CHAPTER FIVE
Reese sat back as the waitress set a piece of homemade apple pie on the laminate-covered tabletop in front of her.
Of course, a 1950s styled restaurant wouldn’t be complete without those telltale tables with the chrome trim. It was more than apparent the management had recently redecorated this place in a retro theme.
Annie’s Diner was decked out with all the trimmings, right down to the Seeburg Wall-O-Matic tableside jukeboxes. The music selection was rather limited to the songs from that era, but the way the pictures of James Dean, Elvis, and the V-E Day Kissing Sailor adorned the walls tended to put one in a nostalgic frame of mind.
One thing was for sure, the comfort food that was their staple was beyond amazing. She smothered a groan as her stomach protested the thought of taking one more bite, but the delicious cinnamon aroma was just too tempting.
She reached for her fork.
“It’s a good thing I walked here,” Reese muttered to herself right before she lifted the small bite to her lips. The sweet sugary flavor burst onto her tongue with the unabashed pride of the cook. “Unbelievable.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Cassie laughed from the booth she occupied in front of Reese. “I used my mom’s recipe and added a couple of ingredients I thought would bring out the flavors of the Granny Smith apples.”
“Whatever you used works for me.”
“Just don’t tell my mother,” Cassie warned with a wink.
“That reminds me, Darcy called a few minutes ago. He’s taking your mother into the city later this week for a doctor’s appointment,” the waitress said as she made her way back around the counter. Her name tag read Molly, and she and Reese had been on first name basis ever since she’d set foot in this quaint little diner. “He wanted me to tell you that he’s stopping by later today to pick up her insurance card.”
“Crap,” Cassie muttered, dropping her pen on the papers. “I forgot that I had those from her last visit. At least he’ll be the one to deal with Mama’s pigheadedness when it comes to Dr. Stanton telling her she’s got to take her blood pressure medication regularly. I try to get her to take it the same time every day.”
Reese took another bite as the bell above the door chimed, indicating another customer. A quick glance over Cassie’s head revealed Harlan Whitmore. He was a local real estate agent. It was hard to mistake him, considering his mug was plastered on a billboard alongside the road coming into town.
Technically, Harlan was the only choice in town for real estate, but at least a resident could select from either First Federal or Union Bank for banking. There had been some talk of a credit union having occupied some space on Main Street, but that went away when the mill shut down.
Cassie stood and collected the mounds of paperwork she’d been working on for the past forty-five minutes. Business must be good from the way she was smiling and talking with each person who walked in the door. She cleared the way for Harlan in case he wanted a booth instead of one of the tables, but he chose a stool at the counter instead.
“I hear Noah Kendall is back in town,” Calvin Arlo said after Harlan had taken the stool next to him. He never looked to his left as he sat down or else he would have recognized Reese. Harlan was the person she’d gone to regarding her rental. As for Calvin, he owned the hardware store located on the other end of Main Street and came here every day for lunch. “You might have a new customer, Whitmore.”
“God knows I could use it,” Harlan mumbled, turning over the white porcelain coffee cup in front of him. “Practically every town and city in Ohio has seen an uptick in real estate recently. You’d think the same could be said for Blyth Lake, but that just isn’t the case.”
“That’s because everyone is packing up and taking jobs in the cities. The service industry is all that’s left. Look at Cassie. That’s what she did all those years ago. The only reason she’s back is to take care of her mother’s business. As for all these other younger folks? Hell, they wouldn’t know how to change the oil in their own car if their lives depended on it. God help them if they needed to change a tire without roadside service.” Calvin nodded to Molly when she hovered the pot of coffee over his mug after having filled Harlan’s. “I have brand new tool sets that are collecting dust in the back of my store because no one wants to get their hands dirty anymore.”
“The usual, Harlan?” Molly set the glass carafe back on the burner before pulling out an order pad from her apron. “With or without gravy today?”
Reese continued to observe the two men quietly as they picked up their conversation after Harlan had agreed to the extra brown gravy over his meatloaf. She realized that he never truly answered Calvin’s question regarding the possibility of a new client. Harlan was right about the real estate around here, though. The older properties were definitely a harder sell to the younger set.
She’d been waiting for the right time to speak with Calvin, but the diner had been too quiet. Anyone here would have been able to hear their entire conversation. She would have to come up with a reason to stop by the hardware store this week. Maybe she could pick up a roadside emergency kit. She could just imagine the look on his face if she did that. Her father had long since taught her how to change a tire, do an oil change, and set the points properly on a dwell meter.
Calvin was in his early sixties with greying hair, but seemed like a nice enough guy. He’d been one of the counselors at the camp Sophia and Emma had attended twelve years ago. It was possible that he remembered something back then that would shed light on why two girls from the same summer camp went missing exactly twelve months of apart from one another.
Reese wasn’t kidding herself that she would find either one of them alive and well. It was more of a personal goal to prove to her family that Sophia hadn’t run away like everyone seemed to think. Even Aunt Lydia had finally yielded to the pressure regarding that theory, which was why Sophia’s room remained intact. Aunt Lydia still held out hope that Sophia would eventually return home someday like she’d just forgotten where they lived or something.
“You okay, darlin’?”
Reese glanced up to find Molly looking at her with concern.
“I’m still trying to figure out where I’m going to fit this,” Reese said without missing a beat. She used the side of the fork prongs to cut off another bite of pie.
“You could use a pound or two, if you ask me.” Molly smiled down at her as she rested one hand on her hip, looking as if she planned to stay awhile. “You never did say why you chose Blyth Lake to take your summer vacation. Seems to me that you might find more to do in the city.”
Some of the conversations taking place around the diner slowed down or stopped altogether. Reese was very familiar with how small towns worked, and the gossip mill was waiting on more grist for the stone to churn out another fresh story to the other gossipmongers among them. It was why she’d been very careful on how she worded her questions about Sophia.
It was only natural that the townsfolk were curious about her, but she hadn’t wanted to reveal the real reason she was here. Blyth Lake’s residents were protective of one another, rightfully so, just as they were in Heartland. What she wanted to find out was if a werewolf might be lurking around seeking out the defenseless lambs among the gentle sheep.
Yes, that sounded dramatic, but it was true nonetheless.
It looked as if she would have to come clean though, because she wouldn’t lie to these good people either. She had just parted her lips to share her story when the bell above the door chimed again.
The diner erupted in loud greetings and even some heartfelt applause.
Reese watched as the two men, who were at the old Yoder farm, entered the diner, the younger one taking the attention in stride with a bit of a flush. He greeted every patron as if they were family, even suffering through the quick embraces and pecks on the cheek from some of the older ladies.
Who was this man and why was everyone treating him like a rock star?
“If it isn’t Noah Kendall,” Cassie sang loudly as she came through the swinging doors. Her entrance had been timed perfectly. Noah had just finished greeting everyone right when the middle-aged woman stepped into his path, wrapping her arms around his neck. She’d quite obviously taken him by surprise. Reese had thought of Cassie as a downhome country girl who chose to spend her money on fashion. Now? A cougar had emerged, with shiny fangs and all. “Well, don’t you look as handsome as ever, darlin’.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. More worse for wear, I’d say.”
Noah had one of those rich voices that sent shivers down a girl’s back. He’d shifted a bit to escape the woman’s forward embrace. It was then that his startling blue eyes met hers and held them for just that singular moment, just enough time to spark a fire in her soul.
Reese hadn’t meant to draw attention to herself, but his sudden wink had her fumbling the fork in her hand.
“Can I finally share the news, Gus?” Harlan had turned on his stool, respectfully waiting his turn. He held out his hand to Noah in welcome. “Good to see you, Noah.”
“Likewise,” Noah greeted, finally allowing Reese to breathe a little as he diverted his attention to the real estate agent. There was something about him that stole all the oxygen from the room. “And yes, Dad and I just came back from looking over the old Yoder farmhouse.”
“The Noah Kendall place now,” Harlan announced to everyone, puffing out his chest as he broadcasted one of his latest sales. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Harlan.”
The older man standing behind Noah had to be his father. They were almost the same height, shared the same handsome features, and there was a proudness in the way his gaze rested on Noah that only a parent could own.
Reese did her best to blend in with the booth as she continued to watch what appeared to be some kind of traditional homecoming. She took another bite of her apple pie, observing and listening to what was going on around her.
Kendall. She recalled seeing the Kendall surname on her list of people who had attended the camp with Sophia, but the first name had been Lance. Maybe they were brothers?
“You think that was a greeting?” Gus muttered as he claimed the booth in front of Reese. His back was to her, which meant Noah was now facing her. Reese averted her gaze down to what was left of her apple pie. She didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping. “You just wait until we hit Tiny’s Cavern tonight. Your old crowd still hangs out there every Thursday night.”
“I want to stop by Calvin’s hardware store to pick up some wood for the windows before hitting Tiny’s. I don’t like leaving the house exposed like that. It’s about time I put the town’s teenagers on notice that the place isn’t open season any longer for their tags. Douchebag Manor is closed for business.”
Reese wanted to join in their conversation and tell Noah Kendall that he should probably just flip the property rather than sink too much money into the place. Harlan was still at the counter waiting on his meatloaf. There wasn’t anything wrong with admitting mistakes, and in her opinion, Noah had made a huge one.
There was something very dark about that farmhouse at the end of the road.
The two men continued to talk about what work needed to be done on the house first before turning to family matters. It didn’t surprise her to find out that Noah was returning home after serving twelve years in the Marines. His entire demeanor, the way he carried himself, and the way his gaze had taken in every patron in the place had told her he was a warrior—either military, law enforcement, or both.
Noah’s black hair was cut in a traditional high and tight, similar to the way her uncle had kept his styled for years after he retired from the Army. Uncle Theo also had some pretty high standards to live up to, which had always been a point of contention between him and his children. Tanner had eventually fallen into line, but Sophia had rebelled with her whole heart.
“You never did get around to saying why you chose Blyth Lake as the place for your summer vacation.” Molly really needed to scrape the soles of her shoes or something. This was the second time she’d snuck up on Reese. The cheerful, yet prying, waitress slid the check on the table while she waited for Reese to answer. “You have relatives around these parts?”
“Um, no, not really,” Reese replied, delaying the inevitable as she used the white napkin to wipe away the nonexistent crumbs on her lips. She wasn’t sure why she looked in Noah’s direction, but she couldn’t say she was surprised he was waiting for her answer with the rest of the diner. Here went nothing. “I actually grew up in Heartland, around thirty miles from here. I’m in town because of—”
“Well, if it ain’t my favorite nephew.”
Reese was once again saved from answering Molly’s question when a man’s voice echoed throughout the diner. Reese hadn’t heard the bell chime as she had been fortifying herself for what could very well turn out to be animosity in attempting to dig up the past. She was here for the summer, so she’d been taking it slow in bringing up Emma Irwin’s disappearance while seeking the answers she sought. It appeared she’d been given a little more time.
“Uncle Jimmy.” Noah slid out from the booth and offered his hand to a male who wasn’t quite as tall and didn’t resemble the Kendall men in any way. Reese wondered if maybe Jimmy wasn’t the brother of Noah’s mother rather than his dad. It would explain the lighter hair and more hawkish features. “It’s been a while.”
“Three years, near as I can figure.” Jimmy didn’t so much as look in Gus’ direction. Tension had settled over the diner, and it was obvious there was some bad blood between these family members. Noah didn’t seem at all bothered by it, though. “I hear you’re back home for good.”
“I am,” Noah replied, shifting out of the way so that Cassie could set their drink order down on the table. It was unusual to see her waiting on tables, but it appeared she made exceptions every now and then. “It’s good to be back. I’m ready to settle in.”
Maybe Reese had spent too much time in the city, but everyone listening in on Noah’s future plans had her a tad bit uncomfortable. The townsfolk were the same in Heartland, but this was different. It was as if the customers were well aware of the Kendall clan’s family issues and were just waiting for the wrong thing to be said. She didn’t like it, and she certainly didn’t want to be here when the bomb dropped.
“Here you go,” Reese whispered, handing Molly a twenty-dollar bill. Her meal and dessert had only come to fifteen dollars, but she always tried to tip well. She’d been a waitress once back in college and understood what a thankless job it could be. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I gotta get going while I still got some light.”
Calvin had chosen that moment to stand up from the counter, giving Reese the perfect opportunity to talk to him as they both left the diner. There was only one problem. She had to get past Noah and Jimmy to reach the door.
“Excuse me,” Reese said softly, having every intention of going around them. Unfortunately, Jimmy backed up with the objective of giving her space. It did no such thing. Instead, she was forced to turn her body as she slipped between the two men. “Sorry.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
The richness of Noah’s tone practically danced over her skin. Their eyes met once more. Was it even possible for a man to have eyes as pretty as he did?
Reese was finally able to breathe somewhat easier when she pushed open the glass door of the diner and stepped out into the sunshine. The humidity of the late afternoon air hadn’t diminished in any way, but it was somehow cooler than being in Noah’s direct presence.
She would do well to stay away from him, especially considering he was related to Lance Kendall. It wasn’t that she thought that any of the teens who had attended the summer camp with Sophia and Emma were involved in their disappearances. After all, twelve months separated their cases.
But ever since Reese had seen the two of them smiling together in that picture she’d found in Sophia’s room, she hadn’t been able to shake that what happened to the both of them was somehow related. It would be really nice to give her family some closure, if it was at all possible.
“Oh, excuse me,” Calvin Arlo said after opening the door behind Reese. She hadn’t moved far enough out of the way for him to step out onto the sidewalk. “I didn’t see you there.”
“I should be the one apologizing,” Reese said with a smile, shifting so that he could close the door behind him. He regarded her rather suspiciously as he slipped his John Deere cap over his greying hair. “Actually, do you mind if I walk with you? I was hoping to stop by your store for a…”
Reese continued talking about the weather and how buying some fans to alleviate the heat was her best option since the place she was renting didn’t have central air. Calvin went over her options with the items he had in stock, but it was when they finally reached his storefront that he surprised her by calling her bluff.
It appeared she hadn’t been as indiscreet with her questioning as she’d thought.
“You know you don’t have to buy a fan to get me to talk about Emma,” Calvin said rather dryly as he unlocked the door to his hardware store. He then lifted the bill of his cap to get a better look at her. “So tell me, why are you going around town and digging up old memories best left lost and forgotten?”