Page 10 of Take Me Slowly: part 2
I responded to that in the only way I could.
"Yes please."
5
LEAH
After the guys left,I had a quick shower and walked next door to knock on Fiona's door. No answer; she must be out somewhere. I thought about wandering over to Whitney's or Holly's, but I went the other way and headed into town instead.
Walking in no particular direction, I strolled past a couple of people carrying boxes into the town's new bookshop. The shelves were already lined with books; the romance section, featuring a lot of indie authors, being the biggest. I couldn't wait until they opened. I'd probably spend far too much time in there. And too much money as well, but they were books after all.
I remembered the conversation with Josiah about having a library. Did he really? And if he did, how big was it? I decided it was probably huge and went on walking, trying to stay out of the way.
I found myself in front of the Snowdrop Café. Since it was coffee o'clock somewhere in the world, I ducked inside and slid into a seat.
"Leah!" Carly greeted me warmly. "You look fabulous today."
I glanced down at my jeans with the torn knee, and my dark purple t-shirt. "Um, thanks." I hadn't put much thought into what I was wearing. Then again, I usually didn't. On theoccasions I did, I found myself wanting to paint. As if somehow the universe preferred me messy.
"What can I get you?" Carly asked.
"I'd love a cup of coffee," I said. "But I don't suppose you have time for a couple of questions?"
"Since it's quiet in here, I think I can make time," she said. "Let me get us both a coffee." She hurried away, returning a couple of minutes later with a cup in each hand. She slid into the chair opposite me and pushed one over, cupping her hands around the other one.
"What's on your mind?" she asked. She cocked her head, looking genuinely interested.
I saw no reason to beat about the bush. "Josiah Lachance."
Carly nodded slowly. "Ah. Are you and he…"
"No," I said quickly. "We're— I'm not sure what we are. Friends, maybe?" I exhaled slowly out my nose. "I think he needs some."
"Friends? Yes, I'd say you're right. I always try to give him a few minutes when he's in town, but he rarely drops in here." She sipped her coffee.
"Do you remember that day?" I didn't need to elaborate. We both knew what I was referring to. If Carly lived here at the time, she would have been in her early thirties.
"I do." She brushed a handful of curls off the side of her face. "I mean, as much as I could since I was down here in town. I was working at one of the hotels at the time. Cleaning rooms and making beds. I remember seeing a couple of police cars roll into town. Then everyone was saying Coral was gone."
"They searched for her?" I asked. Hadn't the guys told me that when they explained why they hated Josiah so much?
Carly crinkled her brow. "I presume so. The police said they had the matter under control. They wouldn't let any of us up there. I never thought to question why."
"How long after that was it before Gavin Clarke moved down into town?" I took a sip of my own coffee and tried to play it cool.
"Almost right away," Carly said. "Someone went up there, I think it was Jacob Ferguson. Said Gavin was ranting about losing his baby. He was beside himself. Said he trusted the wrong person. Then she was gone. Jacob brought him to town and they cleaned up the cottage for him."
"Gavin said he trusted Josiah and he shouldn't have?" That felt like a stab right to my own heart.
"I suppose that was what he meant, but I only heard it second or third hand," Carly said. "Gavin didn't talk about it after that. It's like he blocked it from his mind. Can't say I blame him. If she was my kid…" Carly sniffed.
"Right," I said softly. "Why does no one believe Josiah is telling the truth? What if he was?"
"I saw Coral with her father a few times," Carly said softly. "She was a sweetheart. I don't want to think about what might have happened if Josiah was telling the truth."
"What if things weren't so bad for her?" I asked. "She might have had a happy childhood."
Carly looked doubtful. "I'd wish that for her, but… What's with all the questions, anyway? You're not thinking of writing a book about her, are you?" She wrinkled her nose as though she found the idea distasteful.
