Chapter Ten #4
“I have.” He clapped Billie on the arm. “I was so sorry to hear about that. Damn, it’s a crazy world anymore.”
“Thank you. We’re doing all we can to find them.”
Paul’s eyebrows hiked up as he shifted his attention back to Charly. “Malone not doing his job right? Not the way your father did, I’ll wager.”
Charly smiled. “He’d have a difficult time ever being as good as my father.”
“You are correct,” Paul agreed. “Have a seat.” He indicated the equally contemporary sectional sofa and chairs.
“We can’t stay long,” Charly explained. She could smell the man’s dinner probably waiting in the oven for him.
“We just wanted to know about any security footage from the Pit that may have captured one or more of the victims who’ve gone missing over the years.
It was mentioned to me that you had provided input to the investigations. ”
“I have. Rob Decker, too,” he said.
“We spoke to Mr. Decker,” Billie told him. “He was very helpful.”
Paul nodded. “Well, this was two years ago. Miss Hilary Trenton dropped by to have dinner at my restaurant. She was alone. I remember her well because she made it a point to leave a great review on Google that very night. A few days later when I saw she was missing, I was very disturbed. That’s when I called the sheriff and sent along a copy of the video from that night.
Of course, I didn’t expect it to provide anything in the way of evidence, but I hoped it would help fill in any blanks in the timeline.
” He laughed. “I may have watched too much crime TV.”
“What you did is a very important step,” Billie assured him. “Never doubt that.”
“I do what I can.” Paul nodded. “It’s the least any of us can do.”
“Did Hilary seem okay? Not upset or anything?” Charly asked.
“She seemed fine.” He frowned. “There was this one fellow who sort of followed her to her car when she was leaving. Lenny Reed.” Paul shook his head.
“The guy leered at her. But I’ve never known Lenny to be any trouble.
Still, the young lady didn’t know that. It was obvious she was very uncomfortable. ”
“Was there anyone else that caught your eye in the video?” Billie asked.
“Well, Kerrick Rogers. He shoved Lenny and told him to stop acting crazy. Hilary seemed grateful for his help as she got into her car and left. Both Kerrick and Lenny left right after her—separately, of course. When I spoke to Sheriff Malone about it, I asked him to speak to Lenny about his behavior. I hope he did.”
“Thank you, Mr. Grant.” Billie passed him a card. “Please call me if you think of anything else that might help us find my sister and her husband.”
“I surely will. If there’s anything you need,” he offered, “or if there’s some way I can help, please let me know.”
Paul showed them to the door. He gave Charly another hug and urged her not to be a stranger.
When they were driving away she couldn’t help noticing how quiet Billie was. The worry was getting to him. Of course it was. His sister and her husband had been missing for three days with no word, no evidence, nothing.
“I wish there were something I could say.” Her voice sounded loud after a minute or so of silence. “I know this is incredibly difficult and it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack. We keep coming up with more of the same.”
When he braked for a traffic light, he turned to her. “It is and I’m grateful to have you on my team. I genuinely appreciate what you’re doing, Charly. I hope you know that. The people we’ve interviewed likely wouldn’t have spoken to me at all without you.”
She smiled. “I’m glad and I do know. I’ll help as long as you need me to.”
His smile warmed her. Made her wish again there was more she could do.
Some new tactic that would make all the difference.
Surely, someone had seen something. All that person had to do was come forward—even anonymously.
She’d watched a replay of the press conference the sheriff held and he’d urged the community to do just that.
The rest of the trip home was made in silence.
A truck sat next to her cabin. At first, she thought someone was waiting but then she remembered Vince said he would bring that extra truck of his for her to use.
She should be glad, but she hated accepting any of his overtures for fear of giving him the wrong idea.
Charly and Billie climbed out of the SUV at the same time and headed for her porch.
She was suddenly starving and totally exhausted.
Her body ached from the crash. She reached the door first but paused.
There was a folded paper stuck in the crack between the door and the frame.
Had she missed a delivery or a potential guest?
No one had called her cell. She pulled the paper loose and unfolded it. Words. Typewritten.
Looking into the past is a bad idea. Remember what happened to your parents.
Shock radiated through her. What the heck? There were no other markings on the single page. Who would send her a warning like this? She shook her head and handed the note to Billie.
More importantly, why would anyone do this?