by Ginny Gold
All six eyes are on her and Maggie wants to disappear into the couch. There’s something in their gazes that makes her bones shake, makes her want to pack her things up right now and head back to Denver. “Yes, that’s why I’m here,” she says cautiously.
Ginger Rae gives a slight nod and reaches up to finger the charm on her necklace. Maggie hasn’t noticed it before but it looked like an old fashioned skeleton key. After a moment, Ginger Rae’s eyes get some life back into them and she says, “Well, I’ve got some things I’ve got to get to today.” She heaves her body off the couch and offers a wave as she leaves.
“As do I,” Erline says and stands. She waits a moment to see if Winona will be joining her. Winona offers Maggie a pained expression and then follows Erline out of The Coffee Bean.
Maggie decides to ignore all the weirdness of the last ten minutes, at least for now, and enjoy her second cup of coffee with the next chapter of her book. When the second cup doesn’t quite get her blood moving like she’d hoped, she refills again and sits down with her third cup. She knows it’s a mistake almost as soon as she takes her first sip but can’t stop herself from enjoying every last drop.
By ten thirty, Maggie’s blood is shaking and she’s antsy to get moving. She closes her book, packs it back into her hand bag and returns her mug—decorated with Valentine’s images, in May—to the counter. Then she walks down the street toward Two Sisters, hoping to catch Clem and ask her what might be going on with Ginger Rae, Winona and Erline acting so strangely.
Two Sisters is empty when Maggie opens the front door. Clem comes out of her office at the sound of the bell and gives Maggie a quick smile before disappearing back around the corner. Maggie follows her.
“Late morning?” Clem asks, sitting at her desk and typing away on her keyboard.
“Not for me.”
“Oh yeah. You’re the night owl. I never did understand that.” Clem doesn’t take her eyes off the screen while she types.
“I just finished coffee with Ginger Rae, Erline and Winona,” Maggie says, wanting to catch Clem’s attention. It works.
“Oh yeah? How are they? I don’t see them nearly as much as I used to.”
“They’re . . . I don’t know. They seemed odd today.”
Clem looks up and drops her hands into her lap, abandoning whatever it was she was working on. “Odd how?”
“I don’t know. Like they didn’t like me looking into Mom and Dad’s murder.”
Clem resumes her typing. “Well, they don’t know it was a murder. They haven’t talked to Mom and Dad on the phone. They’re not their kids. Of course they’re acting strange.”
Maggie wonders why Clem is so defensive but decides to let it go instead of starting an argument she’s sure would last days. The bell out front distracts Clem anyway and she gets up from her desk.
“Can I use your office to make a quick phone call?” Maggie asks before Clem is through the door.
“Yeah. Sure.”
Maggie sits down and takes out her tablet. She’s desperate to talk to Trista and find out if she found the red sedan.
CHAPTER 24
Suzie is beside herself with worry. She left the trinket on the coffee table for Clem and now Maggie has it! Maggie, the cat lover; the cat conspirer; the cat . . . she can’t come up with anything else.
“What’s the matter?” Oscar asks innocently.
“It’s gone,” Suzie barks, making Oscar back up before she lashes out at him.
“The thing you can’t sense?” Suzie scowls at him. She hates needing him. “It’s not gone. It’s in Maggie’s room.”
Suzie bolts to the bedroom door. “I knew it. Maggie couldn’t be trusted. She has that cat. Cat people—”
“Don’t worry. It’s not going anywhere. It’s on Opal,” Oscar reassures her and lies down on the couch he’s not allowed on.
“Don’t worry?” she nearly barks. “How can you tell me not to worry? We were supposed to keep it from the cats. We were supposed to get it to our people. Do you know what they’d be able to do with it once they have all the pieces?”
Oscar lifts his head from his paws. “Well, I guess you’ll have to get it back from Opal then. But she’s in the bedroom. She hasn’t left. Or at least the trinket hasn’t.”
Suzie storms out the dog door and rushes around to the back of the house, leaving Oscar curled on the couch. She can’t stand his calm right now. She needs that trinket.
Outside Maggie’s bathroom window, which is cracked open just enough for a cat to slip out of—or into—Suzie starts barking. She’s beside herself with worry and wants to scare Opal outside. She knows this will have the opposite effect but she can’t think straight.
“That’s not going to work,” Yogi, the next door toy poodle, says, suddenly beside Suzie. “I saw Opal slip out this morning.”
Suzie stops barking immediately. “You saw her leave? Oscar was wrong?”
Yogi tilts her head to the side. “Wrong about what?”
“The trinket. He said it’s still inside. Was Opal wearing anything on her collar?” Suzie is towering over the poodle and tries to back off but she’s too upset.
“I’m not sure. She came out once, but went back in right away. It seemed like someone warned her about something. She was outside again a few seconds later. But I never saw a trinket.”
Suzie’s panic only grows. “We have to tell Barney.”
“Not we. You have to tell Barney. I’ve been instructed to watch Opal’s comings and goings. And I have this darn electric collar. This is the furthest I can get from Leah’s house without getting a shock. And I’d like to avoid a shock.”
Suzie doesn’t reply, she just takes off at a sprint toward the dog park.
She reaches the fence in record time and Barney comes right over. He doesn’t look happy and Suzie wonders if he’s already heard.
“Barney, I don’t know how it happened—”
“Spare me,” he grunts. “Word travels faster than you do. The trinket is in the hands of the cats. But the other three are safe. The humans still have them. We’ll get the fourth one back.”
CHAPTER 25
Maggie sets up in Clem’s office and dials Trista’s number. They don’t usually speak in the middle of the day because one or both of them is often in a public place. But today calls for extreme measures. Maggie can’t wait until tonight to ask about the red sedan and its possible owners.
Thankfully, Trista answers after the first ring and is her normal cheery self. “Hey. I only have a few minutes but that’s all we should need.”
“Great,” Maggie says, relieved that they even have that long. “What’d you find? Any good news?”
“I hope so. I found two owners of red sedans in Silver Springs. A Marco Rubin and a Leah Scott.”
Maggie chuckles. “I know Leah Scott. I should have figured that one out. What about Marco Rubin? Did you dig into him?”
Maggie can hear Trista clicking away on her computer before she answers. “I did. But I got a lot of mixed reports. Like he changed his identity halfway through his life.”
“What do you mean?” This name is new to Maggie and she wants as many details as Trista can give.
“Well, he’s from Florida. How many people from Florida end up living in the mountains of Colorado?”
“More than you might think,” Maggie says. “If they’re not cut out for warm weather this is the perfect change.”
“Okay. But he had two marriage licenses and no divorces. His credit score jumped up and down almost every year. And I got conflicting birth dates.”
Maggie writes as much down as she can while Trista talks. “Someone stole his identity,” she says as all the pieces fall into place. “Can you trace who it might be? And get back to me tonight, if possible. I’ll give you a bonus if you find out who before, oh, five tonight.”
“I’m on it,” Trista agrees and hangs up before Maggie can ask about a green sedan, or the white SUV Maggie is sure is following her.
Maggie leans back in Clem’s chair and exhales. Marco Rubin. She doesn’t know what to do with that name. She’s never heard of him. The first place to start is to ask Clem. Maggie leaves her belongings scattered on the desk and heads out to the shop.
Clem is talking to Josh McMann at the register. Maggie wonders if he comes in here every day, or just every day since she’s arrived in Silver Springs.
“Hey Maggie,” Josh says, smiling in her direction, a complete change from yesterday’s abrupt departure. “I was just asking Clem about your date last night. Sounds like the four of you had a good time.”
Maggie returns his smile, but less enthusiastically. The last thing on her mind is last night’s non-date. She just wants to know who Marco Rubin is. “Yeah. It was . . . nice to catch up.”
“Well, I was hoping that you didn’t have plans for lunch today and I could take you out,” Josh offers, not forcefully, but also in a voice that Maggie knows he won’t take no for an answer.
“Um . . .” Maggie glances in Clem’s direction, hoping for an excuse to pass between them without having to say anything. But it’s been decades since they could read each others’ minds and she comes up with a blank. “Sure. Give me a few minutes. I wanted to talk to Clem about something first.”
“Great!” Josh’s face stretches into an even wider smile and he wanders off to browse some nearby antiques. Maggie wishes he’d walk further away but the question is burning a hole in her gut.
“What’s up?” Clem asks as Maggie walks up to the counter so she can ask quietly.
“Do you know a Marco Rubin?” Maggie asks, glancing in Josh’s direction.
Clem shakes her head. “Maybe Josh does,” she says and calls out to him. “Josh, do you know a Marco Rubin?”
Maggie would have rather not asked him but now it’s done. He turns slowly with a blank look on his face. He shakes his head. “No. Don’t think so. Why?”
Maggie stutters her answer. “Oh . . . no reason. It just came up and . . . I wondered who he was.”
Josh walks over in their direction. “Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell. Sorry. You ready for lunch?”
“Yup. I’ll just go put my things away and I’ll be right back.” Maggie walks back into Clem’s office and packs up her handbag. She leaves most things in the office but brings her personal cell phone with her.
“Bye,” Clem shouts from the register. “You coming back here after lunch?”
It’s unclear who she’s asking so they both answer at the same time. “Yes,” calls Maggie, while Josh tells her no.
“What are you in the mood for?” Josh asks as they walk down the street toward his car.
“I don’t even know what my options are, to be perfectly honest. I know there’s a pizza place, a sandwich shop, Indian and the brewery. Maybe you can choose something new to introduce me to.” Maggie walks beside him at a comfortable pace.
“You up for something homemade?” Josh clicks the button on his key and a car flashes its lights and beeps once. Josh opens the passenger door of a red sedan and Maggie’s heart skips a beat.
Could this be the red sedan Harriet and Vince saw at her parents’ place on the fateful day in April? Until now, Maggie has only seen him on a bicycle.
Josh has been nothing but kind, and is clearly good friends with Clem so Maggie gets in after an almost imperceptible hesitation. Josh smiles and walks around to the driver’s side.
“So, homemade lunch?” he asks again.
“As long as I’m not the one cooking. I don’t think I have enough food at home even to feed me today.” Maggie laughs nervously and Josh shifts the car into drive. She glances behind her and sees a white SUV pull out from a few spots behind them and she wonders what she’s gotten herself into.
CHAPTER 26
Maggie watches the white SUV follow them all the way to Josh’s house across town. Josh keeps asking her questions but she can barely follow the conversation. She thinks she’s agreed to have grilled cheese with tomato soup but she can’t be quite sure.
Josh turns into a driveway in an area of town that was built well after Maggie left so she’s not even quite sure where she is in relation to Main Street anymore. She was so worried about watching the SUV that she doesn’t know where she is.
“You seem nervous,” Josh says, gently placing a hand on her arm.
Maggie jumps and laughs at herself. “I’ve . . . I’ve just been out with so many new people this week.”
“And the week’s not even over yet.” Josh smiles and opens his door. Maggie follows his lead and gets out of the car. She doesn’t see the white SUV anywhere and doesn’t know if Josh lost it at the last second or if it passed when she got surprised by Josh’s touch.
Josh opens the front door for Maggie and she walks inside, still trying to look behind her to see if the SUV followed them all the way here. She’s unsuccessful and Josh closes the door, barring any further searching.
Maggie surveys her new surroundings. The house is much more modern than her parents’. It’s brighter and clearly newer. Where her parents’ house has been updated, Josh’s was built with the newer style. It’s open, like her parents’, and she follows him through the entryway into the kitchen.
“Take a seat,” he says.
“You don’t want any help?” Maggie asks, desperate to stay busy so her mind settles down.
“Nope. I think I can handle grilled cheese. And the tomato soup is from a box. But don’t worry, it’s good.”
Maggie smiles to his back and isn’t sure what to say. She hardly ever eats anything premade from grocery stores. She finds it too salty.
“How are you doing?” Josh asks.
Maggie isn’t sure what he’s referring to. “Fine,” she says, hoping that he’ll turn the conversation around on himself. She doesn’t really want to open up to him. At least not right now.
“I mean with your parents’ death. I can’t even imagine how hard it’s been on you. Clem has been here so has had a big support network. But being away in Denver the last month must have been hard. And then coming back suddenly. I mean, I’m glad you’re here . . .” He lets that hang in the air.
“Yeah. It’s been . . . tough. It was really sudden.”
“And suicide. I don’t think anyone in Silver Springs saw that one coming.” Josh turns around from where he’s cutting cheese on the counter. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Maggie thinks about it for a moment and then says, “Tea would be great.”
Josh starts opening cupboards and pulls out labeled glass containers of loose leaf tea. “These are from The Dancing Donkey. Have you been there yet?” He hands her three kinds of tea.
“I went yesterday, actually. It was . . . interesting.” Maggie thinks back to Delilah’s warning. What you are seeking is nearer than you realize. The truth will be made clear, but you must be careful. You are in great danger. If you don’t trust anyone, the danger could be deadly. Should Maggie choose to trust Josh?
“Always is.” Josh chuckles. “You want any of these?”
Maggie reads the three labels for the offered teas but is given no information about their flavors or contents. “Sure. You pick one.”
“Great. New Beginnings is one of my favorites. And it seems appropriate for where you are in life. You think you’ll stay in Silver Springs?” he asks, taking two mugs out of the cupboard above the counter and filling two tea holders.
Maggie shakes her head and almost laughs. She stops herself, not wanting to offend him. Obviously Josh has made the decision to make Silver Springs his home, and who is she to judge him for that? “No. I don’t think so. Where are you originally from?” she asks, making a concerted effort to sound interested and desperately wanting to remove the spotlight from herself.
“Alaska.”
“No way!” she exclaims.
“You been?”
“No. I just don’t meet many people from Alaska. From Anchorage?”
“No, a small village way up north.
That’s why Silver Springs was so appealing. Well, that and the skiing.”
“Ah yes, the skiing.”
Maggie successfully keeps the conversation away from her through the rest of Josh’s prep work and then their eating. She learns about his childhood with two brothers in rural Alaska. He learned to dogsled about the same time he learned to walk, just like Maggie and Clem learned to ski at that age. It used to be part of their blood, but they’ve both let those pastimes lapse into nothingness.
Maggie insists on helping clean up the dishes and load everything into the dishwasher. She expects that he’ll drive her back to Two Sisters, but first he insists on a tour. She agrees and leaves her cell phone at the table.
The house is two levels and he shows her upstairs first, including his bedroom. She hopes that he isn’t implying anything. It’s the middle of the day and this is only the second time they’ve made a concerted effort at conversation and getting to know each other.
He quickly moves on to the second bedroom, that looks like a shrine to the gold rush days. “You’re a history buff,” Maggie says, smiling. Her family has been in Colorado since it was first settled, arriving with the promise of an easy fortune.
Josh smiles back. “I guess I am. That’s actually how I became close to your parents.” Josh leads Maggie back downstairs. “I have more in the basement. Want to see?”
Maggie looks around for a clock to check the time but she knows she doesn’t have anywhere pressing to be. She wants to hear back from Trista but doesn’t expect a call until much later. “Sure,” she agrees and follows him down the stairs.
Josh turns on lights as they go and soon the entire downstairs is visible. Maggie is stunned to see a museum-like display of what some of the mining towns must have looked like centuries ago. There are working replicas of steam engines, scenes of men—Maggie is almost sure they’re made of wax and wonders if Josh made them himself—panning for gold and even the inside of a mine.
Maggie’s mouth hangs open. “Wow,” she finally says. “This is really incredible.”