The Disappearance of Emily: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 2 by Elizabeth Pantley (best books under 200 pages .txt) 📗

I searched each topic and wrote down the dates of any matches. I ended up with quite a few. Nothing on Gladstone or The Great Divide, though. I shut down the computer and started my search of the newspaper drawers, pulling out issues that matched my topic dates.

My focus was so intense that I didn’t even hear someone come in until the front door clicked shut behind him. Startled, I looked up to see my father standing near the counter. I decided my next purchase would be a bell for the doorknob. I wondered if the hardware store had them.

“Thought I might find you here,” he said. “How’s it going?”

“Great! The previous editor was very organized. Makes it easier to find my way around.”

“That’s good.” He nodded at my stack of newspapers. “Planning on some light reading?”

“The best way to get familiar with the newspaper, right?”

He nodded in agreement. “Any questions I can help with?” he asked.

“I’m just getting into things, but I’m sure I’ll have plenty. I’m wondering when I’m expected to have the first issue out?”

My father explained that there was no actual deadline, and they trusted I’d know how to put things together since I already ran an online magazine. He said that everyone was happy to know that the paper would be up and running again. He felt that a small town benefited from the cohesiveness of a local paper. Word on the street was that people were excited about it. That was good—a paper needs advertising, so I hoped the community businesses would be up for buying ads.

“Want some help?” my father asked. “I have the rest of the day open.”

“I’d love that, thank you!” I slid the paper with my topic list under my stack since I wasn’t ready to divulge any information about the box, fearing the warning of danger to my family. I asked if he’d mind checking the computer and helping me put together a list of businesses who might purchase advertising. After all, that’s usually the first order of business for a small periodical. No ads—no paper.

“Would you like some tea?” I asked.

He nodded. “Um-hmm.” Just like me, he was quick to get to work. He was already reading something on the screen. I made us both a cup of tea in the small convenience kitchen, then sat on the floor in front of the newspaper drawers.

My father sat at the desk and was clicking away at the computer, while I continued to look through the past issues. We enjoyed small talk and some companionable silence. A few hours passed while we worked. It was nice to be connecting with my father like this. Working together seemed to bring us closer.

We took a break for a dinner, grabbing takeout from the deli just a block away and eating in the small park. We talked about the paper, and he also offered more tips about working with my camera. In a new relationship, it always helps to have a common interest, and I felt this could be it.

The conversation turned away from work and we talked about life in general.

“You seem to be settling in nicely here. Like you fit right in. Not just to the family, but with the town too.”

“That’s true,” I said. “It feels like home here. There’s just something about it, almost like it was always here for me, waiting.”

“Well, I for one kept your place open and hoped one day you’d be here. Not to be entirely selfish, but now that I have you here, I’ll do everything I can to keep you!” He paused. “Well, that sounded sinister!” He laughed. “I didn’t mean it that way!”

“Bwahaha!” I laughed in a villainous voice. That got him laughing even more.

When we finally stopped our laughter, he spoke up. “I was thinking, Hayden. I’d love it if you called me Dad. Father is way too formal for me, and I think Leonard makes it sound like I’m the guy next door,” he chuckled. “That is if you’d be comfortable with it?”

At that moment, I felt it. An emotion that was different from any other in my life. A father-daughter bond that was growing and solidifying. And yes. It felt right.

“I’d love that,” I said. “ . . .Dad.”

He got up from the bench and put his arm around me for a fatherly hug. I felt we’d pivoted in our relationship, and now, for the first time in my life, I had a Dad.

We finished up our meal and took a leisurely stroll down the street. It was just getting dark and the streetlights were coming on. Businesses were lit up from inside, looking warm and cozy as we passed. The whole downtown had a soft, almost holiday-like glow to it.

We headed back to the office, and my dad offered to stay and finish up the work we’d started. (Yeah, my dad. How cool is that?)

“You sure it’s not too late?” I asked.

“Nah. I’m good. Could use some tea though.”

This made me wonder if I had inherited my dedicated work ethic—and my love of tea—from him. I could go for hours when I was focused on a project. I made us both tea and brought it back to the desk.

He located the information on the previous advertisers. I noticed that the hardware store, the antique shop, and the pharmacy were all listed.

“I met three of the local business owners this morning,” I told him.

“Really? Who’d you meet?”

I told him about Archibald, Lester, and Vito. He laughed. “Well, you couldn’t have picked a more unusual trio to start with.”

“Yeah. They’re quite the characters,” I agreed. “They seemed interested and supportive of the paper, though. I feel like I can approach them about ads.”

“There you go! Your first set of contacts. That’s my girl!”

I felt a rush of pride when he said that. I had always had plenty of praise from Nana and Gran, yet having him compliment me was a whole new kind of joy.

Both of our phones