“Love you too,” she whispered, kissing his forehead. “Sweet dreams.”
After tucking Oscar into bed, she went back to the kitchen. The house was quiet except for the soft hum of the heater. She made herself a cup of chamomile tea and settled onto the couch, pulling Liam’s manuscript onto her lap.
She wasn’t joking when she’d told Liam she was enjoying his book. Seeing the places the people he’d interviewed had talked about, brought the area to life.
She could imagine the families of the steamboat staff enjoying the cottages on Anchor Lane during their summer vacations, the excitement when the mail made its way to town, and the desperation when a fire had ripped through the main street of Sapphire Bay.
She flipped the manuscript open to the chapter about Eleanor Whittaker. There was something about the mysterious artist that intrigued her—the way she’d captured Sapphire Bay in her murals, the unanswered questions about her sudden disappearance.
Without overthinking it, Chloe picked up her phone and called Liam. He answered after the second ring.
“Hey,” he said, his voice warm. “How did Oscar’s rehearsal go?”
“It was great. Everyone was so excited. We didn’t have too many costume malfunctions, so I was less busy than I thought I’d be,” she said, curling her legs beneath her on the couch. “How was your day?”
“It was more productive than some I’ve had. I finished your first set of edits and organized the next few chapters for you. Idon’t know how I missed some of the errors, but I’m glad you found them.”
Chloe smiled. “They’re easier to see when I didn’t write the text.”
“I guess that’s true. Percy, the Chairperson of the Heritage Protection Society came into the center today. He found a copy of an assignment a high school student wrote about Eleanor Whittaker. They’d added it to their library in the 1960s.”
“That’s fantastic.” Chloe looked at the photo of Eleanor that Liam had clipped to his manuscript. She couldn’t have been more than twenty-five years old. She was standing outside in the sunshine, her blonde hair cascading in soft waves just below her shoulders. Her eyes were bright and contemplative and seemed to meet Chloe’s, bridging the gap of a century. “Do you know if she has any relatives still living in Sapphire Bay? I’d love to know what happened to her.”
“I’ve been trying to find that out,” Liam said. “So far, I haven’t found any records of living relatives, but there are still have a few people I want to talk to.”
“I was thinking,” Chloe said thoughtfully, “maybe we could look into it together. Percy might have overlooked something in the heritage protection society’s library.”
“That’s a great idea,” he said. “Doing research is always more fun with a partner.”
She smiled. “Maybe we’ll solve the mystery of what happened to her.”
“Or at least uncover something interesting,” he replied. “When are you and Oscar free?”
“How about this Saturday?” she suggested. “The library opens at ten o’clock. Oscar and I could meet you there.”
“Sounds perfect,” Liam said. “I’ll bring some of the café’s Halloween muffins. After we’ve finished, we could have a snack beside the lake. How did your call with the lawyer go?”
Chloe sighed. “It was okay, I guess. She advised me to keep communication with Paul limited and to document everything.”
“That makes sense,” he said gently. “How are you feeling about it all?”
“Honestly, a bit anxious,” she admitted. “I don’t want anything to disrupt the life Oscar and I have built here.”
Liam nodded. “If there’s anything I can do, even if it’s just to listen, I’m here.”
“Thanks. It helps just talking about it.” Chloe took a sip of her tea, letting the warmth soothe her. “So, tell me more about your theories on Eleanor.”
“Well, I have a hunch that her disappearance might be connected to someone influential. There were rumors about a secret romance with the president of the Great Northern Railway.”
Chloe’s eyes widened. “That must have kept the gossip mill going for years.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” he said. “If it is true, I’m hoping someone wrote something about it.”
“All the more reason to visit the Heritage Protection Society’s library,” Chloe said eagerly. “Maybe we’ll find some love letters or a newspaper article about them.”
“Now you’re thinking like a true historian,” Liam teased.
They chatted for a while longer, tossing around ideas and theories. Chloe felt lighter, the worries about Paul momentarily pushed aside by the excitement of a good mystery and the comfort of Liam’s company.
