The next day, Captain Renard met the two detectives as they came in.
"Have we figured out what is causing this problem?" he asked.
Nick shook his head, "No, sir; Alden and Joyce lived at opposite ends of the city, their families didn't even know each other, they didn't even shop at the same places. Harper found out that this particular worm seems to come from something wood-based, but what that could be is anybody's guess."
Renard accepted this report impassively. "I just got a call from a very good friend of mine. She mentioned some kind of disturbance going on over in the Belmont area. I'll tell Wu to text you the address, but I think you should start heading out there as soon as possible." Renard glanced from one detective to the other, "Something tells me that there is more to this situation than meets the eye." With that cryptic comment, he departed to his office.
Nick and Hank glanced warily at each other before heading to the motor pool.
Neither could believe their eyes as they followed directions to the address and pulled up in front of a large castle, in the middle of a quiet neighborhood.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Nick asked. The area seemed relatively quiet, except for the ribbons, streamers and flowers waving in the breeze.
Hank checked his phone, "The corner of Taylor and 32nd Street, it says. We need to look for a Kaylie Porter."
Nick glanced up and down the block. "Who would have thought there would be a random castle, right in the middle of Portland?" he mused.
"I don't know about you, man," Hank muttered as they pulled open the huge door and stepped inside, "But I have a feeling that after today, we can both say we've seen everything."
Nick listened to the chatter going on all over the place. From where they stood, at the foot of one flight of stairs that led to the main area, and the top of another that led to the basement, they could hear everything going on both topside and underneath.
A harried-looking woman bustled out of an upper doorway, clipboard in hand. She stopped when she saw the detectives.
"What can I do for you?" she asked, with a strange bob of her head.
"Portland Police," Nick said, "We're looking for Kaylie Porter; do you know where we can find her?"
The woman, whose nametag identified her as Amelie DeBalia, bobbed her head again and demanded, "What's she done?"
Before either detective could answer, a brunette in a lovely brown shirtdress appeared on the basement steps.
"Oh! Did Captain Renard send you?" she gasped, eyeing Amelie suspiciously. "I'm Kaylie; come down here."
"Remember, Kaylie," Amelie hollered after her, "Mr. Chase wants Tessa and Gordon up in the sanctuary at three o'clock sharp to begin the rehearsal."
"Yes, I know," Kaylie muttered.
Nick and Hank followed her down the steps. The wedding party moved silently, getting things prepared for the coming wedding. The bridesmaids checked hair and made sure the dresses were all accounted for, while the groomsmen stood around and watched them.
Kaylie caught the best man. "Jordan, how's Tessa?" Genuine concern filled her eyes.
Jordan shrugged. "Crying in her suite again. She won't let anyone in."
Delicious smells wafted from the kitchen immediately to their left.
Kaylie meandered past the oblivious bridesmaids to a small room that most likely served as the church nursery.
YOU ARE READING
Read Between The Lines
Fanfiction"The Bücherwurm (book-er-verm) originates from a bookstore run by a Kinderphantasie; anyone who reads a book purchased there is infected, and the worm burrows into his brain, allowing the Kinderphantasie to feed on his imagination, incorporate him a...
