by T. L. Haddix
“I’ve been working, working, and working some more. You know how it is. How’re you doing? Are you headed to court?”
Ruby made a face. “Like you said, what else is there? You look tired.”
“I am tired. I’d planned on sleeping in, but had to come in for a few minutes for a case I’ve been working on.”
She pursed her lips. “Why don’t we get together Saturday night? Are you working?”
He hesitated, not particularly interested in accepting her offer. “Not this weekend.”
“Come on, Detective. You need to take a break every now and then.” She let her hand lightly touch his chest before trailing it away. “All work and no play…”
He laughed ruefully. “Just dinner?”
“Just dinner, get you out of the house for a couple of hours,” she confirmed.
“Okay, then.” Thinking the evening might help get his mind off Beth, he agreed. “Where and when?”
Just then, her companion came back outside and called her name, waving toward the courthouse. She waved back and rolled her eyes at Ethan.
“Guess I’d better run. How about the Lighthouse, say around seven o’clock?”
“Sounds good.”
“See you then.” She winked at him and was off.
As he got into his truck, he tried to brush off the feeling that the dinner was a mistake. He told himself that the real mistake had been in kissing Beth, but his thoughts somehow didn’t ring true. Exhausted, he ran his hands through his hair with a tired sigh. He figured that the fates had set this mess in motion, and he might as well hang on and see where the ride ended.
~ * * * ~
Back at the courthouse, Ruby hurried up the steps and sent her companion on ahead to the courtroom without her. Ducking into a quiet alcove, she pulled her cell phone out and pressed a number.
“I thought I warned you about calling me at work,” she was told in lieu of a greeting.
“You did, but this is important. I finally got Ethan Moore to agree to go out with me. We need to meet so we can go over what it is you want me to do, exactly.”
There was silence as the other person contemplated her words. “Okay. Why don’t we meet at the usual place, say around ten o’clock this evening?”
She agreed and hung up, satisfied with her efforts, as she left the alcove and hurried to the courtroom. Her date with Ethan would get her one large step closer to accomplishing what
she had set out to do. She could hardly wait to see the results. The first domino had now been knocked down and the chain-reaction started. With any luck, none of her targets would be able to move out of the path in time to avoid becoming a casualty, which was just how Ruby wanted it.
Chapter Eighteen
By the time she sat down to call Marshall, Beth had pulled her composure back together.
“You sure you don’t want to take a day or two off?” His concern was evident in his voice.
“No, I’m fine, really. I need to keep working. I have one appointment, and then I should be on in. I know it’s my day to cover the newsroom, and I’m sorry I’m late.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just get here when you get here. The place can run for a couple of hours without an Olman or Hudson on the premises. I think.”
Smiling at his dry humor, she disconnected and thumbed through her call log for Gordon’s number. He answered on the first ring.
“Hello, Ms. Hudson. Looks like you’ve won this round of phone tag.” She could hear the pleasure in his voice, and was a little surprised when she smiled back.
“I think this is probably a draw. After all, you’re the one who reached me earlier, even though I couldn’t talk.”
“You sounded upset. Is everything okay?”
She hesitated, unsure of what to say, then decided to err on the side of caution. “Yes, just a little personal matter that I had to deal with. Listen, you said to call you if I had questions. Well, I have some questions and some information I’d like to run by you.”
“Okay. Is this something you want to handle over the phone, or would you like to meet in person to discuss it? I know a nice little restaurant about halfway between Leroy and Louisville, quiet, but busy.” He named a popular area restaurant. “Would that be suitable?”
“That actually sounds nice. It would have to be lunch, though. How’s your schedule tomorrow?” She heard what sounded like a squeaky office chair moving, followed by the sound of fingers tapping a keyboard.
“I can do tomorrow, pretty much any time after noon. Does that work for you?”
“It does. Say twelve thirty, then?”
“It’s a date. I can hardly wait to see what you have for me. Any chance I can get a sneak peek?”
“Possibly. If I had your email address, I could send you some data...but wait. I don’t have that,” she told him, tongue in cheek. “Oh, and thank you for the flowers, by the way. They were lovely.”
“Glad you liked them, then. I didn’t think I was going to get them past your receptionist, though.”
Beth was amused to hear that Vanessa had given him a hard enough time that it had perturbed him a little. “She’s very protective. Now, that email address?”
With a laugh, he relented. “I guess I can let you have that much.” He rattled off a rather generic user name at a much-used free public email program.
“Somehow, I’m not surprised by your continued anonymity. My brother says ‘hi,’ by the way. He’s almost as close-lipped as you, though,” she told him. Growing serious, she continued. “I’ll send that out right away. I think it’s the key to what’s been going on here in Olman County, and I’m sure there’s a pattern that I’m just not seeing yet. Maybe you can come up with something.”
Reaffirming the time and place for the next day’s lunch, she hung up and quickly typed up the email. She attached part of the document she had put together to keep her notes straight. As she watched the progress bar that indicated the message’s flight into the Internet ether, she sighed, hoping she was doing the right thing.
After a moment’s debate, she decided to call Charlie and give him Gordon’s email address. He might be able to track it somehow and finally get some information about the man. Her gut was telling her she could trust the mysterious stranger, especially since Chase seemed to know and trust him, but after this morning’s little surprise, she didn’t want to take chances. As she waited for Charlie to answer the phone, she straightened the stacks of paper scattered across her desk.
“Clark Consulting,” said a female voice on the other end of the line. Beth smiled.
“Hey, Lauren. Where’s your husband?”
“Chasing the cat. I took the morning off to help him with some things. What’s up?”
“I just need him to look up an email address for me on a background check I had him run earlier. Why’s Charlie chasing the cat?”
“Rumble had to go to the vet yesterday, and he’s on antibiotics. Apparently, they don’t taste all that great. So far Charlie’s ended up ingesting more than the cat.”
She could hear the amusement in Lauren’s voice and laughed, picturing the battle in her head.
“Here he is, Beth. I’ll hand you over to him.”
“Hey, Lois Lane,” Charlie said, a little out of breath. “What’s going on?”
She explained about getting the latest package, and that she had Gordon’s email address. “I know you couldn’t find anything before, but maybe with this address, you’ll turn something up. Oh, and please don’t mention this to Lauren, about the package. I don’t want her to worry.”
“I won’t say a word, I promise. I’ll get on this in a few minutes, and hopefully I’ll have something for you by this afternoon.”
Expressing her thanks, she hung up. Charlie ran a security consulting business out of his home, providing corporations and law enforcement agencies with background searches and detailed personal histories on personnel and clientele. If he couldn’t come up with something using Gordon’s email
address, Beth would have to consider canceling her meeting with the man, regardless of Chase knowing him. Though her impression of Gordon had not been negative, and despite Ethan’s concerns, she wasn’t stupid enough to put herself at risk with a stranger. Especially not now, since she’d received the latest package.
Chapter Nineteen
Beth arrived at the small, family-owned restaurant on Friday afternoon with only five minutes to spare. Yet another storm front was moving through, which made driving a challenge, and traffic had been slow in the heavy rain. She was glad she hadn’t been forced to cancel the luncheon. Charlie had called her late yesterday afternoon, as promised.
“Don’t know who the guy is, and I can’t tell you how I know this, so don’t ask, but I think you’ll be safe with him.”
“Okay. He just keeps getting more and more mysterious. Thanks, Charlie.”
The restaurant they were meeting at was a popular one, the parking lot full. She ended up parking near the back, and she groaned as she saw the sheets of rain coming down. Resigned to getting wet, she grabbed her briefcase and made a dash for the entrance.
Brushing the water droplets off her hair and dress as she reached the covered porch, she thanked the older man who held the door open for her. His companion, a younger, confident-looking businessman, made no effort to hide his obvious perusal of her body and she shot him a cold glare as a reward. Just as he turned to come back inside, she saw Gordon and raised her hand, catching his attention. When the businessman saw who she was meeting, he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender and turned, heading back out the door. Beth watched him go with growing amusement. Hands on hips, she turned back to Gordon and raised an eyebrow, a quirky smile playing about her lips.
“Are you that scary, then?”
Gordon’s answering grin showed off the dimples she had noticed at their first meeting. He was dressed in a dark grey suit, the cut of the jacket showing off his wide shoulders. As they moved through the crowded restaurant, she couldn’t help but be impressed. Considering the large number of cars in the parking lot and the crowd waiting to be seated, Beth had expected to wait at least thirty minutes before they were given a table. The hostess ushered them into a quiet corner tucked away behind a large potted palm. Beth was glad to see they were secluded from the rest of the diners, given the topics they would be discussing.
“Have you been here before?” Gordon relaxed in his chair, watching her take in their surroundings.
“Not since they remodeled.” Looking over the menu, she quickly decided on the grilled chicken salad. Gordon hadn’t even glanced at his menu.
“Do you come here that often, or can you read through leather?” she asked.
“No, that isn’t one of my super powers. I’m a regular, I guess you could say.”
After the server had taken their orders, Beth fiddled with her utensils, still a little unsettled from the drive.
“Roads bad?”
Her gaze shot to his, and she forced herself to sit back and take a deep breath. She tried to surreptitiously roll her shoulders. “It’s a little crazy out there, yes.”
Their server returned with their drinks and a basket of the warm yeast rolls that the restaurant was famous for. Beth reached for the basket almost before it touched the table. “Oh, yum.” She took a warm roll and broke off a piece, popping it in her mouth. Her eyes closed as the tender, flaky dough melted on her tongue, and she couldn’t prevent a tiny moan of pleasure from escaping. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Gordon was grinning as he buttered his own roll, and her face heated.
“I appreciate you meeting me here,” she told him. “I think I have something, but I’m not really sure what it means.”
“I’m happy to meet you, whenever and wherever. What do you have?”
She wiped her hands on her napkin before reaching into her briefcase for a stack of documents, then handed him a copy.
“You read what I sent in the email. This is a timeline I came up with that goes along with it. I started it at a point a couple of weeks before Cullen Jarvis, one of the local farmers, reported his first encounter with the visitors. It goes through last night. Look at the disappearances.” She directed his gaze to the four stars she had placed on the chart. “I thought I’d also put it on a calendar, as well, just to see what would pop out at me. The best pattern I can come up with is that people keep disappearing around the first or second weekends in every month.”
She flipped her copy over and showed him the calendar printed on the back, then waited while he went over her notes on the timeline and the calendar.
He nodded slowly. “There’s definitely a pattern. It’s a little vague, and it isn’t always on the weekend, but it’s close. What do you need from me?”
“I’m not sure, really. Maybe another set of eyes, one that has knowledge of say, less common practices?”
“I think I can take care of that.” As the server brought their food, he folded the paper and tucked it inside his suit pocket. She slid hers back into her briefcase, and they both dug into their food. After a few minutes, she spoke.
“I checked with the sheriff’s department and the state police. None of these people have been located yet.” She paused with a bite of food on her fork and frowned. “It doesn’t make sense, unless we have some crazed serial killer running around Olman County.”
Gordon paused, just for an instant, but the stillness set off warning bell in Beth. Slowly, she laid her fork down and sat back, studying him. He sat back as well and returned her gaze levelly. When he saw her wariness, he cursed lightly under his breath.
“Who are you?” Every hair on her body was standing up, and it took all her willpower to remain seated at the table.
Without speaking, he reached inside his breast pocket, pulled out a small leather wallet, and handed it to her. She flipped it open, and her eyebrows shot up.
“Oh.” She studied the identification inside for a moment before handing it back to him.
“That goes no further than this table, Ms. Hudson.” His voice was carefully neutral. Her own tension dissipated as she saw his discomfort at having had to reveal his identity. She leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands.
“What’s the government’s interest in all this mess?” She was fairly confident of what his answer would be before he gave it. He gave a short laugh, and she felt her lips twitch in response.
“I can’t tell you that. I’m sorry.”
“You took a risk, showing me that badge. Why did you do that?”
“Pretty simple. You looked like you were ready to bolt, and I was afraid I’d be seeing a composite drawing of myself on the six o’clock news as a BOLO serial killer if I didn’t tell you who I was.”
Beth snorted. “Gee, thanks. Hysterical woman here, just show badge to diffuse breakdown.”
“I’d tell you more if I could, but right now it’s crucial that no one finds out about who I am. I need your word that you won’t mention this to anyone.”
“Not even Chase?”
“No, not even Chase.”
They both fell silent as their server cleared their empty plates. When she asked if they wanted anything else, Beth hesitated.
“Are we going to be here for a while?”
“We can be, if you’d like.”
“In that case…” She asked the young woman if the restaurant still served their signature hot chocolate. When the server assured her it did, she ordered one. An indulgent smile crossed Gordon’s face, and Beth pursed her lips. “I take it you’ve never had their hot chocolate.”
“No, cocoa isn’t my thing.”
Beth shook her head vigorously, her eyes wide. “It isn’t hot cocoa. It’s hot chocolate - entirely different concept. Thick, mousse-like dark chocolate, warm, topped with an airy layer of whipped cream, add a few drops of magic in, and you have a gourmet dessert. Maybe if you’re very nice to me, I’ll let you try a bite.”
Gordon’s grin was indulgent. “What is it with women a
nd chocolate? My wife used to go completely insane for the stuff on a regular basis.”
She couldn’t hide her surprise. “It’s hormonal. So you’re married, then?”
He shook his head as he toyed with his glass, the first sign of nervous discomfort she had seen from him. “I was married. She died three years ago. I don’t usually talk about my marriage. I’m not sure why I mentioned that.”
“I have one of those faces, or so I’ve been told. I’m sorry for your loss.”
He accepted her condolences and returned the conversation to his revelation. “So do I have your word? You’ll keep what you’ve learned about me to yourself for a while?”
Beth nodded. “Until you tell me otherwise, I don’t see how keeping that quiet would hurt.”
His relief was palpable. “Tell me about these missing people. What all do you know about them?”
“Well, I know that they’re people who are less likely to be missed, or reported missing, than your average citizen. Jose Hernandez was apparently here illegally. Then there was an abandoned car on highway seven. Judging from the evidence left behind, the person or persons who left the car behind probably were illegal, as well. The other two who are missing are well-known drug addicts in Olman County.” She smiled as the server returned with the hot chocolate. Served in a large mug, there were two spoons on the side. After the girl left, Beth continued to speak as she eyed the dessert for an angle of attack.
“When I called the families, I got pretty much the same reaction. Well, from the addicts’ families, anyhow. It was sad, really.” She decided to start on one side of the cup, and raised her eyebrows. Gesturing with her spoon, she silently asked if he wanted to try the confection.