A Dangerous Snag (An East Pender Cozy Mystery Book 8) Read online

  Andy sighed. “I got the first one and I thought, well, maybe I hoped, that it was a hoax. You know what it's like as a cop, sometimes you get things like this. Then the second one came and the third soon followed, and I started thinking maybe there's more to it than I thought. But you were so insistent I try moving on from the past and that's what I wanted, too. So I tried my best to ignore them and just focus on my life as it is now. Then Paul came into town and the whole thing just made it feel like I was cursed, like I never was going to free myself from what happened, and how could I tell that to you?”

  Ellen heard the beating of his powerful heart and she stepped back, tilting her head up so she could look him directly in the eyes.

  “I'm sorry if I made you feel like you couldn't talk about this to me but this is different. Whomever is writing you these letters...they're the one who is not allowing you to move on. I know you've tried and I love you for making the effort. We just have to try figuring out who is doing this, and why. You really should have come to me before. You know we make a good team.”

  “I know, I just got so messed up about it. You don't know what it's like. Every day I have to live with that failure. Every day I see him and I keep thinking to myself, ‘Why am I still here?’ ‘Why did I get to live my life when he never got to grow up?’ ‘He never got to graduate high school or fall in love.’ There are just so many things he never got to do.”

  “But those things aren't on you. They're on the man who kidnapped him, and who murdered him. You did your best and that's all anybody could have asked.”

  Ellen placed her hand on the side of his face and caressed it gently. He closed his eyes, and in that moment Andy looked exhausted.

  “Come on,” she said softly, “let's get you to bed.”

  She took his hand and led him to the bedroom where they sank into the plush mattress. It was like falling onto a cloud, and Ellen's body instinctively draped itself around him, their bodies melting together in the soft calm of the evening. Ellen stroked his chest and enjoyed the steady rhythm of his breathing.

  “I spoke to Kelly about the wedding today,” she said, trying to take their minds off the letters, even though she knew it was futile because it was impossible not to think of them. But if she could just distract Andy for even a moment then she knew it was worth it.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “She wants a small thing, and a quick thing. You'd better get your suit cleaned soon because it looks like it's going to happen in just a few weeks.”

  “That is quick, do you think you can pull it off in time?”

  “I don't know. Part of me wishes she wouldn't rush into it, but ultimately it's really their decision. I guess I can understand it from Matthew's perspective. He's already done the whole wedding thing once so it's probably strange to go through it all over again.”

  “And Kelly?”

  “She says she just wants to get to the married part. For someone who is so outgoing and friendly she has a weird thing about being the center of attention.”

  “Maybe that's why she became an artist. Her pictures can get all the attention while she hangs back.”

  “Yeah, maybe,” Ellen said, and decided not to tell him the truth regarding Kelly's background.

  Although Ellen disliked secrets she was also loyal to her friends, and she knew this secret was Kelly's to tell, not hers.

  “What about you? Have you ever thought of getting married?” Andy asked.

  Ellen glanced up at him. His eyes were closed, his words were low and his head nestled into the pillow. His body and face were illuminated by the soft glow of the moon that sliced in through a slit in the drawn curtains. They had spoken of many things in their bed when the nights were late and dreams were waiting for them, yet the topic of marriage never had never arisen. She wondered then if it had been a conscious thing, if she had purposefully avoided the subject. While they had been upfront with their love and devotion to each other, they never really had spoken about their plans for the future or the direction of their relationship. Instead, they had taken things slowly, one day at a time, and enjoyed the present without being weighed down by thoughts of the future. Yet, now that the question was presented to her Ellen was unsure how to answer.

  “I guess once, a long time ago.”

  “What happened? Were you ever close to getting engaged?”

  She, of course, knew he had been engaged once, but they didn't tend to talk about their relationship history with each other. Perhaps that was going to change. Although it made her feel anxious she couldn't very well back out, not if it helped Andy deal with his own demons from the past.

  “I was with someone in the city for a while but it never really was going to work out. I had my job and he had his. We were both career people at that point and everything else came second.”

  “It's strange to think of you like that, a career woman.”

  “Seems a long time ago now,” she said with a slight smile.

  “When I found out my parents were ill; my career didn't seem to matter so much. In a lot of ways, it felt as though I had wasted my life, and the rest is history. Then it got to a point where I figured marriage probably wouldn't be in the cards for me. I don't feel upset about it too much, I'm happy and healthy and enjoying life, that's more important than setting up milestones for yourself.”

  “I used to think about it all the time. Always wanted a wife and a family. Just seemed the natural thing to do. And Louise, we were, you know...” he said, trailing off.

  “You can talk about it if you want to.”

  “I'm not sure I do. I'm sorry. I know it must be strange to hear me talking about Louise.”

  “We all have a past and we all have our exes. Whatever happened back then made you into the man I know today, the man I fell in love with. It must have been hard knowing you couldn't fulfill that dream.”

  “We both wanted it, you know, maybe she a little more than me. When it all went off the rails I didn't see how I could stand up at the altar and say that I always could be there to protect her and love her. Love seemed like a joke. How could she love me? Why would she love me?”

  “You've been through so much,” Ellen said, getting tighter and closer against him, kissing his chest.

  Conversation subsided and they gave themselves over to slumber. The quiet night soothed them and allowed their minds to rest, for when they awoke they would be plagued by a need to solve this most desperate, most personal mystery. Usually Ellen had to become involved in other people's lives to solve a case, but this time her boyfriend was being threatened, making the stakes more intense than usual.

  In the morning Andy rose and made them both breakfast. They avoided talking anymore about marriage, but Ellen couldn't ignore the letters.

  “What do you want to do about them?”

  “I want to wait for them to stop,” Andy said, chewing on his omelet.

  “I don't think that's going to happen,” Ellen said bluntly.

  “I know, but I don't want to let my past interfere with my present. Letters I can deal with.”

  “What if that's not the end of it? What if whomever is writing these decides to come here?”

  “Then we'll deal with it the same way we deal with anything else, together,” he said, moving over to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

  “I'm going to head off to work, I'll see you later?” he asked.

  Ellen nodded, but while she finished off her own breakfast she gazed out of the window and feared there was somebody out there coming for Andy. There was a chance it was just some freak who felt intimidating behind a typewriter, but equally it could prove to be dangerous. Ellen felt an unsettling sense of paranoia spread through her body. She picked up her plate and rinsed it under the faucet, then got ready for the day, trying not to peer too far into the shadows, afraid of what she may find.

  Meanwhile, on the outskirts of East Pender, little Scott Bishop was wandering in the forest. He was a small boy, not even ten years old. Hi
s heart was in that sweet spot where it was filled with dreams and anything seemed possible. The world was entirely new and everything was a fresh discovery. He had achieved a small amount of fame when he, along with some friends, had discovered the skeleton of Michael van De Lay, which had led to a protracted case regarding the old mill. Ever since then Scott explored the woods as much as possible, trying to happen upon another hidden treasure that meant he could work with Ellen and Andy again. He looked up to the two of them and saw what they did as wondrous, especially Andy. Scott's father worked on an oil rig so he was gone from home months at a time, and the memories Scott had of him were only faded and hazy. So Andy was someone to look up to, a real life inspiration to go along with those in his fiction books.

  Of course, when a murderer had been hiding in the woods Scott's mother had forbade him to go, but now that that danger had passed Scott was free again to wander the wilderness. The people of East Pender trusted one another and it wasn't a strange phenomenon to see a child walking along in the sun. Scott was humming to himself as he balanced across a log that ran over an empty stream, imagining he was a pirate in chase of some treasure. As yet his efforts to find anything had proven futile, and most of his friends had declined his invitation to continue searching Yet Scott was tenacious and, in his heart, he knew that somewhere out there was something else to be found.

  As far as he was concerned he was alone and these woods were his own private playground. Lost in his own world he paid little heed to his surroundings, until he heard a branch crack and a prickle of fear shot down his spine. He paused, and turned around slowly. His vibrant imagination ordinarily was used to create scenarios in which he was powerful and heroic, but now it only was fueled by his fear. His small heart beat rapidly and his legs seemed to be stuck in mud as his wide eyes turned and gazed up at the towering, mysterious figure standing before him. Before Scott could scream a large gloved hand was clamped over his mouth, holding some kind of cloth, and soon enough everything went black.

  Chapter 3

  After she had finished her breakfast Ellen put on her sneakers, whistled to Scampy, and went for a run. The morning had a crispness about it and yet she could not shake the things that were tormenting her mind. While Andy had asked her to try forgetting about the letters they continued playing on Ellen's mind, as did Kelly's vain hope that things in East Pender would stay quiet for the wedding. Ellen had a sinking feeling in her stomach, and she only got those when things were really bad. She tried telling herself it was only because she so badly wanted her friend's wedding to go smoothly, and for Andy to be safe. Yet as she looked at the surroundings on her run, everything was cast with a mistrustful glow. Whoever had written the letters wasn't out for something as simple as money. They were out for revenge, and there was no telling the lengths they would go to to achieve their goal.

  Ellen's feet pounded the pavement and stinging drops of sweat trickled down the sides of her face. She reached up an arm and wiped a sleeve across her eyes, causing her top to become damp, stained with sweat. Scampy ran alongside her, managing to keep up, making up for all those treats people in the cafe bestowed upon him. Along the way she saw various people she knew, and nodded to them, her heavy breathing not allowing her a moment's respite to say hello. Usually she ran at the crack of dawn. She preferred those times as the golden sunlight made her feel like the world was new again, and the streets were empty.

  Now there were people shopping and walking about, and she had to adjust her trajectory to avoid them. She also had to keep more of a close eye on Scampy as well, for her canine companion had a tendency to get so caught up in the run that he lost awareness of his surroundings, and often bumped into things. The more she ran the more primed her body became and she was able to deal with the predicament more. It was Andy's problem, yes, but that wasn't going to stop her from looking into it. The letters had to have been sent from somewhere and there were ways to track that kind of thing. She just had to spend some time doing so.

  As she ran through the town she came across Andrea Bishop, Scott's mother, looking concerned. After Scott had discovered van De Lay's body, Ellen had kind words to say to Andrea, who seemed to be a nice woman. Ever since then Andrea had made it a point to come into the cafe and try to be more of a part of the community. Ellen didn't know much about her past but from what she could gather Andrea had become something of a recluse after her husband had left, and mostly concerned herself with looking after Scott. She was around thirty with long, dark hair that came down to the small of her back. Her frame was slender and she was taller than the average woman. Ellen slowed and breathed in gulps of air as she greeted Andrea.

  “Are you okay?” Ellen said, noticing the worried look on Andrea's face.

  Ellen's appearance seemed to startle Andrea, who jumped back a little. A mask immediately fell over her face as she claimed she was okay. Yet the truth was in the way her trembling hand brushed locks of hair back around her ear, and how the corners of her mouth twitched, and the sadness that lay behind the smile. Ellen had been around people long enough to know when she was needed and when to back off. This was definitely a time when she was needed. She moved closer to Andrea and placed a hand on her arm, squeezing it gently.

  “Are you sure?” she said in a low voice, and all of a sudden it was just the two of them.

  Andrea's mask fell. Her shoulders slumped and she looked as though she had aged a decade in just a matter of moments.

  “No,” Andrea said, her voice cracking.

  “Come on, let's get you some coffee and you'll be alright,” Ellen suggested, trying to lead Andrea away by the arm. Yet the mother remained steadfast.

  “I can't leave,” she said. Ellen gave her an inquiring glance.

  “It's Scott...he's out there somewhere.”

  Ellen's heart sank and she realized now why Andrea appeared so distraught. Her thoughts returned to that moment when Scott had burst into the cafe declaring he had found something, and how she and the other adults had followed him back along the trail of discovery. He had been such a fun child, so full of life. And now he was missing.

  “I'm sorry,” Ellen said, and placed her hand on Andrea's back, hoping it would prove somewhat soothing. Andrea now was doubled over, with her hands on her knees.

  “He went off exploring and he didn't come home. I told him to be back by ten. He's never usually late. He's out there somewhere and I know something bad has happened to him. I just know it!” She turned her face and in her eyes Ellen saw the beginnings of a flood.

  “We're not going to find him poking about here. Come on, let's get back to the cafe and you can tell me all about it. We'll figure this out together.”

  Andrea nodded slowly, although her head constantly was turning back, peering into the depths of the wood as Ellen led her to her cafe. She sat Andrea down and made some chamomile tea, then brought it over with some cakes and sweet treats, although Andrea barely noticed. Scott's mother was gazing out of the window, chewing fretfully on her bottom lip.

  “He's out there, I just know he is,” she said, wrapping her hands around the tea and wincing at the heat.

  “Are you sure he couldn't just have lost track of time?”

  “I know my own son,” she said curtly, and then looked regretful about her harsh tone, but Ellen shrugged it away.

  “He's always so good with things like these. It's just that...with everything that happened with that man who was hiding in the woods...I'm afraid someone like that is going to be there, too.”

  “We haven't had any reports about that. I'm sure it all has a logical explanation. How long has he been missing?”

  “He went out at about eight this morning,” Andrea said in between sips of tea. “He's always so eager to get out there. He thinks if he gets up early enough then he'll be guaranteed to find something. It's almost like he thinks he's in a race with other people.”

  A small smile appeared on her lips but it disappeared just as quickly. Ellen knew she had to keep Andrea
talking or else the mother would fall into despair.

  “Does he have any favorite places to go?”

  “A few.”

  “We could start by looking there. I'm happy to come with you if you'd like.”

  “You would? Oh Ellen, that would be wonderful,” Andrea said, the gratitude plain on her face.

  They finished up the tea and then, with Andrea not wanting to waste any more time, they ventured out into the world. Scott liked to go to a few different parts of the woods and they walked to them all, talking as they did so.

  “He's really a curious kid, isn't he?” Ellen said.

  “Oh, yeah. I don't know where he gets it from. I can't complain too much though, it beats him staying inside all the time glued to a screen. He just likes exploring. He always comes back with something he thinks is treasure but it's usually just something he picked up. Guess he has to find something to fill his mind up though, what with Tony gone most of the time.”

  “It must be hard, not having him around.”

  “You have no idea,” Andrea said, “but we manage. It's just one of those things that becomes normal after a while. I wish Tony was around more but that's the job. Hopefully, one day he'll retire and we'll be able to have him around more but for now this is the way it is. I knew what I was getting into when I married him so I just have to deal with it.”

  “You must miss him a lot.”

  “I can cope, mostly. I never minded my own company. I feel for Scott mostly. I can tell it hurts him and I don't know if he fully understands why other kids have their dads around and why his has to be so far away. I've tried explaining it's because of work and he accepts that, but I know he misses Tony. He likes creating his own worlds. Like here is where he said he had slayed a dragon.”

  They came to a small opening in the bushes. It didn't go very far but Ellen could see how it resembled the mouth of the cave. She smiled as she pictured Scott standing in front of it with a wooden sword, challenging a mighty dragon like the old English knights.