Chapter Fifteen #2
As he pecked at the keyboard, she thought about what had happened last night, but it only got more confusing.
“I keep remembering this little girl—a toddler with red hair and incredible eyes. Was there anyone here last night?” she asked.
He seemed bewildered by the question. “Must’ve been a dream. No little girls.”
That was a lie. She wasn’t shielding, but right now she didn’t care. Something was up, and she couldn’t think clearly around him. Perhaps getting away would help.
He looked up from the computer. “Rental car?”
She shook her head. “Dad will pick me up in the truck.”
“What about your car?”
“Long-term parking.”
“I might be able to find you a voucher for that,” he said. “Nick has some somewhere.” He looked up as the front door flew open, “And you’ve got just enough time to keep your promise to Jamie.”
“Oh,” Mel exclaimed as Jamie blew in like a tiny tornado. She had hoped for more time to talk to Daniel alone.
Jamie slid up to the breakfast bar. “Hi, Miss Mel! I brung—brought some real good paper. I think it’ll do for origami. Mornin’, Dr. Daniel. Mornin’, Miss Ouida.”
“Mel has to leave sooner than expected, Jamie,” Daniel said.
Jamie’s smile faded.
“She has to perform in her father’s magic show,” Daniel went on.
The girl’s face lit up again. “A magic show? Your dad’s a magician?”
Mel nodded, scooping one last raisin from the bowl. “Yes, he is. And I’m sorry I have to leave so soon. But I can show you some origami you can do besides the frog before I go, and we can fit in a quick ride.”
Jamie grinned, but then it faded. “You’re coming back though, right?”
Mel looked over at Daniel, who turned away.
“I’ll go look for that voucher.” Grief. Resignation. Sadness.
“We’ll see.” Mel cleared her throat. “What do you want to do first? I have a flapping bird you can make out of a dollar bill, how about that?”
“What about those bees?”
“Oh yes! I forgot!” Mel dug through her backpack and pulled out the bee she had tried to recreate. “We’ll do that too.”
Mel proceeded to make the flapping bird and a simple dragon. While Jamie unfolded and refolded those, Mel tried to figure out the bee, but couldn’t get it quite right. And Daniel still hadn’t returned.
Ouida bustled around in the kitchen and brought her a paper bag, which she set beside Mel’s pack. “A bite of lunch. They never feed you on those horrid planes anymore.”
“Thank you, Ouida,” Mel said as she hugged her. “I hope these Woodruffs realize how lucky they are to have you.”
The older woman looked startled. “Oh, I’m the lucky one, honey.”
Grace soon joined them in the kitchen. “I hear you’re leaving us, Mel. I hope last night didn’t scare you away.” Her eyes met Mel’s. Disappointment. Affection. Hope. She meant what she said.
“No, not at all.”
“I know if Nick were here, he would apologize on behalf of his gnocchi,” Grace said.
That, however, was a lie.
“No need. It tasted marvelous.” Mel gave a rueful laugh. “Going down anyway.”
Grace chuckled.
Daniel returned carrying a card and his satchel. He handed Mel the parking voucher. “I think it’s time for that car ride.”
“But I haven’t learned how to make the bees yet!” Jamie protested.
“All right.” Mel pulled Dr. Ricci’s origami bees with their yellow-and-black stripes from her backpack and laid them on the counter.
“These are the originals. You figure out how to fold these and write down all the steps, with illustrations.” She smiled and handed Jamie a business card.
“Email them to me. I’ll post them on my blog. Deal?”
“Deal!” Jamie exclaimed.
A short time later, Mel was in her Mini with the top down, driving very slowly across Star Crossing Meadow, Jamie standing behind the passenger seat with her face to the sky and arms in the air. Daniel watched from the crest of the drive above the house.
She deposited Jamie in front of the house, safe and sound, but Daniel kept his distance from the car.
“Thanks, Miss Mel! That was the best! I’ve never stood up in a car before,” Jamie exclaimed.
Daniel smiled. “Have a safe trip, Mel.”
She didn’t need to drop her shield to read the turmoil going on behind those dark eyes: longing, confusion and grief.
But she had to go, and she didn’t have time to stay and unravel this mystery. Soon, his tall figure was shrinking in the rearview mirror. She knew that he wanted her, but something stood in the way. Something he had to figure out for himself.
There are decisions being made around you and about you and…they feel… enormous.
“I wish we hadn’t had to put this off,” Nick said. “That whole thing with Jake yesterday was depressing.” He dropped a rucksack on the counter next to Daniel. “Not my idea of a pleasant Saturday excursion, but time was of the essence to save the plants.”
Sheriff Jake Moser had called in Grace’s expertise on identifying some ginseng they suspected of being poached out of the Pisgah.
Daniel noted the size of Nick’s pack. Nick had decided never to go into the mountain’s cave system without substantial supplies. Considering his experience there with Grace last year, Daniel could understand the caution.
“I’ve waited this long. One more day can’t hurt,” Daniel said.
“It would be laughable if it weren’t so destructive.
This guy, driving out of the Pisgah with his trunk packed with ginseng roots, claiming they’re not wild.
” Nick shook his head. “And Wes Porter’s an elected official.
He knows the law. He knows the reason for it, but he insulted Jake and his deputy, claiming they didn’t know what they were talking about.
Throwing his weight around. I wouldn’t last long as sheriff with that kind of thing getting shoved in my face. ”
Daniel agreed. “Sounds frustrating. Jake isn’t the type to abide fools for long.”
“Yeah. He nearly punched the guy at one point,” Nick added. “About the same time I was going to haul off and deck him myself.”
“Knowing you two, I suspect whatever set Jake off was something involving Grace.”
“Yeah. She pointed out to Wes exactly what differentiated the wild ginseng from cultivated. Even pulled up photos of cultivated roots to show them to him. And he… Well, let’s say he was just begging to end up with his face in the dirt.
” Nick grinned. “But his chance for a big fine and maybe some jail time increased with every word, so I restrained myself.”
“At least the ginseng will get replanted. Probably save most of it with all the volunteers they have,” Daniel said.
His cell phone rang. For some reason, the number looked vaguely familiar.
“Hello?”
“Is this Dr. Daniel Woodruff?” He recognized the voice. It was Mel’s friend Lance. Only he had never talked to Lance before, except—
Darkness crowded the edges of his vision.
You need to stop fighting it.
“Yeah, I’m Daniel.”
“They got her,” Lance said. “Have you seen the news? They got her this time, whoever they are.”
Daniel’s heart froze. “Mel?”
“They grabbed her, at gunpoint.” Lance sounded numb.
“Who got her? Where?” Daniel demanded. Nick was at his elbow.
“At that fair thing.” Lance’s voice was shaky. “It’s all over the news down there and social media, lot of cell phone cameras caught it all. I talked to her dad. He said it was a man, dressed in a period costume. He grabbed her, shot at a couple of people who tried to help, and dragged her off.”
Daniel almost couldn’t hear Lance, his ears were ringing so loudly. Nick stepped closer, and the darkness crowded in behind him.
You need to accept it.
“Who was it?” Daniel repeated, clenching his jaw.
“I’m sure it’s one of the ones from Florence she told me about.
Her dad was one of the people the guy shot at.
Missed. I’ve seen the video, and that was…
Anyway, he said she kept telling the guy it burned in the fire, what he wanted burned in the fire.
Then she yelled, ‘call Daniel.’” He took a shaky breath.
“That’s why I called you. What can you do?
” Lance sounded angry, until his voice broke. “Aw, Mel.”
Daniel couldn’t let himself be pulled into this maelstrom of panic. He ignored the encroaching darkness all around him.
I won’t let this happen. Not to Mel.
He looked around the room with difficulty.
Nick said yesterday was Saturday. So this is Sunday.
But what time? If Lily can control these visions, surely I can as well. What do I need to…
“Daniel, ask him for details,” Nick said. “Time, date, location. Anything distinctive. You don’t have much time.”
Of course.
“When did this happen? Where? Give me details.”
“Uh. This morning. Right after they opened. In… uh…” Daniel heard a rustle. “Some place called Pecan Grove at the fair. Why?”
There are many paths to follow. Nothing is fixed.
I can change this.
Daniel felt a hand grip his arm and looked up at Nick’s face. “What happened to—?”
Nick vanished and there was only an echo of his voice in the dark.
Mel.
Daniel sat straight up in bed and grabbed his cell. “I can change this.”
Saturday. It was barely Saturday morning. Mel had left yesterday. Friday. This wouldn’t happen until Sunday. He still had time to stop it.
You have to stop fighting. You have to accept it.
He dressed in a hurry, packed his toiletries and threw some clothes into his carry-on. He ran downstairs, made a pot of coffee, and filled the kettle for Grace’s tea.
The kettle was half full when he realized there was no headache. Not even a twinge. No blurry vision.
He ran to the master suite door and knocked. After a moment, he knocked again.
Nick’s face appeared in the doorway, confused at first, then alert and concerned.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Mel. Someone kidnapped—someone’s going to kidnap her tomorrow morning. I hate to do this, but—” Daniel started.
“Someone kidnapped Mel?” Grace said from behind Nick.
“Not if I can help it. I need to get into the cave now,” Daniel said.