The Inn at Holiday Bay: Boxes in the Basement Read online

  “Did she drown?” I asked.

  “Colt told Lonnie there was water in her lungs, but she suffered a head injury when she fell that probably caused her to pass out.”

  Suddenly the image of a head injury caused by blunt force trauma, not a fall, popped into my mind.

  “Tracy is alive, but there were photos of her in the basement too. Can you tell me about her?”

  “She lived here with her family when she was young. She must have been in seventh or eighth grade when her parents divorced, and after high school she and her mother moved out west. I’m not sure where exactly. She came back to Holiday Bay last summer, got a job working for one of the novelty shops in town, but I think that was seasonal. I think she works part time at Gilda’s place.”

  I remembered Gilda owned one of the other diners.

  “I don’t know Tracy as well as the others,” Lacy said, “but she seems nice enough. She always has a smile on her face. If you’re really curious, you can ask Gilda about her, at Gilda’s Café on Easter Avenue.”

  “I haven’t met her yet, but Velma’s mentioned her to me. I’ll have to stop by.”

  “Velma is open for breakfast and lunch and Gilda is open for lunch and dinner. If you do go for dinner, have the pot roast. It’s excellent.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “But not tomorrow,” Lacy reminded me. “Tomorrow you’re coming here for lasagna.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  I’d been about to look into Tracy’s background when Lacy called, but now I found I was more interested in what had happened to Carrie. I was able to find quite a bit about her, including that she was, as Lacy had said, an active member of their church. I surfed around a bit more until I found a mention in the local paper about Carrie’s dad who, interestingly enough, was also in prison. The same prison as Darcy’s dad? I wondered. I made a note to talk to Chief Wilder about two of the four fathers. I was about to widen my search when I heard a car pull up. I assumed it was Georgia and logged off to help her with the groceries. I’d given her money to pick up everything we’d need for a week at least, so she’d have a lot to bring in, sort through, and put away. As I greeted her and grabbed the first two of the truckful of bags, I let my mind wander to the mystery that had grabbed my attention. Wilder seemed competent. I was sure he didn’t need me digging around in his business. Still, perhaps I’d treat us both to dinner at Gilda’s. Maybe the longtime local could provide insight into the comings and goings of all four girls, but particularly Tracy, who’d worked for her part time.

  ******

  Like Velma’s, Gilda’s Café was saturated with warmth and small-town charm. As Lacy had suggested, I ordered the pot roast, and Georgia chose the chicken. The waitress who took our order was a teenager, so I asked to speak to Gilda when she had a moment.

  “This place is so cute and cozy,” Georgia said when the waitress left to get our beverages. “I love all the fall decorations. The little Thanksgiving Village is very quaint, although I suppose with Thanksgiving coming up in just a few days, it will be replaced by a Christmas Village by the next time we come in.”

  “It’s almost Thanksgiving?” I gasped.

  Georgia chuckled. “It’s the fourth Thursday in November, where it’s been waiting all this time.”

  “Seems early.”

  “Actually, it is this year. I thought I’d make a turkey and all the trimmings. Is there someone you’d like to invite?”

  Was there? Not really. “I think it’ll be nice to have a quiet day. I don’t know anyone well enough yet to invite them to a holiday meal and the cottage is pretty small. Maybe we can build a fire and watch holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel.”

  “We’ll need cable for that,” Georgia said.

  “I’ll have cable installed. If I call on Monday, they may be able to get it hooked up by Wednesday.”

  “Sounds like fun. Were you thinking of decorating the cottage?”

  “Yes,” I decided quickly. “I’ve been meaning to do it. We can get some candles and garlands for the mantel, and maybe a little tree for the window near the dining table. I didn’t bring any decorations with me, but we can go into town and buy some. There’s a holiday store in town and several shops on Christmas Boulevard with signs announcing decorations for sale.”

  Georgia smiled. “Suddenly, I’m looking forward to a holiday I felt I’d never be able to enjoy again.”

  When the waitress delivered our meals she said Gilda was excited to meet us and would be happy to come by, but Saturday was a busy night for her and she didn’t think she’d have time to take a break until almost closing. She suggested we come to the back to talk while she cooked, and we decided to at least go back to say hello when we finished eating. If Gilda was swamped, we didn’t want to bother her; we could return another time.

  “Gilda,” I said when we ducked into the kitchen, making sure to stay well back and out of the way, “I’m Abby Sullivan and this is Georgia Carter.”

  Gilda, who was as short as Velma was tall, and as plump as Velma was thin, smiled at us. “I’ve heard so much about both of you. I’m glad you finally made it in. I’m sorry I can’t take a break, but I’m shorthanded tonight.”

  “Not a problem,” Georgia said, “and we don’t want to get in your way. We really just wanted to meet you and let you know how amazing our dinner was.”

  She grinned. “I’m glad you liked it. Velma told me you’re a cook yourself.”

  Georgia nodded. “I am. Or at least I will be again when the inn opens. The pies you have on display look truly amazing. I’ll need to come back sometime to try a piece.”

  “We’re open eleven thirty to nine. Hopefully, I’ll have found a replacement for Tracy by then and can really visit.”

  “I heard one of the girls with a box in my basement worked for you,” I jumped in, spotting an opening.

  “She did, and I hope she will again when the police figure things out and she can come back. When I heard what had been found, I was shocked. Shocked, I tell you. This is a nice little town. Things like whatever appears to be going on don’t happen here.”

  I guess I understood the attitude a lot of the locals seemed to have.

  “I feel odd about the fact that the boxes were found in a house that belongs to me. Not that I’ve owned it very long, but still…”

  “I’m glad you bought the place and found the boxes. If you hadn’t, Colt might not have been able to warn Tracy in time. That girl has already been through so much in her short life. She deserves to have things go her way for once.”

  “I understand she only moved back to Holiday Bay this past summer,” I said.

  “That’s right. Just this past June. Then to have something like this happen only a few months later. What is this world coming to?”

  We chatted for a few more minutes, then took a walk around the little town. The festive atmosphere went a long way toward helping me find my holiday spirit. It was amazing what a difference a year could make.

  Chapter 11

  Georgia was baking something that smelled wonderful. Cookies, I thought. I could pick up a hint of both cinnamon and ginger. It was snowing again, so it seemed the perfect sort of day to settle in and get some work done. Georgia was staying in the bedroom at the front of the cottage that would eventually be my office, so I’d set up a desk for my computer in my bedroom. I’d spent the entire morning attempting to outline my novel. I had a general idea of where I wanted to go with it, as well as a vague feel for the main characters, but so far that old familiar itch to start writing hadn’t quite grabbed me.

  I’d thought I was ready to get back to work when I’d called Kate, but perhaps my phone call had been premature. I’d begun my writing career with sweet romances, which provided a natural segue into women’s fiction. I enjoyed writing about the ups and downs of everyday life, but at some point I’d grown bored with what I felt were similar stories told from different angles and tried my hand at mystery. My work i
n the genre had served me well, but my world had changed, and as it had morphed into a new reality, so had I.

  I needed a challenge. Something different. I thought a psychological thriller would fit the bill, but now I wasn’t so certain. Maybe I should return to my roots and try a romance. Or a family drama? I’d been playing around with an idea for a multigenerational family all living in one house. The theme of family was a big one for me at the moment, although the family I had left had been reduced to a sister who refused to speak to me. Perhaps the hole in my life where a family once was had created a need to explore the complex relationships that came from being part of a large, close-knit group.

  I tried a few ideas, but after making several attempts at an opening paragraph, I opened my mail app. I still hadn’t heard from Annie, but that didn’t mean I was going to stop trying to get through to her.

  Dear Annie,

  Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgiving? I hope you and James have a wonderful holiday. Last year I was such a mess, I barely noticed the day, but I find I’m looking forward to a nice quiet dinner this year with my new roommate, my giant cat, and her even larger dog.

  Did I tell you there’s been a murder here in Holiday Bay? No need to worry about me; it has nothing to do with me, but I do find myself being drawn into the mystery. You know how I loved to help Ben with his cases. We made such a good team. I miss the long nights spent building theory until fatigue prevented either of us from forming another coherent thought.

  The plans for the remodel are coming along nicely. I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about building materials and color schemes. Did I mention I spoke to Kate? I’ve decided it’s time to go back to work and have even started on a new novel.

  I need to run as I have a full day ahead. I just wanted you to know I love and miss you.

  Abby

  I hit the Send button even as the little voice in the back of my mind nagged that I’d intentionally insinuated that my new novel was farther along than it was. Annie would be happy I was writing again. At least I think she would be. These days I had no idea what she was thinking. I logged back onto my computer and opened the file I’d begun to build on the four girls whose possessions and photos I’d found in the boxes in the basement. I wasn’t sure why I was so fascinated with them. I’d never met any of them, and my connection to this town was very new. Still, I found myself being drawn in deeper, thinking about them whenever I had an odd minute.

  After quite a bit of research, I felt I was beginning to get a feel for each of the young women. Darcy had been fun and social. Karen was outdoorsy and athletic. The main focus of Carrie’s life was her daughter. I’d stumbled onto some photos of the baby and felt a pull on my heart. I was a mother without a baby and, apparently, Carrie’s daughter was a baby without a mother. Life could be so cruel. More than anything, I wanted to figure out what had become of the young mother. She’d worked hard to provide for her baby, and I agreed with the people in the community who didn’t believe she would just up and leave her daughter in the middle of the night. I even toyed with the idea that she could still be alive. She’d only been missing for two months and her body hadn’t been found. The longer I looked at photos of that baby, the more urgent was my need to find out what had happened to Carrie. If Ben were here, he’d know what to do. He always did.

  I closed my eyes and asked myself what Ben would do. If he were investigating this case, what would be his next move? The only links I had were that all four girls had gone to the same high school, had graduated the same year. Maybe whatever was driving the killer had originated there. High school was a tumultuous time. Maybe the person who took the boxes was a nerdy guy who’d been turned down by all four of them. Maybe it was a peer who wanted to be part of the popular crowd but couldn’t quite make it. Maybe it was a teacher or staff person with a sick appetite for young girls. All of the girls had been exceptionally beautiful.

  Making a quick decision, I logged onto the school website and downloaded a yearbook from four years ago. I found the senior class. Then I printed off the photos for the senior class, as well as for the people who’d worked at the school that year. I was having dinner with Lonnie and Lacy that evening. They were older than these girls, but they would probably recognize which of the students and staff still lived in the area. I wasn’t sure the high school was the link to Darcy’s murder, Karen’s accident, and Carrie’s disappearance I was looking for, but it was a good place to start, especially given the fact that the boxes I’d found had been stolen from the high school at some point after the senior class had stored them there.

  When the pages had printed I took a shower to get ready for my dinner with the Parkers. I hoped I could get through the whole visit with their six children without breaking down.

  ******

  Lonnie and Lacy had added Christmas lights to the eaves of their home since I was there. The effect was charming. The recent snow was marred with a lopsided snowman in need of some TLC and a whole lot of footprints in a variety of sizes. I smiled at the snowman as it seemed to wink at me with a dark pebble for an eye. The other one must have fallen out at some point. Georgia had made a yummy-looking cheesecake for me to bring to share with the family, as well as a box filled with chocolate chip cookies for any little Parkers who might not appreciate the rich taste of the creamy dessert.

  “You brought dessert.” Lacy beamed. “And it looks delicious.”

  “The cheesecake and cookies are a gift from my new roommate, Georgia.”

  “I heard someone moved in with you. You should have brought her with you tonight. I should have called and invited her myself.”

  “I’ll introduce you sometime soon. I think you’ll really like her. As for tonight, she seemed content settling down with my cat, her dog, and an old movie.”

  Lacy sighed. “I remember what it was like to have a solitary night at home with a glass of wine and a good book. It’s been a while, but I remember.” Lacy took my jacket and hung it up on a peg near the door. “Let’s go into the kitchen. I’m just finishing up the lasagna. When I get it in the oven, we’ll have a glass of wine and visit for a bit.”

  I sat down at the counter while Lacy finished assembling our dinner. “Your house looks lovely. The decorations are perfect for this space.”

  “Thanks. My decorating style has been somewhat fluid in recent years. When Lonnie and I first married, I was all about class. Our first Christmas tree as a married couple was decorated in red and gold. That was it, just red and gold. We also had a white tree with black ornaments and a teacup tree, which was basically just a fir with teacups hung on it. Then we had the triplets. I wanted our tree to have more of a family feel, so we did a traditional green and red one with ornaments for each boy. Then the twins came and the boys started preschool. When they came home with homemade ornaments, our tree needed to change again. Now we have a hodgepodge, but I love it. Most everything we put up has meaning for us.”

  “That’s really nice. I noticed Sadie has her own wreath with her name on it.”

  “Sadie is part of the family.” Lacy held up a bottle. “Is cabernet okay?”

  “Cabernet is fine.”

  Lacy poured two glasses, then we went into the somewhat cluttered but spotlessly clean living room.

  “Where are the kids?” I asked.

  “The older five are in the den watching a Disney movie. The baby is napping. I should get her up in a few minutes, but I have time to drink my wine and talk for a while. Any news on the mystery I’ve begun to think of as ‘The Case of the Boxes in the Basement’?”

  I smiled. “I love that title. I may have to use it for a book.”

  Lacy smiled. “Be my guest.”

  “I wish I could say I’ve cracked the case, but I haven’t. I’m focusing on the high school link for a bit.” I grabbed an envelope with the photos I’d printed from my bag. “I printed out the class photos of the students and the staff the year all four girls graduated. I hoped you and Lonnie could look thr
ough them. Maybe we can narrow down who’s still around.”

  “So you think the key is the high school?”

  I shrugged. “Honestly, I have no idea, but it’s a good place to start. On the surface, it doesn’t appear the girls had a lot in common after they left high school. Karen was outdoorsy, Carrie had a baby, Darcy enjoyed the nightlife, and Tracy only recently returned to Holiday Bay. If there’s someone who can be identified as a common denominator among them, it seems to me that person might have come into contact with them in high school.”

  “I agree. Lonnie is working on something out in the refinishing shed. I’ll get him and we can look at the photos together.”

  Once Lacy returned with Lonnie, we sat down around the kitchen table. We went through the pages of photos slowly and put an X through the photos of anyone they knew for certain was no longer in town, circled the ones who were here, and put a small question mark next to anyone they weren’t sure about. We came up with twenty-two students and twelve staff who were still around and eight students and two staff we needed to check on one way or another.

  “It seems like a lot of the students left,” I observed.

  “There isn’t a lot here for most,” Lonnie said. “Those who have the grades and means go to college. Once they’re gone, they seldom come back.”

  “Of the twenty-two students we know are still around, eight are male. My gut tells me the person who stole the boxes is a man. Do any of these eight stand out as being the kind to collect trophies and eventually kill someone they’re obsessing over?”

  Lonnie and Lacy both said they’d be very surprised to find that any of the eight male students or nine male staff members were the person we were looking for. They suggested we take the list to Velma. Before she opened the diner, she’d worked as a lunch lady at the high school. While she would have left before this class graduated, she would know the staff, and would likely have heard things Lonnie and Lacy hadn’t about the students. She might also have a handle on the eight students and two staff whose status they were unsure about.