It is time for Shalelu to part ways the next morning. Celiss has the desire to scour the hills for goblins, but you reign her in to remind her that the town has yourselves for confidence and defense.

As you stroll through town, you are approached by a timid elderly halfling female who introduces herself as Bethana Corwin, a maid that works for Ameiko Kaijitsu at the Rusty Dragon. She is obviously upset and asks to speak to the PCs in private. You know a good spot that might be shy of listening ears.

In short, her employer has gone missing. Bethana woke earlier this morning to find that Ameiko hadn’t started breakfast for the first time Bethana could remember. Worried, she knocked on Ameiko’s door but didn’t get a response. Against her better judgment, Bethana entered Ameiko’s room to find it empty and the bed un-slept in. Worse, she found a crumpled piece of parchment near the bed—a note from Ameiko’s older brother Tsuto.

Although it was written in Kaijitsu’s native tongue (likely to keep prying eyes from reading it, Bethana muses), Ameiko had been teaching Bethana the language over the last few years. The halfling hashelpfully translated the note’s message on the opposite side.
Spoiler: Tsuto's Letter to Ameiko
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Hello, sis!

I hope this letter finds you well, and with some free time on your hands, because we’ve got something of a problem. It’s to do with father. Seems that he might have had something to do with Sandpoint’s recent troubles with the goblins, and I didn’t want to bring the matter to the authorities because we both know he’d just weasel his way out of it. You’ve got some pull here in town, though. If you can meet me at the Glassworks at midnight tonight, maybe we can figure out how to make sure he faces the punishment he deserves. Knock twice and then three times more and then once more at the delivery entrance and I’ll let you in.

In any case, I don’t have to impress upon you the delicate nature of this request. If news got out, you know these local rubes would assume that you and I were in on the whole thing too, don’t you? They’ve got no honor at all around these parts. I still don’t understand how you can stand to stay here.

Anyway, don’t tell anyone about this. There are other complications as well, ones I’d rather talk to you in person about tonight. Don’t be late.

Tsuto

Dušana, as a half-elf and a resident you know some of the following, but Bethana fills in the rest...

Bethana explains that Tsuto was something of a scandal when he was born 21 years ago, since he’s a half-elf. Bethana sagely notes, with big eyes, that neither of Ameiko’s parents are elves. It was obvious that old Lonjiku wasn’t the boy’s father, and his rage at the discovery of his wife’s indiscretion was the talk of the town for months. Lonjiku’s wife Atsuii never revealed who the father was, and it’s a testament to Lonjiku’s stubbornness that they remained married. Tsuto was handed over to the Turandarok Academy to be raised outside of the Kaijitsu family, ignored by his father and forbidden visits from his mother. His older sister Ameiko visited him in secret a few times a month to keep him company, bring him some food, and promise him that someday things would get all sorted out. That all changed six years ago, when they had a terrible argument in which Tsuto struck Ameiko. Bethana doesn’t know what the argument was about, but whatever it was is what sent Ameiko away from Sandpoint for a year, during which time she made a living as an adventurer. She returned to Sandpoint five years ago to attend her mother’s funeral. Tsuto was quite public in his opinions that his father had pushed Atsuii off the cliff to her death, and during the funeral there was a confrontation. Lonjiku nearly broke Tsuto’s jaw with his cane, after which Tsuto cursed him and left Sandpoint. Ameiko tried to reestablish contact with him ever since, but was never able to track him down.

Bethana’s worried that Tsuto’s up to no good. Since Sheriff Hemlock’s out of town, the PCs are the only ones she can turn to. She begs them to head over to the Glassworks and find out what happened to Ameiko as soon as possible.

"We will," assures Celiss, "but first we have to get some things."

Celiss guides you towards your cottage. "This was for a meeting at midnight and Ameiko never made it home. Something's obviously wrong, and I know you see it, too. The thing is, do you want to make sure your druid prayers and witchery is ready for investigation and anything else?"