A Dark and Twisting Path

Book 3: A Writer's Apprentice Mystery

by Julia Buckley

Genres: Amateur Sleuth; Cozy Mystery; Female Sleuths

Synopsis

Writer's apprentice Lena London is happily working on a new collaboration with her idol and bestselling suspense novelist and friend Camilla Graham, but her joy is short-lived when a dark cloud descends upon the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana . . .

Lena's best friend, Allison, is in a panic. On a walk in the woods by her home, Allison discovers the body of her mail carrier, an argumentative man who recently had a falling out with Allison's husband. Lena quickly realizes that Allison has nothing to worry about as the murder weapon points to a different suspect altogether: Lena's embattled boyfriend, Sam West.

Sam was cleared of his wife's murder when she was found alive, and now someone is trying to make him look guilty again. Surveillance video of a break-in at his house shows a shadowy figure trying to incriminate him by stealing the weapon from his desk. Lena and Camilla work on a suspect list, but a threatening note and a violent intrusion at Graham House prove that the devious killer has decided to write them into the plot.

Release date: July 31, 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Print pages: 304

Sample

1

Delia had come to Greece to face her demons, whatever form they might take. She was frightened, yet also relieved, that the showdown was at hand, and that, one way or another, she would find resolution.

-From Death at Delphi, a work in progress

Victoria West, tragic and beautiful, spoke into the camera. Her expression revealed her pain, as it had on every news broadcast on every channel for the last two months. It also conveyed her determination. In a firm yet vulnerable voice, she said, "I know that my daughter is in this country, and I know that people are being paid handsomely to keep her hidden. The authorities have assured me that Nikon, or whoever acted on his behalf, did not leave the United States with my Athena. I appeal to everyone watching to please help me find my daughter and bring her home." She paused, and I had the sense that the whole world hung on her words. "I am not the only one who has been affected by Nikon Lazos's selfish actions. My husband, Sam, suffered terribly, accused of taking my life. My friend Taylor died in her quest to find me. These are terrible, irreparable losses, and I do not wish to add my baby girl to the roster of things that cannot be reclaimed." She dabbed at her eyes, and her parents rushed forward to put their arms around her. Her lawyers, too, wore faces of the utmost concern.

My friend Allison put down her slice of pizza and turned to me. "Lena, I know she's been through a great deal, but she's so melodramatic. And Sam isn't her husband. He's your man."

This is why Allison is my best friend. I would never have dared to say that Victoria West hadn't gone through terrible things, nor would I have ventured to criticize her frequent press conferences. Of course she wanted her child back, as we all did. I worried about the baby that Nikon Lazos had stolen in broad daylight, and like everyone I was shocked that the police and the government agencies had been unable to locate the child. She had been taken at the end of February, and tomorrow would be the first of May. Yet, like Allison, I couldn't help but feel that Victoria had almost come to enjoy her time in front of the camera, as she had come to depend, once again, on the company and support of her ex-husband, Sam West.

Victoria stepped away from the podium, and one of her lawyers began taking questions from the crowd assembled in New York. She had flown out for the event, which had been combined with the DA's public-and extremely belated-apology to Sam West. Sam had declined to attend, and I supported his choice. Why should he take part in the pageant that Camilla now called "The Victoria West Show"?

Allison sniffed and turned the television off with her remote control. Immediately the peace of her large and sunny living room comforted me and soothed my frayed nerves. It was Monday, her day off, and she was letting me decompress at her house. "Thank you for saying that about Victoria. I have to admit I am getting a little tired of sharing Sam with her. He's trying to be noble, offering support because her therapist says she needs to feel the permanence of her former relationships. I get that. But to rent a house in Blue Lake? And it's walking distance from Sam's place. Camilla made such a face when I told her."

"Camilla's right," Allison said. "I mean, you won him fair and square. She and her lawyers can wait things out in Indianapolis if she's so convinced that Nikon is in Indiana."

"That's only one theory, of course. That he's hiding in plain sight. To me that seems like paranoia. The man had a yacht-although that's been seized temporarily. But he has so much money he could have bought another one, under someone else's name, like he did last time, and he and his daughter could be in Kamchatka by now."

"Kamchatka," Allison said appreciatively. Then, brightening, she said, "We should play Risk! Wouldn't that be fun? With Sam and John? And maybe Doug and Belinda, if they're still a thing."

"I don't know. I should visit Belinda at the library and put out some feelers. I haven't seen her since Camilla and I returned from our tour."

"Yeah, tell me more about that. Was England beautiful?"

A rush of happy memories flooded through me. "So amazing! The scenery, the landscapes of those little towns-just wonderful. Well, you saw the pictures on Facebook."

"Yes. Gorgeous!"

"I saw the village where Camilla grew up. There's a pub there with all her book covers framed on the wall. God, I took so many pictures, Allie! I could have stayed there forever."

"Did you get to make speeches and stuff?"

"Camilla always spoke first, and then when she was finished she would introduce me and talk about working with me, and then people would ask me questions. I felt very important, but that was all due to Camilla's generosity. You know how she is."

"It sounds amazing."

"And at the end of our tour we were right on the sea, and we visited her mother in her little cottage. She was delightful. So much like Camilla, but her own distinct person. She made us tea and called Camilla "pet," and I was in love with her instantly."

Allison put another slice of pizza on my plate and handed it to me where I sat lazily on her couch. I took it absently and said, "We met one of her sisters, too. Philippa. She was nice, although a bit distant. Camilla said she's always been like that, and singularly unimpressed with any of Camilla's books. Philippa is a barrister. We had lunch in London."

Allison clapped gleefully. "Listen to what you just said! Oh, Lee, this is the life you always daydreamed about. You're living it. A published book, and a house with Camilla, and a dreamy, mysterious boyfriend."

"Whom I haven't seen since I came back. He told me he'd be gone when we returned and he was sorry about it. He and his lawyer were following a lead about the baby. It's dŽjˆ vu, Allie. First he was following leads about Victoria, now they're about poor Athena. Although why that's Sam's job I cannot even imagine."

Allison shrugged. "You said he promised to use his resources on her behalf."

"Sam is supportive and kind, which are both things I love about him, but this has gone on long enough. He needs to delegate these jobs and get on with his life."

"With you," Allison said brightly.

"Yes. With me." I sounded smug, and I suppose I felt it, too.

The phone rang, and Allison sprang up to get it. She came back a moment later. "That was John. He'll be home by four. Can you stay for dinner?"

I sighed. "I love your house, and I would actually like to stay for the whole week, but I still have unpacking to do, and I want to make sure Camilla isn't doing too much too soon. Adam is more worried about that than I am, actually. That man is protective, and he can barely stand to be away from her."

"That's sweet. He must have missed her. You guys seemed to have been gone forever."

"It was so great. But I missed Blue Lake, and you and John, and Doug, and Bick's Hardware, and Schuler's ice cream . . ."

"And Sam."

"And Sam." I still missed Sam. I had texted him several times, asking when he would be back. He had responded briefly but passionately, telling me I could never leave again, which I thought was a bit hypocritical, and yet was satisfying to my lover's ears.

"Anyway," I said, getting up and stretching, my eyes on the alluring woods in her backyard-the reward of a corner lot that merged with a small forest preserve. "I have to go. We'll get together soon, I'm sure." I gave Allison a hug, and she walked me to the door, which stood open to admit the warm breeze.

Outside, we paused on her porch and inhaled the spring air. Allison bent to get her mail, then frowned. "Oh boy. There's no mail in here, and it's usually delivered by now. I hope our mailman isn't getting revenge."

"Why would your mailman want revenge?" I said, almost laughing.

"Because yesterday we got a magazine that was mangled. I can't even tell John about us not getting mail today, because he already got into a fight with Eddie about that magazine." She was distressed, but she also looked sort of proud of her husband.

"Even in paradise there are problems," I said, admiring her lovely neighborhood, green and fragrant and full of nature sounds.

She brightened. "Do you hear those birds, Lena? Blue Lake has gifts for me in every season, but those birds singing might be the best of all. So many different calls, and John and I are starting to learn them. You hear that one? It's a blue jay. John says that he yells "thief," but I think it's a lonelier word. Maybe he's saying 'speak.'" She looked up at the leaves, smiling. "He's beautiful, but I only see him once in a while. He likes to stay in the tops of the trees."

"You've become a naturalist," I said, my tone accusing.

"You will, too. Join us next time we go bird-watching. It sounds boring, but it's so fun."

"Everything is fun with you," I admitted. "Enjoy your birds, and I'll call soon."

"I'm glad you're home," she said.

"I am, too."

I walked down her driveway, waving briefly to the woman who knelt in her garden directly across the street. She was dark haired and pretty, somehow reminding me of a woman from an old movie. She waved back and returned to her petunias.

I breathed deeply, soaking in the Blue Lake air. Despite my wonderful trip to England, despite the beautiful places I had seen, not one of the picturesque villages had replaced Blue Lake in my affection.

Blue Lake was my life's paradox: it represented both the worst and the best things that had ever happened to me.

I climbed into my car and drove slowly down the flower-scented lanes, eventually speeding up on Green Glass Highway, then turning down Sabre Street and making my way toward the water. I drove up the gravel road that ascended the big bluff overlooking Blue Lake, enjoying the satisfying crunch of pebbles beneath my tires. Camilla's place was at the top of the ridge. I left the car idling at the bottom of the driveway, appreciating the vista of Camilla's big house, the cloudy sky above it, and the trace of Blue Lake sparkling below.

My phone beeped; I picked it up and slid my finger over the screen. "Hello?"

"Hey, honey." It was my father. I had not seen him since I had come to Blue Lake in October, and in a rush I realized how much I missed him.

"Dad! How are you? How's Tabitha?"

"Fine, fine." He was moving something around, papers or files. He always kept his hands busy while he talked on the phone. "I haven't heard about your big trip, and I figured I'd just give you a call."

"Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry. We actually just got back, but I was going to call you, I swear!"

"I know, I know. I just got impatient."

"Dad. Now that things have calmed down here a bit-why don't you and Tabitha come out? There's a lovely guesthouse in town where you could stay, and you can have all your meals with Camilla and me. The weather is getting nice, and I can show you all my favorite places. Now we know that Sam isn't a murderer and that Victoria West is alive-you can meet him! Oh, I'm getting excited about this now! What do you say?"

"I would love to. But I don't want to get Tabitha's hopes up unless you're sure."

"I'm sure! I miss you. Let me just clear it with Camilla, and then I'll call you tonight with some calendar options."

"That sounds great, honey. Maybe Tab and I will be there in time for your birthday. We'd love to celebrate it with you."

"Me, too," I said. My eyes had grown slightly moist, and I wiped at them with one hand. I promised my father again that I would contact him that night, and I ended the call, feeling energized.

I drove up the rest of the driveway and parked against Camilla's long front porch. I got out and darted up the stairs, inhaling the scent of a nearby lilac bush.

Inside I was greeted by Camilla's German shepherds, Heathcliff and Rochester. I bent down to pat their heads. "Hey! You know, I really missed you guys. Did you miss me?"

They snuffled against me, enjoying my caresses, and I laughed. Rustling sounds came from Camilla's study, and I called, "Are you still unpacking, tour buddy?"

Adam Rayburn appeared in the doorway. His glasses were missing; Camilla told me that he had bought contact lenses. He looked handsome, like an aging James Bond. "Hello, Lena."

"Oh-hi, Adam. Are you helping Camilla unpack?"

He frowned slightly. "I was. She told me she wanted to take a walk. Without me."

I straightened, walked over, and patted his arm. "Were you hovering, Adam?"

"She says so. I just wanted to be sure she wasn't overtiring herself. She looked rather frail when you returned from England."

Camilla didn't look frail; we had eaten heartily on our trip, and we had both gained a few pounds in the process. "Adam, she's fine."

He sighed. "I know. I can't help it. I tend to be-smothery-when I care about someone."

"It's very sweet. But you have to pull back a little. You know that Camilla is independent."

"God, yes," he said, but he was smiling a little now. We moved into Camilla's office, where Adam had clearly been helping to sort through some of her suitcases. He sat on the edge of her desk and sighed. "I've loved her for a very long time. Longer than she knows. And she only loved me back for a very short time and then she left."

I sat down, too, in my favorite purple chair. "She had to go on the tour, Adam. It's part of her job."

"I know that. It just felt-sad."

"I know exactly what you mean. I don't even know where my boyfriend is right now."

Adam gave me a surprisingly charming smile. "Perhaps you and I should start a Lonely Hearts club."

"Perhaps we should," I said, laughing.

"Perhaps you should what?" asked Camilla, walking in. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a purple sweater, along with some sturdy brown walking shoes. She clutched a small bouquet of wildflowers.