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

by Elizabeth Pantley

  As usual, there were bookcases set up around the perimeter with books on the theme. Amusingly, they were under a plastic dome. I assume this was to protect them from bird droppings. There were books about birds, birdhouses, bird art, birdwatching, ancient birds, and bird training (yes, bird training). There were movies, audiobooks, and birdsong recordings. Children in the craft corner were gluing colorful feathers onto headbands and wearing their creations. The colorful parrot in their corner was making the kids laugh with funny, bird-like words and opera-like singing.

  I realized my friendly camera was around my neck, so I took photos of the displays and some close-ups of the birds. I got a great picture of the children and their feathery headbands.

  I left the foyer and made my way through another set of double doors into the main library area and stopped to stare. “Oh, my!” escaped my lips as I took in the vision. I snapped a few photos.

  My favorite aspects of the library remained the same—the multitude of bookshelves, home to thousands of volumes, the cozy reading areas, and the long study tables. But today, up near the ceilings, waves of thousands of origami birds floated through the entire building. A spiral of them whooshed up the middle of the grand staircase. I assumed that wire held them up, but possibly it was a wisp of magic. They were in every color—groups of birds blending in a rhythmic pattern. First, a flock of light blue, then progressively getting darker along the line, up to deep midnight blue. A pale green group followed, evolving into dark emerald, then purple shades, red, orange, yellow, and white.

  Surely, no human being had folded thousands of little origami birds—it had to be magic.

  As I looked closer, I realized that every single bird carried a one-word inspirational message. Wander. Create. Fly. Dream. Imagine. Appreciate. The bird creations moved lightly in a softly flowing string of colors, almost like an aurora borealis made of delicate, colorful, paper doves. The effect was mesmerizing.

  I was so busy looking up that I didn’t notice Edna approach. Next thing I knew she was shoulder-to-shoulder with me, looking up at the colorful chains of origami birds.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” she whispered.

  “Oh, so beautiful,” I agreed. We watched together quietly for a few minutes, then she pulled out her key and dangled it in the air. I followed her up the stairs to the private, historic, book room.

  Looking around the space, I opened myself to the will of the library. It seemed to know what I needed and eventually directed me to the right choice. I stood perfectly still for a good five minutes, but received no supernatural message. Oh, well. It was worth a try. I wandered around browsing the shelves.

  The enormous globe that appeared on my last visit was nowhere to be found, neither was the unique aquarium table. Even without these things, the room was a joy. It embraced you with its warm woods, comfortable stuffed chairs, ornate light fixtures, and shelves filled with books. There were several elaborate birdcages filled with finches and canaries. Smaller birds with smaller voices for this smaller room.

  Today, for the first time ever, I saw Edna enter the room carrying a tray of tea and cookies. That tray always appeared when I was here, and I had assumed it was Edna who brought it. Now I saw I was correct. Or at least on this visit I was correct.

  “Thank you so much! It’s very kind of you,” I said.

  “My pleasure, Hayden.”

  I sat at the table and poured a cup of tea. Snacking on a cookie, I scanned the pile of books someone (something?) had pulled out for me. I tried to decide where to start. As I was debating where to begin, I realized that Edna was still in the room.

  She closed the door to the hallway and then came over to my table. She sat across from me. “Ever since your last visit, when the globe showed you Gladstone, you’ve been on my mind. I’ve been doing some research. Once I began to learn more, I even accessed the library’s hidden web, which I’ve only done once before, since sometimes you find things that you’re better off not knowing. I have discovered some stories and myths that you might like to hear.”

  “Yes, please!” I answered, sitting up tall in my chair, ready to listen.

  “I’ll be happy to share what I’ve learned, but keep in mind, none of this has ever been confirmed. It’s all just legends, myths, and rumors.”

  “Good enough for me!” I opened a note page on my phone and eagerly awaited her stories.

  Edna reached over and snagged a cookie. She seemed to think where to start.

  “I’ve learned that in many ways, Gladstone is a direct opposite of Destiny Falls. When our climate is most usually warm and sunny, theirs is cold, cloudy, and snowy. Where people here tend to be friendly and kind, people in Gladstone are often untrustworthy and aloof. While touches of enchantment here are blessings of wonder (she gestured around the library), the magic that appears there is of a darker type.”

  I thought about the people in the ferry line that I had seen. Most had items for a day at the beach, but I had seen cars of people with winter clothes and ski gear. The weather part of her story rang true. Well, true if the ferry was headed to wintry Gladstone.

  “It doesn’t sound like an appealing place to visit. Why is it so elusive? People seem to know nothing about it.”

  “I believe that’s part of the veil it created. You must understand that while we believe that Gladstone exists, it’s not a typical island, port, or city. It’s . . . how shall I say this? It’s almost a mirage. We have heard it is there, but if you try to reach it, you may find it doesn’t exist. Until it does. For only some people. There appears to be a power that decides which people reach the island and which are turned away. Most leave from here on their journey, only to find themselves back at the Destiny Falls ferry terminal with no understanding of how the circular trip occurred.”

  “Wow, that’s extremely odd, even for Destiny Falls!” I shook my head.

  “It gets even weirder,” she said. “I’ve read that some people do reach Gladstone. But they find only a small, typical port town—much like Destiny Falls or any harbor town. The major differences being the weather, the less sociable population, and a general feeling of . . . how do I explain? Creepiness, I guess. It has been rumored to be an unsettling place, and people become eager to leave and try to shorten their trip. Sometimes, though, it’s been said that once Gladstone gets its hooks in you, it doesn’t permit you to leave.”

  “But then why do people try to visit Gladstone? Is it because these facts aren’t well known? It seems that the people I’ve asked don’t know this.”

  “In part,” Edna continued. “They either don’t know or they are too afraid to talk about it.”

  I thought about that. Whenever I brought up Gladstone, people looked uncomfortable and often changed the subject.

  Edna had more to tell. “There is a colossal lure that draws people there,” she began. “There are stories of enchanted lakes that have magical properties, though it’s not clear what the magic is or how you gain access to it. I’ve never heard whether you have to swim in the water or drink it or just stand at the shore.”

  This story intrigued me since I’d had my own magical waterfall experience at Twin Falls Lake. Most people only see one waterfall. I saw two, and the second was magical. I wouldn’t have believed her story otherwise. My experience was amazing and inspiring. But if Gladstone was a place of opposites . . . I shuddered.

  I was waiting to see if she had information about the lake with the so-called fountain of youth that I’d read about in the window-seat book.

  “The most intriguing myth is that one particular lake holds a fountain of youth. That’s just the common title for such a thing. I’ve never heard it to be an actual fountain. I’ve never heard how it provides this so-called magic.”

  Ah! A second source for this myth. I puffed out a breath. “That would be a powerful magnet.”

  “It’s said to be almost impossible to find. The rumored location is at the summit of one of the snowy mountains. Many people who make it to the isl
and and hike up a mountain are never seen again. It’s assumed to be a challenging hike through treacherous terrain and untold dangers.”

  I thought about her words for a minute. “But the promise to be forever young would cause people to take that risk, wouldn’t it?”

  “That’s true. Some people who hear of this magic desperately try to get there. Often, it is people who fear death or aging that find the appeal of being ageless worth the risk of finding it.”

  The pieces were coming together. Did the ferry travel to Gladstone? Were the large dollar amounts on the ledger related to this so-called fountain of youth? Was the box I received from the captain a key to figuring out the mystery of Gladstone? Was this the heart of the danger the captain warned me of? The reason for her death?

  I recalled the dancer’s anger and her comments about her mother. She’d said something about her mother’s search for youth and beauty. And she said she had disappeared. Leaving her daughter alone and penniless.

  The idea that my own mother was, or could still be, in Gladstone worried me. Was my mother one of those self-absorbed people on a quest for youthfulness at all costs?

  30

  Have you ever arrived somewhere with no idea how you got there? Like if you’re driving to work and suddenly you realize that you’ve arrived there? Well, one minute I was in the library with Edna, and the next I was back at Caldwell Crest and in my room. I wasn’t sure if this was magic or if I had just been in a complete daze. I was trying to process everything that Edna had told me about Gladstone and tie it to the various strange things that had been happening.

  My brain was in such a muddle that I tried to unwind in my yoga room. I was halfway through a sun salutation when I caught a flicker of movement in the oval mirror. I rushed over and was beyond happy to see Luna folding her laundry. How could such a mundane task bring tears to my eyes and an ache in my heart?

  Typical of Luna, she was swaying and bopping along as she folded. I didn’t need to hear it to know that she had her music on loud. Her carefree approach to her housework gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

  I stood at the mirror for the longest time, just watching her and willing her to turn around. Finally, she did. This time there was no screaming and running, thankfully. Instead, she popped out her earbuds and began joyfully talking, gesturing wildly as she spoke.

  I shook my head and made talking gestures with my hand, mouthing the words, ‘I can’t hear you.’ Then I pulled my phone out of my pocket and pointed to it.

  I dialed Luna’s number and hoped. So many times I had tried to reach her, only to have the call drop before she even had a chance to pick up. I saw her run over to her purse and pull out her phone. I held my breath.

  “Hello?” Luna’s voice was quiet and tentative—not like her at all.

  “Oh my God! Luna! It’s you! I can’t believe it! Hi, Luna!” I was stumbling over my words in my surprise.

  “Hayden! It’s you!” She was laughing. “I was hoping every day that you’d be back!”

  Then we were both laughing and talking over each other. She walked over to the mirror and it was almost as if we were together again. She moved closer to the mirror and blew me a kiss. That got me laughing again, which felt so darn good.

  “Before I explain things, there’s something important. If the room starts to look wavy or faded, or if you see a flash of bright light, you need to hit the deck. Lie down on the floor and crawl out of there. Don’t get close to the mirror again. That seems to be a sign that you’re going to be pulled into the other side, and once you’re here, you can’t get out. So, you got that?”

  “Got it.” She pulled a stool over to the dresser and sat down. “So, talk, my friend. Tell me everything!”

  Well, once I started talking, I couldn’t stop. I explained how I had landed in Destiny Falls and what I found here. I told her about my newfound family. I told her about the unbelievable stores and the library. I told her about the Observer. I told her (a tiny bit) about Jaxson and Han. And then, once I was on a roll, it all came spilling out.

  I told Luna about the mysterious ferry, the odd parallel island of Gladstone, and the box that was mailed to me by the now-dead ferry captain. I told her about seeing my mother’s name on the page. I even told her the story of the weird encounter with the ballet dancer. Over two hours later, I finally took a breath.

  “Hayden, you listen to me,” Luna started in the most serious voice I’d ever heard from her. “You may be in more danger than you think. You’re in a place that doesn’t follow normal human rules. This all sounds very scary. I think that the potential for danger could be much more than you can handle on your own.”

  “I realize that,” I said. “But the warnings from the ferry captain before her death have me terrified to tell anyone about her words or the box she sent me.”

  “I understand. But keeping it to yourself could be worse. It sounds like you have some good people around you. I think you have to decide to trust them.” Luna looked concerned. She looked down at the floor in deep thought and chewed her thumbnail. She was quiet for several minutes, which was not like her at all.

  Finally, Luna looked up. “Hayden. Tell Sheriff Jaxson everything. Tell him about the box. He’s law enforcement. He’ll have the means to protect you. He’s a Destiny Falls native. He’ll know what to do.”

  Fear twisted in my gut. What if she was wrong?

  “Luna, what if my telling someone opens up terrible trouble?”

  “This will not clear up all by itself. It won’t suddenly go away, and you’ll have the happily ever after you always want. Action needs to be taken. You need help from people who understand that place better than you do.”

  I knew she was right.

  “Okay. I will. When I find the right moment, I’ll talk to Jaxson about everything.”

  “Do it soon. Promise?” Luna pressed.

  “I promise.”

  “Umm. Hayden. Is that Sassy and two other cats behind you?”

  I turned around to see the three cats huddled up on the yoga mat behind me, all of them watching me talk to Luna in the mirror.

  Meow. Meeeeow. “Did that sound sufficiently cat-like?” Latifa asked in that telepathic voice that only I could hear.

  ‘Yes, it is! It’s Sassy!” I answered.

  “That’s your cue, Duckie. Tell her I’m now to be called Princess Latifa.”

  Meeeeeow!

  I knew if I didn’t say something, my cat would become obnoxious. “I’ve started calling her Latifa now,” I said.

  “Why?” Luna asked.

  “It’s a long story.” I quickly cut that conversation short by moving on to introductions to the other cats.

  “This gorgeous, white Persian is my grandmother’s cat, Chanel. And the tiny, black fluff ball is our newest addition, Lola.”

  “My goodness. She is adorable!” said Luna. “I’m happy to see you have some feline company.”

  “Oh, you have no idea,” I mumbled under my breath.

  31

  I tossed and turned all night. My joy at talking to Luna kept being interrupted by the feeling of fear in my gut. Luna was right. The secrets I’d been keeping about the ferry captain and the box could be more dangerous to keep than to tell.

  I finally gave up on sleep and got out of bed at six. I crept out of the quiet house and took a slow jog through town to Vessie’s café. I arrived before she opened and spotted a large black-and-white cat sitting outside the door.

  “Hello, kitty. Are you waiting for Vessie to open, too?” I stroked her soft fur and noticed a tag on her collar. “So, you’re Vessie’s cat, Marshmallow. You are a pretty one.”

  I walked over and sat on the bench that overlooked the harbor. Marshmallow followed me over and jumped up beside me. The two of us enjoyed the morning sunshine. It wasn’t long before I heard the bells jingle above the café door.

  “Good morning, you two!” Vessie’s cheerful voice rang out. She walked over to the bench and gifted me with one of her
warm hugs. “Shop’s open! Ready to come in now?”

  Latifa had said Marshmallow calls the café the pink palace. And for good reason. This morning it was as pink as ever. While the basic structure of the café always remained the same, and the dominant color was always pink, the décor was often slightly different, sometimes radically different. Today, the theme was polka dots. The walls were dark pink and covered with huge, white dots, while the ceiling was white with small, pink dots. The floor was a sea of tiny, round tiles that were pink, white, and gold. There was a ribbon of ivy over the front door and around the perimeter of the room near the ceiling, speckled with dots of tiny white and pink flowers. The ever-present butterflies were flittering here and there on the ivy. The room was bright and cheery.

  “Are you meeting Jaxson this morning?” she asked.

  I jerked my head up from the menu and looked at her, “No. Why?” Did she know something? Why would she think I was meeting Jaxson?

  “Um, because he’s just walking in the door?” She chuckled. “Hi, Jax! Coffee?”

  “Yes, please. Morning, Hayden. Want some company?” he asked.

  “Of course!”

  Jaxson sat in the booth across from me. Vessie brought his coffee and a cup of tea for me. She took our orders, and then wandered back to the kitchen.

  This was my chance. I could tell him about the box and the warning now. I took a deep breath.

  “Interested in hearing some news about the ferry captain case?” he asked. “I expect you’ll want to write about this in the paper as soon as the case is closed. I’d ask that you hold off until then. But we seem to be getting closer.”

  “Yes. And you’re right. It would be a great cover story for my first issue. I suspect murder is big news in a small town.”