9. Chapter eight
Chapter eight:
Amelia
“And so, I was all like—Amelia, are you listening?” Evelynne giggled, leaning over the counter of Mumford Books and Drinks. The new name of the bookstore she’d been employed at for over a year now. It was a mighty step up from serving fast food through the drive through. It's hard when only four books are out, and royalties are paid ninety days after a sale. She was a new writer, a baby author, she’d gotten lucky with her first book. Her literary agent was looking for fresh blood and thought her murder mystery was a hoot. She’d grown since then as a writer but growing wasn’t enough. She needed to do much better.
However, she was comfortable where she was for the moment. While she was working to pay the bills, she was writing on the side. And the last week she’d been writing non-stop. She had a story, and it was demanding to be let out.
“Yeah,” she let out a small wheeze of a laugh, realizing she’d been caught drifting off to la-la-land once again. “Sorry, I’m drained, my brain is leaking out my ears.”
It was a bold lie. Amelia wasn’t drained, she was thinking about him. Thinking about the fiend who chased her through her dreams. Thinking about the next chapter she was going to write and how she was going to skirt the line between autobiography and fiction. Thinking about what his face would look like when he found out... if he found out.
“I feel that, this week has been wild.” Evelynne flopped herself against the counter. The front door dinged and the two of them snapped back to customer service. Evelynne chirped, “Welcome to Mumford Books and Drinks!”
Amelia called out, “Welcome in!”
“It’s just me!” Eloise grunted as she waddled into the store with a bag on her arm. Evelynne and Amelia rushed away from the counter to alleviate their pregnant boss from the weight of her shopping.
“I got you,” Amelia laughed, taking up some of the bags from Eloise while Evelynne grabbed the ones around her feet. “What are you doing on your feet? I thought Minx put you on bed rest?”
“He can punish me later, we’re out of a few things and with it being summer break, the pub is busier than ever with university kids.” She grabbed a giant water bottle off the floor and took a chug. Eloise Mumford was pregnant, very pregnant. Close to bursting, her belly was round and made her even cuter than she was with her bubble gum colored hair. She wore only sandals now and long sundresses or maxi skirts.
“Thanks, we really needed the coffee,” Evelynne sighed dreamily as she held the bag up to her face. The coffee bar had been non-stop all day. College students, no longer on campus, needed to get their caffeine fix somewhere. Many flooded the bookstore and sat around using the internet. They’d run out of coffee beans and still had a whole day before their truck came in.
“Evelynne, will you take the café stuff over there and get it put away? Amelia, help me with the backroom stuff?”
“You got it, boss.” Amelia carried a massive package of toilet paper and bags of plastic items back to the backroom. As soon as they passed through the backroom doors, Eloise slid up closer to Amelia.
“So...how’s it going? How’s my favorite little author doing? You told me yesterday you were working on something new, but we didn’t have time to discuss it more.” Eloise opened the office door, and they stuffed the supplies inside. According to Evelynne, Eloise and Minx turned the whole store around. They came in like a wrecking ball and ripped out the toxic, corporate influence. Things weren’t perfect, but Amelia didn’t mind either of them. Eloise was approachable and kind, Minx was understanding and no nonsense. They ran a tight ship, but Amelia had never worked for anyone where she felt comfortable voicing concerns or questions.
“It’s a romance, a romance thriller.” Amelia hadn’t even told her agent about it yet. There was a smidgen of worry that it wasn’t anything she’d want to help publish. Even greater than that, however, was the worry it wasn’t anywhere near as good as her other books.
“Gimme, oh my dragons, you’re writing a romance? I can’t wait!” Eloise squealed, wiggling in place.
“Whoa, momma, calm down, I’m not ready to catch kittens for you when they come flying out.” Amelia laughed, patting down the air in front of Eloise.
Her boss tossed her head back and cackled, “If only! I wish! I wish they would come out that easy. I have indigestion and they’re so stinkin’ heavy! They need to pop out already, but doctor says I have a few weeks yet. So, I’m going to need you to hurry up and write this, so I have something to read in recovery.”
Amelia wheezed, “It’s not going to happen that fast.”
“I know,” Eloise whispered softly, giving Amelia that motherly look that made Amelia miss her own mom. “I’m just teasing, but I am proud of you for branching out. Thriller, Horror, and Romance are all intertwined, so I’m glad to see you broaden your skills.”
“Thanks,” she flushed, tucking loose strands of blue hair behind her ear.
“When you’ve made a good amount of headway, let me know what it’s about. I can’t wait to read it.” Eloise clapped her hands excitedly before motioning for her to lead the way. “Now, I better get back before he spanks the kittens out of me.”
“Mrs. Mumford!” Amelia scoffed with fake offense and the pair burst into laughter. Evelynne was at the counter as they broke through to the floor.
“Oh no! What’d she say now?” Evelynne teased, putting her butt up onto the counter.
“Something about Minx’s paws against her backside,” Amelia snorted as she rolled her eyes.
“You two have fun, make sure Levi doesn’t fall asleep on his lunch and call me if anything happens. Evelynne, you good to lock up by yourself?”
The blonde-haired, pointy-eared, young adult elf saluted the pregnant business owner, “Absotootly!”
“Purrfect, okay, I’m out.” And with that, their boss left, and the two employees went back to mindlessly reorganizing the front section. After an hour, Amelia skipped back to the break room and flicked the sleepy college student on the ear. He squawked before bolting back to the coffee bar. Their evening was rather slow. It was a Thursday, and the business district tended to be dead by four pm. They closed up by seven and the three were out into the setting sun by seven-ten. Amelia grabbed some spicy noodles in garlic sauce with veggies and chicken and a frosty soda on the way home. When she rolled up, however, there was another person in the driveway with Penny. Brayden wasn’t with her, but Amelia could see the curtains twitching. Little shit was watching them. Amelia parked her car in the driveway and stepped out.
“Oh, hey Amelia.” Penny stepped back from the hushed conversation she was having with the man in all black. Amelia realized suddenly that the Lord Commander was standing in their driveway. Aravis Blightwood was a seven-foot-tall Fowlst, bird folk, with inky black feathers and a sharp face. His talons were obsidian, and his cloak was heavy around his body. Clawed fingers were wrapped around his biceps, his long wings crossed over his chest.
“Ms. Armstrong, evening.”
“Evening.” She hadn’t met the Lord Commander personally, but everyone knew of him. “What can I do for you, Lord Commander?”
Aravis whispered something to Penny, and it made Amelia’s heart skip several beats. Anxiety rushed through her veins as she put her dinner on the hood of the car.
“I’m, uh, going to go inside. When you’re done, Am, uh, Brayden wanted to show you something.” Penny didn’t look at Amelia as she ducked away. It wasn’t till she was at the door that Amelia saw the panicked look in Penny’s eyes seconds before she dipped inside. Oh, our gooses are cooked. She didn’t know why yet, but her twin spoke loud and clear. Lord Aravis Blightwood was not here for a friendly chat.
“Ms. Armstrong,” Aravis sighed, twisting to her fully. His cheekbones were strong enough to cleave through bones. He was pinched in the brow, his eyes downcast to the ground. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to her and she thought her whole world became a swirling vortex. Dizzy and panicked, she froze in place.
“Lord Commander,” she breathed.
“I apologize for calling on you both so late, but we’ve only recently become aware that Richard Calhoon is missing.”
Oh fuck. The feel of Richard’s blood on her hands, crusted under her fingernails, returned to front of her mind. A sharp sting bit into her cheeks and throat as she let out a small, panicked laugh. “Oh, that’s not good.”
“Care to explain?” He raised a brow.
“Explain what? I don’t know what happened to the fucker.” She recovered her sanity and scowled at him.
“Your sister’s husband goes missing and you’re…laughing?” He straightened his spine.
“Look, it’s pretty common knowledge I hate Rick. Everyone, including Rick, knows I hate him with the fury of a thousand suns. He’s a liar, a cheat, a bastard, and now he’s missing? I won’t say I’m surprised, but I’m disappointed, how’s that?” She tossed her hands out to her side. Rick wasn’t missing. Rick was dead. D.E.A.D. Dead. She’d stabbed him in the neck without a second blink. Her father would be so fucking pissed. She’d promised to keep her rage in check and use it for good. And here she’d gone and killed a man.
He fucking deserved it, but still.
“Funny you should call him a liar,” Aravis’s face said nothing but his tone was suspicious. “I’ve recently come to understand Richard Calhoon is an alias.”
Maybe it wasn’t wise. Maybe she should have acted surprised. But Amelia clapped her hands together in victory, “I fucking knew it!”
“Excuse me?” Aravis cocked his head, a twinge of bemusement in his face.
“Uh, okay, before I confess to it, will you swear not to press anything against me for teenage stupidity?” She glared at him.
He snorted, “Depends on what the crime is?”
“Going to a twenty-one plus wrestling match as an eighteen-year-old?” She eyed him.
Aravis shook his head, chuckling, “We don’t even charge for that, it’s mostly a slap on the wrist and don’t do it again. You’re fine. The statute of limitations on that particular offense went up the morning after the event.”
Amelia sighed with relief. “Okay, so, when Penny and I were eighteen, we got fake IDs so we could sneak into a friend’s match. We just wanted to be there to support. But I remember the guy who did the IDs, he always left this tiny stamp, a barely indistinguishable mark on the IDs. I’d know them anywhere because Penny was so worried we’d get caught and kept pointing at it like it was a flashing neon sign. Anyway, a few years later, Rick’s at the house. He left his wallet open on a table, and I saw the mark. There on his ID. I’d know it anywhere.”
The Lord Commander eyed her for a long moment before he spoke. “And you told your sister about this?”
“I tried!” Amelia huffed, crossing her arms and leaning against her car. “But she was in love, then she was pregnant, and they were trying to get married. I just let it go, but I called it. I fucking called it.”
Aravis nodded, “Thank you, now, do you remember the ID maker or where I might get in contact with him?”
“Unfortunately not, I couldn’t even tell you his name.” That was also a lie. She knew the bastard, had memorized his name and written it in her journal just in case he snitched on them. He never did. Tony the Typewriter had been a part of dad’s gym for a long time.
“Thank you anyway, that does indeed help. Could you tell me what the mark looked like?”
“It’s a small circle with a t in the center, it’s almost always holographic.” She wasn’t going to protect him that much. If the Lord Commander was as good as they said, then he’d figure it out. Aravis nodded to her, bowing his head and stepping around her. She whirled toward him, the question flying out of her mouth. “Who reported him missing?”
Aravis spun to face her and cocked a brow. “Who do you think reported him?”
“Penny didn’t, she would have told me if she’d reported him or was thinking he was missing.” Amelia eyed Aravis suspiciously. Penny and she had sworn the night she got back from Knox’s that they wouldn’t tell a soul. Brayden was old enough to notice Rick was gone, but in the days since Amelia got back, he hadn’t mentioned it but once. Sat on the couch, bowl of cereal and phone in hand, he muttered ‘I hope daddy doesn’t come back’. And that was the end of it because Amelia was so gobsmacked she didn’t ask why. Amelia didn’t know if Knox had and had no way of asking.
“Why didn’t you or your sister report him missing?” Aravis lowered his hands to his hips.
“Are you kidding? What part of ‘he’s a snake’ did you not understand? He could disappear for a week, and it wouldn’t be shocking. I guess I was kind of hoping he’d stay away.” She snatched up her dinner, done with the conversation. Amelia wheeled away from the Lord Commander and stomped a single foot toward the door when he answered.
“His employer reported him missing today.”
She whipped on her heel, “His employer?”
“I’m not able to elaborate more,” Aravis sighed.
“He wasn’t employed!” Amelia snapped. Yet, the Lord Commander was already facing away from her and headed away into the setting sun. His employer? He couldn’t elaborate more? Who the fuck? Amelia stormed up the driveway and into the house.
It didn’t matter, nothing could be proven. If his body was anywhere, it was in the dead cabin in the middle of the forbidden forest. Something ought to have eaten him already let alone the rot alone…Rick was never going to be found.