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“This is my mom, Marge Poole,” said Odelia. “Mom, meet Alicia. Jock and Grace’s daughter.”

“Hi, Alicia,” said Marge, who was looking slightly nervous.

“It’s so great to finally meet you,” said Alicia. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“You have?” asked Marge. “I didn’t know…”

“Yeah, my dad told me about his very first girlfriend, who is now the wife of Doctor Poole, and mother of the famous Odelia Poole, reporter for theHampton Cove Gazette. He reads your stories all the time, by the way, Odelia, and follows all of your exploits.”

“That’s… so nice of your father,” said Marge, who clearly hadn’t expected this.

They followed the young woman down the hallway, and into the library, which was, as libraries go, opulent. Racks of books reached all the way to the ceiling, and there was even one of those library ladders on wheels. In the center of the room leather couches had been placed, surrounding a salon table, and Odelia spotted a comfy-looking window seat that practically invited her to pick up a book and spend a couple of hours reading.

Standing near that same window, looking out, a tall man stood, back straight, hands behind his back. When they walked in, he turned. He looked about Odelia’s dad’s age, but his hair was completely gray, and he had a little white mustache. He had one of those classically handsome faces, that only become more attractive with age.

He greeted them with a pleasant smile.

“Marge Poole,” he said, spreading his arms. “It’s such a pleasure to see you. And can I say you haven’t changed one bit?”

“Hi, Jock,” said Marge, still not at ease. “You look well.”

“A little older, a little grayer, and, perhaps a little wiser,” he said.

Odelia could see how her mother would have fallen for this man. He had charm and charisma oozing from every pore.

“This is my daughter Odelia,” said Marge.

“Spitting image of your lovely mother,” said Jock, and pressed Odelia’s hands warmly. “Alicia told me she invited you, and I must confess I think it’s a little silly of her, to engage your services like this.”

“Well, she’s very worried about her mother,” said Odelia.

“I know, and I’m worried myself, but knowing Grace she will turn up soon enough.”

“You mean she’s done this before?”

“She has disappeared before, yes, and usually gets back in touch after a couple of days. One time I didn’t hear from her for two weeks. I’d already contacted the police. Turns out she needed a break from it all and had gone down to the Keys for a vacation.”

“Mom would never do that,” said Alicia. “She would never just leave us like that.”

“And yet she did, sweetheart. You wouldn’t remember as you were too young.”

“I think I would have noticed if Mama left for two weeks, Papa.”

“Well, you didn’t, since I sent you to your grandmother for two weeks, and you had the time of your life. My mom and dad live in Montana, you see,” said Jock. “They took over a dude ranch when Dad retired, and have been living up there since, having a ball.”

“You said Grace has done this several times?” asked Odelia as Alicia frowned, trying to recollect the incident her father was referring to.

“Yes, my wife has a tendency to disappear, just as a way of getting back at me for some perceived slight. She is quite incapable of dealing with the slings and arrows of life. Instead of coping, or attacking them head-on, she prefers to run away. I’ll bet she’s relaxing in a five-star hotel in Cabo right now, enjoying an extensive pampering session.”

“She wouldn’t do that without letting me know where she is, Papa,” said Alicia stubbornly. “She simply wouldn’t!”

“Could you give me a few minutes with Marge and Odelia, sweetheart? There’s something I need to discuss with them.”

The moment his daughter had left, Jock turned grave.“Look, I understand Alicia is worried sick, and I would be, too, if I didn’t know her mother better than she does. We’ve always tried to protect Alicia from Grace’s whims and her many flings, but it’s becoming harder and harder as Alicia gets older. I don’t know if she told you this, but Grace has been conducting a torrid and sordid affair with an artist I hired to paint her portrait.”

“Fabio Shakespeare?” said Odelia.

“I see Alicia already mentioned him. Fabio’s been staying at the old gamekeeper’s cottage, with Grace sitting for her portrait. Only I think she’s become more to the man than just a model. I think they’ve become lovers, as well, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they took off together, since Fabio disappeared around the same time Grace did.”

“Do you mind if we take a look at the cottage?” asked Odelia.

“No, by all means be my guest,” said Jock. “And if you find that her disappearance is, in fact, troubling, as my daughter seems to think, I’ll be the first one to call the police. But until then I’m pretty sure this is another one of her flings that ended with a trip abroad.”

“She doesn’t, by any chance, have tracking software on her phone, does she?” asked Odelia.