"Maybe it's not that simplistic or even that dramatic. I'm looking for any tiny detail that can start unraveling a longer thread. You just said you had a flash of memory last night. Perhaps you'll remember something else. Or someone else will be triggered in the same way."
"I really hope that happens. But getting back to Kelsey. Did you say anything to Kelsey about Melanie, about wanting to get information again?"
"Yes. I asked her to help me. She said she would try, but she didn't know what she could do, because Gage doesn't like to talk about Melanie."
"A lot of people don't like to talk about her. I was speaking to Gabby about Melanie earlier, and she said Preston always shuts her down, too."
"That's interesting. I've tried to talk to Gabby, but she said she wished she could help, but she's a Chadwick now, and her in-laws had asked her not to speak to me."
I could see why he was frustrated, and I was a little surprised that Gabby didn't feel more of a loyalty to Drake, but I couldn't think about that now. "Did you and Kelsey discuss anything else?"
"I told Kelsey if she couldn't talk to the man she was going to marry about anything she wanted to talk about, maybe she shouldn't marry him. I also told her it wasn't too late to change her mind, and I didn't think Gage was good enough for her."
"Really? What did she say to that?"
"She gave me an odd, kind of sad look. Then she pulled herself together, put a smile on her face and said she was the luckiest girl in the world, and that marrying Gage was exactly right. Then Gage interrupted us and whisked her off for a dance. That was it."
"Did Gage speak to you?"
"Nope. He just gave me an annoyed look."
"Kelsey seemed a little sad to me yesterday, too. But she assured me everything was fine."
"Maybe she ran away from Gage and the wedding."
"I would love it if that was the reason, but I'm not sure I can believe it. Kelsey would have to know how worried we'd all be. And to not tell anyone—that's not like Kelsey. She's not a loner. She likes people. She's always surrounded by friends. To go off by herself like this, it doesn't feel right."
"Well, you know her better than me."
His words made me frown. "I would think so, but I have to say I was surprised at how affectionate Kelsey was with you yesterday." I paused. "Did you two…" I didn't have the guts to finish that sentence.
"No," he said flatly, his gaze meeting mine. "Nothing ever happened between me and your sister."
Finally, some actual relief ran through me. "Okay, good. It just seemed weird that she invited you to her wedding. I guess she was just being her usual impulsive self."
"I don't know about that. But I know you should work with me, Willow."
"I'm not working against you."
"That's different than proactively helping. You can get to people I can't get to. They trust you. They'll let down their guard with you."
"I'm not sure that's true. I'm not close to anyone in my family or in our group."
"You're closer than I am. And if you loved Melanie as much as you say, then you can't tell me no."
He was right. I couldn't say no. I wanted to get the truth as much as he did, but I was a little afraid of where his pursuit of justice would take me, especially after the conversation I'd overheard the night before.
"Well?" he prodded.
I couldn't worry about my mother's secrets right now. I gave a nod. "Okay, I'm in. But first, help me find Kelsey. You can talk to the locals. They might be more open with you than with anyone else. Once Kelsey is safe at home, then I'll help you with the people in my circle."
"I can talk to the locals, but I think the answer to Kelsey's disappearance will be found closer to your home. It could be the same person, Willow."
His words brought a tidal wave of fear with them. I lost my breath for a second. Then I murmured, "It can't be the same."
"Just because you don't want to believe it doesn't mean it isn't true. I learned that the hard way."
"I need to go. I have to stay positive. Ben will get everyone in the sheriff's office involved in this, and Gage is putting together a search party. We'll find Kelsey."
"I hope so. I also hope Gage doesn't steer the search party in the wrong direction."
Chapter Ten
My stomach churned as I left Drake's house. I wanted to believe that Kelsey was a runaway bride, but it made little sense to me.
As I got into my car, my phone buzzed. I didn't recognize the number. "Hello?" I said warily, hoping I wasn't about to hear more bad news.
"Willow? It's Jenny. I just heard about Kelsey. Is she okay?"
"I don't know. I'm not home right now, but she wasn't there when I left, and she apparently didn't sleep at the house or with Gage."
"This is awful."
The panic in Jenny's voice echoed the feeling running through me. "It is very scary."
There was a pause on the other end of the phone, then Jenny said, "Can we talk, Willow? Just you and me?"
My gut twisted at the edge in her voice. Why did Jenny want to meet with me in private? Did she know something? "Of course. Are you at the lodge?"
"No. I'm staying at my parents' house while my mom is recovering from hip replacement surgery. Why don't I meet you in the treehouse?"
"The treehouse is still there?"
"Yes, and it's the most private place I can think of. If we talk anywhere in the house, my mom will overhear, and she's the biggest gossip in this town."
"All right. But why do we need privacy?"
"We just do. The backyard gate code is three-four-six-ten. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
I didn't want to go back to the treehouse. There would be lots of memories of Melanie there. But if Jenny knew something that could help me find Kelsey, then I didn't have another option. I just didn't understand why she needed to meet in private, why she couldn't tell me whatever she had to say on the phone.
My questions only tripled on the ride across town. Something was up, and I was afraid to find out what it was. Jenny was not only tied to Kelsey; she was also tied to Melanie. I didn't want to believe that the two disappearances were connected, but they could be.
Jenny had also been talking to Kelsey a lot the past few weeks as they'd worked on the wedding plans. She might know something about Kelsey's emotional state or her feelings about the wedding and her upcoming marriage to Gage.
Ten minutes later, I pulled up in front of the Baker Street Hotel, which was owned by Jenny's parents. The four-story main building housed a dozen guestrooms. Behind the hotel was the small home where Jenny had grown up, and beyond that, in a huge backyard, was a treehouse that her grandfather had built thirty years ago.
It had been our favorite place to go when we were kids. Hidden away in the trees, the treehouse had felt like our own private space. Since Jenny was an only child, there had been no other siblings to deal with, and the treehouse was too remote for any other kids to wander into.