“Thanks, Wade. I’ll be in touch.”
***
Zeke pounded on Sara’s apartment door. “Sara, are you in there?” Still no answer. He’d been standing here in her hallway for at least fifteen minutes, alternating between pounding and yelling. He lifted his fist to pound again when a door down the hall opened and Sara’s landlord Mr. Donovan came out.
“What’s going on here?” he asked.
“I’m sorry. I’m looking for Sara.” Zeke said. “I’m her brother. You probably don’t remember me.”
“I know who you are. Sara isn’t here.”
“I’m trying to find her. She went on vacation and she was supposed to be back by now. I haven’t heard a word from her.”
“I’m not sure where she is, but I can tell you that she paid her rent for the next six months. She said she was going on an extended research trip and she might be gone awhile.”
Zeke shook his head, confused by this. “Research trip? She never said anything to me about that. And she didn’t say where she was going?”
“I’m afraid not. I hope she’s alright,” he said.
Zeke’s mind was racing, searching for answers. How could she have done this? Why had she done it? He was her brother. Didn’t he deserve to know the truth? He was shaken to the core. Sara had never done anything like this. She’d always confided in him and now here he was with absolutely no idea how to solve this riddle. “Is there any way you can let me into her apartment. Maybe I can find something there that will help me locate her.”
“Sure. I’m not supposed to do this without her permission, but you are her brother and I can see that you’re really worried.” He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the door.
Zeke entered and Mr. Donovan followed him in. The place was pretty clean. It seems his sister had gotten her world in order before she left. He explored each room. He went through papers she left out, magazines on her coffee table and notes on the refrigerator, but nothing told him anything about where she may have gone.
“Thanks for doing this for me,” Zeke said. “If she comes back or if you hear from her, can you call me?” He grabbed a scrap of paper from her counter and wrote his number down. He handed it to Mr. Donovan.
“I will and I hope you’ll do the same. I’d like to know that she’s alright.” He locked the door and walked with Zeke to the elevator.
Completely perplexed by this situation, Zeke’s next step was to call the police and report her missing. Then he’d pack a bag and head off to Europe. Wade was right. It was a big place. He had no idea where to go first.
Back at home, Zeke gathered his things and was about to head out the door when the fireplace sparked to life. He froze on the spot, but then realized there was only one person he knew who could make that happen.
“Edna?” He stood in front of the fire waiting for a response.
“Zeke. It’s me.” Came the disembodied female voice of the witch who’d wreaked havoc on his life only a short while ago.
“Haven’t you ever heard of using a phone, Edna?” He was exasperated and in a hurry to get out the door.
“What fun would that be, me dear?” she laughed.
“Edna, my sister’s missing.” Her bright and cheery voice was grating on his nerves. Then he thought about it and realized maybe she could help him find Sara.
“That’s why I’m contacting you. I’ve just been with her and she asked me to get in touch with you to let you know she is alright.”
Zeke visibly relaxed, but his anger was still present. “Where is she? Why didn’t she call me herself?” he barked.
“There’s a verra good reason she didn’t call ye. She’s in sixteenth century Scotland. No phone, ye ken,” Edna said very matter-of-factly, as if that were a common occurrence. Of course, it was for her.
“What?” Zeke shouted.
“Calm yerself, lad. She’s fine. She is where she wants to be. She’s with Logan. You remember him, he’s Dougall’s friend. Surely you noted her interest in him when he was in San Francisco.”
He’d been so wrapped up in his own drama with Helene that he hadn’t noticed. “How did she end up there? Did you send her Edna? Was it against her will?” He was trying frantically to rationalize Sara’s motives, and remembered that Helene hadn’t asked to come to San Francisco. Edna sent her without her permission.
“It definitely wasn’t against her will. In fact, she came to me here at The Thistle & Hive. She told me she wanted to be with Logan and she wasn’t about to take no for an answer.”
To say he was angry would be an understatement, but mixed in with that anger was a good amount of hurt, confusion and sadness. Sara had traveled back in time and hadn’t told him her plans. “I can’t believe it. Why didn’t she tell me?” Zeke thought back over the last six months and wondered if maybe she had tried to tell him. He had thrown himself into work, teaching more classes and working late at the studio. She had invited him out quite a few times and he almost always declined. Maybe she needed someone to talk to about Logan and he hadn’t been there for her. “Edna? Are you still there?”
