The Hatbox

The Hatbox / Chapter 10 - Part 1

Paula received a call from Anna. Anna owns the bakery beside her bookstore, "Oliver's Twist."

"I called the store and Chloe said you were out. I hope I'm not bothering you," she apologized.

"Of course not. Is everything okay?"

"Well, a strange thing just happened. A girl came into my shop, a pleasant young lady, she had a book from your store, so I called you as soon as she left. I figured you would want to talk, but Chloe said you were out."

"Want to talk?"

"I don't even know how to say it, so I'm just going to spit it out," she said with apprehension in her voice.

"Okay," she replied in a worried tone.

"She bought a book from your store, then she came in and ordered some desserts from me. She read for a while, then the oddest thing. Just as she was getting ready to leave, she asked about Brett Clark?"

"What?" Paula gasped, obviously bothered.

"I didn't say anything, you know I wouldn't."

"I know," she said, her voice lower. Sadness overcame her tone.

The phone grew quiet, "Paula?"

"I'm here...just thinking."

"No honey, I was just wondering too. She came into my shop with a book from your store. You might want to call Chloe to see if she said anything to her."

"Yeah, you're right. I got to go."

"Okay."

Paula called Chloe and nearly got the mirrored story. Except that Chloe truly had no idea of a Brett Clark or that the Clark family was a prominent family in this coastal area. She just answered the question. She didn't know anything. She didn't even know that Paula's maiden name was Clark.

"So this young woman is in town, asking about Brett. I can't reach Nora. What is going on?" Her thoughts were running wild.

Paula had left the bookstore for some supplies and was returning when she got the call. As she hung up with Anna, she saw that she had a voicemail. She had a missed call too from Chris. He owned the pier shop...well, the pier too.

She put her phone on speaker and listened, "Hey Paula. It's Chris. Just wanted to let you know that a lady was in my shop today. Asking about Brett. I said I didn't know him. Well...because that's not what I called him back then. But anyway, she did say she worked for the Cove something. A newspaper. That's all she said. I thought you should know. Call me if you have questions."

She pulled over on the side of the road. She was almost at the shop but quickly called Anna back. As she heard Anna's voice begin to answer, she interrupted her, "It's Paula. Real quick, what was she driving?"

"It was a white jeep. The sportier type. Not the SUV."

"Okay. And can you describe her for me?"

"Sure honey. She's blonde-headed. Hair past her shoulders. Maybe an inch or two taller than me. My guess would be early twenties. You know how bad I am with ages though. Is everything okay?" Worry in her voice.

"Just checking on something. I'll call you later."

"Okay," she said in a drawn-out manner.

Paula quickly called Chloe to say she'd be a little later and decided to do some snooping of her own.

She turned around in the middle of the road and turned back towards the main street. She remembered Alex had mentioned that the neighbor drove a jeep. She wanted so badly to call and ask him if it was white, but deep down, she knew it was white. She wouldn't dare call him yet. She needed a bit more information. But the coincidences were building up to something not so coincidental.