Chapter 32
thirty-two
HARLOW
“I think this one has a lot of potential.”
Jo and I have been sorting through the emails and sending ones we think might lead somewhere to my dad. This one in particular is standing out to me.
Hello,
My name is Joseph Pitts III, and I live in Green Peak, New Hampshire. We’re a small town that borders Vermont. I’m writing to you today because I believe I have seen the man you are looking for. I own the general store in town. It’s been in my family for over a hundred years. I took over from my father when he retired in 1976.
A young man came through here almost seven years ago. He looks similar to that man in the band from Maine. The one that plays the guitar. Blue eyes, not brown. He was very scared and asked about a job. I gave him a job in my store. He even became friends with a local boy before they both moved somewhere together. The gossip around town was that they were an item, but I have it on good authority that the local boy, I can’t remember his name, likes women almost too much if you get my meaning.
But that boy, I will never forget his scared face. I do believe he is your guitar friend. From the gossip rags the ladies’ group loves to chat about, I see you are dating the young man that is the singer. If you might pass on my message and ask him to get in touch with me, I would much appreciate it. I have wondered how he is doing, and I do hope he is happy and well.
Warm Regards,
Joseph Pitts III
“That was a lot,” Jo says after she reads it. “I can almost picture an old man typing this with one finger.”
I laugh because I was picturing the same thing as I read it. “I think we should check it out.”
Jo nods. “We have six weeks left on the road. Think it can wait until we’re done?”
“I think it will have to,” I tell her. I don’t want to leave Cal or Cora, and I don’t think he’s going to want to be away from her if I take her with me.
“He left his number at the end of the email. Maybe we can call first and see what we can get from him before we head to the woods of New Hampshire to talk to the town.”
“Good idea.” I forward the email to my dad as Jo dials Joseph Pitts III.
“Thank you for calling Green Peak General Store, home of Peaky Buns.”
Peaky Buns? Jo mouths and I just shrug.
“Hi, could I speak with Joseph, please?” I ask the girl on the phone.
“Can I ask who is calling?” she asks, her voice switching from sweet to something that sounds almost like she’s about to fight us.
“My name is Harlow. Joseph sent us an email regarding my podcast. I was hoping to speak to him about it,” I tell her.
She lets out a breath. “I’m sorry about that. My grandfather isn’t in his right mind. Whatever he sent you isn’t true. I’m sorry he wasted your time.”
“If I could just —” I start to ask, but she hangs up on me.
“Well, that was suspicious,” Jo says.
“His email was kind of rambling, but he didn’t seem confused or crazy,” I say, reading the email again.
“It just seemed like an email from a lonely old man,” Jo says, crossing her arms and frowning.
“Lonely?”
She shrugs. “It kind of has the vibes of someone who wants to talk because he doesn’t get a chance to very often.”
“Huh. Yeah, I can see that, but Ezra and Kai are identical. Maybe he knew Ezra but didn’t realize he was a twin.”
“Or he just knew someone with dark hair and blue eyes,” Jo points out. My dad has sifted through so many emails claiming to be someone that knew Ezra that I can see where she’s coming from. The number of sightings might rival Elvis at this point.
“Alright,” she says, standing. “I need to go get the cake and then head to the water park to set everything up. Jason has Cora, Cal is with Mav and Kai doing whatever it is that they do, and you need to relax.”
I glare at her. “I’m supposed to help you with her party.” Cora’s first birthday is next week, but it’s in the middle of a long string of shows. So Jo and I planned her first birthday at an indoor water park. Jo booked the entire place so we would have privacy. Cora loves playing in the water, so I’m really hoping she loves it.
“Willa and Belle are helping me. You’ve been in full mom mode for weeks now. We want you to relax. Please let me handle this.”
I look at my best friend and see the sincerity in her eyes. “Fine,” I relent. “But I’m only allowing this because the water park handled most of it, and I picked out everything else.”
Jo snorts.
“Mom’s plan their daughter’s parties,” I say defensively.
Jo’s face softens. “You’re an amazing mom, Harry. You don’t have anything to prove. Cora loves you. You don’t need to plan some elaborate party to show her you care. She sees it every single day.”
My shoulders relax. I didn’t even realize how tense I was. “Thanks, Joey.”
Jo glares at me. “I’m only allowing that because you’re stressed.”
I laugh and shake my head. Jo hugs me quickly and leaves me alone on the bus.
“Right. What do I do now?”
I have almost three hours before I need to be there. I just stand in the middle of the bus and look around. Apparently, I no longer know what to do without Cal or Cora.
“What did I do before?” I ask myself.
I grab my phone to look up nail salons. I could go for a good pedicure.
After a few calls to salons in the area, I find one that can do not only a manicure and pedicure but can fit me in for a massage too. I smile to myself as I pull up the Uber app.
I feel like I have a sunburn everywhere. When I said I was going to get everything waxed, I meant it. My fingers and toes are a cute shade of purple that matches the swimsuit I’m wearing to the party. I wiggle my fingers and let the sun catch the glitter in the nail polish. Cora is going to love it.
I bought her a swimsuit that matches mine, and Cal has a pair of trunks in the same shade.
“Harlow Ray?”
I look up to see a man standing in front of a black town car. He’s wearing a worn blue cap and jeans with a dirty shirt that probably was white at one point. He looks very out of place, standing in front of the shiny black car.
“Yes?” I ask, already backing up. I ordered an Uber, but it’s a yellow Prius driven by a woman named Barbara. I look at my phone and pull up my recent calls to see if Cal sent the car, knowing he wouldn’t have sent that man as the driver. I hit his name to call him, but then my back hits a wall.
I try to turn to see what I’ve backed into, but a strong arm holds me in place and places something else over my mouth. I scream and try to get out of his grip. The moment I inhale, I know I’ve made a mistake.
My phone slips from my hand as my world goes black.