by Vella Day
“Who?” Drake asked.
I admit it was hard to keep all of the names straight. “The dog trainer.”
“Oh, yes. Go on.”
“After waiting a few minutes, a man joined her.”
“Did you recognize him?” Drake asked.
“No, but he could have been the van owner. Don’t worry, Iggy heard the entire conversation.”
“Finally,” my cute pink iguana said.
I waited until Iggy relayed the conversation to me before I told Drake what he said. “Thank you, Iggy. You were amazing.” Though their discussion was a bit cryptic.
“What did he say?” Drake asked.
“Diana wanted a bigger cut of the profits. Without her, this man would have no animals.”
His mouth dropped open. “Does that mean she was involved in stealing the dogs?”
“That would be my guess.”
“You have to tell the sheriff.”
I inhaled. “I would, but Steve would ask what proof I have.”
“I can testify,” Iggy said.
“That would be great, except that no one can hear you.”
He slipped back down into my purse. Poor thing.
“Now what?” Drake asked.
“In theory, she isn’t leaving town. If Steve or Nash find the van’s owner, I might say something.”
“Good.”
Not ready to leave, I told him about my father taking up hunting. No surprise, Drake was stunned.
“That doesn’t sound like him.”
“I know, but if it gets him out of the house, I’m happy.”
“You say that, but your eyes aren’t confirming it.”
He was too perceptive. “You’re right. What I wouldn’t give to find someone who was in this class so I could pick their brain. I’d even be willing to learn how to use a crossbow if it meant I could keep an eye on my dad.”
Drake looked at me. “What’s really going on?”
“You’ll think I’m crazy.”
He laughed. “Glinda, nothing you do or say would make me think that.”
He was the sweetest man. “Okay. According to Aunt Fern, Dad leaves every month for a couple of days. I didn’t ask what time of the month it was or if these dates were on the same day.”
“But?” he asked.
“Do you remember what Emma Paxton told us about her husband?”
“Glinda Goodall, don’t tell me you think your father is a werewolf!”
I instantly reacted. “No. Maybe. What other explanation is there? He’s been looking very pale lately.”
“I’m not up on my werewolf lore, but once a werewolf feeds, the blood boosts his energy.”
I grabbed his arm. “You’re right. My dad would have to be pale one week and look robust the next.”
“If that’s the case, maybe he’s a vampire.” Drake winked and then turned more serious. “Or…maybe he leaves because the classes he’s taking meet on the same day of the month. Ever think of that?”
I leaned against the counter. “I hope you’re right, but I think this has been going on for longer than the classes.”
“You should ask him,” Drake said.
“I’m not ready to do that yet. It’s the change in his health that really bothers me.”
“He could be anemic. A doctor could tell. Come on. Let’s finish the cheese and crackers. It will help clear your brain.”
That was what I loved about my friend. He could erase my worry. We delved into the culinary delight, and I had to admit the burst of flavor raised my spirits. “I plan to mark the calendar when he leaves and compare it to the full moon.”
Drake shook his head and smiled. “I do love your imagination. You make life so much more exciting.”
He was probably mocking me, but that was okay. I did feel better after expressing my concern. “On a different note,” I said. “Aunt Fern has a date with this guy, Bob Hatfield.”
“That is newsworthy. I didn’t think your aunt would ever go out again.”
“Me neither, but she said she doesn’t want Harold to have to stay around for longer than necessary.”
“You don’t seem all that excited about this new development,” Drake said as he stuffed another cracker in his mouth and then washed it down with some water.
“I don’t know enough about him, but I worry about her.”
“Why? Your aunt is a smart lady.”
“I know.”
“If it will make you feel better, I’ll ask Jaxson to look into him,” Drake said.
My relief took me by surprise. “I’d appreciate that.” We always seemed to talk about my problems, and that wasn’t fair to Drake. “Tell me what you’ve been up to.”
“Same old, same old.”
“You do realize all work and no play makes Drake a dull boy?”
He planted a hand on his chest. “Me? Dull? Is that what you are implying?”
I did adore him. “No. I just thought between Trace and Jaxson working here that you could have some time to yourself. Surely, there must be someone you’re interested in?”
“Don’t you start and play matchmaker.”
I held up a hand and smiled. “I get it.” I grinned. “Hey, maybe you could take up crossbow lessons.”
He wagged a finger at me. “I can see right through you, Glinda Goodall. You want someone to spy on your dad.”
I huffed out a breath. “Is that so bad?”
“Yes, it is. Now, let’s get back to your obsession. Are you sure you aren’t going to mention the argument Diana had with this stranger to the good sheriff?”
“Not right now. I just wished I had taken the guy’s picture. I would have only captured the back of his head, but that could have helped.”
Drake laughed. “You are something else.”
“You know what I’m going to do?” I asked. He shook his head. “I plan to focus on enjoying myself at Maude and Miriam’s tea and coffee party tomorrow.”
He smiled. “Good for you.”
“I will stay out of the investigation unless some major clue drops into my lap.”
“Sure, Glinda. Sure.”
Drake knew me too well.
Chapter Fifteen
After filling up on cheese and crackers, I was ready to head to bed and indulge in a good book. I’d just stepped into my bedroom when there was a knock on my front door, startling me. The force of the rap indicated it was a man. If Jaxson had discovered something, he would have called.
I approached with caution. “Who is it?” I asked as I looked through the peephole. Oh, my goodness. My pulse skyrocketed for a second, and then I relaxed.
“It’s Steve and Nash.”
I was thankful he didn’t say it was the Witch’s Cove sheriff’s department. Then I would have thought they were there to arrest me—for something I didn’t do, mind you. Or had he heard about my snooping with Diana Upton?
I hadn’t changed into my pajamas yet, so I pulled open the door. Seeing both men in uniform made my heart drop to my stomach. This visit seemed too official. In my mind, the cops came to a person’s door to report a death of a loved one. “Did something happen?”
“Yes,” Steve said. “May we come in?”
“Of course.”
I glanced over at Iggy, hoping he wouldn’t cause a stir. “Can I get you something to drink?” I asked with a very dry mouth.
“This isn’t a social visit, Glinda.”
I figured as much. I didn’t ask if they wanted to sit, because they would probably say no. I, however, had to because my legs were about to give way. “What is this about?”
Steve looked at Nash. “I have to say, I’m surprised you haven’t heard.”
Clearly, my reputation continued to follow me. “Heard what?”
“Diana Upton, the trainer, is missing.”
“Missing?” Only a small part of me relaxed since he didn’t tell me something horrible like Penny or one of the Harrison brothers had been seriously injured or killed. “I just s
aw her at Dolly’s diner.”
“When was this?” Nash asked as he pulled out his notepad.
“Maybe two hours ago. Why do you think she’s missing?”
“Brad Thomas, the one who had signed up to compete with his Golden Retriever, Randy, needed to get a hold of her. They were supposed to meet an hour ago, but she didn’t show up.”
I didn’t think that sounded too serious, nor did I think her not showing up to a rendezvous warranted a visit by the sheriff’s department. Didn’t a person have to be missing for twenty-four hours before they started looking? I suppose with the dogs disappearing, they thought foul play might be involved. “Maybe she decided not to talk to him.”
“Maybe. We looked in her hotel room. Her clothes, purse, and car keys are still there.”
Okay, now that sounded bad. “Are you thinking someone kidnapped her, like they did the dogs?”
“That was our thought, but we have no proof.” I had never seen Steve so serious.
“If that’s true, it gives me hope the dogs might still be alive. They might need her to take care of them.”
“We tried her cell, but she isn’t answering.”
“I often let my cell phone go to voicemail,” I said. I then told him about the man she met at the diner. “She looked angry. I couldn’t hear everything other than her demanding more money for the operation.” I looked over at Iggy.
“That’s about right,” he said.
“What operation?” Steve asked as Nash jotted down some notes.
“I don’t know. She didn’t stay long enough to order anything. She tossed down some money, and the man followed her out.”
“What did the man look like?” Nash asked.
I knew they had to ask these questions, but it almost felt as if I was being interrogated. “I only saw the back of his head.”
“Was he bald, have long hair, or what?” Nash asked.
“He was unkempt. His curly brown hair looked as if he hadn’t combed it in a while. I did notice his jeans were dirty.”
Nash continued to take notes. “That kind of sounds like the man Silas Adams described,” Steve said.
“I know, right? I thought the same thing.”
Steve leveled me with a stare. “Why didn’t you report it?”
I knew the answer to that one. “You would have said I had no proof that the man in the diner was the same one who took the dog and drove off in a white van.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Anything else you can tell us?”
I replayed everything in my mind. “No, I’m sorry.”
Steve nodded. “I’m worried about Diane’s safety. If you hear anything, and I mean anything, please let us know.”
I stood. “I promise.”
Once they left, I shut and locked the door. I felt a little guilty that I hadn’t said anything sooner, but no one knew whether this man had anything to do with her disappearance—assuming she really was missing and not in hiding—or even with the dogs’ disappearance.
“What are you going to do?” Iggy asked.
“Me? What can I do?”
“You could talk to Gertrude.”
“You think she might have had another vision?” I asked.
“It’s possible. She knew about the two dogs.”
I checked my watch and realized it was quite late. Considering her advanced age, she was probably in bed. “I’ll contact her tomorrow morning, though if she had another pink aura vision, she would have called.” Or so I’d hoped.
My cell rang a few minutes later, and every nerve shot to life. My phone was in the bedroom. “Excuse me.”
My ever-curious lizard followed me into the room. For once, I didn’t mind having the company. I checked the caller ID. It was Penny. Since I didn’t have to work tomorrow, she probably figured I would be up.
“Hey. Is everything okay?” I asked. I seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to Penny. Super bad news meant she’d come to the apartment. Semi bad news often came in the form of late-night phone calls.
“No, it’s not. It’s Sam.”
I needed to sit on the bed for this conversation. Sad to say, I had anticipated their new relationship would be filled with pitfalls. “What happened?”
“He came over to my place after he’d been drinking. He was rude. I really thought he’d changed, but he hasn’t. I am such a fool.”
I was happy to take my mind off of Diana Upton for a moment. It would give me a chance to figure out my next move. Right now, Penny needed me. “You weren’t a fool. You were hopeful. I am so sorry, Penny. I know how much you wanted this to work. What are you going to do?” I asked.
“What can I do? I have Tommy to think of. I told him I didn’t think it would work out between me and his dad. Needless to say, our son was not happy.”
My chest squeezed. “Sam wasn’t violent with you, was he?”
“No, no. He yelled loud enough to wake up Tommy though, but then he was very contrite when our son came out of his room. But, Glinda, I can’t go through this again.”
“Of course not.” This was one more reason not to date—at least for now.
“I don’t mean to be such a downer, but it’s really hard raising a child by myself.”
I’d heard that refrain a lot, and I understood how hard it might be. “At least your mom helps out.”
“She does.”
I wasn’t sure what she thought I could do. “If I had any talent doing love potions, I would mix up a batch and let you give it to whoever you fancied.”
She nearly squealed. “You are a genius.”
Uh-oh. I was only kidding. The problem was that Penny was often impulsive. “What are you going to do? And please don’t say you want to put a spell on Sam.”
“No, silly, but if I find a guy I like, I wouldn’t object to giving him something to make him notice me.”
I didn’t like where this was headed. “Penny.”
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t do that.” She sighed. “Or maybe I would. Oh, Glinda. I want a real relationship.”
“Your time will come.” How many times had we said that to each other? Answer? Too many to count.
“Thanks for cheering me up.”
I don’t think I said anything significant, but if she was happy, so was I. “You’re welcome.”
“Do you have plans on your day off tomorrow?” she asked.
“I’m not sure.” A least none that I was willing to share just yet. I needed to confer with Gertrude about what might have happened to Diana.
“Have you given up looking for the missing dogs then?”
Why did everyone think I was obsessed with solving cases? “Steve and Nash are working on it.”
“I get it. If you get bored, you can always stop downstairs and chat.”
“I’ll do that. I trust you are going to go to Maude and Miriam’s annual opening celebration tomorrow night?”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it. Last year, everyone was saying that Miriam outdid Maude. I heard Maude plans to outdo her sister this year.”
I laughed. “As competitive as they are with each other, underneath it all, they do seem to adore each other.”
“I know. The sad part is that all they have is each other,” Penny said.
“I disagree. Given all the friends they have, their lives are rich.”
“You’re probably right. Thanks again. I’m going to hit the sack. Gotta get up early tomorrow.”
“Sleep well.” I sighed as I disconnected.
“What did she say?” Iggy asked as soon as I placed the phone on the nightstand.
“Nothing much, except that she and Sam are no longer an item.”
“I bet that hurt,” he said, his voice sounding more distant than usual.
At first, I wanted to ask what he knew about emotional pain, but then I realized he was pining for Aimee. “I’m sorry Aimee isn’t returning your affection.”
“That’s okay. She’ll come around. As you said, she i
s a cat.”
Cats could be highly affectionate. They also could be very independent and happy to be alone, which often made them look cold or snooty.
The next morning, I went over to the Psychics Corner, hoping Gertrude was free. I didn’t think she’d had another vision, because she didn’t try to contact me, but I would be remiss if I didn’t check it out.
Because it was early, the lobby was empty. Thankfully, Sarah was there.
“Glinda! Who is it going to be today?”
I was becoming a pest. “I really need to speak with Gertrude. The sheriff thinks a woman might have been kidnapped last night, and it’s possible Gertrude knows something about it.”
Her eyes widened. “Sure, let me see if she’s in yet.”
Sarah typed something into her computer. “She didn’t check in, but she often sneaks in without telling me. You can go on back if you want.”
I rushed down the hallway. At her door, I knocked and blew out a breath when she answered. When I entered, Gertrude was watering her plants. “Glinda, did you come about the young woman?”
I wouldn’t say Diana was particularly young, but to someone close to ninety, maybe she was. “I’m here about Diana Upton.”
Gertrude set down her watering can and took a seat in the hard-backed chair. “Please sit.”
I did as she requested. “What do you know?”
“I didn’t have a vision of a pink aura, if that’s what you’re asking, but I had a sense this dog woman is in trouble.”
That was what I feared. “Do you know where Diana is?”
“If I did, I would have called the sheriff.”
That made sense. “Is there anything you think I can do?”
“Do what you do best.”
I almost moaned out loud. Not that tired refrain again. “I’ll try.”
After we chatted a bit, I thanked her and left. Steve had said to tell him anything that I learned, but revealing that a psychic told me that Diana was in danger wouldn’t have helped. Steve and Nash already knew that.
As I walked out, I looked toward the park. If someone had taken Diana, it might have been the same person who stole the dogs. Because people are creatures of habit, he had parked in the same spot as before. I realized nothing would probably come of me searching the area, but I had to do something. If that unruly man harmed Diana, and I didn’t try to help, the guilt would eat me alive.