“I heard something weird about Nakita’s case today. Apparently, they haven’t been able to learn the name of the man she was having an affair with.”
“Affair?!” Olivia stared at me in shock. “Is that what they’re saying?”
“Yes, they’re thinking it may have been a crime of passion, because of the affair and her contentious divorce.”
“That is absolutely absurd,” Olivia said. “I happen to know that Nakita and her husband have been separated for over a year. They both are dating other people. Affair, my foot!”
“They also said her husband is out of town and they can’t locate him.”
“Well, of course he is! He moved away from Destiny Falls after they separated. I heard he got special approval to move to Glad . . . um, to move away.”
“Were you going to say Gladstone?”
Suddenly she became quite interested in what Hercules was looking at (just a bird).
“Olivia? No one wants to talk about Gladstone. Why is that?”
“Hayden, there are some topics that are off-limits for good reason, and this is one of those. It’s got a long, complicated, and sinister history that is partially concealed. It’s forbidden to travel there unless you gain special approval—which is extremely difficult to get.”
Wow. Olivia had never spoken to me that way and she’d never been so outright secretive about something since she was the queen of gossip. It elevated my concerns about the warnings I’d received and the mystery box as well.
“How do you even apply for such an approval to travel there?”
“That’s part of the secrecy that surrounds the islands. People don’t even know how it’s done until one day they do.”
“Don’t people ever travel there on their own, without permission?” I asked.
“If you do, you’ll likely just arrive to find yourself right back at home. We honestly don’t even know what we don’t know. I would strongly suggest you drop the subject and stop asking about it.”
I thought about how that statement kind of summed up Destiny Falls. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I just kept finding out more things a bit at a time.
We walked in silence for a while. She seemed very focused on her dog and the view, but I knew she hoped that I would stop asking questions about Gladstone. I would. For now. But I’d continue to research this odd story.
As long as I was trying to pry information from her, it was time to see if I could gain any intel on my mother.
“I know you’ve lived here your entire life, and you’ve known my father and Axel since he was a toddler. Did you know anything about my mother?”
I was watching Olivia when I asked her this question, and I could see the blush creep up her face and her eyes darting around. Her voice came out just an octave too high. “Your mother?”
“Yes, my mother.”
“Well, she’s never been to Destiny Falls, so no, I’ve never met her.”
“But do you know of her?”
“Maybe. I’ve heard some things.”
“Olivia, please!” I stopped walking, faced her, and touched her arm. “I’ve never been told anything about her. I would really like to know something. Anything.”
“Let’s just say . . . that I’ve heard that she’s a lovely woman and that she never got over losing your father.”
“Have you ever heard about where she lives—or lived?” I asked.
Olivia started biting her thumbnail and reached down to pet Hercules with fast, jerky movements. “You can never tell anyone that I told you this.”
She paused and stared at me. “Hayden. You need to promise on your life. You won’t tell anyone.”
“Olivia, I promise. What do you know?”
She looked around to be sure we were alone, I suspected. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper and said, “I heard that she lived in Gladstone. But it was only a rumor. And that was many years ago.”
25
The Witch
“What do you mean, ‘He’s not dead’!!!” the witch shrieked. For a split second the Jeannie-illusion was gone. She looked like a haggard, old crone. Then, in a flash, the pretty genie was back again.
The men backed against the wall and quivered.
“Why are you just telling me this now?” she yelled. “Well???”
One man spoke up. “We kinda just found out. But don’t worry. I googled it. Many people with head injuries never remember the accident.”
“You googled it? Oh, good.”
The man totally missed her sarcasm and nodded his head. He looked relieved.
“You GOOGLED it?!” she screeched. Her eyes looked as if they were going to bulge right out of her head. “And this is supposed to make me feel better?” The old witch flickered again, and she looked angry. It was hard to see that anger when she looked like a perky, pink genie.
She paused a moment and counted slowly. “One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five.”
The men stood silently and watched her.
She took a deep breath in through her nose and let it out slowly through her mouth.
“Does Lazarus know this?” she asked.
“We didn’t tell him. We thought we should tell you first.”
“Good. Where is the spy now?” the Jeannie-witch asked in a calm voice.
Another man answered, “He’s at home. Recovering.”
“Is he alone?”
“No. He has two women there. And visitors in and out throughout every day.”
“Then he has too many friends and people around him. That makes him a continued risk.” She put her finger to her lip and tapped. “Keep an eye on him. Ask around. If there is any indication of his memory returning, I want to hear about it. Oh, a week later ought to do.”
“Umm,” said the man. “Why would we wait to tell you?”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake!” she huffed. “It’s sarcastic irony.”
He stared at her blankly, so she continued.
“A linguistic device used to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal definition and intended to be caustic.”
He continued to stand there silently gawking at her.
“Ack! Bunch of idiots! Go!!!” She pointed at the door. “Get out of my bottle and leave me in peace.” She paused and appeared to gather her patience. “Oh. Please pick up my grocery list from the table on your way out. Thank you for your business.”
Then she crossed her arms, blinked, and nodded. Two giant bats flew down behind them, chasing the men out of the cave.
The witch snickered. “Whoopsie.”
26
Last night, on my walk home from Olivia’s, I called Jaxson with the additional information she had given me about the ferry captain. I told him Nakita had separated from her husband a year ago, they were both dating others, and that he had moved away back then. Jax was grateful for the new information. He said that if Olivia’s facts were correct, it would eliminate the crime of passion angle. However, it set them back to square one on the case, as they had no other suspects or motives. They were going to investigate the possible connection with the postal worker assault and the photo of Kerbie and the mechanic at that scene. They were also still looking into Nakita’s background and the possibility of her using an alias, since the name she was using appeared to be devoid of any information.
I was still reeling from Olivia’s insinuation that my mother was—or is?—living in Gladstone. This brought up a whole new series of questions, and a new twist on what I had seen in the ledger. Emily Caldwell—Denied. Did that mean she was attempting to leave Gladstone and come to Destiny Falls? Without dates on those pages, I had no way of knowing if that signature happened years ago or last week!
I spent some time last night digging through the papers in the box to see if I might uncover some dated documents, but nothing yet. Most of the papers seemed to be normal ferry documents, but I still had a lot to look through.
I also read through a few more old newspaper issues, but mai
nly saw bland features about community residents, activities, sports, and the local real estate market.
“Someone’s looking mighty pretty this morning. Got a hot date?”
“Geeze! Latifa!” I jumped and spun around. “Don’t sneak in on me when I’m dressing in my closet!”
“Tee hee hee. Why not? It’s the utmost fun.” If cats could smirk, I’m sure that’s what she was doing. “So spill it, sister. All dressed up and didn’t ask for my help.” She continued in a sing-song voice, “Someone has a secret.”
“I’m just going to visit Han with Axel and Grandmother,” I said.
“Ohhh. Juuust going to visit the hunky Henry Golding lookalike. So, you juuuust decided to dress up all pretty. And you juuuuust decided to sneak out of here without telling me?”
The blush that crept up my face threatened to give me away, so I turned away from my cat. She could move fast when she wanted to, and she darted between my legs and turned around to sit in front of me. She tilted her head to the side. “Ummm humm. I think somebody’s in loooove.”
“I am not in love, Latifa,”
“A very heavy case of like, then?” She wiggled her little eyebrows.
I was not going to have this conversation with my cat. I distracted her by asking her where Chanel and Lola were. Worked like a charm.
I had some time before meeting up with Axel and Grandmother for our trip to see Han, so I settled in to catch up on work and e-mail. I hadn’t done that in two days, which wasn’t like me at all. I was in the process of touching base with a few writers about our schedule for the next issue of Natural Living when my eye caught on an e-mail from Luna. It had the subject line: Marshmallow Fluff. That was our secret code from college, meaning ‘this is a big secret.’ My heart raced and I opened her message.
Hayden, I’ve been so worried about you. Ever since seeing you in the mirror screaming and flailing your arms . . .
Wait, what?! I had been waving at her! And smiling widely to show her that all was well. Apparently, my pantomime skills need a lot of work.
I’ve been googling alternate worlds and magic mirrors and even went to the actual library! I keep running into the same matches—basically things like Alice in Wonderland and Narnia (though that’s a wardrobe, not a mirror.) I even re-watched that Star Trek episode when Picard goes to an alternate world and lives a whole life there. You’re not going to do that, are you? Disappear for a whole life, get married, and have children, grow old, and then come back as young you all over again??? I found a few other old novels and movie scenes with enchanted mirror plotlines. And well, you know, a couple of fairy tales like the Beast’s window to the outside world and Snow White’s fairest of them all stuff, but so far, I haven’t learned anything that will help me get you out.
I hope our secret subject line will give this message a chance at getting through to you without putting you in danger. Is someone watching your e-mail account? Can you reach me to tell me what to do to help you get out? Please try—I want to get you back home! I miss you and I’m so worried about you. You are so not in Denmark, are you?
My throat tightened and I tried to swallow. My eyes filled with tears and I felt one slip down my cheek. My friend was not so afraid that she’d run away and abandoned me as I’d thought. She was trying to get me back.
It also was a shock that the DF Satellite let her message through. Any magic that powerful would not be tricked by a fancy subject line. So, for whatever reason, it was allowed. I hoped that my reply would make it through as well.
I spent the next hour writing and erasing a reply to Luna. I wanted it to be exactly right. I’d tell her just enough to calm her down and let her know I was okay. I would leave out the magic of the town and the house. And I wouldn’t say anything about the murders or mysteries that have occurred since I arrived, of course. I’d be a little lighthearted so she wouldn’t be concerned. And I wouldn’t expound on all that I’d learned about mirrors and portals and such. Also, I thought I’d better leave out my family, even though they were such a big part of all this. I feared if I said too much, my message would become undeliverable. Finally, I had a message that felt perfect.
Hi Luna!
I was so happy to get your note! When you saw me, I was not screaming or afraid. I was waving and trying to put on a very happy face. It surprised me to hear that it looked like a grimace of panic. I’m so sorry I scared you!
The story of where I am and how I got here is complicated. It’s unbelievable, but 100 percent true. It would take hours to tell you everything, so I’m just going to give you some important highlights.
You are correct. I’m not in Denmark. Sorry about that, but it was the only way to let you know I was fine without explaining the very weird experience I am dealing with.
You better sit down for this next bit. Well, I imagine you’re at your computer and sitting down, but you know what I mean.
You already saw that the mirror in my room is enchanted. Well, you could say I fell ‘through the looking glass’ and landed in a different world. Yes, I know that sounds farfetched. The world on the other side of that mirror is marvelous (nothing like the Alice experience!)—it’s very much like home in many ways. I am staying in a beautiful home with a family of kind, gracious people.
The weirdest thing about the mirror is that I have no idea how it works. I can’t leave here, unless it sends me back.
Communication from here is spotty. I’ve sent you many e-mails and texts and tried to reach you by phone, only to have the connection dropped or messages bounce. I am very much hoping that you receive this. If so, maybe we can both continue to monitor the mirrors and try to see each other again.
I think this might be way too much for Nana and Granana to handle, so let’s keep this between us until we figure it out, okay? I think it’s best to keep the Denmark cover story for now.
I miss you, my friend. I hope we can be together again soon.
Love and hugs to you,
Hayden
I reread my note. Well, it wasn’t as perfect as the first time I read it, but I felt it was good enough. The situation was so ridiculously absurd that there was no way to soften the blow. I hit ‘send.’
27
Han’s home was not what I expected. That’s not a new concept here in Destiny Falls, I realized. Since he was so James Bond-ish, I was expecting sleek, modern, black glass, and chrome. Instead, I pulled up to a stunning, contemporary house with a rock and wood exterior. A wraparound porch hugged the front of the house. Four rock pillars guarded the front entry, softened by long, white, accent lights. The deck transitioned into a gazebo at the far end. A row of neat white stones edged a freshly mown lawn, accented with ferns and ornamental trees. Bushes burst with small, white roses. It was lovely.
Instead of sitting in the car while I waited for Axel and Eleanor to arrive from their business meeting, I parked and walked up onto the porch.
I inched closer and peeked into the window. The interior of the home had a clean, minimalist appearance. Decorated in muted grays and forest green, the furnishings had smooth, symmetrical shapes. A slate fireplace highlighted the room with plants accenting both sides. The fireplace mantle featured several artistically cultivated bonsai trees. Gorgeous landscapes and wildlife photos dotted the walls, and I wondered if Han had taken any of them.
I was focused on my—cough, cough—investigation. Okay, fine. My spying. So, when Han’s smiling face suddenly appeared on the other side of the window, I jumped back two feet.
Han opened the door and laughed. “Hi, Hayden. Or should I say boooo!” He raised his one un-casted arm and wiggled his fingers. He seemed to think this was our thing now—him unintentionally scaring me.
I sputtered, “Oh, hi! Was waiting for Axel and Eleanor and, umm, I just, umm . . .”
He laughed and gave me a quick hug. “It’s okay, hon. Your high level of curiosity is one of the reasons I like you.”
Did he just call me hon? As in honey? I liked that. One of the r
easons he liked me? I liked that too.
“Come on in. You can scope out the rest of the house from an inside viewpoint.”
“Ha ha. Thanks. You look really good.” Then I blushed and stammered some more, “I mean, umm, you look like you’re recovering well.”
Han seemed to enjoy my embarrassing blunders, by the look of his smile and the dimples that emerged on his cheeks. He appeared to be holding back an outright laugh. He opened the door and motioned me inside with his one good arm.
He really did look good, though! His relaxed black sweatpants were matched with a rather tight, black T-shirt that showed off his muscular physique. His jet-black hair appeared wet from a shower. His feet were bare. I normally hate looking at people’s bare feet, but his were nice. The overall look was so darn sexy.
I pulled my eyes away from his feet and, of course, saw that he was watching me give him the once-over. Could I embarrass myself anymore? I’d give him credit. He said nothing, just looked in my eyes and grinned.
“Wow, your home is so beautiful,” I said, changing my focus from his appearance to his home.
The floor plan was bright and open. The main room flowed seamlessly into the kitchen. A white island and light gray, quartz countertops were perfectly balanced with pale wood cabinets and square, lantern-shaped, pendant lights. The same pale wood surfaces disguised the refrigerator and freezer, I assumed so as not to disrupt the balance and beauty of the space.
Soft piano music was coming through hidden speakers throughout the home, adding a classy touch to the ambiance, and making me wonder about the piano I saw in an alcove off the living room. I let the music wrap itself around me and realized Han was still watching me. Our eyes met and there was a moment of intimate connection. I remembered that gentle kiss in the park.
The spell was broken when two women came around the corner into the kitchen. They resembled Han, and the two of them almost looked like twins, so they had to be his sisters. They saw him standing there and rushed over.
The Disappearance of Emily: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 2 Page 13