And The Earth Moved: Romantic Comedy Cozy Mystery (Amber Reed CCIA Mystery Book 1) by Zanna Mackenzie Page A

Charlie says. “Will you at least call someone to come over and stay with you?  Your boyfriend perhaps?”
    “You’re supposed to be my boyfriend remember?” I reply, wondering why boyfriend was the first person he mentioned. “And I don’t need anyone to babysit me. I’m fine. Yes, it was a shock, but this happening to Bert has made me want to help out on this investigation even more. Find out what’s going on, make sure whoever did this is found and charged.”
    “Look, I know it’s difficult.” He rests a hand on my arm to get my full attention. “But you have to try and not allow your emotions to take over. Stay calm, rational, focussed. Even when you know the victim.”
    I nod. “Calm. Focussed. Yes. Got it.” Inside I’m far from being all those things but I’m not going to tell Charlie that. “So, what can I do to help?”
    He eyes me sceptically. “Seriously? Now?” He checks his watch. “It’s one in the morning.”
    “Yes now!” I say, more forcefully than I expected. A little more calmly I add, “Please. Tell me what I can do to help. What are you going to do?”
    “I want to talk to Bert’s family about what’s happened.” He gives me a look and then nods. “You know them right?”
    I nod. “Yes, he’s divorced but his daughter is staying with him at the moment at the gatehouse. Won’t the local police have been to see her and explain what’s happened?”
    “No. I asked them not to get involved in this. That’s why only an ambulance showed up on the moors, not a police car. I told them I wanted to deal with it.” He takes a step forward and places a hand over my own. “You don’t have to do this.”
    For a few seconds I enjoy the sensation of his fingers gently stroking my hand.
    “Amber?” he prompts.
    I shake my head. Coming back to reality. An uncomfortable reality. “I’m fine honestly. I’m not sure if the gatehouse is listed in the phone book or not. If it is I could call, see if Tina answers, tell her to stay put and that I’ll be straight over to talk to her.”
    “No,” he reasons. “She might panic. We’ll go round there. Does she have a car?”
    “Not sure. She might do. The public transport around here is pretty non-existent and I think she’s been out and about quite a bit visiting a few pubs and friends so she might have a car.”
    “Let’s go and see if there’s a car other than Bert’s up at the gatehouse first shall we?” he says. “If she’s not at home we’ll widen the search from there.”
    “Right.” Adrenaline is pounding through me and I need to do this. To do something. I need to help in whatever way I can.
    “Amber.” He rests a hand on my arm. “I’ll do you a deal. You can come with me and help out but after we’re done with notifying Tina and getting her to the hospital you come and stay up at Ennis’ guest house with me tonight.”
    I debate my options.
    The prospect of returning, all alone, to my little flat in the early hours of the morning, scary thoughts whizzing through my head, isn’t an appealing one. “OK.” I nod.
    “Good.” He gestures towards a closed door which I’m guessing he’s assuming, correctly as it happens, is the bedroom. “Go and pack some stuff now whilst we’re here then, before we head off to find Tina.”
    I throw some basic toiletries and nightwear in a bag, not really paying attention to what I’m doing, and fifteen minutes later we’re at the huge gates which block off the drive up to Ennis’s place. There’s an old Land Rover parked in the driveway at the side of the stone gatehouse. Bert’s car – he would have walked up on to the moor to meet me, it’s only ten minutes or so from here. Parked in front of it is a little old-style Mini.
    Before Charlie says anything I’m out of the car and knocking at the door of the gatehouse. Well, knocking isn’t quite the word for it… more like pummelling my fists on the door.
    Charlie appears at my side. “Go easy.”
    “She might