11

Maven pulled into her drive, jumped out of the car, and ran to Paul’s side of the garage. She tugged the handle of the door until it moved upwards. Breathing hard from the exertion, she straightened up. No car. Not wasting time, she pulled out her phone.

It wasn’t even through the first ring when Eric answered.

“Paul’s car’s gone. It’s not in his garage.”

“Great.”

“Why is that great?”

“Because he has TrackTime. All of my officers do. It’s a requirement if they want to use their own car when working.”

“And that means what?”

“It means we can find out where his car is right this moment. And hopefully where he is.”

“I’m coming back over.”

“No need. I’ll call you back as soon as I know the location of the car. It won’t take but a minute. Call—”

“While you’re at it, you might want to check his cell phone. That might tell us something too. I called it several times last night, but it automatically went to voice mail as if it wasn’t turned on.”

“Will do.”

After they disconnected, Maven stared at the phone and then at the empty garage.

Soon they’d have some answers. Soon they’d find Paul. Soon everything would be OK. Soon she’d be able to breathe again.

If he didn’t want to marry her, that was fine. Please God, let him be safe—be alive. What a difference a day could make. Yesterday she’d been hurt, angry, and all the other feelings associated with being jilted. Today she just wanted to see his face. To know he was alive.

She walked to the end of the drive to get her mail. Nobody had picked up Paul’s since he’d disappeared. After getting her mail, she gathered up his as well. Dropping some, she leaned over to pick the papers up but only managed to drop more.

“You look as if you need some help." Mimi was crossing the street. Mimi sat on her porch every day and probably saw a lot more than most people realized.

“I guess I could at that.”

Mimi leaned down to help. “I’m sorry. I know I should have come over before this…” She straightened up and then smiled at Maven. “But I didn’t know what to say.”

“That’s OK. I didn’t feel like talking anyway. Not much to say about any of it.” Maven gave what she hoped was a gentle smile. “It is what it is. Right?”

“I’m really sorry things didn’t work out for the two of you.” Mimi shook her head. “I can’t believe it. I wouldn’t have thought he’d back out in a million years. He seemed so in love with you. Just goes to show you that you never can tell about people.”

Every instinct wanted her to jump to Paul’s defense. Now that she thought he was in trouble, she didn’t want others to think bad of him. But this wasn’t the time to tell anyone of her suspicions. “I guess things happen.”

“How are you, really?” Mimi gave her a long stare.

“I’m not going to tell you that it hasn’t been rough, but…I’m getting through it as best as I can.”

“I saw you mowing his lawn the other day. I couldn’t believe it. After…after what he did and you mowed his yard while he’s out doing who knows what.”

Maven prayed for the right words. She’d been trying for a long time to get Mimi inside her church doors. “Well, just putting Jesus’s words into action, you know. Can you help me bring in the mail?”

Mimi nodded and walked beside her. “What words?”

“‘Love your enemies.’”

Mimi laughed. “Nobody expects you to be that good, Maven.”

“I do.” They were at her door. “I could use some company, Mimi. Want some coffee?”

Mimi’s eyes widened at her invitation. Guilt pressed against Maven. Why hadn’t she invited her for coffee before this? All she’d ever done was invite her to church as if that fulfilled her duty to love her neighbor. She’d never tried having a real relationship with Mimi. Shame on you, Maven.

“Make it decaf and you’ve got a deal.”

“How about some chamomile tea instead? No caffeine in that.”

“Sounds great.”

Both of them deposited the mail on the dining-room table on their way.

Mimi found a seat at the kitchen island as Maven put on the teapot.

Bringing two cups and an assortment of teas, Maven sat opposite of her neighbor.

Mimi browsed through the teas, finally picking a Blueberry Bliss. “I’ve never had this before. Sounds delicious.”

“One of my favorites actually. I think I’ll have the same.” Maven clicked her nails on the counter. She wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.

The whistle on the teapot shrilled.

Steam rose from the cups as Maven poured the water. After dipping her bag in the steaming water, she glanced at Mimi.

Mimi met her gaze. “So, what do you want to know, Maven?”

“What makes you think I want to know something?”

“I saw it in your eyes the moment you looked at me at the mailbox. And you’ve never invited me in before.”

“Pretty transparent, huh?”

“The eyes are truly the window to the soul, right?” Mimi placed her teabag in the cup and bobbed it up and down.

“That’s what they say. OK. I was just wondering if you saw anything unusual the night before what should have been my wedding day, or even the day of my wedding.”

“Well, it’s not like I sit and stare out the window.” Mimi gave her a knowing smile and then sipped her tea. “Mmm. Very good. I’m putting this on my shopping list. I don’t seem to remember anything unusual.” Her hand reached for the sugar container.

“Did you see anyone come to Paul’s?”

“No.” She set down her cup. Her eyes stared past Maven. “Wait a minute. I think I did. It might have been that night, or the night before. I can’t say for sure which it was. When you’re retired, the days run together. But I do remember thinking it odd that some woman was at his house.”

“Who was it?” Maven forced herself to be calm.

“I didn’t know her.”

That was interesting. It couldn’t have been someone from the neighborhood then, because Mimi knew everyone. “What kind of car did she drive?”

“Why all the questions? Is there a problem?”

She wanted to say no, but that would be a lie. “I’m not sure. I’ll tell you something, but please keep it in confidence. Don’t tell anyone else for now.”

Mimi gave her a hard stare and then nodded.

“Nobody’s seen or heard from Paul since his bachelor party. Not even his daughter.”

“Bachelor party.” Mimi rolled her eyes. “An archaic tradition that should be banned. You’re asking for nothing but trouble with that. I’m surprised Paul even had one. He doesn’t seem the type. Of course, he didn’t seem the type to leave you at the altar either.”

Maven ignored the stab of pain. “He didn’t want to let his friends down. You know how that can be. But I agree with you. Anyway…I was just wondering what happened that night. I was at a friend’s house, so I don’t know what changed his mind.”

“Well, like I said, I did see a woman go into his house. I’m not sure if it was that night, but it could have been.”

“So, what kind of car was she driving?”

“She wasn’t. She walked down the street and up to his house.” Mimi blew on her tea and then took a sip. “Very nice.”

“Really? And you didn’t know her?”

“No.”

“Are you sure she doesn’t live around us? She must not live too far if she was walking.”

“If she’s from around this neighborhood, I didn’t know her.”

“Did you happen to see how long she stayed?”

“Not really, but I did hear Paul’s car leave later on. I remember wondering where he’d be going that time of the night.”

“What time was it?”

Mimi took a sip and closed her eyes. A moment later, they popped open. “Had to be somewhere between nine and nine-thirty. It was starting to get dark but wasn’t quite there yet.”

“I know you’re not sure what day, but it was the week of the wedding, right?”

Mimi nodded.

It had to be the night before the wedding. The night before that, she and Paul had been together all evening. Going over last-minute plans. And every evening before that. She would have known if he had a visitor.

Why had she let Lizzie talk her into spending the night with her? If she’d been home…Maven forced the thought away. “Did you see her in the car with him?”

“I only heard his car leave. I didn’t see anything.” Mimi gave a knowing smile. “I am not a busybody, contrary to popular opinion.”

“Of course you’re not, but we certainly appreciate your watchful eyes. What did she look like?”

“Nothing special stood out.”

“Young or old?”

“I couldn’t really tell, but if I had to guess, I’d say she was somewhat younger than you. Maybe in her thirties.” Mimi wrinkled a brow. “I’m not sure why, but I remember thinking that she seemed way too young for Paul. Not that I saw anything inappropriate, you understand? Still, for a woman to show up that late. It made me wonder.”

“Well, our eyes see things that our minds don’t register consciously. Like the way she was moving or her clothes.”

Mimi nodded. “That makes sense.”

Maven’s cell phone rang. It must be Eric. “Oh, I need to get this.”

Mimi stood up. “I’ll let myself out. See you later, Maven. I’m really glad you’re getting through this. Thanks for the tea.”

“Next time, I’ll have some cookies for us.”

Mimi smiled. “That would be nice.”

The phone rang again. “Better get this.”

“I’ll let myself out.”

Maven waved as she picked up her phone. “Did you find his car?”

“There’s no signal coming from the car now, so no.”

She’d been counting on the tracking system to find Paul. Disappointed, Maven asked, “How can that be?”

“My best guess is that it was probably disconnected.”

Maven had been so sure the car-tracker thing would find Paul and answer her questions. Dead end. “Oh, then I guess that won’t help us. Do you think Paul disconnected it so he couldn’t be found?”

“It’s possible. But I did find the last location the car was in. At least with the tracker activated. The swamps.”

“Down by Shreve?” Maven’s stomach twisted. Shreve wasn’t far from Wooster, but why would Paul drive there on the night before their wedding? And in the swamps. It didn’t make sense. “Now what?”

“I’ve got officers going out there now to check it out. Hopefully, they’ll come back with some answers. Also checked his cell phone. There’s been no activity on it since the night before the wedding.”

“Nothing.”

“Not a call in or out. We’ll keep checking out the swamps. I’ll call you back if I learn something.”

Maven sighed.

“Sit tight, Maven. We’ll figure this out.”

“Thanks.”

She’d thought being left at the altar was horrible, but this was much more so.

The silence was deafening. And almost deadly.

Maven tried to chase away negative thoughts, but they wouldn’t leave. She got the pile of mail on the dining-room table. After sorting hers, she looked through Paul’s mail.

Her hands began to shake as she stared at an envelope. It had her name on it, but with Paul’s address. Trembling, she opened it and slid out a piece of paper. The letter was short and simple.

MISTAKES MUST BE CORRECTED.

IT IS FINISHED.

MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE.

I WON’T BE BACK.

PAUL.