Alien Allure: A Garden Girls Cozy Mystery (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 23)

by Hope Callaghan

“To the flea market. Ruth is hosting her NASCA/alien enthusiast convention. Someone abducted a Lakeville boy and tried to abduct Ryan last night while we were there.”

  Liz’s hand flew to her mouth. “Maybe I don’t want to move back here. It seems like every time I turn around, some sort of crime has been committed.”

  “The last crime committed involved you,” Gloria pointed out.

  “It had nothing to do with me. It was merely a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  There was no sense in arguing with the woman. “What are your plans now that you’ve arrived early?”

  “I hope I’ll be able to stay with Margaret even though she’s not expecting me yet. If not, I’ll need to find somewhere else to stay,” Liz hinted.

  “She’s expecting you. Whether she’s looking forward to it is another story.”

  “That’s not nice,” Liz pouted.

  “I was teasing.” Gloria shifted her feet. “I’m glad you’re here. Truly, I am. I would feel terrible knowing you were in Florida, all alone and heartbroken.”

  “Martin didn’t deserve me.”

  “You’re right,” Gloria said kindly. “As I said, I’m on my way to the convention. Would you like to tag along?”

  “I…if you don’t mind.” Liz jangled her keys. “We can take my SUV. In fact, why don’t you drive? I think you’ll be surprised by how much you like it.”

  Gloria hesitated. “Are you sure? The flea market roads aren’t paved.”

  “No biggie. The car needs to be washed.” Liz handed her sister the keys and then scooted to the passenger side.

  Gloria set her purse on the backseat and slid behind the wheel. The smell of new car and leather filled the interior.

  “Isn’t it fabulous?” Liz gushed. “The seats are super comfy.”

  “They are.” Gloria wiggled her bottom as the seat enveloped her. She peered over the steering wheel. “I do like how I sit higher. I can see more of what’s in front of me.”

  “The backup camera is awesome. There’s also an auto-dimming rearview mirror for night vision and side indicators to let you know when someone is in the lane next to you.”

  Gloria had to admit the SUV was roomier than she expected. “Where do I put the key?”

  “It’s keyless. All you have to do is press the silver button.”

  She started the vehicle and waited while Liz gave her some pointers. Backup was a breeze with the camera, and seconds later, they were zipping along the open road. She glanced at the speedometer and eased her foot off the gas. “Whoops.”

  “It’s easy to speed,” Liz said. “I only got stopped by the police once – near Atlanta.”

  “Did they give you a ticket?”

  “Me? Get a speeding ticket?” Liz waved dismissively. “Don’t be silly. So? What do you think?”

  “It’s nice. Nicer than I thought it would be.” Gloria kept both hands on the wheel. “You never told me how much it cost.”

  “Sumpfl,” Liz mumbled.

  “Huh?”

  “Sumpfl.”

  “Liz.”

  “It was sixty-three thousand.”

  “Sixty-three thousand dollars,” Gloria gasped.

  “And some change.”

  “Good grief, Liz. That’s more than James and I ever made in an entire year.”

  “I didn’t need a job – I needed a car.”

  “Far be it from me to tell you how to spend your money, but you could’ve bought a very nice vehicle for much less. Something sensible.”

  “You’re sensible, I’m sophisticated.”

  There was no point in arguing with Liz, and besides, it was too late.

  When they reached the flea market, it took two times of circling the grounds for them to track Ruth down.

  Liz finally spotted her talking to Penelope Victor, the woman whose van Lucy and Gloria had secretly searched the previous day.

  Gloria gave the horn a quick toot to catch Ruth’s attention. She pulled up alongside her and rolled the window down.

  Ruth let out a low whistle. “This is a fancy set of wheels, Liz.”

  “And expensive.”

  Liz made an unhappy noise and frowned at her sister.

  Penelope smiled at Gloria. “Hey, I met you the other day. Did you enjoy the sardines and olives?”

  “Actually, my grandson loved them.”

  “They are delicious and perfect for stakeouts.”

  “Thanks again.”

  “Ruth was telling me about the recent abduction and attempted abduction of her friend, Gloria’s grandchild last night.”

  “It was my grandson,” Gloria said.

  The woman’s eyes grew wide. “You’re Gloria?”

  “Yes, I am. Ruth’s snoopy friend.” Gloria shot Ruth a smile.

  “I…uh.” Ruth pursed her lips. “I never said you were snoopy.”

  Liz let out a small laugh, and Gloria gave her a warning look.

  Penelope began shaking her head. “You did, Ruth. You told me your friend had a habit of sticking her nose in where it didn’t belong, and you were always helping her out of a jam.”

  “I mean. I do help Gloria out of jams.”

  “And I’ve helped you out of a couple too. Remember the post office drug operation?”

  “Of course. How could I forget?”

  “Or the time you entered the Dash for Cash contest, one of the other contestants died and you were on the hook?” Gloria pressed.

  “All right.” Ruth held up a hand. “You’re a champion for the underdog, innocent until proven guilty and all of that jazz.”

  “Apology accepted,” Gloria teased. “I was wondering how your project was progressing.”

  “Project?” Ruth frowned.

  Gloria gave her a pointed stare. “The spymobile project.”

  “Oh. Yeah. Uh…I’ve been busy. I haven’t had time to check on it. I should head back to the front.”

  “Hop in. We’ll give you a ride,” Liz said. “I must warn you – driving and even riding in the Benz is addicting. You may fall in love and sell the spymobile.”

  “That’ll never happen.” Ruth slid into the seat directly behind Gloria. She tapped her on the shoulder. “I’m sorry if it seemed like I was casting you in a bad light.”

  “It’s no biggie. I’ve been called worse. Besides, you aren’t the first person who has accused me of sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong.” Gloria remembered Paul’s earlier comment. “Paul swears one of these days I’ll end up in trouble.”

  “As in jail. Like you and I haven’t been there before,” Liz said.

  Ruth chuckled. “You’re right. I forgot about Margaret’s Smoky Mountain adventure when Liz sent you on a wild goose chase.”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  “Speaking of Margaret – does she know you’re here?” Ruth asked.

  “I sent her a text a few minutes ago,” Liz said. “If she isn’t ready for company, I’ll have to stay with Gloria and Paul.”

  “You can stay at my place,” Ruth offered. “I’ll be here for a few more days, and my house is empty.”

  “She’ll take it,” Gloria said.

  Liz shifted in her seat and gave her sister a withering look. “What’s wrong with me staying with you?”

  “C’mon, Liz. We’ll be at each other’s throats. In fact, I’m not sure living in the same town is a good idea.”

  Ruth interrupted. “We’re here. Let’s go inside where I can download the app for the surveillance cameras and see what we have.”

  Once inside, Ruth pulled out her laptop. She set it on the counter while Gloria and Liz stepped in behind her.

  “What are we looking for?” Liz asked.

  “A metallic gray or dark-colored van with a three or an eight on the license plate.”

  Liz covered a yawn. She lifted both hands over her head and circled the desk.

  “What are you doing?” Gloria watched her.

  “Stretching my legs. I spent most of
today in the car, and they’re cramping up.”

  Ruth fiddled with the mouse. “This could take some time.”

  Plink. Plink. Liz propped her elbow on the counter and began playing with the container of pens.

  “You don’t have to hang around here if you’re bored,” Gloria said.

  “I’m not bored. I’m restless.” Liz slumped against the counter and examined her fingernails. “I wonder if Chu’s Nail Salon is still in business. I need to get my nails done.”

  Ruth interrupted. “I see something.”

  “Where?” Gloria reached inside her purse and pulled out her reading glasses.

  “Hang on.” Ruth rewound the recording. “Right here. About an hour ago. Check out the metallic gray van.”

  “I see it. Does this match any of the others on file?”

  Ruth consulted her clipboard. “Crud. He’s registered. He’s the guy with the dog.”

  “Mr. None of Your Business.” Gloria stared blankly at the computer screen. “I’m missing something. I feel like it’s right there.”

  She wandered to the window. “I…I can’t shake the feeling it has to do with Ryan’s scare last night.”

  Gloria closed her eyes and ran through the events of the previous evening, from the moment Tyler and Ryan left to go to the restroom until they returned home.

  Her eyes flew open. “I think I’ve figured it out. I think I know who’s responsible.”

  Chapter 22

  It took a couple of back and forth missed calls before Gloria was able to get her daughter on the line.

  “Sorry, Mom. We just left the grocery store. Tyler’s craving smoked sardines.”

  “With olives,” Gloria laughed.

  “After the scare last night, I’m not letting either of the boys out of my sight.” Jill told her mother she heard the boy from Lakeville was found alive and wandering around in downtown Grand Rapids.

  “Which is why I’m calling. Is Ryan with you?”

  “He is.” There was a muffled sound on the other end. “We’re loading groceries in the car.”

  “Call me back when you’re done. I need to talk to Ryan for a moment.”

  Ruth watched her friend end the call. “What is it?”

  “I have a hunch.” Gloria started to elaborate when her cell phone chimed. “It’s Jill.”

  Instead of Jill on the other end, it was Ryan. “Hi, Grams.”

  “Hi, Ryan. I’m going to put you on speaker.” Gloria pressed the speaker button before continuing. “I was calling to ask you to tell me again exactly what happened last night when you and Tyler went to the bathroom.”

  “Tyler waited outside the bathroom. I went in one side. After I was done, I got turned around and went out the wrong way. Then I remembered I forgot my voice changer and had to go back. I couldn’t find Tyler. I started to walk to the front. The man with the long hair stopped me. He said my brother was waiting and to follow him.”

  “You’re sure,” Gloria interrupted. “You’re sure he said, ‘my brother?’”

  “Positive. He tried to grab my arm. That’s when I took off running to the front. Everyone was gone, so I hid in the corner in case he followed me. I knew you would come back.”

  “And that’s all you remember,” Gloria said. “You didn’t see a vehicle…a van or car?”

  “No.”

  Gloria thanked her grandson and told him to tell his mother she would talk to her later. She disconnected the call and waved her cell phone in Ruth’s direction. “The man who approached Ryan outside the restroom told him his brother was waiting for him.”

  “Right,” Ruth said.

  “How did he know it was Ryan’s brother?” Gloria didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll tell you why…because Ryan met the man.”

  Ruth shook her head, confused. “I’m not following.”

  “Because you weren’t there. When we were setting up the vendor booths, Cliff stopped by in his van to drop off the extra tables Dot loaned you. He talked to Ryan for a minute. While they were talking, Ryan mentioned his brother. Is Cliff staying on the grounds?”

  Ruth’s jaw dropped. “No, he’s not. He lives in nearby Rockville.”

  “He’s single and lives alone?”

  “I believe so.”

  “Did the police search Cliff’s van?”

  Ruth scrambled out of the chair and darted to the door. Gloria hurried after her.

  “He’s been driving an old beater. He said his van conked out, and it’s in the shop.”

  “So, he drove his van once to drop off the tables, and ever since, he’s been driving another vehicle.” Gloria followed Ruth into the parking lot. “He was here last night.”

  “Yes. The investigators met with all of us this morning. He didn’t seem nervous or apprehensive,” Ruth motioned to a rusty Chevy blazer. “That’s his vehicle. What if it wasn’t Cliff? What if whoever it was guessed it was Ryan’s brother?”

  “I suppose it’s possible. Where is Cliff right now?”

  “He’s meeting with Leonard to help with the chili cookoff and go over the final schedule.”

  “Because the official end of the convention is tonight.”

  “Correct.”

  Gloria circled the blazer. Cardboard boxes filled the backseat. Empty fast food bags covered the floors. She slowed when she reached the passenger side, and spied a black backpack. “Today is Sunday. He told you that his van broke down yesterday afternoon. It’s possible he was able to get it into a repair shop. Where does he live again?”

  “Rockville.”

  “And Cliff will be here all afternoon?”

  They returned inside, where Ruth consulted her schedule. “For at least another hour.” She shifted her gaze. “Let me guess…you plan to swing by Cliff’s place to see if there’s a van in the driveway.”

  “Yep. Now all I have to do is track down his address.”

  “I’m already one step ahead of you.” Ruth plopped down in the chair and reached for the mouse. “Cliff Gates.”

  Ruth rattled off his address while Gloria scribbled it on a scrap piece of paper. She folded the paper in half and shoved it into her purse. “Well, Liz, I’m gonna take one more ride in your fancy new SUV.”

  “Send me a text when you get there and when you leave,” Ruth said. “That way, I can keep an eye on Cliff to make sure he’s not on his way home.”

  “You’re sure Cliff lives alone?”

  “Almost one hundred percent positive.”

  “What about pets? Has he mentioned a dog?”

  “Nope.” Ruth shook her head.

  “I…don’t do well with dogs,” Liz said. “For some reason, they don’t trust me.”

  “Animals have a keen sense of who the bad guys are.”

  “I should make you walk home,” Liz glared at her sister.

  “I was kidding.” Gloria patted her arm. “I’ll work on keeping my humor to myself.”

  During the drive to Rockville, Liz tried to persuade her sister to do a quick drive-by. “If this guy is into surveillance stuff, he probably has his place under round the clock surveillance.”

  “Good point. I hadn’t thought about that. We’ll compromise and do a drive-by first.”

  When they reached Rockville, they made their way along the river, past the historic district and the downtown shopping area. With several more turns, they reached Cliff’s road.

  Liz slowed while Gloria searched for the address. A gray mailbox sporting the name Gates and the street number appeared. “This is it.”

  “Do you see a van?” Liz crept past the narrow drive.

  “Nope.”

  “I’ll turn around.” Liz drove to the next intersection and did a U-turn.

  “I can’t see.” Gloria strained against her seatbelt, attempting to see around the side of her sister’s head. “Your head is in the way.”

  Liz leaned back while Gloria leaned forward. “I…think I see something off to the side. Pull into the driveway.”

  “What?
”

  “Pull into the driveway.” Gloria twirled her finger in a circular motion.

  “No.” Liz stubbornly shook her head.

  “Why not?”

  “Because we would be trespassing.”

  “If someone is here, we’ll claim we’re lost.”

  “I get a bad feeling about this.”

  “Fine. Pull off to the side. I’ll walk.”

  Liz steered her vehicle onto the side of the road and shifted into park.

  Gloria reached for the door handle.

  “You’re going to get out?”

  “I am. It’s the only way for me to find out if there’s a van here, maybe even peek in the windows to see if I can see anything.”

  “Peek in the windows?” Liz gasped. “What if we get caught?”

  Gloria pulled her cell phone from her pocket and turned it on. “I’ll text Ruth to let her know we’re here and to make sure the coast is clear.”

  Ruth was on standby, waiting for Gloria’s text. She promptly replied Cliff was still there.

  “Perfect. He’s there – we’re here. I’m going in.” She shoved her cell phone in her jacket pocket, eased the door open and slipped out of the SUV. She made her way around the front of the vehicle and began walking up the drive.

  “Wait.” Liz slid out of the car and hurried after her sister. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. If we get arrested, you owe me one.”

  “You could’ve stayed in the car.”

  Liz became winded as she attempted to keep up with Gloria. “Can you slow down? These heels aren’t designed for speed walking.”

  Gloria slowed her pace as they approached the house. It was a sixties ranch sporting baby blue vinyl siding. A black and white striped awning was over the front door, and a breezeway connected the house to a single stall garage.

  She strode to the front door and climbed the cement steps.

  “What are you doing?” Liz hissed.

  “Checking to see if anyone is home.”

  “And if they answer, what are you going to say? Hey, sorry to bother, you but I think the man who lives here is a child abductor?”

  “No.” Gloria resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I’m going to give a bogus name and address and tell them we’re lost.”

  “But…”

  Gloria, in no mood to continue the discussion, jabbed the doorbell. She could hear a chime from within but no other sounds. She tried again. Nothing. “Let’s circle around the back.”