Page 93 of Spooked

“But that was in a medical setting where I knew what I was doing.”

“You’re averyfast learner.” The satnav told us our destination was approaching. “Is that the place? Up there on the right?”

“I think so?”

Alexa had told Brax that we’d be staying in “some old farmhouse,” but this was gorgeous. Low white buildings with thick tiled roofs set around a stone courtyard, and plenty of neatly pruned trees for shade.

“There’s a pool around the back,” Chase said as he appeared from one of the doors. He and Ari had arrived before us, Jerry and Tulsa too. “And the property also comes with a haunted wine cellar and a roof terrace. At least I should go home with a tan.”

Haunted? “There’s a ghost?”

“I doubt it, but the locals seem to think so.”

“Who paid for this?” Brax asked. “I’ll need to reimburse them.”

“You paid for it. Alexa used your credit card.”

“How did she— Never mind. What about the plane?”

“Priest borrowed it from a friend. No payment required, but a donation to the Blackwood Foundation would be appreciated.”

“Consider it done.”

Chase checked his watch. “We should get started.”

* * *

Quinta do Lago was pretty in a rustic kind of way. A stark contrast to our rental house—rough and homey versus modern and minimalistic. Pedro was a friendly Portuguese guy in his mid-thirties, smiling and enthusiastic as he talked to a group about the ecological project he was heading. Hair hung down his back in locs, and his tan said he spent a lot of time outdoors. Best of all, he spoke good English.

“You’re here to look for Meera?” he asked once he’d finished with the group. “You’re Indi? She spoke of you often.”

“I’m worried about her. She hasn’t answered my calls for nearly two weeks.”

“And you came all the way from America?”

“Wouldn’t you get on a plane if your best friend was missing?”

He considered the question for a moment. “I would do that. And of course I’m worried about her too, but I’m not certain how much help I can be. She didn’t tell anyone here of her plans.”

“The police said she went to the beach for a week with a man, a blond man, possibly French or Belgian. Do you know who that might be?”

“No. No, I don’t, but I suppose it’s possible she went to the beach on impulse. Meera changed in the weeks before she left. Became, uh, how do you say this? Wild?”

“After Alfie met that other woman?”

Pedro’s face clouded over. “Yes. That, we weren’t expecting at all. One day, he and Meera were planning their future together, and the next…” He shook his head. “Ele é um idiota.”

“He’s an asshole,” Tulsa helpfully translated.

Tell us something we didn’t already know.

“Can you talk us through those weeks?”

“Alfie was becoming disillusioned with the project, that was clear, but Meera’s enthusiasm never decreased, even with the bad weather we had. We spoke about building acasa do jardim—a space for her to host yoga retreats in the summer—and then she left.”

So she’d definitely been planning to stay here, but had she rethought her plans after Alfie ditched her? I could see her changing her mind about spending the entire trip at Quinta do Lago, even having a wild few weeks as she decided on a new direction, but I couldn’t see her changing her whole character overnight. Meera hated to disappoint people. That had been the reason for our elaborate identity switch in the first place. No, she wouldn’t have walked out on Pedro like that, not without saying a word.

“You don’t suspect anything bad could have happened?”

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