Chapter 68
I’m momentarily taken aback. I wasn’t expecting him to say that.
Jacqueline Burke clearly lived in this building, right next door to Jennifer and Frank, in my apartment.
Jennifer was even quoted in the article I found online from eight years ago.
I’m still holding the notebook. I place it on the coffee table and slide it toward him.
“I know that Jacqueline Burke lived here. I found this stuck behind a drawer in my dining room. It’s a diary. She wrote it in the weeks before she went missing.”
Frank stares at the notebook. From the baffled expression on his face, I expect him to once again deny knowing her, but then he nods slowly and looks up.
“Ah. You must mean Jackie. Of course, I remember now.” He taps the side of his head with one finger.
“Memory’s not what it used to be, I’m afraid.
Perils of old age, and it was such a long time ago. ”
“Eight years to be exact,” I say. Now it’s my turn to look down at the notebook. “I think this might have something to do with her disappearance.”
“What do you know about that?” Frank asks.
“I know that she went out for the evening and vanished. That the security camera outside the door of this building wasn’t working, so they can’t tell if she made it back here that night. Do you know if the police ever found out what happened to her?”
Frank shakes his head. “If they did, I haven’t heard anything about it.
Poor girl. She wasn’t here for that long, and kept mostly to herself, but she always struck me as a bit odd.
I recall that she had some issues in her personal life.
For all I know, she ran away to escape them.
You know, start over fresh somewhere else. ”
“I don’t think so.” I tap the notebook. “From the stuff she wrote in here, it sounds more like she was afraid someone was out to get her. She mentioned feeling like she was being watched.”
Frank picks up the notebook. He skims through it, stopping on certain pages to read them. Eventually, he looks at me. “Where did you say you found this?”
“Behind a drawer in the dining room cabinet. At first, I thought it must have fallen down the back at some point, but after reading it, I wonder if she hid it there intentionally.”
“I guess anything is possible.” Frank closes the notebook. “And I can see why you’d think it might be related to her disappearance, but like I said, she had issues. It’s also just as likely she was looking for attention. What she wrote in here sounds . . . well, kind of crazy.”
“Or maybe there really was someone watching her,” I say. “She did go missing, after all.”
“Then what do you propose to do about it?”
“I’m going to take it to the police in the morning. Turn it in to them. Maybe it will help them discover what happened to her.”
“Okay.” Frank is still holding the notebook.
“I think there’s still a card around somewhere from the detective who interviewed us back then.
He would be the best person to give this to.
I’ll see if I can find it. In the meantime, would you mind if I hold on to the diary tonight?
I’d like to show it to Jennifer when she comes home.
Maybe she’ll remember something about Jackie that will be useful. ”
“Okay.” That sounds reasonable.
“Good.” Frank sips his tea. He puts the cup back down before speaking again. “Jennifer told me what happened between you and Sam. It must have been very traumatic. Are you going to be all right over there on your own tonight?” He taps the notebook. “You know, after reading this.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. Because the last thing you need is to be sitting by yourself in that apartment and obsessing over someone who hasn’t lived there in almost a decade.”
“You don’t need to worry about me,” I assure him, then stand and glance toward the door. “I’ve taken up enough of your time. I should go.”
Frank walks me to the door. “I’ll look for that card from the detective.”
“Thank you.” I step out into the hallway.
“And remember, if it gets too much over there all by yourself, if you need anything, we’re right next door.”
“I appreciate that.” I return to my apartment, expecting Frank to go back inside, but he doesn’t. Instead, he watches me as if he feels that it’s his duty to make sure I get home safely, even though my door is mere steps from his. I’m about to reach for the handle when he speaks again.
“Jordan?”
I glance back over my shoulder.
“Remember that you’re safe here in this building, regardless of what that young woman wrote in her diary. You hear me?”
“Sure.” I nod.
“Good.” A faint smile touches Frank’s lips. “Now, don’t forget to lock your door.”