UPROOTING THE FAMILY TREE
As she’d done thousands of times before, Celeste trod the path between her cottage and the hotel. Today, she was grateful to see only small patches of snow here and there. This year, winter had outdone itself, to say the least. She looked toward the mountain, where the frigid air had peeled back the misty shroud of the warmer months and revealed details usually hidden from view. Ten years earlier, during another cold winter, she and Howard had stood in the same spot, gazing at the mountain’s craggy face. Howard had grown up in Florida’s panhandle and spent his adult life in eastern North Carolina. Yet, he’d always yearned to be in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their first vacation in the High Country sparked talk of moving there.
She’d been skeptical when he’d enthusiastically shown her the sale listing for a small hotel near the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is it, he’d said. I know it’s where we belong. Brushing the snow from Howard’s memorial stone with her gloved hand, she noticed how the native granite seemed even colder and grayer than usual. The memories flooded in, causing her throat to tighten a little as if she might cry, but not as much as they once had. Now, five years after his death, her grief had shifted from a sense of loss to one of peace.
“Mom, wait up.”
Turning, she saw Cameron jogging toward her. As he drew near, she felt relief again over his decision to help run the hotel. Thanks to his support, she’d recently taken her first vacation in years, visiting her lifelong best friend, Abby Benson, and her husband, Mark, in Myrtle Beach. Cold and snow followed her there, too, but she’d enjoyed the needed break.
The trial of Ethan Wright’s murderer left her mentally exhausted. For the first time in such a case, she’d been called to testify and asked to verify the times she’d seen certain defendants come and go from the hotel. Cross-examination made things harder. The attorney questioned her age, remarking, “Being on the downhill side of sixty-five, your memory for details might not be as good as it once was.” Despite the prosecutor’s objection, the defense had been allowed to subject her to a brief cognitive test right there on the stand. She’d aced his questions, but it took effort to hide her wounded ego. The experience unsettled her for days, and she’d jumped at Abby’s invitation to get away.
“Are you going to help with breakfast?” Celeste asked.
He caught up to her, and together they continued walking along the path toward the hotel.
“I got used to it while you were away. I learned a lot from Henrietta.”
“She could teach a master class in food service.”
Cameron chuckled. “Oh, she’s a fount of knowledge on many subjects.”
She wrapped her hand around his bicep. She’d noticed his fitness level increasing since he’d started skiing. His girlfriend was an avid skier, and naturally, he had to give it a try. Men never outgrow the desire to impress women. Still, Celeste sensed there was more driving Cam these days. She saw it in the way he jumped at challenges and looked out at the mountains as his father had. It seemed he was discovering his purpose—reshaping his priorities and life goals, not simply earning a living as he had in his past career.
“I’ve been dreading the day Henrietta decides to hang up her apron,” Celeste said.
“I have some thoughts on the subject,” Cam said. “When you’re ready to hear me out.”
Shaking her head, Celeste said, “Cam, if you’re talking about reopening the restaurant…”
She held back the rest of her comment when she saw a familiar vehicle drive into the service entrance. The SUV’s driver parked next to Henrietta’s gray sedan. Recognizing the new arrival, she and Cam picked up their pace toward the hotel’s kitchen door, eager to greet their visitor.
“Good morning, Kristy,” Celeste called out.
Kristy Stone hopped from the vehicle. If Celeste hadn’t known her age, she would never have believed Kristy had recently turned fifty. Her brown denim outfit and trendy sunglasses contributed to her youthful appearance. She’d befriended Celeste and Howard when they purchased and renovated the hotel, and they had relied on Kristy’s advice in the early days. After all, she owned the Evergreen Bed & Breakfast a few miles away and knew the ins and outs of the hospitality business. She also ran a bakery, supplying pastries for Gran Vista’s complimentary breakfast.
“Good to see you, Celeste. Everyone missed you while you were away,” Kristy said.
“I’ve heard, but I enjoyed every minute of my vacation.”
As Cam carried the pastry boxes from the SUV into the kitchen, Kristy turned back to Celeste. “I have a question. What do you know about Howard’s family history?”
“I’ve never researched it. I’ve encouraged Cameron and Amy to join a genealogy site since it seems to be a popular pastime these days.” Curiosity led her to add, “Why do you ask?”
“Aunt Grace, my mother’s half-sister, came up for a visit last week. She brought ten years’ worth of family tree research. You’re not going to believe this. My step-grandfather, Paul Adams, was Howard’s uncle.”
Celeste paused and searched her memory. “Paul Adams? Of course. He was a retired Army officer. I met him a few times, once at a family reunion in Florida and again when Howard’s parents died. He attended their funerals. I think he passed away twenty years ago.”
“Twenty-three,” Kristy corrected. “You probably met my grandmother, as well.”
“I did meet his wife. She was a beautiful lady.”
“So was my mom,” Kristy said. “I guess the typical cliché would be—it’s a small world.”
“Agreed. I’m amazed at this news.”
“Of course, Howard and I weren’t blood relations. My biological grandfather was killed at Normandy on D-Day,” Kristy said. “But this new development makes me even more glad I got to know Howard.”
Celeste smiled. “I’m happy you did, too.”
“Can you and Cam come to lunch at Evergreen today?” Kristy asked. “I’ll show you what Aunt Grace has collected so far. I noticed a surprising fact in the Adams family history, but I won’t reveal it yet. I’ll let you discover it for yourself.” She hesitated a moment before adding, “It’s the kind of secret…well, it will make you look at both the past and the present in a different light.”
“Okay, I’m looking forward to it. Is twelve-thirty good for you?”
Kristy returned to her vehicle’s driver’s seat. “It’s a date.” As she drove away, Celeste pondered her cryptic parting shot. I wonder what revelations lurk within the Adams family tree.
Warm air, along with Henrietta’s outstretched arms, greeted her when she opened the kitchen door.
“Welcome home,” Henrietta said. “I was hoping you’d bring Abby back with you.”
Celeste shook her head. “It will be at least another month before we see Abby.”
She hung her jacket on the hook by the door, then walked to the laundry room to retrieve a fresh apron from the linen closet. By the time she returned, Cam had already flipped on the café lights and was moving plates and utensils into place on the buffet table.
“Word is you had a good helper while I was gone,” Celeste said.
“Yes, Cameron took to it like a pro. He reminds me a lot of his father. He has some good ideas, too.”
It didn’t go over her head that Henrietta had stopped short of telling her to listen to Cam. Celeste pulled three serving trays down from the cabinet and unboxed Kristy’s pastries. Cam returned to the kitchen and helped her with the task.
“Before I forget,” Celeste said to him. “Kristy invited us to Evergreen for lunch today. I told her we’d be there at twelve-thirty.”
“Sounds good to me. What’s the occasion?”
“She wants to show us her aunt’s genealogy work,” Celeste told him. “As it turns out, Kristy and your dad had a family connection.”
“Wow,” Cam said. “What are the odds of people from different parts of the country meeting here in the mountains and finding out they’re related?”
They took the trays to the buffet table in the café.
“Mrs. Stone brought her aunt over here one day last week,” Henrietta said from the other side of the pass-through window. “She seemed disappointed when I told her you were away at the beach, but she didn’t mention Mr. Adams to me.”
Henrietta set two trays of scrambled eggs on the window’s ledge. Cam transferred them to the warming plates.
“The aunt—Grace was her name—asked me questions about this area,” Henrietta continued. “She wanted to know if there were any old cemeteries or ruins along the creek.”
“Howard and I walked the trail many times, but I never noticed any,” Celeste said. “And I’m sure we wouldn’t have missed evidence of a cemetery or old homestead.”
“I told her I couldn’t recall any, and I’ve worked here most of my life. I suggested she visit the local historical society. Then she and Mrs. Stone went down to the creek. I noticed them stop and take a photo of Mr. Adams’ memorial. I hope it was okay with you.”
“Of course. He and Kristy’s Aunt Grace were first cousins.”
Cam followed Celeste back into the kitchen. “Where was I when they came around, Henrietta?”
“It was the morning you went to the hardware store with Kevin.”
Celeste perked up. “You had to go to the hardware store? What was broken?”
“Nothing major, Mom,” Cam said. “Wasn’t Dad’s family from Florida? Why was his cousin searching for ancestors here?”
“Yes, he grew up near Jacksonville,” Celeste said. “Maybe Grace wasn’t hunting an Adams ancestor. It could’ve been another branch of her family.”
Henrietta held out a large platter and said, “Bacon’s ready, and I saw a guest enter the café.”
“I got it.” Cam grabbed the platter and took it to the buffet.
When he was clear of earshot, Henrietta whispered, “We had a minor plumbing problem in one of the rooms. Cameron and Kevin handled it.”
“I’m sure they did,” Celeste said. “I’m trying to let go and hand over more to him.”
“He’s been with us long enough. He’s ready.”
The air fryer’s timer beeped. Celeste dumped the hash browns into a tray. Glancing at Cam as he greeted more hotel guests who had ventured down for breakfast, she remembered how he once tried to dissuade her and Howard from giving up financial security to chase a dream. In recent months, she’d realized his growing appreciation for the work his parents did. Now, he’s set to inherit our dream.
“I never expected Cam to leave his career and move here to help me,” Celeste said.
“Last week, I saw him standing outside, staring at MacRae Peak, with the same wistful look I always saw on his father’s face,” Henrietta responded.
Celeste held back her reply when Cameron reentered the kitchen. He placed his hands on his hips and slowly turned his head from side to side, making eye contact with each of them.
“I have a feeling you were talking about me,” he said.
“It was all good,” Henrietta replied. “We were saying how much you favor your father.”
Cam grinned. “Dark hair and dimples, but beyond those, I don’t see it.”
“Your mannerisms are like his,” Celeste said.
Nodding her head in agreement, Henrietta said, “Yes, and your laugh sounds like his.”
“You two are going to make me self-conscious, now,” he said.
Celeste patted his cheek. “I’m glad you have your father’s laugh. It was one of the things I loved most about him. Anyway, you can’t change your genetics.”
“You shouldn’t be self-conscious at all,” Henrietta chimed in. “Your father possessed a lot of wonderful qualities. The first time I met him, I knew he would do right by this old hotel. Kevin and I were afraid someone would buy the place, tear it down, and put in a mini-golf course. Not your dad. He took one look and fell in love.”
Celeste turned away from them and pulled a tissue from the box on the counter. While she dried her teary eyes, Cam cleared his throat.
“Speaking of genes, I’m looking forward to what Kristy Stone has to show us today,” he said.
“Me, too. I’m curious now about Howard’s family tree,” Celeste said. “Who knows, honey? You might be a descendant of John Adams.”
Relieving Henrietta of a hot pan of scrambled eggs, Cam joked, “Sure, and I might be President one day, too.”
* * *
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ISBN-13: 9798235703582
Language: English Words: 43,532 Categories: Fiction » Cozy Mystery » Women Sleuths » Small Town & Rural » Southern » Family Life