Chapter 15 #2
“When that man was threatening the director, do you think he might’ve meant to get Kenna to come through for them?” Talia asked. “But she didn’t, and they killed her?”
“It’s possible, but this is the first I’m hearing of her knowing you and your father, so I haven’t had a chance to even consider it.”
“Poor little Lucy.” Talia twisted the tissue in her hand. “How is she taking this?”
“We don’t know,” Gabe said. “She’s missing.”
“Missing?” Her mouth parted. “But what happened?”
“We believe she either wandered off from the lake or someone took her.”
“Oh my, that’s not good. Not good at all. The poor sweetie.” Talia ran a hand over her face. “I can’t believe this. It might be connected to my dad, all because I asked him to look into that van.”
“Don’t blame yourself for any of this,” El said. “The person who took your father’s life is the one responsible.”
“Can you tell us more about his lake house?” Gabe asked. “Have you ever been there?”
“Yes.” She shuddered. “I refused to go back until he got that place cleaned out, but now… I should’ve taken the opportunity to spend time with him.”
“But he was willing to stay there in the condition it was in?”
“No. He always brought his travel trailer with him when he planned to spend the night.”
“If he’s been staying there for some time, any idea why his trailer wasn’t there?”
“No, that’s odd. If it isn’t, I don’t know where it would be.” Talia nibbled on her lip. “All I know is I’m sure he wouldn’t stay in that house.”
“Did he have a dog?” Gabe asked.
“Yes, a little beagle called Spotty. Got him when he retired, and he went everywhere with Dad.” She gave a wavering smile. “They were so cute together.”
A beagle was a fitting description for the dog that had died in the house, and his death fitting for a more brutal killer. El’s gut churned with nausea.
Talia flashed her gaze to El. “Don’t tell me something happened to Spotty, too.”
“I’m sorry, but one of the stacks of televisions fell on him.” El hated to be the bearer of bad news again. “He didn’t make it.”
Talia winced. “Oh, the poor sweet thing. Natalie will miss her Pop Pop, but she’ll miss Spotty just as much.” She clutched her arms around her stomach. “What in the world is going on? Are we in danger, too?”
“Highly doubtful. But until we can learn more about the man in the van, I can’t give you one hundred percent assurance.” El wasn’t about to tell her how they’d struck out with Ryker and were back at square one. “Did your father carry a Zippo lighter?”
“Dad? No, he didn’t want to get lung cancer and was anti-smoking all the way. Besides, he said he only had room in his pocket for the knife his granddad gave him. It really wasn’t much more than a penknife but he carried it all the same. If you find it in his pocket, can you make sure I get it?”
El nodded, but couldn’t agree to hand it to her. Especially when her father had been stabbed, and they didn’t have the murder weapon. “Once the investigation is over. Do you know if your father loaned his boat to someone?”
She inhaled deeply. “Not that I know of, but he really didn’t talk about his lake property much.
Ever since I was a little girl, he always hoped I would love going fishing with him, but honestly, it bored me to death.
” She looked up at the ceiling. “Now I wish I’d cared about what he wanted and spent as much time with him as possible. ”
An emotion that so many people who lost a loved one expressed, but one that El wouldn’t linger on.
“I’d like to have a look around your father’s place. Do you have a key you could give me?”
“I’ll get it for you.” Talia hurried away.
For the first time, El noticed the sound of Natalie playing in the other room. “I’m guessing it won’t be easy to tell her daughter about her grandfather.”
“Letting someone know a loved one died is never easy, is it?”
“The hardest part of the job.”
As if reinforcing the difficulty of learning a loved one had died, Talia returned to the room, tears once again rolling down her cheeks. She held out the key, but didn’t speak, and grabbed her tissue from her pocket to dab at her eyes.
“Is there anyone we can call to be with you?” El asked.
Talia shook her head. “I just texted my husband to come home. He’ll help me tell Natalie. Since Dad retired, they got to spend a lot of time together. Maybe he hoped she would go fishing with him.”
“Thank you for your time, Talia. You have my card. Call me if you think of anything that might help.”
“I’ll see you to the door.”
She rushed ahead and had the door open and waiting by the time they reached it as if by getting rid of them, the news they’d brought would go with them.
“Oh, before I go.” El stalled Gabe’s progress at the front door. “When you take your daughter to daycare, it would be great if you asked other parents if they recognized the man in the van.”
Talia lifted her hand from the doorknob to wipe away tears. “Of course, but I don’t know when we’ll be going back. Not with funeral arrangements and things to settle.”
“I understand, but if you learn anything, you have my card.” El didn’t linger, but went straight to her vehicle, before she let her emotions for this family get to her.
Gabe followed and slid in. “You look uneasy.”
She glanced at her watch. “We don’t have enough time to search Mason’s place before the update meeting. But a sick feeling in my gut says when we get there, we’ll find something his daughter won’t like and neither will we.”