Are you as curious as I am yet about how this is all going to turn out? Thanks for coming back for more. Remember that I’m still just free writing, not editing for anything major, and welcome your critique and comments! If you’re new to the story, click here to start at the beginning. Enjoy the next couple of chapters!

Chapter 10

How

Waking up late was a luxury Erin didn’t usually have. But Uncle Harry had wanted to open the shop today because he had some ideas he wanted to run by Barry and Bonnie before customers started showing up. So she pulled on her trusty turquoise sweats and running shoes and headed out the door for a much-needed run to try to clear her head. She hadn’t slept well after initially falling asleep quickly, her dreams filled with visions of Hazel lying injured in a ditch somewhere and car crashes caused by unknown assailants. She really needed to get her act together.

Running in the hills was always an adventure. Sometimes the fog could be so thick you could barely see in front of you. Today, the mist was light as the sun, already gaining altitude in the sky, burned off the wispy tendrils. She was due in the shop by 10, so she chose her longer route, enjoying the quiet the hills and canyons brought.

Her feet automatically lead her to Canyon Rd., the site of the fateful accident involving Hazel’s husband, Bernie, and their 5-year-old son, Bryan. Hazel and Bernie had been married 15 years before they were able to have Bryan, and they adored the curly headed boy. The night they died, Bernie and Bryan were headed home from a T-ball practice at the Canyon Park.

Into the rhythm of her run now, Erin didn’t even have to think about where she was going, so she just let her mind continue down the path it was taking on its own. If she remembered what her parents had told her when she asked about Hazel when she would see her alone in the Village, Bernie had worked for the Federal Government. Systems analyst or something like that. Pretty low key, but a good job. Nothing nefarious that she knew of. Of course, she was only two when the accident happened. Hard to believe it had been twenty years.

Which brought her back to the question, how is it possible that Hazel had turned up something proving the accident wasn’t all that it seemed? Like a dog gnawing on a bone, Erin could not let go of this mystery. Turning toward home, she determined to head back to Hazel’s house now that it was light, and do a bit more thorough of a search.

After a warm shower and a quick cup of coffee—she’d grab a bagel at the shop when she got there—Erin filled Einstein’s bowls, gave him a kiss on the head, and headed to her Bug. It would take her just a few minutes to get to Hazel’s, but she knew she didn’t have much time before she needed to show up at work or Harry would have Scott putting out an APB on her. Leftover hippy that he was, he was still over protective of both his nieces. Erin’s sister, Sarah, was at school in San Diego, and her older brother, Tyler, was married with a baby and seemed to be doing well taking care of his family, so Erin usually got the brunt of his watchfulness.

As she again pulled into Hazel’s driveway, Erin was struck by the rundown look of the place. It hadn’t seemed so pitiful in the dark. But to see it in full daylight brought a lump to Erin’s throat. Why did Hazel refuse all offers of help? This house could be beautiful if it was taken care of. The view of the Bay would be stunning if the trees were trimmed. Even with the city ordinance requiring views to be conserved, Hazel had somehow slipped under the radar.

She slowly got out of the Bug and headed toward the garage that was straight in front of her. Most people used their garages around the hills, because it was almost impossible for emergency vehicles to get by if there were cars on the edges of the road. Hazel’s garage was typical for the neighborhood: two-car, heavy wooden door drawn up manually with the aid of a large spring, door out back, windows on both sides. Erin approached the door but hesitated to try to open it. She really didn’t have a right to enter Hazel’s property.

But how was she going to be able to check thoroughly if she couldn’t go in? She went around the side window, but it was so covered in grime that she couldn’t see a thing in the dark interior. She tried rubbing her hand through the dirt, but it only made it worse. She climbed through the weeds and overgrown bushes to the other side, scaring a pair of rabbits in the process, but encountered the same grime on that side as well.

Heaving a deep sigh, Erin stood with her hands on her hips, trying to decide what she should do. She glanced at her watch and saw that she only had 15 minutes to get to work, so she decided to head back to her car. Looking down to make sure she didn’t encounter those rabbits again, Erin slowed as something on the ground caught her eye. As she got closer, she saw that it was a small business card, dirty and a little damp, but clearly legible. It said, “Green Glass Vineyard and Winery. Serving Napa Valley’s Finest Wines for more than 150 years. Grant Frasier, manager. 707-555-3487.”

Obviously the card hadn’t been there a long time, but by now Erin was pushing the window on getting to the shop on time, so she tucked the card in the pocket of her jeans, and hurried to her car to start the short trip down the hill to the Village and Be My Bagel.