Chapter Eight: "Just the Facts, Ma'am"
As soon as we got back to the city I was going to have a talk with Iris. Her car was just too damn small! Not that I minded Ami sleeping this close to me, but I sure could use a good stretch of the legs!
The sun had been up for a while but I decided to let her sleep. Our midnight tour of the seaside had worn us both out and I'd be sleeping along with her were it not for the worries rattling around in my brain. Soon, we'd both have to get and find someplace to freshen up, change clothes, and search out Aggi again.
That was my plan, but the sound of someone tapping on the car window changed all that. I looked up when the tapping persisted to see Aggi's worried face on the other side of the glass. My movements caused Ami to stir as well and we both sat up and exited the vehicle.
"Why aren't you sleeping in the inn? I checked this morning but you weren't there."
It was a reasonable question and one I'd been asking myself; not that we could've gotten inside last night anyway. It would take too long to explain what exactly had driven us out of our room and I wasn't in the mood to do so. I needed coffee first.
"There were complications," Ami told her the abridged version.
Apparently, she wasn't in the mood for long stories either.
"Why aren't you at the library?" I asked Aggi in return while rubbing my scalp. Was that sand I felt?
"I pretended to be ill. Here," she told us, presenting Ami with a thick notebook that was tied with a leather cord.
Ami opened it and read from the first page. "Cults in Modern Day America; Witches on the Eastern Coast, by Brian Levy." She then looked at me with a curious expression and beautiful sleep-tousled hair. "Brian Levy. Why does that name sound familiar?"
I didn't pretend to be a scholar by any means, but I did study FBI files. "He was that famous author who disappeared a couple of years ago."
"That's when he was here and left his notebook!" Aggi informed us. "Although I don't know anything about him disappearing. Was he a user of magic as well?"
I glanced at Ami who was wide-eyed with disbelief. The innocence and naivety of this young librarian was astounding.
"I meant that something happened to him and nobody has seen him or heard from him since."
"Oh, now I see. That's awful! He was such a nice man."
"Did you read this?" I asked, taking the journal from Ami.
"I haven't had the chance. I know I would be punished if anyone discovered it, which is why I've kept it hidden under a floorboard in my bedroom. I want you two to have it."
"Why?"
Aggi looked at me and then at Ami, her cheeks reddening. "Because he was writing about Asa Voss and I thought his research might help you more than I ever could."
I was hoping she was right since Ami and I were obviously getting nowhere with this investigation!
"Thank you, Aggi. That was kind of you."
I couldn't help but smile inside. Ami was even nice in the morning. Before she'd had any coffee. Remarkable.
"If you'll allow me to do one more kindness? If you will drive to the street over from mine, I will make sure Papa is out of the house if you would like to bathe and change clothes."
I quickly took inventory of myself. Sure, my trousers could use a good ironing and my shoes still had sand in them, but my appearance wasn't all that bad. Actually, I'd looked worse.
"I realize that as a man, you're probably thinking you could go three more days without a shower or a clean shirt, but I definitely could use one," Ami told me.
"Give me a few minutes to get Papa out of the house. I apologize for the bathing room. We're not as fancy as the inn."
"We appreciate it. Thank you again, Aggi."
There was no way I was going to allow Ben to talk me out of accepting Aggi's kind offer. I had sand in places where it shouldn't be and it was starting to itch.
Ben drove us as close to Aggi's house as we could get without raising suspicion. Instead of dragging our luggage there, we grabbed the necessary items and bundled them under our arms. We then nonchalantly pretended to be taking a walk, although nonchalant was a relative term. Ben always appeared as if he was looking for someone or something dangerous to jump out at us. He was my personal watchdog.
He stopped before we'd reached Aggi's home and pulled me behind a large tree. Aggi was just now leaving the house with her father, who was much older than I realized. She slowly but diligently led him down the street toward town, and once it was safe, we approached the house.
Instead of entering through the front, we went around to the back and stepped in. The home was dark but cozy. A fire was burning brightly in a small hearth beyond the kitchen, but what was more important was the coffee pot on the counter.
Ben immediately reached for it and released a grateful sigh. "There's still enough for two."
"That would be great," I replied. "I'll go look for the bathroom."
"Don't get lost."
"Funny," I said before laughing sarcastically.
While Ben fixed our coffee, I crept through the family room, being careful not to bang my shins on any furniture.
The next room I checked was a bedroom I assumed was her father's. The large bed in the tiny space was basically a bundle of homemade quilts and on the floor next to it was a brass pot. The room smelled clean, which didn't surprise me. Aggi seemed to be the type of young woman who cared about her father and her surroundings. On the other side of the hearth was another door, which led to Aggi's room, and beyond that was the tiny bathroom. However, what I found inside more than made up for its size.
There was a bathtub; more like a trough really; basically, a large metal bucket attached to the floor with a drain on its bottom. But that's not what impressed me. What I was amazed about were the tubes that led from a sizable leather bag that hung over the trough. From the bag was a tube that led to a pump that supplied water. Above the bag was a window in the ceiling that allowed sunlight to shine onto the water bag.
I quickly disrobed and stepped in, anticipating a much-improved shower experience than I'd had at the inn. I wasn't disappointed. The water that came out of the leather pouch wasn't hot, but it was warmed enough by the sun to offer a far more pleasurable washing. As I soaped up, I closed the valve to save as much water for Ben as I could. He would appreciate this as much as I was.
After I had rinsed off, I stepped out and dried myself off. As soon as I'd dressed, I planned on allowing Ben to come in. However,a crashing sound coming from the kitchen changed my mind and I immediately stepped out to investigate. I was hoping he hadn't broken anything belonging to Aggi or her father.
Expecting to find Ben cleaning up the mess he'd made, all I discovered was the mess. One of the heavy wooden chairs in the kitchen had been knocked over and there was coffee along with a broken mug on the floor. I also noticed the back door was ajar.
"Ben?" I called out quietly at first and when there was no response, I stepped outside and called out again, though a little louder. Still, nothing.
My first thought was that he'd gotten upset for breaking the mug and went outside to cool down his temper. But then I noticed two lines in the dirt. Beyond them was a set of footprints. I followed them but lost them in the grass. The lines, however, remained and led me directly to the street.
I stood there for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened. I needed to look at the facts: I'd left Ben in the kitchen to make coffee while I showered and dressed. He was supposed to bring some coffee to me and shower and change himself. Instead, I found the kitchen in disarray and no Ben.
He could've deserted me, although I found that unlikely. Somebody taking him was the most likely assumption and these lines had been made by someone dragging him away. But why?
The troubling answer was delivered by a frantic Aggi who came running toward me.
"The constable!" she told me between quick breaths. "The constable has arrested Ben!"
After I thanked Aggi and told her I'd be back for our things later, I walked toward the jail as quickly as I could. A combination of worry and a rush of adrenaline sped up my steps and I entered the building with a chip firmly planted on my shoulder.
"Good morning," I told the office behind the counter. "Do you have Ben Noble here?"
"Who?" the uniformed young man asked. I recognized him from one of the officers who was so rude to us before.
"Ben Noble," I repeated before breathing in slowly. It would do me little good to lose my temper or appear frantic. I had a feeling that's what he was expecting me to do. "I was told you have taken him into custody."
"I don't know what you're talking about. And I don't know who you are either, so stop wasting my time."
Great. Just great! Was there a law against being a jerk? If there wasn't, there should be.
"Listen," I said in the same way he had before; lowering my head to glare at him through my lashes. "I know you have him here and if it takes a court order for me to speak with him, then that's what I'll go get."
"Are you his attorney?"
Ben had always searched for the truth. It's what he fought to prove day after day. Maybe in this one instance, he would approve of me bending it a little.
"Yes and I'm within my legal rights to speak to my client."
"Yes you are," the officer agreed which provided a small portion of relief.
"If he were here."
"Have it your way," I shot back with my most authoritative-sounding voice. "I'll return with that order and we'll see what you have to say then, Mr. Smarty Pants."
There. That got him.
I stomped my way back out into the salty air and looked toward the heavens. What was I supposed to do now? Come to think of it, I knew exactly where Ben was and most likely why they had taken him there. Someone had to have seen us at last night's bonfire. We had crossed over onto private property and witnessed a secret ritual. I seriously doubted that Asa Voss approved of either one of those offenses. Should I risk everything and go up to her castle and demand Ben's release? If I did, surely Quinn would help me.
But what if he didn't? What if Asa Voss had somehow turned him against us?
I needed help but would have to travel out of town to get it. Another problem was that Ben had the keys to the car in his pocket.
There was one other way. I had seen Iris start her car a few times without the key. I wasn't sure I could perform such a trick, but I had to try.
A street over from Aggi's home was where we had parked it. I jumped inside, slammed the door, and started speaking to it.
"Listen, Miss Nash. It's important that you don't give me any trouble today! Because I don't need anymore! I've had enough of them and I'm at the end of my rope! Just do me a favor and start. Please!"
I rifled through the glove department and pulled out the screwdriver Iris kept there for this sole purpose.
After inserting it, I said a quick prayer, asking for success and turned the tool. The engine sputtered and then roared to life. Afterward, I sat back and smiled in relief. The purr of 2.8 liters never sounded so good. Finally, something was going right for a change!
Now, to alert the Cavalry.
