DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything besides Hailey Cantrell. Rachel Caine owns everything else.

I was on the plane going to a town that was for sure dead. I looked out the window to see, for the last time, my New York. I'll miss this place, but for now a relaxing shut eye until I reach Morganville.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ew.

This place is clearly hot. Way too hot for my liking. I shed my coat and walked to a taxi. The driver was nice, helping me with my bags and all, which was something he didn't need to do. I also was able to have a nice chat with him which made the drive quick.

"We're here, Miss."

Arriving in the town was disgusting. It looked like some sort of setting out of a horror film. Like me and the taxi driver were the last two people on earth. I looked up at the cab driver. I got out of the car and the taxi driver again helped me grab my stuff. I paid the driver and rolled both my suitcases in the coffee shop. The title was Common Grounds…

If this place isn't owned by some sort of tree hugger, I will be very pissed off.

I placed my stuff in the corner and went to order a coffee. There was some hippie making the coffees. Yay!

"One cappuccino, please," I said. Jeez, Please? I have not said please in a long time. I handed over the amount of money for it and the hippie was getting the cappuccino ready. He told me he was going to give it to me when it was ready. I walked over to the table and put my credit card back in my wallet. I just hope wherever my mom is she will still pay for my credit card. I looked in my bag for the envelope I was told to follow. I looked over the instructions my mom wrote for me:

Go on a plane to Morganville, Texas.

Check.

In Morganville, Go to Common Grounds and ask the Owner where you can find Amelie.

Once you meet Amelie, Give her the attached note, but don't read it Hailey.

I crossed out what I already did and waited for my cappuccino. The Hippie walked over and gave me the cappuccino and sat across from me. I eyed him suspiciously and took a sip. The Hippie cleared his throat.

"You must be new here."

"Yeah, and?"

"My name is Oliver. I'm the owner of Common Grounds," He said. I sighed with relief.

"Okay! So maybe you can help me. Do you know where I can find a…..Amelie?" I asked. Oliver looked at me and his face turned cold. Woah…Calm down there, hippie…..

"How do you know that name?"

"I'm sorry if I offended you, but my mom gave me this note and said it had to go to Amelie-"

He snatched the letter from my hands, opened it and read it.

"Hey unless you are a girl named Amelie, Give that back!"

He ignored me and finished reading the letter. Then he looked me straight in the eye.

"Did you read this?" he asked sternly. I shook my head and kept drinking my cappuccino. He gave me the letter and started grabbing my luggage.

"Hey, what are you doing with my stuff?"

Again Oliver ignored me.

I jumped up and followed quickly after. I was in Oliver's office. I took a deep breath. I was about to yell 'the hell is going on?" But Oliver was focusing on a part of the room…which turned into an office that had a lady with pale blond hair sitting at a desk. Suddenly a hand from behind me pushed me in the room and the woman looked up.

"Oliver. What a surprise. Who is this that you have with you?" The woman asked. She seemed very old fashioned. Especially the design of the office. But standing around Amelie made me get this chill…Like I should bow or something. Also that she should be wearing some sort of crown.

"Amelie, this is Hailey Cantrell, your niece."