Cold Hollow (Cold Hollow Mysteries Book 1) (6 page)

Sophia groaned and slid out of bed as the children shuffled into the room with sleepy eyes and mussed hair. Sophia said, “Go and throw something on. We’re supposed to meet at the town hall when the bell rings.”

Liam thought it was cool because it was like a town-wide fire drill. Layla complained it was too early and pondered her outfit. Both children scurried to their rooms as Sophia slipped into her jogging pants and top. She would have appreciated a few minutes to freshen up, but Angus was already standing at the bedroom door, waiting for her.

They piled into Angus’s SUV and made their way toward town. Angus was lucky and slid into a slot slightly down the street from the town hall. It was the most prominent building on Main Street, it stood two-stories and was built of brick, so it couldn’t be missed. As they got out of their vehicle, they noticed the inhabitants of the small town converging in front of the building. Some were complaining, others just wanted to know why this had to happen so early in the morning.  Sophia found the entire event completely ridiculous. They had a mail carrier that could easily deliver town news to each home daily, but no, this town liked to wake everyone up and screw with their heads at dawn. A tall man in a long, black leather riding coat emerged from the front door of the building. He stood upon the top step and addressed the group. Sophia found it a completely inappropriate garment to wear at the start of summer, and when he raised the hood over his head, she pinched her husband’s arm. He glanced down at her and placed his forefinger to his lips.

They stood together, and Sophia reached out for the children’s hands. Usually she had to urge them to hold hers, but not this morning. Each of her children immediately clasped her searching hands on either side. The tall man raised his arms and announced that the monthly till had been set and each resident should come up the stairs to retrieve their personally addressed bill from the bucket. Sophia had noticed the huge bucket before he had even stepped out into the sunlight. Her eyes rolled to her husband, who voiced in a hushed tone that it would be like bobbing for apples. The man went on to assure the populace he had been fair when setting the sums that were due within the week and that if anyone had any questions, they could feel free to ask him.

Each resident solemnly took the steps up in an orderly fashion and snatched their envelopes. Some ripped them open before they reached the bottom step. Sophia saw expressions of sadness on some faces, expressions of anger on others, and expressions of pure joy on others. It was the oddest thing she had ever experienced. No one uttered a sound and each person or family began their trek back home once their envelope had been retrieved.

Angus met Myrna in line as Sophia stayed with the children on the sidewalk. Sophia watched as Myrna smiled at the tall man and bent down to retrieve her envelope. She had spotted Angus’s too, and handed it to him as she continued to fish her own out of the bucket.

Angus did not open his envelope. He stuffed it in his back pocket, met up with his family, and turned them back toward their vehicle. He shouted back for Myrna, and they watched her run gracefully to their side. As they drove Myrna home, Sophia asked, “Who is that creepy fellow wearing a riding coat at the start of summer?”

Myrna leaned forward in her seat beside Liam and answered, “That’s Nazar. He’s the Keeper of this town.”

“Keeper? Do you mean he’s like a Mayor?”

“Yes.” She sat back and clutched her envelope in her hand. She prayed Nazar had kept his word, and that her amount due would be zero. She worried that the Barners’ amount would be high because of their home, the upkeep, and their bakery. She hoped they could make the till; if not, perhaps she could work free for a week or so to help them.

“Is there an election that puts him in office?”

Myrna chuckled. “Heck no, he’s been here forever.”

Angus’s brow creased in confusion as he drove to Myrna’s house. “I don’t understand that. Do you mean he’s the town’s founder?”

“In a sense, yes, I suppose he is.” She thanked them before getting out of the car, and they watched her run to her door and slide inside her home.

Angus looked at Sophia. “Meow.”

Sophia laughed and playfully slapped his arm as he pulled away from the curb. Layla made a request, and Angus obliged. She wanted him to stop at the town library before they headed home. It wasn’t out of the way, so Angus made it there within three minutes.

They waited in the car for her as Liam complained from the backseat. “Books, that’s all she likes. She doesn’t even play with my toys anymore. She’s a bookworm. She should live in the dirt, and would if there was a library underground.”

Angus adored his son and twisted around the front seat with a smile on his face. He ruffled his son’s hair and asked if he wanted French toast for breakfast. He watched Liam’s eyes light up, and soon the worms and books were but a distant memory.

It took ten more minutes before Layla came breezing out of the library with two thick books tucked under her left arm. She was waving her new library card in her right hand. Sophia grinned and examined the books when Layla handed them to her. They were young adult thriller novels. As they drove home, they soon got over the oddity of the town hall summons.

CHAPTER 5

Sophia ran her usual five miles and returned home. She guzzled down a tall glass of orange juice and sat at the kitchen island going over the “till bill.” As promised, it was itemized, including the upkeep of the running trails and the weekly pay for the forest ranger. She ran down the list to see landscaping costs, seed costs, flower costs, road repair, and cleaning expenses for both the bakery and their new home. Street sweeping was included, as was garbage disposal. When they’d lived in Connecticut, they did many of these things themselves and had to pay state taxes on top of it. She saw the total at the bottom and thought it was fair enough. She could not complain. There was an explanation for everything. She pulled out her checkbook and wrote out a check to cover the cost. She would deliver it to the town hall on her way to the bakery on Main Street.

After a quick shower and change of clothes, she was off. Angus had already rounded up the children and taken them to the town beach, which was located near the waterfalls made from the melting snow atop the mountains. It was said to be beautiful and Sophia hoped to see it soon. She was sure Angus would take pictures for her to see that night.

She pulled up in front of the town hall, climbed the steps, and entered. She found the proper counter to pay taxes and slid the elderly woman the bill and the payment. The woman’s hands shook as she reached for the check and bill. Her voice trembled, but not out of fear. Sophia thought she had Parkinson’s or something similar. She had her gray hair tightly wound in a bun and wore thick glasses. Her old, blue eyes glanced up at Sophia as her wrinkled lips formed a thin line. She said, “Nazar does not like out-of-town checks. He likes people to do their banking here in town.”

Sophia blushed and explained, “I am sorry, but we just moved here and have not gotten to that yet. Please explain to Mr. Nazar that we will do it soon.”

“It’s Nazar…just Nazar.”

“What do you mean? He prefers to be called
just
Nazar?” She wanted to say
Nazar is so bizarre
, but she didn’t think the woman would appreciate the humor in it.

“Yep.” She swiped the check, stamped the bill “paid” with a mighty thud of an antiquated device, and slid the bill back to Sophia.

Sophia thanked her and just about ran out of the place. That old crone seemed to be missing some marbles.

She was more than grateful to see Myrna waiting for her in front of the bakery. That reminded her of something. She wanted to get a key made for Myrna so she could let herself inside the bakery if she were ever early. After popping the hatch of her vehicle, the two women pulled the canvas prints from the back and went to work inside the bakery.

“Myrna, what’s the story with the old lady at the town hall?”

Myrna wore a mischievous grin and asked, “You mean the salt shaker? Her name is May Belle. Did she give you the business?”

Sophia laughed and explained what had happened. Myrna shrugged it off and said the old woman was too old to be working, but would not allow anyone else in town to have the job. She was a stubborn old coot. When Sophia told her about May Belle’s criticism of her banking options, she saw a different side of Myrna.

Myrna pulled her into the back room; she was shaking. She stood close to Sophia and whispered, “You keep that money far away. If you have a joint account with Angus, open that one up here, but you should each have an account far away.” Her face was beading with sweat and her eyes had gone wild and wary. She kept glancing at the front of the shop and all the windows. She swallowed hard and continued in barely a whisper, “Never let Nazar have
all
the control. You have to be independent too. Keep a lockbox in your home, like I do.”

Sophia stepped back and eyed her friend. She nodded her head and said, “Okay, I will.” She watched Myrna’s shoulders relax as she wiped her face down with a napkin.

Sophia decided to change the subject, and pulled out all the recipes that they would be making at the bakery on a regular basis. She was shocked to see Myrna pull some out of her purse, and they perused all of them together. “We open on Monday, so let’s make some and test the results?”

Myrna needed no coaxing. She immediately pulled down some bowls from the rack and the utensils they would need. “What do we do for the rest of this week? I mean, this place already looks absolutely gorgeous.”

Sophia tied off her kitchen apron and thought about it. It was already Thursday, so she made a choice. “We take a three-day weekend and go to the town beach and other places we haven’t discovered yet.”

She saw Myrna put her head down. “I don’t have a bathing suit. My husband never allowed me to wear one.”

Sophia dumped heaping cups of flour into a bowl and smiled. “Don’t worry. I saw a cute number at the clothing store the other day. I have to pay you for your labor and the curtains and tablecloths tomorrow, so maybe we can go and get it together?”

Myrna asked, “What color is it?”

“I think you’ll like it. It’s a one-piece and the color of your blue eyes.” She watched Myrna smile.

Four hours later, the prep table was loaded with various baked goods, fudge, caramels, muffins, cookies, and a variety of pies. They halted their actions as the bell atop the front door rang. Someone had entered the shop. Sophia peeked out to the front of the shop to see a rather handsome man strolling around. He was tall and slender and wore a nice suit. He smiled at Sophia. “Are you open yet?”

She smiled back. “Not until Monday, but come in back. I hope you’re hungry. We’re in need of a taste tester.”

She watched his eyes bulge as he took in the assortment of baked goods. Myrna came from the small restroom and shouted, “Doctor Tom!”

Sophia watched her blush, rush to the man, and point out what items she was sure he would love. She then offered him some coffee to wash it down.

He slid a stool to the prep table, dusted off his hands, and dug in as Myrna plated some items for him. Sophia stood back and watched the show. The three of them chatted for over an hour. The doctor was an amicable man, and Sophia took an immediate liking to him. Before he left, he told Sophia how much he loved the baked goods and how happy he was to see Myrna so “alive” again. Myrna giggled and blushed again.

The two women escorted him out to the sidewalk and thanked him for being the first customer. Myrna watched him walk a little longer than was required, and Sophia poked her upper arm. “You little devil! You have a crush on the good doctor!”

Myrna chased her back into the back room, insisting she did not, but Sophia heard the obvious laughter in her voice.

“Maybe if we’re lucky he’ll be at the town beach tomorrow and get to ogle you in your new swimsuit!” Myrna swatted her away with a dishtowel, but was filled with laughter. Sophia noticed how beautiful her smile was and told her it was good to see and that she should smile a lot more.

Myrna thanked her and helped her clean up their mess. They placed items that would keep in the display cases. They then divided the rest of the goods and each brought boxes home.

After arrangements were made for the weekend, Sophia was surprised to see Myrna jump into a pickup truck outside the store and shout good-bye. Sophia waved and shook her head as she made her way to her vehicle. She had not thought Myrna knew how to drive, but perhaps the vehicle had been in the repair shop. Either way, she was glad that Myrna was on her way to being more and more independent on a daily basis.

Myrna did not go straight home. She went to the home of the Borges family. Amanda Borges had just lost her husband in a tragic trucking accident and was struggling to survive with her four children. She parked in their driveway and made her way to their front door. She grinned when she heard children’s excited shouting within the home. Donnie Borges answered the door and gave her a big, goofy smile. “Hey there, Ms. Myrna!”

She made her way inside and ruffled his hair as she passed him. “Hey there, Donnie-boy.” He chuckled and followed her into the kitchen, where his mother was trying to plan a decent meal for them. Myrna breezed inside and took the baby from Amanda’s arms after placing a big box of baked goods on the counter.

Amanda peered at the box and smiled. “You brought me a surprise?” Myrna looked at Amanda and noticed what a friendly, pretty face she had. She still hadn’t lost the baby weight from her most recent delivery, but she was getting there. Her long, brown hair was done up in a ponytail.

Myrna leaned her forehead against the baby’s and said, “Yup. I brought a surprise for you and the children. However, they must eat all of their supper first.”

Amanda harrumphed as she went to the coffeepot and poured them each a small cup. “That won’t be hard for them to do. We’re barely scraping by. There ain’t much food left.”

Myrna turned to her with the baby cooing in her face. “Are things really that bad?”

She watched as Amanda’s lower lip trembled and her eyes watered. It suddenly dawned on Myrna that they were both recently widowed. There was a difference, though. Myrna only had herself to worry about, whereas Amanda had four little souls depending on her.

She made a decision and said, “I’ll be back in thirty minutes.” She handed the baby back to Amanda, bent down and kissed her toddler daughter, and yelled as she headed out the door, “Boys, set the table! Amanda, get a pot on the stove and warm up some fry pans! We’re having a feast tonight!”

She raced to her truck and drove back toward the grocery store on Main Street. After a short conversation with the owner, she shopped for milk, meat, bread, diapers, and fruit. The owner donated twenty dollars to her cause as she stood in front of the cereal boxes. She knew that the Borges boys would use a snow shovel to eat the stuff, so she purchased a variety for them and added a box of Cheerios for their two baby sisters. When she went to cash out, she found the manager making his way back over to her and handing her another twenty dollars that he had received from an anonymous donor. Myrna turned around and surveyed the store, but no one was looking at her. She shrugged and thanked him. She paid the bill, loaded the food into her truck, and went home. She riffled through her vegetable garden and filled a bag with more vegetables than she would ever be able to eat. If Bob ever did anything right in his pathetic life, it was their garden. He’d doubled the size of it that year for canning and preserving, but it was far too much for Myrna. When the bag was full, she went back to her truck and drove to the Borges home. Amanda began crying again, and the boys unpacked the grocery bags with such swiftness that they sent Myrna spinning.

They prepared a feast and Myrna watched as Amanda stored the leftovers perfectly. Myrna stayed for an hour and spoke with Amanda and the children. Before leaving, she slipped Amanda the twenty dollars the manager of the grocery store had given her so she could buy more milk and the basic staples. As she pulled out of the driveway, she vowed to herself that she would continue to bring any excess food from her gardens to them. She lived alone now, and a lot of it would just go bad anyway, so if she could help them out, she would. When she returned home, she felt so good about herself that she had the most peaceful night’s sleep she’d had in a decade.

***

The family piled into Angus’s roomy SUV, and he was astonished to see the amount of food the women had crammed into two picnic baskets. As he loaded the back of the vehicle, he commented, “Are we inviting more company? You gals packed enough to feed the entire town.”

Myrna answered, “Swimming and fresh air make people hungry. I figured if we ran into someone we know, then we could invite them to join us. It’s good advertising for the bakery.”

Angus’s head popped up from the back hatch and he looked at Sophia. “We have another marketing genius among us?”

Sophia nodded and watched Myrna slide in the backseat and snuggle up next to Liam. He nuzzled against her and asked her to tell him another story about the friendly mountain lions. Myrna obliged and entertained the entire vehicle as Angus drove them to the town beach. He had shown Sophia some pictures of the place the night before, and she could hardly wait to see it with her own eyes. It had looked so beautiful. It seemed to be the most picturesque location in the entire town.

Layla commented on Myrna’s storytelling and asked if she ever thought of writing children’s books. Myrna blushed and shook her head. Layla kept it up and urged her to do it, suggesting she try her hand at it during the long winter. Layla then handed her some rubber bands for her hair, and Myrna winked at her.

When Sophia arrived at the beach, her mouth hung open. The view was majestic, and she doubted she had ever seen anything so beautiful as what she was currently witnessing. The mountain peaks could be seen in the distance, and a large, glistening lake stood before them. To the right of the lake was the waterfall, which the melting snow kept running. It wasn’t a forceful waterfall right now, but Sophia imagined it would be a raging torrent in the springtime. Encompassing the lake were full-bodied pine trees. The expansive beach area was free of trees, except for the borders. It was an ideal location, and the sand felt soft beneath her bare feet. She had kicked off her sandals the moment she saw the sand and wiggled her toes deep inside of it. The air was crisp and clean, and she inhaled it deep into her lungs. The scent of suntanning lotion filled the air. Angus poked her and pointed to a spot he thought would be ideal for their blanket. She followed him and found he had picked a spot that was half in the strong sun and half in the shade.