Goodnight Moo Read online

  After the groceries were put away, Brynn returned to her packing. Becky helped. “I love your labels. Did I ever ask you why they call the farm Buttermilk Creek?”

  “I don’t think so. But the answer is not that interesting.” Brynn laughed. “You’d think in an area rich with history the name would have some interesting story attached to it. But it was named after a German family whose last name was Buttermilch, which sounds like ‘buttermilk’ to the untrained American ear. So after years, it became Buttermilk.”

  “Well, it’s perfect for your farm, isn’t it?”

  “It is,” Brynn said as she wrapped a hunk of cheese in linen, then stuck a label on it.

  “How are you feeling? It’s almost time for another dose of meds.”

  “I’m okay. I’ll probably take a nap before the big show tonight.”

  Becky laughed. “Me too. I’m not much of a night owl. I like being in bed early.”

  “Same.”

  “When we were teenagers, we’d never had said such a thing.”

  “No. We were so cool then,” Brynn said, and she boxed up her package.

  Becky sighed. “If only we were as cool today . . .”

  “If we were, we’d have more energy,” Brynn said. “I don’t have enough to be that cool.”

  “Ain’t that the truth?” Becky cut a piece of linen and handed it to Brynn.

  Brynn took in the tableau—she and her sister, separated by distance and a few years, working together, as if time had slipped away. She blinked back a tear. Becky had picked up and raced to her side when she was hurt. She left her daughter, her life, in Richmond and came to make sure Brynn was okay and to help. “Thank you for coming here.”

  Becky’s head tilted, and she leaned forward. “Where else would I be right now?”

  “Home with your daughter, your work. Our parents.”

  Becky sighed, looked away, and blinked. She looked steadily at Brynn. “Don’t make too much of this. I needed a break from all of it. Your concussion was a great excuse.” Straight-faced. A twitch in her cheek. Then she exploded in laughter.

  Chapter 40

  The fair was everything Brynn had remembered from the previous years. The skies were darkening when they arrived, so the strung lights and carnival rides lit the place. She tried to view the grounds with fresh eyes as she had done last year. But it was difficult, realizing the underside of things. How much work it took to put the fair together. How behind some of these friendly faces a strong current of racism was hidden. How a young man had tied to kill Wes. She was trying not to be paranoid as they strolled through the crowds and she noted people taking a second look at Wes and Max. They could be looking at them because they were handsome young men. That made sense. That is what she’d choose to believe.

  The organ music from the merry-go-round played in the background and the scent of buttered popcorn mingled with candied apples clung to the air.

  They sat at a picnic table and watched people go by. A mother with a baby in the stroller and another wide-eyed child holding her hand. A group of preteens looking cool and disinterested in the fair. Couples holding hands.

  The skies were a dark blue-black beyond the lights, with stars starting to come into view. Brynn was glad to be here, even with all the chaos.

  “How are you feeling?” Becky asked, and then bit into a hot dog.

  “You’ve asked twelve times. I’m fine.” And she was. She felt stronger than she had in a long time. “Things keep going like this and you’ll have to go back to your awful life.”

  Becky grinned.

  “We’re going on a few rides.” Wes leaned across the table. “I love the Ferris wheel.” For a moment, Brynn thought she glimpsed the boy he used to be—or even maybe still was.

  “I’ll go with you,” Nathaniel said. He was not letting his son out of his sight. Brynn realized he had seen the onlookers glancing Max’s way as they strode through the crowds. Wes, Max, and Nathaniel took off to ride the Ferris wheel.

  David Reese came up to their table. “Well, hello, ladies. I don’t believe we’ve met.” He turned to Becky and eyeballed her as if he were looking at a piece of meat

  “My sister, Becky,” Brynn said. “Becky, this is David Reese. He sells tractors.”

  “Oh,” Becky said. “Like the freaky robot tractor that killed that boy?”

  He paled. “Uh. Listen, I’m sorry. I’ve got an appointment. Catch you ladies later.” He took off.

  “Not if I can help it,” Becky muttered under her breath.

  Brynn’s stifled laugh came out. “It’s not me, is it? There’s something way off about him.”

  “I’d say.” Becky stuffed the last of her hot dog into her mouth.

  Brynn watched as a mother with a stroller attempted to navigate the grassy fairground. A group of preteens sauntered by trying to look as uninterested as possible in the rows of fair games and rides around the corner. The ding-ding-ding from a game caught at least one of the girls’ attention. One of them stopped to talk with a tall young man wearing cowboy boots. Brynn recognized him. It was Roy.

  Roy strolled through the crowd. He stopped and talked with someone, then started to make his way past Brynn, then stopped. “Ms. MacAlister? Do you remember me?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Have you seen Chelsea?” Roy asked. “I was supposed to meet her an hour ago. It’s not like her to be late and she’s not answering her phone.”

  A chill traveled through Brynn. With all the sinister events of the past few weeks, this might be cause for concern. “I’ve not seen her. Have you, Becky?”

  “I don’t think I have.”

  “Have you called her parents?” Brynn asked.

  “That’s what I’m going to do next. I’m heading into the craft building to get away from all the noise. I don’t want to worry them, but at the same time . . . it’s not like her.”

  “I think they’d appreciate it. Who knows? Maybe she’s with them.” Brynn recalled when Tillie was missing. She was so thankful it had turned out okay. But these days, you couldn’t be too careful—there was a freak accident and a murder in their own little community. “She may have gotten sidetracked.”

  “Let us know,” Becky said. Her eyes were wide with worry. Every parent’s nightmare. A missing child. Brynn could read her sister’s thoughts.

  Let’s hope that’s not the case, she thought.

  As Brynn watched him walk away, something else occurred to her. “Maybe she’s out with another boy.”

  “I thought about that, too. Hopefully she stood him up. Could be that’s all it is.”

  “Too bad for him. But at least she’d be okay.”

  Wes found it hard to imagine Chelsea and Roy were dating. Brynn didn’t like to judge people based on their looks. But Roy was an average-looking young man, with a bad complexion. Chelsea was unusually beautiful—like breathtaking. When she walked into a room, your eyes couldn’t help but land on her. It was almost as if there were an angelic glow around her.

  “I’m going to find the bathroom,” Brynn said, and stood.

  “Need help?” Becky asked.

  “I think I can manage.”

  Brynn walked slowly through the grass and around the corner of the craft building to find a bathroom. There were David Reese and Roy at the end of the building. Roy was gesturing. David’s hands were on his hips. “What’s wrong with you, old man?” Brynn stopped in her tracks. A crowd started to gather.

  “Look, boy. You need to move on.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do. Where’s Chelsea?” He pushed David. Hard. David stumbled and almost fell. His chest puffed. “I told you I don’t know where the little slut is.”

  Roy plunged into him. The next thing Brynn knew, the two of them were on the ground, rolling around, punching, pulling hair. She stepped forward and tried to help break it up.

  “What’s wrong with you two?” She reached for Roy and tried to pull him off.

  “Step aside, Brynn.” She
turned to see Sheriff Edge, who pulled Roy off of David with one yank.

  “Gladly!” Brynn’s heart thudded in her chest. What was going on here? Why did Roy think David knew Chelsea’s whereabouts? Why was he so angry at David? Why would David even concern himself with young people in the valley? He was a grown man.

  “Okay, everybody!” the sheriff said in a loud, forceful tone Brynn had never heard come out of him before. “Move along! Nothing to see here!” Another officer grabbed David and put his hands behind his back, then took him away.

  The sheriff still held Roy. “Let’s you and me take a walk.”

  Okay. Things seemed to be under control here. The crowd was dispersing and Brynn still needed to find the bathroom. She turned to run into her sister. “We really can’t take you anywhere,” Becky said.

  Chapter 41

  Brynn nearly collapsed into bed that night. She wouldn’t admit it to anybody else, but she had to admit it to herself—going to the fair exhausted her. She was getting better, but long outings sapped energy from her.

  Even though she was bone-tired, she tossed and turned, recalling the argument between David Reese and Roy. How odd. Why would Roy presume David knew where Chelsea was? And had they ever found her? She whispered a prayer that the young woman was safe and back home, where she belonged.

  She rolled over onto her stomach, which usually helped when she wanted to fall asleep. Romeo jumped on the bed and settled herself on Brynn’s lower back, purring. The purring worked its magic and Brynn nodded off.

  She awakened to the scent of frying eggs, which always stirred her. She untangled herself from her quilts and made her way downstairs, surprised to see Willow at the breakfast table.

  “I talked her into staying,” Wes said.

  “He can be very persuasive,” Willow said, smiling. Brynn leaned down and hugged her. “So good to see you.”

  “It smells heavenly, doesn’t it?” Becky said. “He’s making an omelet, with all of the fresh veggies from the garden.”

  “Well, from other people’s gardens. We only have a small one. Don’t have time to do cheese and gardens, Not this year, anyway.” Wes placed the platter of eggs on the table.

  “How are the girls this morning? I miss them.”

  “They’re fine. I’m sure they miss you, too. That Jewel is gorgeous. She’s looking so healthy. You should be able to find her a new home soon.”

  Brynn’s heart sank at the thought.

  “Have you ever found her collar?” Becky asked to nobody in particular.

  Wes sat down. “No.”

  “Collar?” Willow asked. “Was her collar missing?”

  “Still is.”

  “No, it’s not. I’m sure I saw it on her this morning.” She took a bite of eggs.

  Brynn’s head spun. “What? Her collar is back?”

  Becky’s eyes widened. Wes stood. The three of them left the table.

  “What? Where are you all going?” Willow said, her mouth half full.

  Brynn kept moving. “Going to see the collar.”

  “What’s the big deal?” Willow said, staying with her food. “I’m not sure what’s going on here, but I’m hungry,” Brynn heard before she left the house, still in her pajamas and slippers.

  The three of them rushed to the gate. Freckles spotted them and ran over as they opened it. “Hey, girl,” Brynn said, patting her but moving toward Jewel, grazing peacefully, ignoring them until the three of them got closer. She looked up, blinked.

  “Well, ain’t that something,” Brynn said, for there stood the cow with a collar around her shaggy neck.

  “How did that happen?” Becky said what they were all wondering.

  Wes shook his head in disbelief. “Someone must have taken it and then put it back on.”

  Astonished, Brynn’s breath was ragged. “But why would someone do that?”

  The three of them stood staring at the cow as if she held the answers. She batted her big eyes and turned back to her breakfast.

  Wes walked over to her and gently removed the collar and examined it. “It looks like the same collar, but I can’t be sure. I wasn’t paying much attention to it before.”

  Becky and Brynn looked it over, too. Brynn held it up to the sky and noted the wobbly inseam. “I think there’s something inside.”

  “Let’s take it in the house and cut it open,” Wes said. “We can always get her another collar.”

  When the three of them came into the house, Willow was on her second helping of eggs. “If you-all aren’t going to eat, I am. These biscuits are amazing.” She looked up. “What are you doing bringing that filthy collar in here?”

  “We suspect there’s something inside of it.”

  She dropped her biscuit. “What?”

  Wes reached for a knife and a pair of scissors. “Let’s take it into the living room.”

  All of them, even Willow, followed Wes into the living room. He spread the collar out on the coffee table.

  Brynn’s head was spinning. A missing collar returned, with something inside. This had to be one of the strangest things that had ever happened to her—and plenty of odd things had happened since she moved to Shenandoah Springs.

  He gently took the knife and cut open the underside of the collar. What was inside? Jewels? Drugs? Brynn knew about the drug problem here and everywhere. She was expecting to see cocaine or something inside of the collar.

  Wes turned it upside down. Little square pieces of plastic fell onto the table.

  Becky’s mouth dropped. “What the heck is that?”

  Wes frowned. “Computer chips.”

  Brynn had held off calling Chelsea because she was so young and really, if she had taken the collar, what proof did they have? She didn’t want to be accused of harassing a minor. But if Chelsea did take it, would she have brought it back last night when she was missing—with those computer chips inside?

  Looks like she would have to call her. She dreaded it.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Becky said.

  Brynn shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “Those computer chips must hold valuable information.”

  “Yes, but I was thinking . . . Chelsea must have been the person who brought it back. What would she know about computer chips?”

  Wes’s head titled. “Plenty. She’s dating a brilliant computer guy, and she’s in the tech program at school.”

  As they sat in silence, each with their own thoughts, Brynn’s stomach growled. Loudly. “Sorry.”

  “You better get something more to eat.”

  “I always think better on a full stomach. I didn’t get a chance to finish my eggs.”

  “We all do,” Wes said. “This is crazy, right?”

  “Can we see what information is on the chips?” Becky asked as they gathered around the breakfast table to finish eating.

  “I’m not sure, but I’ll look into it. I can always call Roy.”

  Brynn wondered if Roy was even available, assuming he might be in jail for assault. She kept her thoughts to herself. The eggs were getting cold.

  Chapter 42

  Brynn’s trembling fingers picked at the numbers on the phone. She needed to get her phone back—or get another smartphone. And why was she so nervous? Chelsea was a teenager. She was no danger to her. And yet Brynn was certain she’d taken Jewel’s collar and brought it back, which meant she knew something about these computer chips, or whatever they were. Also, she didn’t like the idea of harassing a teenager. She hung up the phone. Maybe she should talk with Chelsea’s parents first.

  Her thoughts rolled over and over in her brain as she recalled everything the family had been through with the accidental murder and the crazed tractor.

  Perhaps it was best to directly ask Chelsea and then, depending on her reaction, Brynn would go to her parents.

  “Are you going to make that call or what?” Becky walked into the room.

  “Yes, I was mulling over how best to approach it.”
/>   “Directly is best,” Becky said. “I’m running to the market. Are you okay to be alone for about an hour?”

  Brynn nodded, staring at the phone as if it would move at any minute. Who knows. With all of the strange technology goings-on, tractors controlled remotely, ransom ware running through the community’s computers, chips in a cow’s collar, perhaps the phone would start to dance at any moment. Brynn smiled.

  “Are you okay?” Becky said. “You’ve got a weird smile on your face.”

  “I’m fine. Go to the market and I’ll call Chelsea. I’ll have an answer by the time you get back.”

  Becky left the room muttering to herself.

  Which made Brynn smile even wider.

  She picked up the phone and dialed Chelsea.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Chelsea, it’s Brynn. How are you doing?” She tapped her fingers on her knee. Still shaking slightly.

  “I’m doing well. I’m going shopping for school clothes later. That’s one of my favorite things to do.”

  Brynn’s stomach wavered. Chelsea was so young. She took a deep breath.

  “Hey, I’ve got a strange question for you.”

  A pause. “Okay.”

  “Did you take Jewel’s collar?”

  Another pause. “Come again?”

  “Someone took Jewel’s collar and I think it was you.”

  “Her collar is missing?” She sounded flustered.

  “No. You brought it back last night. Your boyfriend was looking for you at the fair and couldn’t find you. You were here, replacing the collar.”

  “Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she stammered. “I didn’t take anything and I don’t have a boyfriend. I told you that.” She paused. “Is this some kind of joke?”

  “No. I wish it were.” Brynn didn’t believe a word Chelsea said. It had to be Chelsea. She wouldn’t admit it. But why? “Are you in some sort of trouble?” She recalled how oddly Tillie behaved when she was in a perceived trouble. Chelsea knew something about all this and felt like she couldn’t say anything.