Ghostly Visions: A Harper Harlow Mystery Books 10-12

by Lily Harper Hart

  Mel looked as if he was going to argue the point, but instead he made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat and turned away. That left Jared to finish questioning Luke.

  “What’s your status right now?” he asked after a beat. “I mean ... have you been dating anyone? Have you been shooting your mouth off in the bar to anyone? Have you been considering going back to Ally?”

  The last question clearly flabbergasted Luke. “Why would you ask that?”

  “Because I need to know.” Jared refused to back down. “If you were sniffing around again and Ally cut you off, it might be motivation enough for you to take Zoe to make her suffer.”

  “I didn’t take Zoe. I wouldn’t do that to Ally.”

  “Oh, that’s so sweet,” Mel deadpanned. “You’ve finally drawn a line in the sand that you won’t cross when it comes to hurting that poor woman.”

  “Hey! If you think I feel good about everything that happened, you’re wrong,” Luke spat, his cheeks flushing with color. “That isn’t what I wanted. She knew I didn’t want a family, though. I’m not the settling down type. That’s on her.”

  “Yes, she got pregnant all on her own.”

  “Oh, you don’t understand.” Luke made a dismissive gesture as he turned his back to them, his shoulders heaving. “Ally and I have an agreement. I don’t have to pay child support and she doesn’t have to share Zoe. I don’t interact with either of them. I’m holding up my end of the bargain.”

  “And what about any relationships you’ve been involved in?” Jared asked, calm. “Have you been dating a woman who might see Zoe as a threat?”

  “I never date anyone seriously,” Luke replied. “I sometimes date the same person for a few weeks, although I never go over three months, and that hasn’t changed since before Ally.”

  “You dated Ally for longer than three months.” Mel’s voice was quiet. “That’s why everyone thought you were finally gearing up to settle down. I bet Ally thought that, too.”

  “Well, Ally was wrong.”

  “She certainly was.”

  Luke heaved out a long-suffering sigh. “I know what everyone in this town thinks of me. I’m not an idiot. As for dating, I go out with women from time to time, but it never gets serious.”

  “Who was your most recent un-serious date?” Jared asked.

  “Jessica Hayden.”

  Jared furrowed his brow. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

  “She’s a crisis counselor,” Mel supplied. “You met her a few weeks ago when Annabelle Lipscomb died in that car accident on County Line Road. The kids at the school were in crisis and she spent an entire day up there with them.”

  “Oh, right.” Jared bobbed his head. “Now I remember. She seemed like a nice woman.”

  “Which begs the question of why she was dating Luke,” Mel spat. “I’m guessing it’s because — like every other woman who has been stupid enough to take him on — she probably figured she was going to be the one to make him change.”

  “You’re not far off,” Luke agreed. “She kept wanting me to talk about my feelings and make plans for the future. We didn’t have a future. She just couldn’t see it.”

  “How did she take the breakup?” Jared asked. “Was she bitter?”

  “She was surprised. I could see that. She wasn’t bitter, though. She just told me I was a jerk and left. That’s pretty tame for some of my breakups.”

  “Yeah, well, we’re going to need a list of all the women you’ve dated for the past two years,” Mel said. “We’re probably not looking at them as the guilty party, but we need to be certain.”

  “Fine. Anything else?”

  “That will be it for now,” Mel replied. “Well, other than searching your house, I mean.”

  “Why are you searching my house? Do you really think I have Zoe here, stashed in some room, perhaps gagged and tied up or something?”

  “We’re going to make sure you don’t,” Mel said. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  Even though he was clearly frustrated, Luke read the determination on Mel’s face and merely threw his hands in the air. “I don’t think I have a choice. Knock yourself out.”

  HARPER WAS FROZEN SOLID when she returned to the coffee shop after searching the beach with Jason, Zander, and Shawn. The endeavor took longer than she imagined — the beach seemed much smaller when it was sunny and warm — and she didn’t bother grabbing gloves before leaving the house.

  “Oh, that smells heavenly,” she intoned as the woman behind the counter handed her a gingerbread latte. “I want to kiss you this smells so good.”

  Rose McGovern, the owner of the shop, merely smiled. “You were out looking for the little girl. I think you deserve a reward for that.”

  “I didn’t find her.” Harper rolled her neck and looked to the corner table where Ally sat with two women, staring into nothing as they tried to cajole her into talking. “How is Ally?”

  “Not good,” Rose replied, keeping her voice low. “She’s no longer speaking, for the most part. She hasn’t said a word in at least an hour.”

  “And before?”

  “She babbled a bit. She said that Zoe liked going to the park and she was determined to go there and find her. Karen stopped her from leaving, though, and went herself. The park, for the record, has been searched three separate times.”

  “Well, that’s not necessarily a bad idea,” Harper noted. “If Zoe is out there wandering around on her own, she might be hitting different spots at different times.”

  The look Rose shot Harper was full of pity. “Oh, honey, you know she’s not out there on her own. There’s no way. The entire town is looking for her.”

  “I know.” Harper felt sick to her stomach as she sipped the latte. “Someone took her, Rose. I saw the video. The angle is bad, so you can’t see exactly who called to her, but it was obviously someone she knew.”

  “I wish I’d paid better attention. It was busy, though. The town is always busy with shoppers this time of year. I saw her a few times through the window. She looked to be having a good time bouncing around. You know how kids are. They find enjoyment in the oddest things.”

  “It’s not your fault. It’s not anybody’s fault but the person who took her.”

  “What kind of sick loser would take a child before Christmas?” Rose hissed.

  “I don’t think it would be less worrisome if she disappeared in the middle of summer.”

  “No. You know what I mean, though. It’s just ... this is supposed to be the happiest time of the year. Kids like Zoe are supposed to be dreaming about visits from Santa Claus and baking cookies for his visit. They’re not supposed to be worried about being taken from the street.”

  Harper was thoughtful as she thought back to the video footage. “I couldn’t see Zoe’s face very clearly, but she almost looked as if she recognized whoever called out to her. I don’t suppose you know who Ally spends her time with, do you?”

  “Ally stops in here at least twice a week. She always has Zoe with her, and the little girl gets a cake pop and a hot chocolate. Then they sit in the window seat and talk about stuff, like unicorns and the elves working in Santa’s workshop. That’s what they were talking about the other day.

  “Usually, Zoe is perfectly fine in here and never puts up a fuss,” she continued. “Today, though, she didn’t like all the people. Marge Hefferman was in here and talking at the top of her lungs. You know what that’s like.”

  Harper nodded knowingly. “I do. She makes Zander look demure.”

  Rose snorted. “Yes, well, he was a hero today, too. He was out there for hours looking. He’s not a bad boy, even if he is dramatic and loud.”

  “I would fight to the death with anyone who thought otherwise,” Harper agreed. “Basically you’re saying that you don’t know who Ally spends her time with, right?”

  “I’m saying that Ally spends all of her time with Zoe,” Rose replied. “I mean ... I’m sure she has friends. She’s not the wallf
lower type. Zoe is the beginning and end of her world, though. She’s a wonderful mother.

  “Sometimes ... sometimes I think that Ally dotes on Zoe so much because she feels as if she did wrong by the little girl when it came to picking her father,” she continued. “Luke is the worst man alive, so Ally has to be the best mother ever to grace the Earth. I don’t know how to explain it.”

  Surprisingly, Harper found she had a lump in her throat. “We’re going to find Zoe. Don’t give up. Jared and Mel are on the case. They know what they’re doing.”

  “They do, but we all know the statistics. The things that could be happening to that little girl ... .” Rose’s eyes filled with tears.

  “Don’t think that way.” Harper’s voice was low, guttural. “You don’t know that’s what happened. It’s Christmas. People get lonely around Christmas. Maybe someone lost a child ... or had a mental break of some sort. It’s possible that Zoe is fine, merely lost for a little bit.”

  “Yeah, well, I never thought I would be hoping for a crazy person to have her,” Rose said, sighing as she grabbed the pot of coffee from the warmer. “I need to take this around. Help yourself to whatever you want. I think we’re all going to need to keep caffeinated for this one if we expect to find Zoe.”

  Harper had the same feeling.

  Four

  Harper stayed at the coffee shop for hours, to the point where she was one of the few left. Even Zander and Shawn departed hours before she did.

  Harper couldn’t stand the idea of abandoning Ally, but she was at a loss of what to do.

  “I don’t want to be the rude jerk that kicks her out, but I can’t stay open,” Rose noted as she leaned against the counter. “What do you think we should do?”

  “I don’t know.” Harper stared at Ally for a long time. She was alone at the table, staring into nothing, and the vacant energy hovering around the woman was almost painful to bear witness to. “Maybe I should see if she wants to come to the house with me. That way she wouldn’t be alone.”

  Rose cast Harper a sidelong look. “I don’t want to tell you your business, but I don’t think sharing a roof with Zander is going to settle her.”

  “Yeah.” Harper rubbed her cheek and opened her mouth to suggest Rose take her when the door to the coffee shop opened. Whatever she was about to say fled because she recognized the figure standing in the doorway.

  Shana Hamilton, one of the most famous faces in Whisper Cove, briefly locked gazes with Harper before focusing on Ally. She didn’t force a smile, which was probably wise, and instead moved to the table and sat directly next to the traumatized woman.

  “Well, this is interesting,” Rose muttered.

  Harper couldn’t help but agree. “Yeah. I ... .” The door opened again, interrupting her, although this time the figure standing there wasn’t a surprise.

  “Hey, Heart,” Jared said as he stepped into the coffee shop. He looked exhausted, beaten down, and ready for bed. “I went to the house, but you weren’t there. I think it’s time you called it a night.”

  Agitation she didn’t know was previously there bubbled up. “We can’t just quit.”

  “We’re not quitting,” Jared countered. “We’re ... taking stock for the night and starting again tomorrow. There’s nothing more we can do right now.”

  “But ... .” Harper wasn’t keen on the search being abandoned — even for a few hours — but she couldn’t very well give voice to her fears in front of Ally.

  Jared flicked his eyes to the table and the sympathy on his face was profound. “I didn’t realize she was still here. She can’t stay here.” He moved to take a step in Ally’s direction, but Harper grabbed his arm to stop him.

  “Just ... don’t.” She exchanged a quick look with Rose, who was clearly thinking the same thing she was. “Shana might be able to help Ally in ways that we don’t understand.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Since he was fairly new to Whisper Cove, Jared obviously wasn’t aware of the story. It happened long before his arrival in town. “How?”

  “I’ll tell you on the way home.” Harper licked her lips. “Maybe Shana can lock up for you on her way out, Rose. You shouldn’t have to stay and I know you’re worried about kicking her out, but this might be a nice compromise.”

  “I guess, although that will just mean I have to listen to Shana tell wonderful tales about her locking-up acumen for months after.” Rose didn’t look happy with the suggestion, but her resignation was obvious. “You get going. You’ve done enough for one day. I’ll handle this.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” She turned her eyes to Jared. “Get a good night’s sleep so you can find that girl in the morning. That’s the most important thing.”

  Jared nodded. “That’s the plan.”

  JARED WAITED UNTIL THEY WERE in his truck and heading home to ask the obvious question.

  “Who is the woman in the coffee shop?”

  “Shana Hamilton.”

  “Why do you think she’s powerful enough to help Ally through the most traumatic event of her life?”

  “Because she’s been through it herself.”

  Jared was taken aback. “What do you mean?”

  “It happened years ago,” Harper explained, searching for the right words as she held her hands in front of the heating vents. She’d picked up a chill while searching for Zoe and she’d yet to overcome it. “She had a daughter. Her name was Chloe. She was sixteen when she disappeared. That’s when Zander and I were in middle school. Chloe was three years ahead of us, if I remember correctly.”

  “What happened?”

  “It’s a mystery. Chloe was popular, pretty, and recently elected homecoming queen. She was blond and looked like a model. Zander used to joke that he would go straight for her.”

  Jared made a face. “That sounds lovely.”

  “It was just a joke. Back then, Zander was still ... struggling ... with who he was. He’s always been strong, but life in a small town would’ve been easier for him if he wasn’t gay. Most people didn’t have a problem with it, but there are always some people who just can’t live and let live, if you know what I mean.”

  “I understand, and I wouldn’t wish feelings of inadequacy on anyone. That includes Zander, who often goes out of his way to make my life hell.”

  “He enjoys messing with you. He’d stop if you wouldn’t make it so easy.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s focus on this Chloe girl. What happened to her? Could it tie into what happened today?”

  Harper tilted her head to the side, considering. “I don’t see how,” she said finally. “Chloe was older. Most people assume she was taken because of her beauty, although the police had precious few clues at the time. I remember because Mel was on the case and he was frustrated. No one saw Chloe after she left school one day. It was in the spring; I remember that because the search weather was hit-or-miss. She was on her way home and never made it.”

  “No body was ever found?”

  “No.”

  “Perhaps she ran away.”

  “Maybe, but I don’t think so. Chloe was close with her mother. She wouldn’t have run away like that. Besides, this was almost fifteen years ago. I think she would’ve gotten over whatever teenage angst was fueling her back in the day and showed up by now, don’t you?”

  “In theory, yes,” Jared confirmed, pulling into the driveway. “We don’t know what was going on inside that house, though. Maybe Chloe wanted to get away from her mother.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe Shana was abusive or something.”

  “I think people would’ve noticed that. Besides, Shana was a doting mother. She went to all of Chloe’s cheerleading competitions ... and chaperoned dances ... and attended parent-teacher conferences. If she was abusive, she hid it well.”

  “Maybe something else was going on. What about Chloe’s father?”

  “I ... don’t know.” Harper searched her memory. “I can’t remember what the d
eal was with him. I want to say he died when Chloe was little, but I’m not sure that’s true. It’s possible he simply abandoned the family. You’ll have to ask Mel about that one.”

  Jared had every intention of questioning Mel further. “So, you think Shana will be able to help Ally, huh? Perhaps talk her down from the edge.”

  “I don’t know that anything short of Zoe’s miraculous return is going to help Ally. Shana donates her time to missing children organizations now. She’s a familiar face on television when these cases inevitably pop up in the area.”

  “It’s nice that she managed to turn her tragedy into something good,” Jared noted. “Still, we need Ally to get it together. She’s the one who can best answer our questions, and she’s an absolute wreck. It’s not as if Luke knows who was sniffing around Zoe.”

  Harper hopped out of the truck and waited for Jared in front of it. He’d clearly had a rough day and needed comfort. “I’m sorry you had to talk to him.” She opened her arms so she could hug him, sighing when he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in the hollow of her neck. “Tell me about your day,” she whispered.

  “There isn’t much to tell. We’ve searched everywhere. This town is tiny. There’s nowhere that kid could be hiding. Everyone rallied to find her and we came up empty.”

  “You think someone took her.”

  “I do.”

  “Then we haven’t searched everywhere.” Harper was calm even though her heart ached at the thought of Zoe spending the night locked in a dark room, which is exactly how things played out in her head. “We’ll go door-to-door tomorrow and ask for voluntary searches. We’ll get organized.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Jared swayed back and forth, as if dancing to a song only he could hear. “If our kidnapper gets word that’s happening, what’s to stop him or her from panicking and killing Zoe to keep her quiet?”

  “We might get lucky.”