Chapter Forty-Four
If it does belong to Sarah, it doesn’t mean something terrible happened to her in the woods. There’s a chance she might have snagged it and dropped it as she was hiking through.
But it’s a remote chance.
Foul play is looking far more likely now that Midge knows the man claiming to be Pastor Nielson was an impostor.
Midge contacted the State Police Special Victims Unit to activate an Amber Alert, and a BOLO has been issued citing the man she met as a person of interest in the Sarah Greene case.
She provided a detailed description, including the fact that he spoke with a slight twang, was wearing a fishing hat that seemed a size too large, and may be driving a dark-colored sedan.
She cited possible ties to the disappearance of Junia Stanton, along with the remote connection to Sienna Harmon, Mason Bauer . . . and Caroline Winterfield. Facts are facts. It’s her duty to provide every possible lead.
The search warrant application for the church and offices depends on judge availability on a holiday weekend, but she’s put in a couple of calls, hoping to expedite the matter.
Leaving the investigators to their work, she drives back along Shore Street.
At the town beach, she spots Jaret’s Jeep in one of the employee parking spots and recognizes the luxury sedan parked alongside it.
Kelly.
Midge dials her cell phone. No answer.
She tries Talia, who picks up right away. “Midge?”
“Hey. Are you at the beach with Kelly?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful here. Can you get away? We brought extra chairs.”
“Thanks, but I’m really busy with a case. Can you put Kelly on the phone for a second, please?”
“Sure.”
She hears Talia say, “Midge. She wants to talk to you.”
In the background, she can hear happy chatter, splashing, a lifeguard’s sharp whistle.
Then Kelly is on the line. “Hi, Midge.”
“Hi. I just tried calling you, but you didn’t pick up.”
“I must have left my phone in the car. What’s going on?”
“I didn’t know you passed the test.”
“What test?”
“Red Cross Water Safety.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your car’s parked in the employee lot. So you’re a lifeguard? Or maybe you’re just working at the snack bar?”
“What—oh. Very funny.”
“You can’t park there without a sticker, Kelly. You need to move the car.”
“Fine. Bye, Midge—oh, wait, hang on, Talia wants to tell you something.”
Talia comes back on the line. “I tried to tell her not to park there.”
“I appreciate your trying to make her a fine upstanding citizen, Tal’. Listen, I’m sorry I’m working today, but I’ll see you tonight, as long as I can—”
“Wait, Midge. I know you’ve got to go, but something’s bugging me. Remember when you mentioned that Britney Spears CD that Caroline had?”
“In the pink Walkman?”
“Right. Are you sure it wasn’t . . . Baby One More Time? Because that was the album Caroline was obsessed with. Don’t you remember that time she dressed up like Britney in the video, with her hair in braids? The naughty schoolgirl thing.”
“Talk about playing against type.”
“Right? Anyway, the next album was Oops! . . . I Did It Again, but it didn’t come out until 2000, after she . . . was gone.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I looked it up. So you must have gotten it wrong. I’m sure it’s no big deal, but I thought I should mention it.”
In the background, Midge hears Caleb call, “Mommy, come on! I want to go in the water!”
“I’ll let you get back to work,” Talia says. “And I’ll try to keep Kelly in line, but I can’t promise you anything.”
“Just get her to move her car before I have to have it towed.”
Midge hangs up. She must have been mistaken about the CD she saw in the Walkman.
She does clearly remember the night Caroline imitated Britney in the video.
The four of them were together for a sleepover at Talia’s.
It must have been before Reverend B. got involved with Caroline, because the subdued young woman she became seemed incapable of letting go and having silly, carefree fun.
We should have known something was really wrong. We should have asked what was going on. We should have helped her.
Now she can only focus on helping Sarah.