by Essie Lang
Shelby finally left, latte in hand. She made it to the shuttle in plenty of time and stood in the short lineup until they were allowed on board. Terry’s Boat Lines, not one of the regular tourist boat lines servicing the islands, used one of its smaller boats as a shuttle to get castle staff on-site a good hour before the regular shuttles started running.
She could see across the river to Heart Island and the spectacular Boldt Castle. It was much larger and more impressive by far than Blye Castle, but she wasn’t complaining. In the months since she’d started working at Blye, she’d come to love the three-hundred-square-foot room the store rented at the front right corner of the castle, the one she thought of as hers. Which was true in a way, because, as Shelby had been surprised to learn, she was actually a co-owner of the two bookstores, thanks to her mom.
The summer had gone by much too quickly, and in another few weeks, when the tourist season officially ended and all three of the destination castles closed until the spring, they’d be moving most of the castle stock to the main store for the winter. Shelby had never gone through a winter in Alexandria Bay and was wondering just how the bookstore would manage when the small town rolled up the tourist carpet. But her aunt Edie had been going strong all these years, and Shelby was determined to work hard to help her achieve more milestones for the bookstore in the future.
Just then, one of the crew members appeared at the side of the shuttle and signaled them to board. Shelby decided to spend the short twelve-minute trip at the railing, letting the roiling wake mesmerize her. In fact, she was surprised when the shuttle docked at Blye Island.
She didn’t have any help in the store for the day, unless Taylor popped in. That was okay, but she had asked that Cody Tucker help at the castle on Saturday rather than working in the main store. He was their longtime part-timer who this year was available only on the weekends he came home from college. She knew they should have hired another part-timer by now, especially with Taylor unavailable, but it just never seemed to get done. What still amazed Shelby was the amount of paperwork involved in running the stores. It seemed to suck up all the extra hours. She really should task Edie with hiring; reading résumés would be a good way to keep her at home to do some more recuperating.
Shelby doubted it would be overly busy, as there were no school or day camp tours these days. Mainly just seniors or the odd tour bus with foreigners on board, eager to see the legendary charms of the castle. She’d found she enjoyed meeting the inquisitive, gesturing customers, knowing they were there to enjoy and, hopefully, to shop. She unlocked the store and got the coffeemaker in the back room going, then gave the shelves a quick dusting.
* * *
By midafternoon, Shelby felt in desperate need of a break. It had been busier than she’d thought, with a steady morning of shoppers, much to her delight. She’d also heard that several of them were planning to attend the signing later at the main store. That’s what Shelby and Edie had been hoping for—a couple of successful sales events, bringing in enough profit to help carry them over the slower winter months.
She locked up an hour early so she could help out at the main store during the signing. She had just locked the door behind her when she heard the whistle from the tour boat approaching the island and hurried to the dock. During the short crossing, she busied herself with a mental checklist of everything she needed to bring to the island for the next day’s signing. It wasn’t a long list, but she had yet to host an event with total confidence.
Shelby had to almost elbow her way into Bayside Books. Her eyes were drawn to Trudy Bryant, who looked like she was frantically trying to juggle the cash register and the long line of customers. Shelby took a look around the space, wondering why Edie wasn’t right there beside Trudy, helping to ring up sales. Maybe she was unpacking more books in the back room.
The featured author, Savannah Page, looking exactly like the photo on her book jacket, sat at the signing table. Her shoulder-length dark hair had red highlights that danced in the sunlight streaming through the window. It framed a full face that looked determined but friendly. Shelby felt instantly that this was someone she’d like to get to know better, and she looked forward to dinner after the signing. A tall, bearded young man, whom Shelby had never seen, was opening Savannah’s books to the title page for her to sign. Her fiancé, maybe?
Shelby threaded her way to the back room.
Edie was nowhere to be seen. There was no way she’d leave Trudy on her own at such a busy time. This wasn’t right.
This wasn’t like Edie.
Chapter Three
Shelby rushed over to the counter, ready to help Trudy bag the purchases.
“Where’s Aunt Edie?” she asked under her breath.
“I have no idea. She said she was going home for a late lunch. That was about two hours ago. I haven’t heard from her since then. I called a couple of times, but there was no answer, and I’m getting worried.”
Shelby was about to ask why Trudy hadn’t called her to come over immediately but realized that would sound accusatory. And besides, she couldn’t have just locked up the other location any earlier. She tried not to give in to a feeling of panic.
“Who’s the man with our author?” she asked instead.
“That’s her fiancé, Liam Kennelly. He’s traveling with her and has been a dear, stepping in to help. I knew it would be busy, but this is crazy.” Trudy took a moment to push the lock of shoulder-length gray hair that had fallen across her face back into place.
Shelby allowed herself a moment of satisfaction, thinking about the number of sales, but then focused on Edie. “I’m going over to Edie’s to see what’s up. I’ll keep you posted. But first, I’m going to call Cody and see if he can come in. He should be back in town by this time of day.”
Trudy nodded, not taking her eyes off the lineup.
Cody answered on the third ring and agreed immediately to come help out. Shelby felt relieved. She’d been worried when he started college that they’d really miss him, but so far, he’d come home most weekends and was usually available to work. Of course, he’d moved away only a couple of weeks earlier. Who knew what weekend routines he’d establish once he felt more settled in at the college. She just hoped he’d come back to Alexandria Bay more often than not.
She reached Edie’s house on Catherine Avenue almost out of breath. Her anxiety had increased with each step. She hoped Edie was all right. It was so unlike her to abandon the store, and even though Trudy didn’t seem exceedingly worried, Shelby could tell she was trying to downplay her concern. Besides being Edie’s right-hand woman in the store, Trudy was her longtime best friend.
Shelby stood at the front door and took a few deep breaths before opening it. As usual, Edie hadn’t locked it.
“Aunt Edie. Where are you? Is everything okay?” Shelby paused, waiting for an answer that didn’t come. Hopefully Edie hadn’t fallen on her way home or going back to the store. Her knee wasn’t one hundred percent healed yet, and anything could happen. Shelby couldn’t think of one scenario that didn’t involve a bad outcome. Unless Edie had lain down for a quick nap and just kept on sleeping.
Shelby checked the bedroom on the main floor that Edie used these days, then walked through to the kitchen. No Edie. She called out again and looked out the back window. An empty glass and plate rested on the small round plastic table beside two unoccupied chairs. Edie had been there at one point, anyway. Shelby rushed out the back door and down the steps. Edie was lying on her stomach to the left of the sidewalk, beside the flower garden.
“Aunt Edie, I’m here. Are you all right?” she called out as she hurried over. Shelby knelt beside her and Edie groaned, her face turned toward the flowers.
“Damn cat from next door. It went scooting, and I tripped over it. Help me sit up.”
“Not before I know you’re okay. Did you hit your head?”
“No, but I twisted my right knee. It’s quite painful. I’ll need to have you help me stand up.”
Shelby helped Edie roll over onto her back, with much groaning, and hiked up the long, multicolored skirt her aunt so favored. She saw that the knee, Edie’s new knee, looked about twice the size it should. “You can’t stand on that. I’m calling an ambulance. It needs to be taken care of.”
“No, I don’t want to be a bother,” Edie said, pushing herself up on an elbow and trying to downplay the groans. “And besides, I’ve got to get back to the store. Trudy will be swamped.”
“I insist we call an ambulance. And Cody is helping Trudy, so stop worrying about that. Oh no, I left my purse and my phone on the kitchen counter. Do not move an inch.”
Shelby took the stairs a couple at a time, snatched her smartphone out of her purse, and ran back outside. On the way she dialed 911 and blurted out what had happened. She grabbed a cushion from one of the outdoor chairs and eased it under Edie’s head. She debated about getting some of the pain medication she knew Edie kept in the kitchen cupboard but decided to leave that to the EMTs.
She held Edie’s hand, stroking it, while they waited. Edie had stopped objecting and was leaning back against the pillow, eyes closed. When Shelby heard the ambulance pull up in front of the house, she breathed a sigh of relief. She called out, and two first responders were soon tending to Edie. After many long minutes of taking blood pressure and other readings, they helped her onto the gurney and wheeled her to the ambulance.
Shelby told Edie she’d see them at the hospital, but Edie insisted she go back to the store and help take care of the author.
“There won’t be much to see at the hospital, and I’ll probably be enjoying my meds anyway. We have an author to take care of along with a dinner to host, and I’m counting on you to take over. Again.”
Shelby squeezed her hand. “All right. I’ll call Matthew, though.”
That brought a smile to Edie’s face, which promptly turned to a grimace of pain.
Chapter Four
All the way back to the store, Shelby struggled with the feeling that she should have gone with her aunt. But when she walked into the store and saw the crowd and a touch of mayhem, she knew this was where she was needed right now. Cody had shown up, and she smiled her thanks at him as she made her way to the cash register.
Trudy raised her eyebrows in a question, and Shelby told her she’d explain when it quieted down a bit. Finally, the majority of purchases had been made and the fans had persuaded Savannah to do a short reading.
“Is that all right with y’all?” she asked Trudy as she stood up.
“Absolutely. Do you want a space cleared over by the bay window?”
“No, this will do just fine. Y’all can hear me, right?” Savannah looked comfortable in front of the small audience. Since Shelby had last seen her, she’d pulled her hair back and secured it at the nape of her neck with a colorful green scarf that matched the tones in her long-knit top. Shelby admired both her style and her ability to wear such a clingy outfit with such confidence. She wished she could pull off something like that.
The crowd tried to get closer to Savannah as she moved around the desk to perch on the corner of it. Her fiancé had wandered to the back of the room, apparently used to the routine. For having so many people in such a small space, Shelby was surprised at how quiet it had gotten. The customers were listening to every word brought to life by Savannah’s southern drawl. Shelby briefly wondered if that was how her own mama had sounded. Shelby knew her mother had come from the South, but until recently, that was about all the information she’d had about Merrily Cox.
The spell took a few moments to break after Savannah’s final words. Then everyone applauded and the noise swelled once again.
Shelby looked around the store at the happy faces and noticed a woman in a brown coat and beige fedora at the back, moving toward Savannah. In one of her hands she held a letter-sized manila envelope, and she had a look of determination on her face, or what Shelby could see of it with the brim of the hat tipped so far down. She just hoped it wasn’t an aspiring author wanting Savannah to read her manuscript. That could be awkward.
“So, where’s Edie?” Trudy whispered to Shelby.
“She fell in the garden and hurt her knee, her recovering knee. I called an ambulance and she’s gone to the hospital.”
“Oh my gosh. I thought she was still mad at me and wouldn’t answer the phone or come back until the signing. And then when she didn’t turn up …”
“What would she be mad about?”
“Oh, we had a silly argument. I think the pressure of the last couple of weeks has gotten to her, what with the anniversary celebrations and the signings. She still doesn’t have all her energy back, although she’ll deny it if you bring it up, which is what I did, and she got mad.”
Shelby sat down on the stool. “I had no idea. I’m sure I could have done more around here if she’d told me.”
“That’s never going to happen. She won’t tell you a darned thing unless she’s at her wit’s end, believe me. I should go to the hospital when we close up, and then it’s bridge night. I hate to leave the dinner on your shoulders, but will you be okay?”
“Sure thing. I did call Matthew, so he’s on his way there also.”
“That’s good. I’ll head over as soon as I lock up.”
“Thanks, Trudy.” Shelby glanced at Savannah, who was sitting down behind the table and taking a sip of water. “I guess we can get going soon now that most of the customers have left, and let Cody close. Why don’t you go now?”
Trudy had just dashed out when the mystery woman slapped the envelope on the desk in front of Savannah. “Do you remember me?” she demanded in a loud voice. The woman glanced around the room at the surprised faces, a tight smile on her face. Her black hair peeked out from under the hat, the curls ending above the collar of her coat. She seemed to tower above the other customers.
Savannah looked puzzled, as did the several remaining customers.
“You do look familiar, but I’m afraid I can’t quite place you,” Savannah said. “I meet so many people at signings and my other events.”
“I’m sure you do, but I’ll never get to do that, not since you stole my story.” She placed her hands on her hips, and although she faced the other direction, Shelby would have bet the woman’s expression was menacing.
Savannah’s jaw dropped, and it took her a few seconds to recover. “You must be mistaken. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t you? I suppose you also don’t happen to remember the writers’ festival in Albany last spring? The one where we had coffee after our panel and I ran my idea by you? The one about Joe Cabana, the mobster who died on Blye Island? I know you have a contract for that story, my story, and you’re here to do research. My research. My story.”
Savannah stood abruptly, knocking her chair against the bookcase. “I’m sorry. You’ve gotten this all wrong. It’s my own idea that I’m working on. I would never need to steal someone else’s. I have quite a creative mind, you know.” With hands on hips, they looked like they were in a stalemate.
The other woman must have felt that too. “My name is Jenna Dunlop, since you seem to have forgotten it, and I warn you, you’d better remember it. I won’t let this go.” She shook her finger at Savannah. “And neither will Joe Cabana. There’s a curse attached to him, so you’d better watch your step.”
She turned and marched to the door, turning back before opening it. “You can read all about it on Twitter, also.”
All eyes remained on the door as it banged shut behind her. Savannah slowly sat back down while Liam put his hands on her shoulders.
“That’s ridiculous,” he said to those remaining in the store. “Savannah would never resort to that. The woman is delusional.”
Shelby looked from Liam’s determined expression to Savannah’s stunned one, then turned to the few remaining customers, who looked like they’d actually been enjoying the entertainment. “Well, that’s one for the books, as they say. I wa
nt to thank you all again for coming out today. Cody is happy to ring up your purchases,” she said, pointing at him as he slipped behind the counter.
Shelby felt someone touch her elbow, and she jumped.
“Why, Felicity. How nice of you to stop in,” Shelby said, trying to calm her breathing. She was pleased to see the owner of the art gallery from next door. “Are you a fan of the author or the genre?”
“Both, actually. I was quite pleased when Edie told me about this event.”
Shelby assumed that Felicity was a few years younger than Edie, looking very much the glam art gallery owner type, which might explain why they weren’t close friends but rather business acquaintances. It always looked like Felicity had just stepped out of a hair stylist’s chair, and her black hair never showed any telltale gray. Shelby wondered if there was someone in Felicity’s life these days or if she was still processing what had happened in the spring.
Felicity looked at Savannah and then back at Shelby. “That was quite the performance. That Jenna Dunlop should have gone into theatre rather than writing, although from what I hear she’s working full time at the Brew House—you know, that pub around the corner. What an awful experience for Savannah Page.”
Shelby followed her gaze. Savannah seemed to be just fine, although Shelby could imagine how embarrassed she felt. Shelby felt dreadful for her.
But … what if it was true?