Page 50 of Little Shattered Dreams

“I need to speak to Hunter.”

She nodded and sat next to me.

I made the call and put the phone on speaker.

“I was just about to call you,” Hunter said. “How was it last night? Anything happen?”

“Nothing. Not that we know of, anyway.”

“How are things with you?”

“A lot better now that I’m home.”

I was relieved to hear it.

“I’d like you to look into something else for me today,” I said. “I need to know if anything of note happened to Quinn about twenty years ago. I’m wondering if she had a car accident, and if someone was in the car with her, someone who may have died.”

“What makes you think she had an accident?”

“I had an interesting dream last night. We all know there was this major event that happened in Quinn’s life, something that affected her. She mentioned it to Karl, but she never got around to giving him the details. Maybe her daughter knows, but I haven’t been able to speak to her yet.”

“What happened in the dream?”

“I was inside a beat-up old car, somewhere in Cambria maybe. Quinn was next to me, driving. I wasn’t sure where we were, but the surroundings were older. At the end of the dream, Quinn slammed on the brakes. The last thing I remember is her looking at me and saying how sorry she was, but I have no idea why she said it.”

“Do you think she had an accident, or do you think you’re just projecting after your conversation with Karl? Maybe your subconscious is trying to fill in the gaps you haven’t been able to yet.”

Maybe.

“Still, it would put my mind at ease if you could check to see if anything major happened to her all those years ago,” I said. “At least then I’ll know whether there’s any truth to it or not.”

“I understand, no problem.”

“What did you find out last night during your research?”

“I looked into the remaining four guests at the retreat. I’ll send over what I found in a few minutes.”

“Anything I should know right now?” I asked.

“All of them are squeaky clean, run-of-the-mill types. There’s Olivia, an elementary schoolteacher. She just got married a few months ago. Then there’s Betsy. She’s about the same age as Quinn, and she just lost her husband a few months back. I’m sure that’s why she’s at the retreat. Noelle is a retired postal service worker. She seems also to have a regular life, a husband, two grown daughters.”

“What about the other guest—Margie?”

“I saved her for last because you’re going to want to question her.”

“Why? What did you find out?”

“I’m not saying she’s guilty or anything, but out of everyone I’ve checked into, she’s the only one at the retreat besides Quinn’s daughter who seems to have a connection to Quinn.”

“What kind of connection?”

“After our group session the first night, I was walking back to my place, and I passed Quinn. She was talking to Clara about the different businesses she’s owned. She had a gift shop and before that a floral shop called The Twisted Tulip.”

“What about it?”

“When I looked into Margie’s employment history, I noticed she used to work at a florist called The Twisted Tulip. Can’t be a coincidence, right? I mean, how many floral shops out there have a name like that?”

In my estimation, not many.

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