The Disappearance of Emily: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 2 by Elizabeth Pantley (best books to read in your 20s TXT) 📕

her up on a topic, she’d take it away and blabber about everything she knew until you stopped her or until she ran out of topic.

As always, she offered to bring out cookies and lemonade. Even though I had just left the café, I knew that serving visitors was a joyful treat for her, so I agreed. Plus, she made the best cookies.

I took a seat on the deck and enjoyed the view of the park just across the street. My buddy Hercules sat next to me. I stroked his soft fur while he laid his big, wolf-like head on my lap, his tongue hanging out like a puppy.

“Perfect timing, Hayden. I just made a fresh batch of sour cream snickerdoodles. You like those, yes?”

“I’ve never had them, but they sound amazing. I’m always up for a new cookie.” I filled my plate and accepted a glass of lemonade.

“I was just in town at Vessie’s, watching the ferry load up.” Might as well dive right in.

“The Hideaway Café is the best place for ferry and people watching,” said Olivia. “I’ve spent many hours there over the years.”

“Have you ever been on the ferry? Where does it go?” I asked.

“Various islands around here,” she said.

“What islands would those be?”

“Hmm. It’s been a while, and they may have changed, and the routes change too.” She tapped her chin with her finger. “There’s quite a cluster of islands around us. Some of the small islands are privately owned, so I don’t know their names. You need reservations well in advance. Even then, you might not get on. Tickets are hard to come by. It’s a selective process.”

She still wasn’t giving me any names, which, for Olivia the chatterbox, seemed out of character.

“What about Gladstone?” I asked. “Is that one of them?”

She looked up, startled. “It’s better if you don’t speak of Gladstone.”

“Why?” I asked.

“It’s forbidden to travel there, and better that you don’t even discuss it.”

But she said it in a halting voice like she really wanted to say more. Then she shook her head. “Hmmm. No. Probably not something we should talk about. More lemonade?”

Olivia loved to talk and she loved to share new information, so it was disconcerting that Gladstone was a topic she wanted to avoid. Yet another person being vague about the ferry and changing the topic. I knew I should let it go, but now I was more curious than ever. It made me decide to meet with Nakita. What better place for information about the ferry than the captain herself? I was looking forward to it.

I spotted a photo album on the table and I gestured to it.

“Have you been reminiscing?” I asked Olivia.

“I have. No sense in having photo albums if you never look at them, right?” She stood up and brought it over to the table and pulled up a chair next to me. “Want to take a peek?”

She opened it up, and we flipped through the pages. There were many of her dog, of course. And lots of Twin Falls Park across the street from her home, the lake, and the one waterfall that most people saw.

I was one of the rare, lucky few who got a glimpse of the usually hidden second falls. It was enchanted and it offered me a glimpse of my future. I think. As of now, I hadn’t been able to uncover any information to verify this, but that’s what it seemed to be.

In the vision, I saw myself as a mother with two young children and a man approaching us. Sadly, I’d had a bit of a mishap and didn’t get to inspect the vision. But the man I saw was wearing a hiking backpack, with two trekking poles attached to the side. He was wearing a hat, and I think he had sunglasses on, but I can’t be sure. It gave me goosebumps, and I wondered if the enigmatic vision was really telling my future. It seemed as if the experience was a rare one, and I’d yet to hear anyone else talk about it, so I kept quiet on the subject.

As I flipped to the next page, I gasped. It was a photo of my brother’s friend, the town sheriff, Jaxson Redford. Oooo, he’s a dreamboat! I don’t know if people still use that word, but, man, oh, man, it fit this guy. He’s tall, with an athletic frame, a smooth, deep voice, and a sexy smile. And even better, he’s smart and polite. There were some sparks between us I had yet to pursue since I hadn’t been sure how long I’d be in Destiny Falls. Plus, we’d been involved in solving a murder together. I’d rather block out that memory.

Anyhow, the photo was of Jaxson. Standing on a trail in the park. He was carrying a hiking pack, with two trekking poles on the side. He was wearing a hat and sunglasses and smiling into the camera.

“How long ago was this taken?” I asked Olivia.

“Oh, maybe a year or so. I’ve known Jax since he was a tot, and once in a while he joins us on a hike.”

I knew by '“us” she meant her and Hercules. I looked at the photo for a few minutes and wondered. Was this him? Was Jaxson my destiny? Oh, now that inspired me to pursue those sparks to see where they led. Especially since it appeared I was here to stay in Destiny Falls.

Olivia and I finished up looking through the photo album. I helped her clean up the dishes from our cookies and lemonade. Then we had our goodbye hug, and I walked towards home. I needed some time to think.

I pondered the Destiny Falls ferry and my instructions from Nakita. Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away from that appointment. If I were wise, I’d bring someone with me. But she said, ‘Tell no one’ and specifically said it was ‘life or death.’ I would have to think this through before I told anyone