Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Greg didn't call while I was walking home or when I ran with Emma. As I got out of the shower, I checked my phone again. The Garden Gnome Caper must be keeping him busy this afternoon. I debated calling him, but he'd promised to be home by four anyway, so I just went downstairs and pulled up my aunt's plan for her retirement.

As I went through it step by step, I made notes about things I wanted to question or to add to. She'd talked about a transition period, but I wanted more. I wanted a clause saying I could ask for advice beyond this period. I'd be happy to pay her for it, but if things went sideways, I wanted at least the option of running the problem and my solution by her.

Emma jumped up off the couch where I was working and went and sat at the doorway. A few minutes later, I heard Greg's truck pull in the driveway. Emma must have heard it coming on the road.

I made a note where I left off and set the laptop and notebook on the table, where I could finish it either tonight when we got back or in the morning. I was killing this get-stuff-off-my-list thing. After tomorrow, I'd have to refocus on the wedding though.

I met him at the door. "You didn't call me."

"I've been busy." He kissed me. "Let me get changed, and we can talk while we drive."

"Where are we going?" I glanced at my capris and sleeveless shirt. "Do I need to change?"

He looked me over. "No, you're good. I found the perfect place to walk Emma. Put on your hiking shoes, and you'll be fine. Oh, and bring some water, Emma's bag, and your phone."

"Emma's going with us?" I was totally confused. I'd assumed we were visiting a wedding venue he'd found. Now it sounded like we were hiking.

"She's part of the family," he said from the office, where he was locking his service pistol in its case. Then he ran up the stairs before I could ask him any more questions. When he came back down, he had on jeans and a T-shirt from our trip to Solvang. He grabbed Emma's bag and took the leash off the hook. "Are you ready?"

"I guess. I put two water bottles into her bag. Do we need more?"

He hefted it over his shoulder. "No, two is heavy enough. Emma, want to go for a ride?"

I followed my guy and my dog as they hurried out to get into his truck. Emma stuck her head out the window in the back seat, watching me. Her doggy grin was infectious.

"I'm coming," I said as I locked the door and shut the gate behind me. I climbed into the truck.

As we headed down Pacific Highway, he turned to me. "So where did you get those books and the notes? From the professor's office?"

"Yes and no. I was in the library researching for my paper. I found the book misfiled in the library stacks. He must have grabbed the wrong one when he put it on the shelf. I think it happened the last day I saw him in the library. He walked out to the elevator through that area between the two shelves." I paused, then admitted, "The second book was in his office library. I took it the day Esmeralda and I went to Bakerstown."

"Do you think he meant for you to find it? Or do you think he was hiding it from someone?"

Greg's questions surprised me. "I don't know who he'd be hiding it from."

The silence in the cab almost echoed my words. I turned to him.

"You think there's something there that either points to the treasure or the killer."

He nodded. "I'm not sure yet which one it is, but I think it's a clue. And we've needed a new one for a while."

I didn't disagree. "I think it's interesting that Steve was one of the professor's teaching assistants. And that he asked him to be part of the research grant."

"I do as well. And I wasn't able to reach Steve. His sister said Amy called her yesterday about her brother's whereabouts. Now with two calls, she's worried he's lost." Greg didn't turn to look at me.

"Don't even. I told you what I found out." I knew he thought I'd overstepped in the case. "Besides, Steve might have been in danger."

"I'm not doubting that or you." He pulled off on an exit and then yielded for a car as he got to the crossing. "We've talked about this. You're always finding the right clue at the wrong time. What if someone had found out you had this book? You should have turned it over as soon as you found it."

"I was a little busy." I didn't want to admit I'd forgotten I'd even found the book until last night. "So where are we going?"

"To take Emma for a hike. I thought that was obvious." He pulled into the parking lot of the La Purisima Mission. He got out and paid for a parking pass and then parked the truck by the exit. Climbing out, he turned to me. "I'm locking the truck but tuck your purse down under the seat just in case. And don't forget your phone."

I followed his directions, then turned to see the visitor center on the right of the parking lot. "I didn't realize they had walking trails here. I came in fourth grade on a school trip, but I don't think that building was here."

"They've done some renovations." He walked up and stood by me as we surveyed our surroundings.

The area was huge. "I guess we start there?"

He pulled a map out of his pocket and pointed down a dirt path. "Let's go this way."

I took a flyer from a display near the path. "This says there are twenty-five acres of hiking trails. We should come here more often."

"That's the plan." He smiled but didn't say anything more.

Greg had to be tired from the investigation. Maybe this was just his way of getting us away from the daily grind and out into nature. We walked by two longhorn cows or bulls; I wasn't sure which. We also walked by pens filled with horses and a few sheep that desperately needed sheered. I could feel my stress level dropping as we walked by a small stream, the sound of the water splashing on the rocks. "I wonder what the visitor center is like. Emma probably can't go in there."

"I think you're right." He pointed to a left turn where the path branched. "Let's go that way."

I fell into step beside him, letting the beauty and quiet of the place seep into my pores. It felt good to be outside and just walking. We stopped in front of a large fountain by a cistern. Several rows of white chairs were set in front of a stone altar with flowers growing up the arch behind it.

Someone had just had or was having a wedding here. I took in the area from all vantage points. It was spectacular. Finally, I understood why he'd brought us here. "You want to have the wedding here."

"It's a mission. Not fancy with stained glass like the other one, but we're not allowed to have the wedding there, just the reception. We can have both here; I already checked. It's close to South Cove, and our friends would love it." He pulled me into his arms. "And the best news, it's available for the second weekend in October. What do you think?"

I kissed him. "I think you should be in charge of all the wedding decisions. This is perfect, and I didn't even think about it."

"I know it's not upscale, but you were talking about doing the ceremony on the beach. This way, we don't have to travel in between the reception and the wedding." He was watching my face to see if I really liked it or if I was just caving.

"I love it. I loved the idea of the other mission, not because of how fancy it was but for its history. This place checks off all the boxes. Although if it rains, we'll be back to Bill's church and the South Cove Community Center. But for now, I can get my invitations out next week. Although I am going to have to call Martha back. The date's really available?" I could imagine us standing under the stone archway, pledging our lives to each other. Emma sat at my feet and wagged her tail. She liked the site as well.

"That's a relief. Yes, I had them put a hold on it for us. I was wondering if I was totally off base with this spot or not. Tim told me that he and his wife looked at it, but she thought it was too rustic for their wedding." His phone buzzed. "And there goes our evening."

"Go ahead, answer it." I wandered around the area as he talked, taking pictures of the different viewpoints with my phone. The mission was nestled in the foothills a few miles away from the coast. The parking lot had seemed adequate. The trails to the area were dirt but well worn. I'd seen a golf cart near the visitor center, if we had anyone who couldn't walk to the ceremony area. My breathing eased as I sat down in one of the white chairs to wait for Greg to finish his call.

This was perfect. We were actually getting married. Emma nudged my hand, and I reached over to pet her. "You can come to the ceremony here. That's a bonus, isn't it? Do you want to be the ring bearer or the flower girl?"

She barked, which made me laugh, but then I realized Greg was coming up to meet us, having finished his conversation. He was grinning.

"Now don't be all ‘I saved the wedding' just because you found us a new site. If your mom hadn't insisted on a fall wedding, George would have gotten us into the first mission site without Martha finding out." I patted the chair next to me.

Instead of sitting, he reached for my hand and pulled me up. "We need to go. I'm not sure what you were talking about just now, but you're the wedding queen, not me. I just helped."

I stood and followed as he hurried us back to the parking lot, where we got into his truck. Emma grinned and stuck her head out the window as we pulled back onto the road to head north to South Cove.

As we drove, I sent Amy pictures of the mission. She responded with several hearts. I put my phone away and settled in for the drive. "Amy thinks it will be perfect."

"I'm so glad Amy's on board." Greg grinned as he turned onto the freeway. He rolled Emma's window up a little in the back seat while she sat and watched out the window for bunnies or other wildlife as we drove.

Greg looked over at me. "You're not even going to ask?"

Now I was confused. "Ask what?"

"Why we had to leave the mission so quickly?" He passed a slower car, then got back into the right lane. "I'll call them tomorrow and make the payment for the site if you're still on board in the morning."

"I will be." I turned toward him. "I just got a lecture on the way out here about staying out of what's going on at the station. But now you want me to ask? You're making my head spin."

"Fine, don't ask. But I think you should come with me after we drop off Emma at the house." He didn't look at me.

"Why would you want me to come to the station?" My mind flew through the possibilities. Then my heart sank. There was only one reason Greg would need my presence at the station. "You want me there as a Josh whisperer. Is Mandy…"

He didn't let me finish the question. "No. She's fine. Actually, she's at the station. And yes, I want you there for support for Josh. This might be a little overwhelming for him."

"Where has she been for over two weeks?"

Josh was going to be livid if she's been off on a cruise or something.

"Her family had her stashed in a remote cabin in northern Idaho." Greg looked over at me. "They were trying to deprogram her from marrying Josh."

"Wait, what?" Now I sat up and stared at him. "They thought Josh was in a cult or something?"

"Well, I guess they didn't believe that Mandy truly loved him. So when the wedding announcement came, they asked Tank to come and try to talk her out of it. He's been in on her disappearance the entire time. I want to press charges, but Mandy's trying to calm things down. I guess having your uncle in jail makes it hard for him to walk you down the aisle."

"Why did they let her go?" This was too crazy. They should make a Lifetime movie out of the situation.

"She finally convinced them that she wasn't under any spell or compulsion. That she loved Josh for the man he is, and if they couldn't accept that, she was going to walk away from the family. And she had two tubs of huckleberries she'd picked that she wanted to sell at the farm stand."

We turned onto the road that would take us to South Cove and then parked in our driveway. Greg grabbed the keys to unlock the house. "I'll be right back."

I watched as he let Emma out the back door of the truck and opened the house door for her. He hadn't put her on a leash, so when he shut the front door again, I knew she'd probably go find water and take a nap. It was her go-to activity after a long walk and a car ride. I wish I could nap as much as my dog did.

As we made our way into town, I felt my anxiety rising. I was happy that Mandy was back, but not sure how Josh was going to take the news that his soon-to-be in-laws had made his life miserable for the last few weeks.

"So Mandy's disappearance wasn't about the journal or Professor Wellborn's death at all." I had been trying to put the two cases together. But maybe there wasn't a tie-in, except for Josh and Tank. They had both been involved in both investigations. Josh had been the victim in both. Had Tank been the villain? Or was he just a concerned friend? "I told you that something was going on with her family. They were reopening the farm stand again."

"Which is why I went out to talk to the uncle yesterday, after we found the cabin. Thanks for letting us know about his recent trip to Idaho. It was hard enough for Esmeralda to do a title search through two states. If we hadn't known to pinpoint it, the search would have taken longer." He pulled the truck into the parking lot for the station. "I'm sorry about tonight. I didn't think Mandy would arrive before tomorrow morning. But I guess they flew her and her cousin home."

"And the professor's death?" I had liked Mandy's uncle. I hoped he wasn't a killer as well as a kidnapper.

"On the surface, it doesn't look like the two cases are connected. I'm not sure what your friend Tank's role is in both cases, so we're going to have a little talk. Do you mind walking home after we get Mandy and Josh settled?" He glanced over at me. "I could ask Toby to drive you if you want."

"I can walk. As long as it's not too dark." I climbed out of the truck. "I'm not fond of coyotes."

When Greg opened the door to the station, the lobby was filled with people. Toby came over to greet us. "I've got Mandy in your office. Josh is in the conference room, pacing. Tank's in one interview room, and Mr. Jensen, Mandy's uncle, is in the other. And the cousin, Eric, is in the jail cell. We ran out of interview rooms."

Greg looked around the lobby. "And these people?"

"Mandy's relatives. They're all upset about what happened to her, and some want to punch Eric a few times to wake him up. At least that's what they keep saying." Toby took my arm. "You're going in with Josh. You need to calm him down before he has a stroke or heart attack."

Greg walked with us and gave me a kiss at the door. "Tell Josh I'll get Mandy in here as soon as I take her statement."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to hold him off that long." I took a breath and went into the conference room. I heard the door lock behind me. Josh was at the other side of the table, his back to me. A box of cookies and a carafe of coffee sat on the table. The box was unopened, and I didn't see any used coffee cups. "Do you want some coffee? Greg says it's going to be a bit before Mandy will join us."

"Miss Gardner." His voice broke as he turned, and I noticed tears flowing down his face. He came over and sat down at the table.

I handed him the cup I'd just filled and then filled my own. Then I handed him a napkin. "She's back. She didn't leave you. Everything's going to be okay."

Now he sobbed into the paper napkin I'd given him. Finally, he came up for a breath. I gave him more napkins, and he wiped his face, stood, and threw the wad of wet paper away. He took a long breath, drank most of the coffee, then focused on me. "Thank you for being here. I know you're here to ‘calm me down,' since I can get a little wound up, but I appreciate it. I know we're not friends, but you need to know how much having you here means."

"Josh, you were just worried about Mandy. That would make anyone a little crazy." I smiled and patted his arm. "Besides, we are friends."

"Thank you for that. I consider you a friend as well. And well, when you're like me, a little crazy is terrifying to others. I can be a bit obsessive." He smiled as he saw the reaction on my face. "Yes, I am acutely aware of how I appear to others. I'm afraid it's who I am. The good thing is Mandy still loves me for all my faults."

"Well, it's a wonderful thing she's back from her trip then." I opened the box. "Do you want a cookie?"

"I'm starving. I'm not sure I've eaten since I left the hospital. They told me if I didn't eat, I couldn't leave, so I ate there. When I got home, all I wanted to do was find Mandy." He took the cookie and ate it.

I handed him a second one. "Well, we found her."

"Toby said you found out about the Idaho cabin. Thank you." He ate the second cookie as well. "Well, our guest list might have just dropped for the wedding and the reception. I don't know if Mandy is going to want her uncle or cousin there."

"Let her make the decision." I knew how important sharing the wedding with family was. Greg's mom had told everyone she was having elective surgery. The truth was she'd been going through chemo treatments and didn't want to have to wear a wig at his wedding. She'd sent us a picture of her new hairdo last week, and it was growing back nicely. "Sometimes you forgive a lot when it comes to family."