Cottage on Gooseberry Bay: Charmed Summer Kathi Daley (the chimp paradox .TXT) 📖

formed a support group or secret society of some sort based on this book or motivational speaker. I’m hoping the boys simply took off to explore the concept of personal power and will eventually show up.”

I followed Silvia to the cash register.

“I hope that is true as well.” I paused while she paid for her alterations. “Do you think they will show up on their own?”

She shrugged. “I can’t be sure, but I think they might.”

After Sylvia left, I headed to Scoops and Sprinkles to talk to Tony Trauner. I had to admit that I was worried about the three missing boys, but I didn’t think I knew enough about any of the boys to actually be of help in finding them. Besides, Ellery was my client. She was counting on me to help her track down the owner of the charm bracelet, and that was exactly what I planned to do.

Chapter 8

Tony Trauner wasn’t in when I stopped by the ice cream shop. The woman working the counter told me that he’d be in on Saturday afternoon, so I told her I’d check back then. I had the kiddie carnival that morning, but I figured that if I hadn’t already solved the mystery of the charm bracelet by that point, I could stop in after my shift at the park.

Deciding to swing by the mini-mart where Olive worked while I was in town, I changed direction and headed toward the water. When I arrived, a woman who looked to be the right age to be Olive was ringing up an order, so I decided to wait. The view of the water out the front window of the little store was exceptional. I supposed there were worse places to work.

“Olive?” I asked after her customer left.

She frowned. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?”

“My name is Ainsley Holloway.”

Her frown changed to a smile. “Of course. You’re Jemma’s friend.” She looked around. “Is she here?”

“No. Jemma ended up with a project for work, so I came on my own. I hope that’s okay.”

“It’s fine. Jemma told me that you have some photos you’d like me to look at.”

I nodded and handed her the stack of photos I’d printed of the bracelet and the individual charms. “I’m looking for the woman who may have owned this bracelet back in nineteen ninety-six. So far, we’ve been able to identify the book as the charm given to those who reached the highest level of the reading challenge Brewster’s Books sponsored, and the shoe as representing the Bay to Boardwalk Run. I have lists of the individuals who participated in the run that year and the individuals who received the book charm.” I set both lists on the counter. “So far, I’ve spoken to Heidi Vargas, who remembered Nancy Bayberry. She mentioned that Nancy has since moved away, but she’s pretty certain that Nancy isn’t the one we’re looking for.”

“Jemma mentioned something about a baby.”

“Yes. My client was left in a church as an infant in nineteen ninety-seven. The charm bracelet in the photo was left with her. It’s her belief that the bracelet belonged to her biological mother. She’d like to track her down and is hoping we’ll be able to identify her with the clues provided.”

She looked down at the lists. “In addition to Heidi, Nancy, and me, you have Caroline Grant, Brandy Heffner, Rosalie Watts, and Naomi Potter highlighted.”

“Yes. All seven names were on the list for the run, and the list Kendra Hart provided for the reading challenge.”

“I was just seventeen in nineteen ninety-six, so I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to who was doing what, but I do remember Brandy Heffner. She was my age and got married a few years later. She did have children, but not until after she married, and I don’t remember her being pregnant or leaving town for an extended period before that, so I sort of doubt that she’s your baby mama. She still lives in Gooseberry Bay, however, so I guess you can ask her about it.”

I smiled. “Do you know how I can get ahold of Brandy?”

She nodded. “Her name is Brandy Winfield now. She’s married to Matt Winfield. Matt is a licensed contractor, and Brandy takes care of the clerical stuff for his business. I don’t have her phone number offhand, but if you look up Winfield Construction, you should be able to track her down.”

“Thank you so much. I appreciate the help. Is there anything else you can tell me about either the names on the list or the charms?”

She took a second look at the photos. “The ship looks like one of those Navy ships that are sometimes seen in the Sound. There’s a shipyard in Bremerton, and it’s not unusual for Gooseberry Bay to play host to a slew of Navy boys on leave. I wonder if the ship is included to represent the baby’s father.”

“I actually did think of that. It occurred to me that Ellery’s biological mother could have met her biological father here over the summer. If he shipped out shortly after, he might not have known about the baby. If the mother was young, possibly even a teenager, she may have felt unequipped to care for a baby on her own, so she left her in the church.”

“Your theory makes sense up to a point, but if this young girl did end up pregnant and alone, why didn’t she put the baby up for adoption? There are a lot of folks looking for babies. She didn’t need to abandon her.”

Olive had a point. A good point. If Ellery’s biological mother was alone and afraid, why not make arrangements for her baby before she was born? Why would she leave her naked in a blanket the way she had?

I thanked Olive for the information she’d provided