Chapter 9 #2
“I spoke with the local police, and they informed them we’d be by to speak with them,” Gavin said.
“Apparently, the two have been in trouble a few times already. Beau crawled through a window in Allie’s house.
They have an old place, an old Victorian house, nice big oak tree right outside, and it’s no trick for a kid that age to shinny up a tree, find the right branch, and slide through a window.
Then Allie was on a school camping trip and snuck him into the girls’ section and …
” he broke off, shrugging. “Teenage love and mischief or something else? Hard to tell.”
“Will you know if the parents are telling the truth when we speak with them?” Skye asked Gavin.
“I can’t guarantee it. But if I know, I know.”
From the rear seat, Zach could see that he lowered his head. He wished he were a mind reader himself.
Gavin was disturbed by something, perhaps something caused by his ability or maybe just something he knew about because of his ability.
“Well, I believe your talent will come in handy,” Zach said.
“The problem with this case so far isn’t too many suspects—it’s that everyone we talk to seems to be innocent, determined that the kids and women be found, passionate that they be found, and decent, maybe even kind. But someone must know something.”
“Heading to the home of Allie’s parents, Theodore and Emilia Mason,” Gavin said. “It’s the farthest, so we’ll start there and be on our way back when we drop by to speak with Art and Sybil Carter.”
“It’s a plan,” Skye said.
Everyone was quiet for a minute; then Gavin asked, “Skye, did you see a witch—I mean, in a vision of the recent past, did you see a green witch? There was no disappearing comment on social media, right?”
“There was no comment on social media,” Skye admitted. “Yes. In both cases—or all three cases, really. Also, there are two criminals—at least two—involved in these kidnappings. And,” she added quietly, “the murder of Mike Bolton.”
“Two or more,” Gavin said. “And Halloween will be up and running soon. We always have our witchcraft stores up and running, and many of the restaurants use decorations—like skeletons, ghosts, witches—all year round.” He paused, shaking his head as he drove.
“Most of the time, it’s tremendous fun. After the movie Hocus Pocus came out, we’ve had dozens of trios on the streets dressed up as the Sanderson sisters.
Of course, we’ve had our share of modern-day-movie witches forever, too.
But this … We’ve never had characters kidnapping people before, not to my knowledge!
Oh, and we’re here! That’s the house right there. Beautiful, isn’t it?”
The home was gorgeous. Victorian and lovingly maintained, so it appeared. Unblemished blue paint covered the house, enhanced by white trim around the windows and on the porch railings, as well as the two balconies that were visible from the street.
“And there’s the offending tree!” Zach said lightly. “I take it one of those is Allie’s balcony?”
“Easy for a kid in good shape to get up the tree and over to the balcony,” Gavin agreed.
They exited the car, and Gavin led the way to the front door. He raised his hand to knock, but the door opened before he could do so.
The woman standing there appeared to be in her fifties, with her short hair dyed silver and coiffed beautifully into gentle curls that handsomely framed her face.
She was about five-five and medium in build, but tiny next to the large bald man who came to stand behind her.
“Thank God, you’re here! You are the Feds, right?
” he bellowed before his wife could say a word.
“Sir,” Gavin said, “I’m Lieutenant Bruns from Salem. These folks are the Feds, Special Agents Erickson and McMahon.”
“Come in, come in! Now, mind you, I don’t know what to think!
The first cop we spoke to was simply convinced that my daughter and that fellow waltzed off together because of a plan that they’d made!
But she’s not eighteen yet, and I want that young monster arrested.
You need to find them and arrest him. Allie was a good kid until she met that wretch of a boy! ”
“Theo, please, we need to invite them in!” Emilia Mason said.
“Yes, please, of course, of course, come in!” her husband said.
The door opened wide and the three of them entered.
The parlor was exquisite, with period furniture, shining hardwood floors, and elegant throw rugs that matched what were certainly custom-made draperies. The mantel was large, created from marble, and covered with family photos flanked by two vases filled with red roses.
A group of chairs surrounded a coffee table behind the couch, and an additional set of chairs offered a view of the mammoth-screen TV.
The family was more than well-off—they were downright rich.
Which made Zach wonder. Allie had to be accustomed to all the best that could be had in life. She’d surely never wanted anything that couldn’t be provided for her. She certainly had to fear the concept of her parents disowning her.
And trying to make a decent living as a high school graduate.
Then again, young love could be fierce. Maybe she was so in love with young Beau that she would give up everything.
Until, of course, she would discover that even food had to be paid for.
They all sat, and Zach quickly spoke. “Please believe that we will do everything in our power to find your daughter. But we believe there was someone in their lives with whom they went willingly from the dance. Perhaps an older friend, who was a student before them, and then again perhaps just a classmate. We have a witness who saw them leave the dance by the back alley—and hurry to hop into a dark sedan. Does that strike any chords with you? Is there someone in their lives who might have influenced them—or promised them a place to stay?”
Emilia and Theo looked at one another, frowning.
“Well, there’s that fellow I saw watching Beau at the game,” Emilia said.
“At the game,” Skye said quietly. “What game, and watching how? Did the two speak at any time that you saw?”
“I’m afraid it’s no secret that we don’t like Beau,” Emilia said.
“But I will hand the young man this—he’s an amazing football player.
Put their school on the map with his prowess on the field.
Anyway, this man was in the front row one night and he just kept watching Beau.
And I think they did talk, at least a minute, when Beau was on the field, before all the players ran together to congratulate one another.
I had the strange feeling they knew one another.
But when I asked Allie about him—if Beau had family in from another state or something, she just shook her head and told me that everyone admired Beau. ”
“We tried to forbid her from seeing him,” Theo added. “After we caught him in the house one night. But Allie threatened to run away then.”
Huge tears struck Emilia’s eyes. “I don’t understand! Threatening was one thing. But even if she meant to spend her life with him once she turned eighteen, why would she disappear with him now? They were both about to graduate, they could have had …”
“Everything,” Theo said. “If we couldn’t shake him, I would have helped him.”
“How?” Skye asked.
“His family hasn’t got two red cents to put together.
I’d have helped him through college, and, of course, the kid had a dozen scholarships offered, I believe, as he persuaded Allie to go to college.
The kid and I had already talked about it!
That’s why … On the one hand, and to law enforcement who first showed up here, it seemed obvious they had run away.
And I had to think about it. But the more I think about it, the more I just don’t believe they chose to disappear all on their own,” Theo said.
“Please! Married, not married!” Emilia said. “We just want to know that our only child is alive!”
“We promise to do everything in our power,” Zach said solemnly.
“And these two are Feds!” Theo said, looking at his wife.
“We’d like some little thing that belongs to Allie,” Zach said.
“What? Why?” Emilia asked worriedly. “When people want DNA, it’s because they’re trying to identify a body!”
“No, no, that’s not why we need something.
Having an object can help us when we’re on a trail—we can use it to tell if someone came a certain way or if they’ve been in a certain place,” Skye said easily.
“You never know,” she added. “There might be something left behind, DNA, cigarette butts, trash with fingerprints. And sometimes, just what you see somewhere.”
There was something about her gentle words and her demeanor that always seemed to be reassuring to others when they spoke.
Well, her words were partially true. It was always good to have DNA, though they hadn’t gone the DNA route yet—so far. It wouldn’t have been all that hopeful.
And Zach prayed silently, hopefully, they wouldn’t need DNA to identify any burned or badly decomposed bodies.
They are all alive so far, he reminded himself.
Except, of course, Mike Bolton.
And as he stood silently, waiting for Emilia to retrieve something of her daughter’s, he wondered why it had been so necessary for the kidnappers to kill the man.
What had he known about them? Would he have known them, dressed up as witches or not?
Hairbrushes seemed to be the item of choice. Emilia disappeared and returned with a brush and handed it to Skye.
That was for the best. If the brush was going to tell him anything, Zach figured it would be good if he was away from her parents when it did.
Just in case.
And he didn’t want to think about the “just in case.”
“We know, of course, about the kidnappings; and we’re praying for everyone out there!” Emilia said. “But … they’re older, you know. So, yes, we do believe that they went off together—”