Missing in Cottonwood Springs Read online

  Brigid let out a long sigh as she thought about all the things she had to do, and then pressed the save button on her computer to save the document she was proofreading and closed down her computer. She had about an hour until Linc would be there. It was time for her to get ready.

  She stood up from her desk, stretched her back, and took a deep breath. Things had been very calm lately in Cottonwood Springs, and everyone thought that was a good thing. Brigid wasn’t so sure. She was hoping for a little excitement to take her mind off the wedding and Holly’s trip. Of course, she didn’t want anyone to get murdered, but a little change of pace from the calm would be nice.

  As she stepped out of her office, Jett, her massive black Newfoundland, began to whine.

  “What’s the matter, Jett?” she asked. He turned and rushed to the back door, letting her know that he needed to be let outside.

  “I should really think about getting you a doggie door,” she said aloud to herself as she let him out.

  “Can you imagine the size of it?” Holly asked as she came shuffling into the great room. She had the same shirt on, but she’d managed to put on a pair of jeans. “That thing would practically be big enough for a human door.”

  “You’re right,” Brigid said. “It probably wouldn’t be very practical with our cold winters, either.”

  “Agreed,” Holly said with a laugh. She took a few steps forward and started fidgeting with the pillows on the couch. Brigid could tell she was about to ask for something or perhaps a favor. “Can I ride my bike over to Wade’s house?” Holly finally asked after adjusting the last pillow.

  “Is anyone else going to be there?” Brigid trusted Holly to be responsible, but she remembered what it was like to be a teenager. It was better to check and be certain, than assume she’d be given all the details.

  “Of course,” Holly said as she rolled her eyes. Brigid laughed. She knew Holly didn’t mean anything by it. She often rolled her eyes when she thought something was so glaringly obvious she shouldn’t have to spell it out.

  “That’s fine. You don’t have to go to the nature reserve to check it out with us.”

  “You’re not going to choose it, so I’d just be wasting my time, anyway,” Holly said definitively.

  “Oh? Why do you say that?” Brigid asked as she arched an eyebrow.

  “I visited it when we were on a field trip back in the fifth grade. It’s not you,” she said as she sent a text on her phone. She returned to her bedroom, presumably to finish getting ready. Brigid figured it was Wade that she’d been texting.

  Brigid thought about what Holly had said. She’d never been to the reserve, even when she’d been in school in Cottonwood Springs all those years ago. As a matter of fact, she didn’t recall ever going on a field trip when she was in school. Oh well, she’d try and keep an open mind, no matter what Holly had said.

  As she went down the hall to her bedroom to get ready, Brigid began whistling “Here comes the bride.” If she was going to be doing wedding things, she might as well get in the mood.

  CHAPTER 2

  Brigid had just finished getting ready when she heard Linc knocking on the front door. She unlocked it and started to open it while Jett ran around her, trying to get to Linc. He always seemed to know when it was Linc on the other side of the door.

  “Calm down, Jett,” she said, laughing. The dog barked excitedly, pressing his face into the crack as Brigid opened the door.

  “Hey, big guy,” Linc said, ruffling the fur on the giant dog’s head. “You being good?” He looked over at Brigid, smiled, gave her a kiss, and said, “Are you about ready?”

  “Yes, let me tell Holly we’re leaving,” she said as she turned around. She hurried down the hall to Holly’s room, and knocked on the door.

  Holly was sliding on her shoes while she opened the door. “Linc’s here. Make sure you put Jett out before you leave and lock the door behind you,” Brigid reminded her.

  “I know. I will,” Holly said smiling. “Have fun checking out a place you aren’t going to pick.”

  Brigid rolled her eyes, but laughed. “Hey, you never know,” she said pointing her finger at Holly.

  “Yeah, I do. You’re not going to pick it.” Holly was having a good time teasing Brigid about her inability to find what she wanted.

  “We’ll see,” Brigid said as she walked away. Once she was back in the great room, she hoisted her purse over her shoulder and told Linc, “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

  They left the house and climbed into Linc’s truck. The cold winter months were behind them, finally, and warmer weather was starting to make its debut. Early spring flowers were popping out of the ground, and the trees were starting to bud. Brigid couldn’t wait until everything was in full bloom.

  “What are you thinking about?” Linc asked as they drove through town.

  “How ready I am for spring to really get here. Maybe I’ll feel a little more enthusiastic about planning our wedding when everything is fresher,” she sighed.

  “You know, we don’t have to do all of this, if you don’t want to. I want you to plan the wedding you want, not what you think we should have.” Linc reached across the seat and took Brigid’s hand in his. A warm, loving feeling spread through her chest as she laced her fingers between his. Just the touch of his hand soothed her frazzled nerves. She hadn’t even realized how tense she was until he reached out and touched her.

  “I know. That’s what I’m trying to do, but nothing seems to feel right. I can’t seem to settle on anything.” She turned back toward the window and watched the town fade into the countryside. “I want to do something that represents who we are, and how we’ve managed to get to where we are today. I’m starting to wonder if I even know what that is.”

  Brigid had begun to think she was being too picky. Could it be she hadn’t been able to make any decisions because she was subconsciously afraid of getting married again? She silently shook her head. Maybe she’d been reading too many self-help books lately.

  “You do. That’s why nothing has felt right. You know exactly what you want, but it just hasn’t made itself known yet. Don’t stress over it. You’ll figure it out and when you do, everything will fall into place.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

  “You think?” she asked.

  “I know,” he said confidently. Brigid couldn’t believe how lucky she was. Sometimes she wished she’d met Linc years ago, but she always tried to push those thoughts away. She knew she’d been a different woman then. Maybe things worked out the way they did because of divine timing. Their time was now, and she was going to soak it all up to the maximum extent possible.

  When they pulled into the nature reserve, Brigid tried to imagine showing up there on her wedding day. The office consisted of a short, brown building that resembled a log cabin. Granted, it was much nicer than the average cabin, and its natural beauty blended nicely with the various greenery and floral arrangements. She could envision a bridal party scurrying around as they prepared for a ceremony, but she wasn’t sold on the place just yet.

  “Well this is nice looking,” Linc said as they climbed out of his truck. He met her in front of the truck and again laced his fingers in between hers. Brigid wasn’t sure if it was for himself or to reassure her, but either way, it was welcome. Hand in hand, they strolled up to the office door.

  Linc held the door for her as they stepped inside. There were potted plants of all shapes and sizes decorating the interior. A large counter ran along the back wall where a young woman was seated. The interior was finished in wood as well. The walls, floor, and even the counter, had been finished in a stained wood with a high glossy shine.

  “How can I help you?” the lady behind the counter asked pleasantly.

  “I’m Brigid Barnes, and this is Linc Olsen. We have an appointment to look at the wedding venue,” Brigid said politely as they walked over to the counter.

  “Ah, yes. Let me go get Allison,” she said before disappearing behind a
door. Brigid looked up at the exposed beams and the trailing plants that were wrapped around them. A large skylight lit the room, making it feel natural inside the man-made space.

  “Hello, I’m Allison Smith. It’s nice to meet you,” a woman said as she stepped through the doorway. Her blunt, shoulder-length blonde hair had streaks of gray in it. Her glasses were perched on the end of her nose. After shaking their hands, she slid the glasses up into her hair. “It’s always a joy to meet couples who are planning their wedding. Such a wonderful occasion,” she said with a warm smile which spread across her face.

  “Thank you,” Linc said. “We’re happy to be here.”

  “Well, let’s go look at the location, shall we?” she asked. Leading them to a side door, she held it open for them as they stepped out into the fresh air.

  While they were walking, Allison listed all of the interesting facts about the nature reserve, but Brigid wasn’t particularly interested in them.

  Instead, she tried to imagine her guests coming here for the ceremony. What it would feel like to be there on her big day? She struggled to envision it. She could imagine a wedding taking place here at the nature reserve, but she wasn’t sure she could see her wedding taking place here.

  “It’s a beautiful place,” Linc said beside her. “I can’t believe I haven’t visited before now.”

  Brigid wasn’t listening to Allison’s response. The sinking feeling that Holly was right continued to nag her. She agreed with Linc that it was beautiful. Brigid could tell that in a few weeks the place would be even more beautiful, when it was alive with color. Even now, there were tiny buds on many of the plants with glimpses of color peeking out.

  Superficially, the place was gorgeous. The native plants were all lovingly tended and cared for. There was wildlife that could be seen in the distance, blending in with their surroundings. Brigid wanted nothing more than to feel like this was the place she would ultimately select, but the closer they got to the spot where the actual ceremony would be conducted, the more certain she was that this wasn’t for her.

  Finally, they rounded a corner and Alison told them this was the location where they would take their vows. There was a nice open area with a small creek running through it. A gazebo was set at one end, raised so that everyone who gathered around it would have an excellent view of the wedding couple. It was all very lovely, but not what Brigid had hoped for. It still felt very formal and staged, not at all what she was envisioning in her mind.

  “I’ll let you two take a look around,” Alison said. “Please, take your time. You don’t even need to decide today. We aren’t expecting any other weddings for the time you mentioned, so our schedule is currently wide open for this location. I wouldn’t wait too long if you do choose us, however. You never know who may call.” She shook each of their hands before leaving them so they could talk privately to each other.

  “Well, what do you think?” Linc asked. “Is it what you had in mind?”

  “Honestly? No,” Brigid admitted. She could just hear Holly telling her she was right. “It’s not exactly what I imagined.”

  “Are you sure?” Linc asked. “It’s very pretty, and it will look even better once everything fills out. We could get married with deer strolling around behind us,” he said as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.

  Brigid imagined a wedding ceremony being held in the nature reserve, but as much as she tried, she could not see it as the place where she wanted Linc and her to say their vows.

  She shook her head and sighed. “Nope. I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel it. I want it to be less formal than this.” She looked around and saw that some of the nearby flowers were starting to bloom. The natural beauty was a bit forced for her. It was in the planted flower beds and the way everything was arranged so perfectly. It wasn’t natural and free-flowing.

  “That’s okay. At least we can rule it out,” Linc said as he released her. He leaned over and picked an early blooming flower and tucked it in her hair.

  “Linc! I don’t think you’re supposed to pick flowers in a nature reserve,” Brigid said, shocked.

  “Probably not, but it’s not nearly as beautiful as you are,” he said kissing her forehead. “So, you don’t want to see anything else here?”

  Brigid paused, tapping her fingernail on her front teeth. “Nope,” she finally said. “It’s just not our place, but we might as well take a walk around the loop trail and make it worth the trip,” she said grinning. She couldn’t believe how incredibly lucky she was to have a man who was so understanding and willing to let her take the lead. The fact that he was perfectly happy to just turn around and go home, because she said so, was quite touching to her.

  “As you wish,” he said as he held out his arm. They slowly walked along the trail, pointing out the cute little animals to each other as they went. Together, they laughed and enjoyed themselves before finally ending up back at the main office.

  Brigid had grown quiet as they walked back to the truck.

  “What’s wrong, Brigid?” Linc asked as he opened her door.

  “What if I can’t decide? We wanted a late May wedding, but if I can’t pick a place to have it…,” she let her sentence trail off.

  “It will all work out, you’ll see,” Linc said. “The more you stress, the harder it’s going to seem. Just have faith, Brigid. You’ll find the right place.”

  “You think?” she asked as she climbed up into her seat and looked at Linc, concern showing on her face.

  “I know,” Linc said confidently before shutting her door.

  As he walked around to the driver’s side of the truck, she tried to embody the confidence he had that everything would work out in the end. She was so used to planning and analyzing, that going with the flow was a foreign thing for her, but if other people could do it, so could she. Leaning back in the seat she took a deep breath and for just a moment, allowed herself to believe it would all work out.

  CHAPTER 3

  “I have some work I need to finish today, but let’s have dinner tonight. Okay with you?” Linc said as he pulled into Brigid’s driveway.

  “That sounds great. Your house or mine?” she asked as she collected her things. Her purse was on the floor by her feet, and she’d tucked her discarded jacket behind her.

  “Why don’t you come to my place? Bring Holly if she’s not busy, but if she is, I won’t be offended.” Linc gave Brigid a wink and she laughed.

  “I’ll see what she’s got going on. Talk to you later. Love you,” she said as she leaned across the truck seat and kissed him.

  Linc returned the kiss, nibbling on her lip slightly before leaning back. “Looking forward to it. Love you, too,” he grinned.

  As she got out of his truck, she heard her phone chime. Digging in her purse she saw it was her sister.

  Busy? was all the text message said.

  Nope. What do you need? she sent back. Walking towards her house, her sister quickly responded.

  I could use a soda. Can you bring me one?

  She sent back a thumbs up emoji. Pausing, Brigid thought about going inside the house for a moment, but decided that probably wasn’t a good idea. Jett had a habit of thinking he needed to come in from outside as soon as someone came home. If she went in, he’d start scratching at the back door. She already felt sorry for the door from the other times he’d scratched at it. Big paws meant big claws, and he was well into the process of ruining the door.

  Instead, she decided to leave without going inside. She climbed into her car, figuring she could finish proofreading the novel she’d been working on later. Anyway, there was no real need to go inside. She could tell Holly still wasn’t home, because her bike wasn’t in its usual place. Normally, she’d lock it up on the porch, but there was no sign of it.

  It’d be nice to talk with Fiona about my wedding plans, she thought. She’d been so busy with work recently that she hadn’t had a chance to visit with her sister as much as she’d like. Maybe a little si
ster time was exactly what she needed. Fiona was so into fashion and everything that was in style, she’d probably have some suggestions on how to get the wedding ball rolling.

  As she pulled out of her driveway, she thought about all the things she still needed to decide. She needed a location, a cake, a dress, and a bouquet for starters. Everything beyond that was just icing on the cake, so to speak. She didn’t want to go overboard and spend a lot of money on the ceremony. Linc and Brigid had decided that any money they saved by not going overboard on the wedding would go directly towards their honeymoon fund. To her, that was a much more worthwhile expense. She’d always thought it was a lot better to spend money on experiences rather than on things.

  Brigid made a quick stop at the gas station and picked up Fiona’s favorite soda before continuing on to the bookstore. Once inside, she heard her sister and another familiar voice laughing.

  “Missy!” Brigid exclaimed as she entered. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.” She gave her friend a hug as they greeted each other.

  “It’s been so long since I’ve sat down with a good book, I came to visit your sister,” she said. “Now that the holidays are over, I can take a little time to read.”

  “Good for you. You’ve had a lot going on the past few months,” Fiona said. She turned to Brigid and said, “Thanks, Sis. I needed some liquid refreshment.” She twisted the cap off the soda and took a big drink.

  “I’d say so,” Brigid chuckled. She turned to Missy, “Don’t you have a lot to do to get ready for Easter?” Brigid asked as they moved over to the armchairs situated nearby and sat down. Missy was sipping a cup of coffee, her hands wrapped around the mug, as if they were cold.

  “Yes, but it’s not quite like the holidays. With all the needy families the church helps, I have a lot to keep track of. I’m always worried I’ll forget someone or something,” Missy said.