Chapter 40
forty
HARLOW
“Are you taking me into the woods to murder me?” Cal asks, looking out the car window. “You couldn’t find closer woods?”
I laugh. We’re renting a cabin in New Hampshire a few towns over from Green Peak General Store. It’s a cute A-frame at the end of a dirt driveway surrounded by tall trees. It’s late summer, so the leaves haven’t started to change, and the weather is still warm. I bet it’s pretty in the fall when all the leaves are shades of reds, oranges, and yellows.
When I explained to Cal that I wanted to come speak to the owner, he was understandably irate. But once I showed him the letter and explained the weird phone call from his granddaughter, he saw what I was getting at. He still didn’t want me to go but knew he couldn’t stop me.
Cora is back at home with Jason, and Jo is working on rescheduling all the tour dates and was too busy to make the trip. Belle and Kai came with us. They’re staying in a cabin down the road from this one. We invited Mav and Willa, but Mav said he didn’t want to follow dead ends again, and Willa wanted to stay with him.
I hate being separated from Cora again, but we need to figure this out. I don’t feel safe leaving the house anymore, and I know Cal is freaking out about going on tour again.
The police found old records of Belle’s ex, Brad, having interned for Senator Wolfe. Making it not a huge jump to assume it was the senator that sent Brad after Belle. Going with that assumption, the next most plausible assumption is that he went after me too. The connection being both of us digging into Ezra. We need to end this before he goes after Willa next, or even his own son.
“I wouldn’t need to bring you to the woods to kill you,” I tell Cal, keeping my voice serious even though I want to laugh at the horrified look he’s giving me. “Although, I guess it would save me a body disposal trip.”
“I got your name tattooed on my finger!” he yells, pulling the platinum band I got him off his ring finger and wagging it in my face. “They would know it was you!”
I can’t keep my laughter in anymore. “I would never kill you. You, Callahan Elizabeth Griffin, are my entire soul and at least thirty percent of my daily entertainment.”
Cal’s face quickly went from relieved to offended. “Thirty percent?” he says, clutching his chest like I just broke his heart.
“Your dad is pretty funny,” I say with a shrug.
“My dad ?” He’s screaming now. Cal is dramatic, so messing with him is so much more fun than it should be.
“Have you noticed how handsome he looks with his new haircut?” I’m lucky we’re parked in front of the cabin because I think Cal would’ve driven off the road by now.
“Firecracker, don’t for one second think I won’t kill my dad if he touches you,” Cal says, white knuckling the steering wheel.
“You won’t kill your dad.”
“He’s had a good run,” Cal says and shrugs.
I snort and shake my head. I can’t tell if he’s joking or not, but it doesn’t matter. “I only want you, husband. No need to commit patricide.”
Cal grabs my neck and pulls me in for a punishing kiss. “You’re mine, wife. Mine.”
“Yours.”
“This town is fake,” Cal says, looking around at all the adorable buildings with suspicion. They’re all separate and look like they may have been small houses at one point. They even have window boxes with colorful flowers spilling out.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Kai says, looking around like something is going to jump out at him.
I exchange a look with Belle. We should have left them behind.
The town is adorable. All the stores are on the main street, which is aptly named Main Street. They have a general store, post office, mechanic, pharmacy, bakery, and a small boutique. We’re currently walking with iced coffees in hand from the bakery on our way to the general store.
Kai is in front of Belle and me, with Cal taking up the rear. They’re constantly looking around for bad guys or bears. I’m not sure. No one knows we’re here. I didn’t call ahead to the general store, and it’s not a public date for a concert. I even put the cabin reservation under a false name. I don’t think anyone has even recognized us. That’s a nice change.
“Why does everyone keep waving at us?” Kai asks.
“It’s a small town. We grew up in a small town. It’s exactly the same,” Belle points out, rolling her eyes at his back.
“This is a fake small town,” Kai defends. I just snort.
“I think it would be the perfect backdrop for a Christmas movie,” I say.
“See!” Cal says. “Fake town.”
“Beautiful morning for a walk,” an older man with stark white hair says as he passes us, waving.
Kai turns and starts gesturing wildly at the old man’s back. “See!” he whisper-shouts.
“We’re here. Behave or stay outside,” I tell the guys, making direct eye contact with both of them.
Kai grabs Belle by the hand, and Cal pulls me into him by the waist. “You two stay with us or you haven’t seen how dramatic I can be,” Cal says.
“I was there the day you lost in fantasy football and had to get your legs waxed,” Belle says. Kai barks out a laugh, clearly having seen the same event.
Cal glares at the back of her head as she walks into the store.
“Did you get it on video?” I ask as we follow them in.
“Of course. I’ll show it to you later,” Belle says, smiling over her shoulder.
Cal grumbles something about traitorous siblings when we’re greeted by a cheerful voice. “Welcome to Green Peak General Store, home of the famous Peaky Buns!”
The man who offered the warm greeting is sitting behind a wooden desk with a golden old fashioned cash register. There are jars of jams and jellies lining the counters and a basket of individually wrapped cookies.
“Your store is adorable,” Belle says.
“Thank you so much! It’s been in my family for over a hundred years!” This must be Joseph Pitts III. He’s tall and skinny, with brown eyes and gray hair that’s parted to the side and slicked back. He’s wearing a shirt with the general store’s name in front of a mountain. There are variations of the shirt in different colors hanging from racks in the store.
“What’s a Peaky Bun?” Cal asks, walking around Belle and Kai, where they’re looking through brochures of different activities in the area and pulling me with him.
“Oh! Let me get you one! The only way to explain is to experience!” Joseph practically runs to the back of the store, where there’s a small amount of grocery options and what looks like a bakery display case with a too-small cafe. He’s back a moment later, holding two bread buns and a small container of a brownish butter. At least I think it’s butter.
Cal and I each grab one and slather the sweet-smelling butter on them. They’re warm, and I groan when I bite into it.
“It’s a simple milk bun, but the secret is the maple butter. The maple syrup we use to make it is made right here in town,” Joseph says, clasping his hands together and smiling gleefully.
“Can I try one?” Kai asks. Joseph’s smile gets even wider until he turns to look at Kai. Then his smile drops and his face pales. “Are you alright?” Kai asks, alarmed.
“You’re back!” Joseph says, composing himself.
My eyes bounce between Joseph and Kai before meeting Belle’s eyes and seeing they’re just as wide as mine. Cal tightens his grip on my waist, the only indication he’s made the same connection. It’s the same assumption Jo and I had from reading his email. This man thinks Kai and whoever worked here are the same person. We just weren’t sure if he would when he saw Kai up close.
“I . . . Uh,” Kai stutters.
“Don’t tell me you don’t remember me, Ethan. I’m Joseph. It’s been a few years, but I’d like to think you liked working for me,” Joseph says, chuckling.
“Ethan Paul?”
We all turn at the new voice. A teenage girl with straight black hair down to her waist and the same shade of brown eyes as Joseph just walked through the doors to a backroom. She’s wearing one of the store shirts and a green apron around her waist.
“You probably don’t remember my granddaughter, Fiona. She was only twelve when you left,” Joseph says, pulling Fiona over to him from where she was frozen by the door.
“How old are you now?” I ask. Kai is just staring at them with an unreadable expression on his face.
“Sixteen,” she says, looking at Kai suspiciously.
“Don’t mind Ethan,” I say quickly. “He got into an accident. We’re trying to get his memories back.”
“An accident? Oh goodness! What happened?” Joseph asks.
“He, uh, skied into a wall,” I blurt.
“A wall?” Fiona asks, not believing me for a second. I can see it in her eyes.
“Yeah. He dodged a tree and hit a wall,” Belle adds. “Anyway, we’re trying to make stops at all of his old haunts to try to jog more memories.”
“Oh dear! Come come. Have a seat and we can talk,” Joseph says, ushering us to a small table by the bakery case. Once we’re all seated, he folds his hands and sets his eyes on Kai.
“You came to live here about,” Joseph taps his chin as he thinks, “I’d say at least six years ago.”
That tracks with the timeline. Maybe this is the first stop Ezra made.
“You seemed terrified of something. I never did find out what, but you were asking for a job and a place to stay. So I set you up with a job here and let you stay in the apartment upstairs.”
“That was very kind of you,” Kai says, clearing his throat.
“You were the best worker I’ve ever had. Don’t tell my granddaughter,” Joseph says in a whisper loud enough for Fiona to hear. She rolls her eyes and then continues her suspicious looks at Kai.
“When did he leave? Do you know where he went after?” I ask.
“You became close with a boy from a neighboring town. I don’t remember which one. Our town is a through town, you understand. Lots of folks come through here and a lot of them are regulars, but they don’t live here.” Belle pales at his words. Sure, Ezra could have become close as friends with another guy, but there’s a chance it was more and that would break Maverick.
“Do you remember his name?” Kai asks.
“You really don’t remember?” Fiona asks, not hiding her suspicion from her voice.
Kai meets her eyes and shakes his head.
“I don’t remember. He played a sport, I think. So he came through here more often, going to and from games,” Joseph says, tapping his chin some more as he thinks.
“ Ethan ,” Fiona says, making it clear that she absolutely does not believe that Kai is Ethan, “left town four years ago, and we haven’t heard from him since.”
“Well, duh. He can’t remember you,” Cal says, and I snort.
“Who are you to him?” Fiona asks. I like her, even if she’s not on our side right now.
“His best friend,” Cal says proudly.
“You punched me in the face a week ago!” Kai argues.
“You kept talking about banging my sister!” Cal shouts.
Joseph looks utterly shocked, but Fiona leans forward, suddenly more interested.
I roll my eyes and Belle smacks the table with her hand. “You two need to stop.”
“You’re my sister! I didn’t object to you two dating because I can see how happy you are together. And I know he’ll treat you like you deserve, but I refuse to be told you have naked time together,” Cal says, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
I laugh even though I try not to. So does Fiona.
“I changed my mind. I like you guys. Even you, fake Ethan.”
“That’s mighty rude, Fiona,” Joseph chastises.
She snorts and looks at us. “I know you’re Harlow Ray, and Callahan and Bellamy Griffin. Just like I know you’re Malikai Irons and ‘Ethan’ is Ezra Irons.”
“Uh. No. I’m, uh, Mark?” Cal says. I pat his leg. I can see in Fiona’s eyes that she knew who we were the moment we walked in the door.
“Shattered Halo fan?” I ask.
“True crime. I’m looking forward to your podcast,” she admits.
“Are you the one who answered the phone when I called?” I ask her. She flinches before nodding.
“I just started following the case. When you called, I was worried you’d bring press and who knows what else here. I didn’t even realize Ezra was Ethan. The image I have in my head from when I was younger doesn’t really match with him,” she says, pointing at Kai. “But when my granddad insisted that Kai was Ethan when we saw you doing that live performance on the morning show, I realized he was right.”
“You knew he was my missing brother, but didn’t say anything?” Kai asks her, the accusation clear in his tone.
“Ethan was hiding from something. How was I supposed to know if you were the something or not?” she says, crossing her arms defiantly. “I remember how much he flinched every time the bell over the door would ring, signaling someone coming into the store.”
“That’s fair,” I admit.
“You’re the one I emailed?” Joseph says, looking at me, but giving a side look to his granddaughter. I don’t think he knew about the phone call.
“I am. We planned to come and ask you some questions, but you threw us with the Ethan stuff,” I explain.
“We’re identical, in your defense,” Kai says.
“I’d say,” Joseph says, taking a napkin from the dispenser in the center of the table and dabbing his forehead.
“You really don’t know where he went or who the boy was?” I ask Fiona.
“I was young when he left, and I don’t remember him saying anything about where. His dad showed up a few months after he got here and they moved into a house a town over from here,” Fiona says and then looks at her grandfather. “Granddad, do you remember when his dad sold the house?”
“Gerald didn’t sell it. He was renting from Bea over at the post office. I think he moved right around when Ethan, uh, Ezra, moved.”
“Maybe he left a forwarding address for his mail,” I say to Belle. I’m assuming Gerald is actually Gavin, but I could be wrong.
“Oh, he didn’t. I asked so I could mail Eth-Ezra his things,” Joseph says. The poor man is struggling with the name change.
“What things?” Kai asks, looking close to tears. I can’t blame him. If Ezra really was here four years ago, that means we have proof of life beyond anything we’ve had so far.
“I still have it in a box out back. Fiona?”
“I’m on it,” she says, getting up and going to the back room.
“I apologize. I had no idea you were looking for your brother when I sent that email,” Joseph says.
“Don’t apologize. You were just trying to get in touch with a boy you knew and got his twin instead,” Kai says, emotion clogging his voice.
“Can I ask what happened? Fiona loves things like this, but I don’t follow it at all.”
I give him a brief summary, saving Kai from having to do it. As it is, he looks down at his hands as I explain everything.
“Here you go,” Fiona says once I finished my story. She sets a white box on the table. The side says ‘Ethan’ in black marker.
I think everyone at the table holds their breath as Kai reaches his hand in. He pulls out a picture and stares at it for less than a second before he bursts into tears. Alarmed, Belle grabs the picture and Kai at the same time. She hugs him tightly and gasps when she looks at the picture.
“Let me see,” Cal says, snatching it from her. I look at it with him. “Holy shit.”
It’s Ezra in front of this exact store with his arm around his dad. They’re both smiling at the camera.
“Holy shit!” Cal yells, jumping up from the table. “He’s alive.” Cal slumps back into the chair just as quickly as he left it and cries. I hold him to me, tears falling from my own eyes.
“Thank you,” I say to Joseph, who is smiling with watery eyes.
“I wish I could tell you where he was now.”
“You have no idea what you have done for us,” Belle explains through her tears. “This is the first time we have proof he didn’t die like the police said he did.”
“That case is bullshit,” Fiona blurts.
“You’ve got that right,” I tell her.
“Was this from a disposable camera?” I ask, flipping the picture over. Printing pictures isn’t super common with the invention of smart phones and digital frames.
“It wasn’t. Ezra had a fancy camera. He took it with him everywhere. He turned the closet in Bea’s rental into a dark room. I remember her complaining about it after they moved out,” Joseph says.
Fiona nods. “He really liked photography. He even sold some of his photographs before he left. Granddad let him display them in the store window.”
Kai takes a shaky hand and continues to go through the box. There are more pictures of the area and landscapes, a few stray t-shirts, and some DVDs. Kai tips the box and pulls out a black frame.
“Is this the boy?” he asks Joseph, turning the frame so everyone else can see it. It’s Ezra standing with a blond boy in a baseball uniform. Although calling him a boy isn’t accurate. He’s in his twenties, from what I can tell. They’re smiling and look happy.
“That’s him!” Joseph says.
“Can I see that?” I ask, and Kai hands it over. I examine it more closely. “WM University?”
“Oh, that’s the local university. White Mountain University. They have a great baseball team,” Fiona says.
“Thank you for everything,” I tell them, standing and taking Cal with me since he won’t let go of my waist. Belle quickly puts everything back in the box, taking my signal to leave.
“Please let us know if you think of anything else,” she says, shaking Joseph and Fiona’s hands.
We all say our goodbyes and exit the store.
We’re close. So close. I can feel it.