"You're trying to help her."
"She might not see it that way if her secret gets out—if she even has a secret. I feel like the worst gossip right now. Anyway, I'll be praying for Kelsey," Jenny added. Then she turned and hurried to her car.
As she pulled away from the curb, I felt uneasy about our entire conversation. Jenny seemed genuinely upset about Kelsey's disappearance, but it also felt like she had a hidden agenda for telling me about seeing Carter and Kelsey together at a hotel. I couldn't imagine what that could be, but I also couldn't shake the feeling that I'd only gotten part of the story.
Melanie's Diary—June 30th
I surprised Jenny yesterday with a birthday party at the beach. I got all our friends to come. We had two dozen chocolate cupcakes, three huge balloons, and a hot guy singing Happy Birthday. It was amazing. Willow took a ton of photos. I can't wait to see them.
I was happy that so many kids came. Jenny is lucky because her birthday is in the summer, so there are always more people around to party. Even the Chadwick boys showed up.
Carter seemed like he was flirting with Jenny. Maybe she'll be able to put his name on a heart on our treehouse wall. Maybe she'll be able to do more than that, like have an actual relationship. I know she wants one. She's as boy crazy as I am.
Anyway, Jenny was super happy that I made her birthday so special. She said I was her best friend in the world. She was exaggerating, but it felt good. I know Jenny has been a little jealous of Willow, but she doesn't have to be. I love Jenny, too. We'll be friends forever.
Gotta run. It's Saturday night—bonfire night. They're usually fun, but they're starting to feel a little like musical chairs. You never know who anyone is going to end up with by the end of the night. I know who I'd like to end up with, but I'm not going to say. I don't want to jinx it. It's early in the summer. Who knows what will happen? Fingers crossed, it's something good.
Chapter Eleven
After leaving Jenny's house, I went home to check in. My mother was on the phone, and after listening for a moment, it appeared she was talking to my aunt. Not wanting to bother her, I moved into the kitchen and found Gage's mother, Eileen Chadwick, making tea.
Eileen's blonde hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and she looked thinner than I remembered in loose-fitting designer jeans and a white cardigan sweater. It felt weird to see her and think about the fact that her husband and my mother probably had an affair or might even still be having one. I told myself not to think about that. My mother's infidelity was a problem for later—much, much later.
"Willow, are you hungry? I made sandwiches and a Chinese chicken salad. I also have tea with some calming herbs from my garden," Eileen said. "I know you'll probably say you don't want to eat. Your mother told me not to bother, but I needed something to do, and I thought at some point, we'll all be hungry."
"That's very nice of you. Is there any news?"
"They found Kelsey's phone."
My pulse leapt. "Where was it?"
"It was in the grass by a deck chair in the backyard."
"The backyard?" I echoed, not sure what to think about that. "It doesn't make sense that Kelsey would leave her phone there. She's never without her phone."
"Maybe it fell out of her pocket or something," Eileen offered. "There's also no evidence that Kelsey got on the morning ferry, or any ferry since then."
"So, she's still on the island."
"Or she left by private boat."
"But we can't track her location through her phone, because she doesn't have it." That realization hit me hard.
"No, Willow. I'm sorry. I was also hoping her phone would lead us to her."
"Did Kelsey talk to anyone on the phone after eleven last night? Were there any text messages?"
"Only the one from Gage."
I felt sick knowing that Kelsey didn't have her phone. It made everything about this situation even worse.
"Ben has everyone in the department looking for Kelsey. No one is giving up, Willow. Sean, your dad and my boys, everyone in the wedding party—they're all out there searching. Hopefully, there will be some good news soon."
"Hopefully," I echoed. "But some of the hilly areas on the island are steep and difficult to access."
"I doubt Kelsey would take herself somewhere remote."
"If she took herself…"
Eileen gave me a reassuring look. "You have to stay positive."
"I don't see how I can. Kelsey doesn't have her phone. She wouldn't have voluntarily left without it."
"She could have dropped her phone when she went off with a friend. She might not have realized she didn't have it until she got somewhere else, and she wasn't ready to come back for it." Despite Eileen's upbeat words, I could see the tension in her mouth and eyes. She didn't believe her explanation any more than I did, but she was trying hard to make me feel better.
"Thanks for saying that."
"I really believe Kelsey will come home, and she'll be fine."
"I want to believe that, too."
As the kettle went off, Eileen said, "How about some tea?"
"I guess, thank you." I sat down at the kitchen table. As Eileen made my tea, I said, "I'm surprised Lorraine isn't in here, making tea for you." Lorraine was a local woman who worked part-time as a chef and housekeeper when my family was in residence.
"She'll be in this afternoon. Your mother had told her she wasn't needed today because the bridesmaids were going to the spa and the guys were golfing, so Lorraine had already scheduled something else for this morning." Eileen brought two mugs to the table. She pushed one in my direction and then took the seat across from me. "This tea always clears my head and makes me feel less anxious."
I took a sip and the warm liquid slid down my throat with a smooth swallow. "It's delicious. What is it?"
"A mix of herbs from my greenhouse: lavender, mint, and a few others."
"You should sell this. It's very good."
She gave me a small smile. "The last thing I need is a business. I'm trying to get Sean to retire, so we can have more time for ourselves."
"That makes sense."
"But the man likes to work. I doubt he'll ever quit." Eileen sipped her tea. "Gage is a lot like Sean. He loves his job. Whenever he does anything, he does it with every ounce of energy that he has. That's why he has always been so successful. First with football, then as an agent." She stopped. "Sorry, I'm rambling."
"It's fine. It's a distraction."
"Yes." Eileen gave me a thoughtful look. "Did Kelsey talk to you about Gage?"
"Uh, what do you mean?"
"Well…this is awkward, but I don't know who else to ask. Your mother says Kelsey adores Gage. Brooklyn won't say anything to contradict your mother. But if Kelsey ran away, then she must have doubts about getting married. Did she talk to you about any concerns she might have?"
"No. She never expressed concern."