Semi-Psychic Life (Glimmer Lake #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,18
nudged it wide with her knee. She was carrying a box of Honey’s pastries in one hand and a beverage holder with coffee in the other. “Mom Marie, I’m here with coffee.”
She’d slipped out of the coffee shop for a midmorning break once the morning rush died down. It had been a few days since she’d seen her parents, and she knew it was because of the weather.
A cold snap had hit the mountains, turning the roads icy and no doubt making her dad’s knees hurt. Her parents were in excellent health, but they were still in their seventies.
“Valerie?” Her mother was in a snuggly house jacket and a pair of leggings. “You brought us pastries? How lovely. Thank you. Vincent!”
“What?”
“Valerie is here.”
“Does she have the boys?”
“No, it’s a school day.”
“Oh. That’s right.”
Val walked back into the kitchen of her parents’ old log house and set the pink box on the counter. She gave her mother a one-armed hug and handed over the coffee. “Eve made your latte with half and half.”
“Oh, how decadent.” Marie’s eyes lit up.
Her mother was so thin Val had a hard time not worrying about her. All the women in her family were built like birds, but her mother was extra dainty and had only gotten more so with age. Val was always looking for things to fatten her mom up.
“Okay, where’s the laptop?”
Marie waved her over to the table. “I promise I didn’t do any of the things you told me not to.”
“It might just need to be updated.” Val sat at the end of the table as her father came in from the heated back porch where he built detailed birdhouses Robin sold for a small fortune at her shop. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hi, sweetie.” His eyes were worried. “How are the boys?”
“They seem fine.” She’d told her parents the bare bones about the situation with Josh but hadn’t gotten into details. Like the fact that there was a warrant out for his arrest. “They’re both in school today.”
“Has there been any news?”
“No.” Val paused while the computer downloaded the update it needed. “I’m going into the station today to formally file a missing-person report since I don’t think anyone has yet.”
“Can’t the police just tell where he is from his phone?” Marie said. Her mother had a tendency to think technology was a powerful and mostly benevolent overseer. “Can’t you?”
“He’s not on our family plan,” Val said. “So I can’t track him like I can with the boys. And Dad knows how many dead spots there are in the mountains. The police won’t be able to see his phone if he’s out of range.”
Vincent mostly knew about dead spots because he was addicted to sports radio and country music, which he listened to while he fished. He had to know which spots to avoid if a game was on live.
Her father frowned. “So all the spots where you can’t call out or get a signal… if he was in one of those areas, the police wouldn’t find him?”
“Nope.”
Marie frowned. “I thought it was all about the satellites. Aren’t our phones connected to satellites?”
Val smiled. “Only satellite phones are connected that way. Our regular old phones just use the towers all over the place. That’s why they’re putting that new one up over by Russell House. You know, the one that looks like a fake pine tree?”
“Oh, that’s right.” Marie grabbed her newspaper and sat down next to Val. “Well, it’s all very confusing. I hope they find Josh soon. I’m sure the boys are worried sick.”
The boys were worried sick, but Val didn’t have the heart to tell her parents that the police thought Josh was living it up in Vegas.
She waited for the update to finish and restarted the computer.
Her father was studying her.
“What?” she asked.
“Are you and the girls thinking to do anything to find Josh?” Vincent’s face was grim.
“I don’t know, Dad.” She glanced at Marie. “I don’t know what we can do other than file a report.”
“You’re resourceful girls,” he said. “And you know more about that man than the police. I’m sure you’ve talked about it.”
Val shrugged. “We got together last night.”
“And?”
“I don’t know.”
“He’s the boys’ father.”
“Dad, I know.” She looked up. “Trust me, I know.”
“She doesn’t have to do anything.” Marie’s voice was sharper than Val expected.
“Marie.”
“No, Vincent. I told you to leave things be.” Marie’s cheeks were red. “You know I love Josh. I will always consider him a member of our family, but… Well, we both