show off his pride by flexing his biceps, which just reignited more laughter. He came over to join our conversation. He stood next to me and leaned his elbow on my shoulder in an affectionate brother-sister pose. If I haven’t said it enough already, I love having this brother!

  If I thought the pillow was a surprise, I looked up to see my father and grandfather carrying in a four-foot-tall cat condo with a scratching post, several hideouts, and a couple of built-in toys. One look at this kitty mansion and I knew Latifa would be green with envy. I’d have to remind her that she got an entire cat alcove when she moved into the house, complete with everything she needed to make her happy, and then some. She didn’t get a sparkly banner, though, so I was sure I’d hear about that oversight.

  I was soaking up the camaraderie of my new family when the matriarch entered the room. Everyone snapped to attention and minded their manners as soon as Eleanor was around. M
y grandmother was a force to be reckoned with. She was fully aware of her effect on people, and I suspect she relished having that. She wasn’t the least bit afraid to use that power either.

  She looked over at the group of us and I could almost feel the collective intake of breath. And then she smiled at us. It was a rare and beautiful sight, and I knew every one of us felt its glow.

  “Hello, children,” she said. That might offend some people in their twenties, but the way she said it enveloped all of us in a bubble of affection that made us feel loved and cared for. It was nice.

  “Oh, look,” Grandmother said. “Our little guest of honor has arrived.”

  We all turned toward the door to see Lola, Chanel, and Latifa enter the room. All of them held their heads high and their tails in the air. It was like a little parade of fluff. I bit the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from laughing. They were so freaking adorable.

  The three cats walked over to the fireplace. I heard Chanel meow, and then Lola climbed up onto the cat pillow. I saw that the color perfectly matched the emerald green of her eyes. The maternal adult cats sat on either side of her, looking proud and happy.

  Ian and Tiana squealed with delight and ran over to pet the cats and play with the kitten. Everyone commented on how precious Lola was, and then the adults sat at the table for dinner. I noticed that no one forced the children to abandon their post at the cat pillow, and I thought that was super nice.

  Wine glasses were already set up and we toasted the new family member and enjoyed a few minutes of casual conversation. Then one of my favorite people to see entered the room with a cart of appetizers. Cleobella had arrived.

  Today she was a vision in emerald green, in a nod to Lola’s splendid eye color, I assumed. Her dress was a smooth, silk sheath that looked like it has been sewn on her. She was wearing sparkly, white opera gloves that came all the way up past her elbows. Her fingers were adorned with brilliant emerald rings.

  She had painted her eyes in shades of green eye shadow in an exaggerated cats-eye design with an explosion of false eyelashes in black and silver that came up and over her expertly tweezed eyebrows. Her shoes were black with towering, thin metallic heels. How on earth she walked on those, let alone served a meal, was a mystery to me. Of course, her gorgeous, white-blond hair was twisted into an elegant chignon. A green and black hat, adorned with feathers and glitter, tilted fashionably on the top of her head.

  Cleobella was like a fascinating storybook every time she entered a room, and she never ceased to keep me enthralled. The rest of the family never batted an eye at her wardrobe. Though, I suppose, they’d seen her so many times over the years they had become accustomed to the sight. I hoped I never would.

  She caught my eye, and I knew she saw me examining her outfit, so I gave her a big smile and a thumbs-up. She blushed prettily and smiled back. We’d come a long way in our odd friendship, and I enjoyed her presence. Since she neither spoke nor could hear, we had developed a very rudimentary form of sign language, and she was excellent at interpreting my oddly childish motions. When I had time, I was going to look for some YouTube videos and learn some basic sign language. Or maybe I’d ask Grandmother to teach me since I now knew she was an expert at it. I chuckled at that thought, but who knows? Maybe she would tutor me.

  Whoever cooked our dinner (Cleobella or the mystery chef I’d never seen?) wanted to uphold the cat theme. We had a generous salad of fresh greens. Some looked shockingly like grass but tasted like sweet lettuce, and she served a pile of it to the cats. The main course was grilled salmon, wild rice, and vegetables. The cats all received a healthy serving of salmon on small silver plates. After the main course, Cleobella brought out large trays of cheese, fruit, and chocolates; they provided small portions of cheese to the furry partygoers.

  Back in my room after dinner, I replayed the memories of the evening. Thinking back to Axel carrying in the big, green cat pillow made me laugh all over again.

  I changed into yoga pants and a loose T-shirt. My plan was to spend the rest of the night catching up on my Natural Living Magazine work. I’d been slacking in that department, and Luna has been picking up the pieces while I’d been away in ‘Denmark.’ She never complained and was kindly grateful whenever I did my actual job. She was a genuine friend and a great business partner.

  After I finished up my work, I planned to read through some of the old newspapers. I was looking forward to learning more about the community.

  With those thoughts in mind, I went into my yoga room (MY yoga room!) and peeked into the oval mirror. Expecting no surprises, I just did a quick glance, ready to turn away and get to work. My head snapped back and I sucked in a breath. I was looking into my old apartment kitchen, now Luna’s home, apparently being reflected off the mirrored surface of the microwave control panel. And there was Luna, my dear friend. She was in the kitchen making tea, her ever-present energy obvious in her bouncing, happy movements.

  I shouted her name by reflex. The mirrors never worked that way, though. It was visual only. I stepped up close to the mirror and jumped up and down and waved my arms wildly. But Luna wasn’t looking in my direction. She was taking a cup and the sugar out of the cabinet and busily focused on her tea-making. I grabbed a yoga towel and waved it like a flag, hoping the movement would catch her eye.

  Luna poured the water into her cup, added the tea bag and sugar, and strolled out of the kitchen.

  I felt my eyes fill with tears, and my entire body went weak as I sank down onto the floor. My sadness was so incredibly deep, I could feel it flow over me like a sorrowful wave. I sat for a while, my mind empty except for thoughts of Luna, which led to thoughts of Nana and Granana. My hope was fading.

  I pulled myself up off the floor, grabbed a sweater, and headed outside.

  I found myself on the bench beside the koi pond in the front garden. I watched the waterfall cascading serenely over the terraced rocks and plantings. I saw, but couldn’t enjoy, the enchanting flowers, brilliantly colored fish, and the small bridge gracefully arching over the water. This time, when I felt the tears come, I let them flow. I loved it here, I really did. But I missed my family and friend so much, it hurt.

  At that moment, I realized how deeply painful it must have been for my father, ripped away from his wife and newborn daughter. As a child, I’d never given it a thought. Growing up, Nana and Gran never talked about it, so it wasn’t a part of my life. But now, being here, and not knowing if I would ever be with them again, the pain was so deep, I could feel the heavy weight of it pressing on my chest and my throat tightening with grief.

  I was crying now like I haven’t cried since I lost my cat when I was six. Deep sorrow was escaping me in gasping breaths. I was sniffing like the child I had been then when my cat disappeared through the mirror. I didn’t know it then, but she had landed in little Axel’s room. He had kept the pet until her old age took her from him.

  I felt someone sit next to me on the bench. A tissue box was being gently placed on my lap. I looked over to see Cleobella beside me. She was dressed in a relatively normal pair of silk pajamas, and on her feet were, I swear, the same style of feathered, high-heeled slippers that I had seen my grandmother wear the day of their pajama party.

  Cleobella tenderly put her arm around my shoulders, and I sank into her and let the tears flow.

  18

  Yesterday had been a whirlwind. It started with breakfast at Vessie’s café with Axel and Jaxson, then my delightful camera work in the park with Han. After that, I’d met my father at the Observer office, and then the family dinner cat party. Phew. Oh, and let’s not forget seeing Luna and my award-winning meltdown at the koi pond with Cleobella.

  I hoped that today wouldn’t be so extreme, but I was about to do something that just about guaranteed I’d be opening a whole new installment of extreme. I dragged out the mystery box, intending to start unraveling its secrets. I had a sneaking suspicion it might be the proverbial pulling of one sweater thread that unravels the
whole thing, but I couldn’t just ignore the elephant in my closet.

  Cleaning out drawers, closets, and junk is one of my least favorite things to do, and I avoid it if possible. That’s why my kitchen junk drawer usually contains year-old receipts, bread bag ties, old ketchup packets, plastic sporks, and takeout menus. But this box was about more than old menus. It possibly contained clues to the ferry captain’s death, the secret she was going to tell me, or the reason she had warned me of danger.

  I took stock of the box of items and decided that my original plan of sorting by like-items and putting things right-side-up made the most sense. I started pulling out items and making stacks of file folders, loose papers, envelopes, and small pieces of notepaper and index cards. I grabbed a small box from my desk to gather the paper clips, pens, stamps, and other insignificant items.

  Now that I was in the process, it really wasn’t so bad. I was making good time, spreading things in piles around me on the floor, when I heard a familiar shuffling coming from the closet. It was the telltale sign of cats arriving.

  Two seconds later, Lola came bounding through the room—directly through the middle of my piles, knocking everything into one big mess.

  “Lola, stop that right now!” Wow, my voice came out sounding just like Nana, when I was younger and letting loose too much energy in the house. The difference being, of course, that as a human child I would stop. Since Lola didn’t understand English, she continued to pounce and then began batting at the loosely flying papers. It just took me just a minute to stand up and scoop her into my arms. I surveyed the mess. She had done a lot of damage in that short blink of time.

  “Aww, look at Hayden cuddling our little dumpling,” Latifa said, as she and Chanel walked into the room.