by J. R. Tate
“A neighbor says they stepped out on their porch and could hear you yelling. They said Skylar was crying,” Detective Garza said, though it came out as a statement and not a question.
“She never cried.” Charlie’s blood began to boil. “Why are you here, anyway?”
“We always follow up with the parents, Mr. Wright. You know Skylar better than anyone, and as I’m sure you’re aware, we have to check into everything. If anything, this is just to clear you so we can completely focus on the possibilities of what happened to your daughter and where she might be.” Detective Milson’s tone had changed from a cold cop to a woman with empathy. He still didn’t trust her.
“She never cried. She was just upset because I took her phone so I could get her attention. After I got back from picking up Gavin, I looked through the house. I tried to find her.”
He went through everything, recounting the details. He relived the nightmare of the moment he realized she was gone, and even now, he couldn’t wake up from it. Both detectives wrote several pages of notes as he spoke, and when he finally got to the end, he left out the detail about Mary staying over. They didn’t need to know that, nor did it matter.
“At the moment, Mr. Wright, we don’t have much information. We’ve talked to everyone on this block to see if they saw or heard anything, and no one has. Does she have a boyfriend?”
Charlie looked up, the question hitting him hard. “No, she doesn’t have a boyfriend.”
“Are you sure? Girls these days are really good at keeping this stuff from their parents. Besides, you haven’t lived at home for a few months. It would be really easy not to see it.”
“She doesn’t have a boyfriend,” Charlie repeated, though he wasn’t certain. “She’s fourteen. She’s too young for a damn boyfriend.” Under Cassie’s supervision, anything was possible. He made a mental note to confront her about it.
“With Cassie’s permission, we will be going through Skylar’s room back at her residence. We’ll look through journals and things and see if there is any information that might lead to her wanting to run away, or if she’s been in contact with anyone who could possibly want to harm her. You mentioned human trafficking to Officer Leven yesterday, and sometimes that begins online. She could’ve left to meet someone and they got her that way. So, we will be taking her computer and personal belongings to see what we can dig up.” Officer Garza stood up, and Officer Milson followed.
Charlie didn’t get up from his chair. He felt like he had just been pulled through the ringer. Maybe the detectives were doing what they claimed – maybe they were just trying to eliminate him and Cassie so they could focus on the real kidnapper. It still felt humiliating, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“We’ll find her, Mr. Wright.” Detective Milson smiled, but Charlie didn’t have anything to say in response. This was too much to take in. It was almost twenty-four hours since he had last seen Skylar, and with each moment that passed, he knew the odds of finding her were getting worse.
Forcing himself up, he escorted them back to the driveway. “I expect you’ll keep me updated with whatever you find.”
Detective Garza reached out to shake Charlie’s hand. “We will, Mr. Wright. We’ll be in touch.”
At first, Charlie almost denied the gesture, but returned it, his clasp on Detective Garza’s hand tight. There was more to this. Though he dreaded it, he needed to talk to Cassie. There was no telling what that woman was up to.
***
After a hot shower, Mary checked in with the bar. Her shifts were covered and it relieved some of her worry. She gathered up some clothes and her toothbrush – she wasn’t sure how long she’d stay at Charlie’s place, but she couldn’t stomach leaving him alone. He was putting up a strong front but deep down, the man was hurting, and Mary didn’t want him to have to go through it by himself.
Smoothing her fingers through her wavy hair, she didn’t mess with drying it. She wasn’t going to work so there was no need for make up or fixing herself up. As soon as she got back to Charlie’s place, it was likely they’d probably go out and look for Skylar some more, though there weren’t many more places to check. It was an unsettling feeling – hopefully she did just run off, but it wasn’t like her. Then again, what teenager hadn’t thought about it? She had tried it a few times as a kid, only to come home a few hours later.
And what did the cops want? Charlie looked worried that they were there, but their overbearing presence was enough to make anyone nervous. Mary had watched her fair share of crime shows. Parents were always the first looked into. It was unnerving to her, and she wasn’t the one being asked the questions.
Grabbing her duffel bag, she fidgeted for her keys in the bottom of her purse and double-checked the lock on her door before climbing into her car.
Charlie’s refrigerator was typical of a bachelor – beer, a package of bologna with a few slices left, and a carton of milk. While she was out, she stopped by the grocery store. A few snacks would be good, and maybe if Charlie had decent meal, he’d feel a little better.
The store was somewhat busy, but she knew exactly what she was there for and grabbed a basket, hurrying down each aisle. He liked Mexican food, so she figured tacos would be simple and quick, and better than him just chugging down beer as a meal replacement.
Reaching for a package of cheese, she felt someone bump her shopping cart and didn’t think anything of it. But it continued to hit her leg, and she turned to see Cassie standing there, crashing her own cart into it. Gavin was strapped in the seat, busy playing with a toy, oblivious to the world caving in around him. Did he know that Skylar was missing? What was Cassie telling him?
“Well, look what we have here,” Cassie said, a smile curling her lips. “Have fun with Charlie last night?”
“I’m not going to do this right here, Cassie.”
“Of course not.” She bumped the cart again. “It’s inappropriate to be at his place.”
“No, it’s inappropriate to do this right here in the middle of the store with your son nearby. You have a problem, stop by and we can clear things up, but it’s not like Charlie has to answer to you anyway.”
“You figure you’ll take advantage of him while he’s weak?” Cassie laughed and went to ram Mary’s basket again, but Mary grabbed it before she could, her patience completely gone.
“No one is taking advantage of anyone, Cassie. You’re delirious.”
“Which explains why your car was in his driveway at three in the morning.”
Mary didn’t want to do this. She didn’t feel like she had to answer to Cassie, but if she didn’t say anything, it would make Charlie look worse. “I was there because he didn’t need to be alone. He’s very upset about all of this, and…” she looked at Gavin who was still playing with a toy. “It’s what friends do. You know Charlie and I go way back.”
“And now that he’s divorced, you figure you can hop right on him, huh?” Cassie wiggled her eyebrow, her bone chilling smile making the hair on the back of Mary’s neck stand up.
“Not everything is about sex, Cassie. How about you use some of this energy you’re spending on making Charlie look bad and use it on trying to find Skylar?” Mary didn’t want to stoop to Cassie’s level, but some things had to be said.
“And how about you mind your own business?”
Mary ignored her and threw the block of cheese in her basket, walking away before she said something she would regret. She grabbed the rest of her items, making sure to avoid Cassie as much as she could and checked out. The big question was if she should disclose her little encounter with Cassie to Charlie. Did he need to know? He already had so much on his mind – did she need to pile on the fact that Cassie was busy running her mouth about him, tarnishing his reputation in public? Or what if he found out and was hurt that Mary didn’t tell him?
Throwing the bags in the backseat, Mary contemplated the decision. It was probably best to tell him. Maybe he’d have a way to get Cassie to shut her mo
uth, before she completely ruined his life.
When she got back to Charlie’s house, he was sitting on the front porch. The cops were gone, and Mary sighed in relief. It was hard to tell from looking at him if he was okay or not, but his slumped posture made him look defeated.
Grabbing the bags from the store, she smiled as she approached the steps. He looked up at her, but his facial expression was blank.
Pointing to the bags, he said, “What’s that?”
“I stopped off at the store. I noticed you were running low on a few things so I grabbed some stuff.”
Shaking his head, he stood up and followed her inside. “You don’t have to do this.”
“Do what?” Mary asked as she unloaded the groceries and put them away.
“Babysit me.”
“I’m not babysitting you, Charlie. I’m sorry if it feels that way.”
Leaning against the counter, he pulled a beer from the fridge and unscrewed the cap. Taking a long pull, he put it on the counter and swiped the back of his hand against his mouth.
“Do you think I did this?”
“What? What are you talking about?” His question hit Mary blindside, and the pain on his face made her want to hug him.
“It’s a simple question, Mary. Do you think I did this?”
“No, of course not! What happened with the cops, Charlie? Did something happen?”
He drank more of the beer and peeled at the label, not answering her immediately. Shrugging, he moved to the kitchen table, sitting down. “They asked me some pretty intense questions. They’re claiming it’s to rule me out, but I’m not so sure that’s true.” He kept his eyes down on the floor.
Mary sat adjacent to him, her gaze following what he was staring at, but there was nothing there. “It’s what they do, Charlie. Sadly, I know this better than I should because of my brother. You know how he’s been in and out of jail since we were kids.”
“That’s different.” Charlie finally looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot against his green irises.
“How is it different? I’ve been around when they ask questions.”
“He’s guilty. He did the crimes he was questioned about. I didn’t do anything with Skylar!” Standing up, he began to pace in the middle of the kitchen. “There’s nothing to prove I didn’t. Sometimes, that’s enough for them to go right at a person.”
“There’s also no evidence to show that you did, Charlie.” She stood up and reached out, grabbing his hand. Now wasn’t the time to tell him about her encounter with Cassie at the store. Surprisingly, he didn’t pull away. “They can come pry into your life all they want, but you’re safe. They can’t take a man in with nothing on him.”
Charlie scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Then why are there so many men in jail who have been vindicated years later?”
“I don’t know.” She really had no idea what else to say. “Everyone knows you love Skylar. You two have a bond, and people who know you will tell them that. I will tell them that, Charlie.”
Her phone began to buzz and she pulled it from her pocket, seeing it was the bar calling. For a split second, she almost ignored it, but answered.
“Hey. Yeah, I can cover for a few hours, but I can’t do a whole shift. Be there in a bit.” Ending the call, she kept her hand in Charlie’s. “One of the bartenders had something come up. I’ve gotta cover for a few hours and then I’ll be back.” She felt bad for leaving him, but with the mood he seemed to be in, it probably wouldn’t bug him too much. She just worried what he might do alone.
“Stay the whole time if you have to. You’ve already done enough for me.” Charlie finished the beer and threw it in the trash.
“What are you going to do this evening?”
Opening the liquor cabinet on the far wall, he grinned. “I’m about to get good and sick.”
“Just…” Mary cut herself off. She wasn’t his mother and she wasn’t the type to nag. “I’ll be back later, Charlie.” Stepping outside, she felt the tears sting her eyes. They had to find Skylar. And she hoped to God they’d find her alive.
Chapter Five
Detective Garza went through his notes again. He had questioned both Cassie and Charlie Wright about their daughter disappearing, and he felt like he was still at square one. About seventy five percent of the time, he could tie back kidnappings to someone in the family. But this couldn’t even be classified as an official kidnapping.
“So, what do you think?” Detective Milson sat across from him, folding her arms over her chest. “You think Charlie Wright has something to do with all of this?”
Detective Garza flipped through his notepad. “I can’t say either way, at least, not yet. Gut feeling is this girl ran away and she’ll show back up when she runs out of resources.”
“What makes you think she ran away? You’ve been saying that since we got the call.”
Sitting up, he sipped on his cold coffee, cringing. “There’s no evidence to tell me anything else. No sign of a struggle, no eyewitnesses seeing someone take her. I’m grasping at straws, because she very well could have gotten taken, but we gotta start small and work our way up.”
“I say we stay on the parents. Cassie seems to think Charlie is involved, and maybe he is. Maybe with the custody battle looming with their divorce, he snapped.”
Detective Garza nodded. “And maybe Cassie has sour grapes over the marriage ending. There’s so much to take into consideration and we’ve gotta get organized before this becomes a cold case.”
“So what’s next?” Detective Milson asked. She wasn’t new to the force, but new to being a detective, and he enjoyed teaching her things, but at the same time, wished he had a more experienced partner for cases like this.
“We go talk to neighbors. Find out everything we can about Charlie and Cassie Wright.” He had interviewed the one neighbor who lived in the duplex right next to Charlie’s but now it was time to dig deeper.
Detective Garza made sure to park down the street in case Charlie was home. Maybe it would be good if he saw them sniffing around the neighborhood, but at the same time, he didn’t want him outside, making everyone nervous. He didn’t know the man, but if a neighbor saw him looking, it was a fast way to get them to keep their mouth shut.
Knocking on the first door, both he and Detective Milson flashed their badges, and the older woman opened the door and stepped halfway through the threshold. Her hair was in curlers, and there were several cats that she pushed back with her foot.
“Can I help you?” Her voice was nasally.
“I’m Detective Garza and this is Detective Milson. We’re here to ask you a few questions about a neighbor of yours.” He pointed toward Charlie’s place. “Do you know the man who lives in duplex B right over there?”
“I don’t know him well. He hasn’t lived there really long. And he lives alone. What a shame.”
“What’s a shame, ma’am?” Detective Milson asked.
“Such a handsome man. You’d think he’d have a family or at least a wife instead of living in a crappy duplex in this neighborhood.”
“He does have a family.” Detective Garza looked over his shoulder and back to her. “In fact, his daughter has gone missing, and we’re trying to piece some of this together. Did you see anything that was out of the ordinary yesterday afternoon?”
The lady’s eyes widened. “Oh dear, that is horrible! His daughter is missing?”
“She is. Now, did you…”
Detective Garza was cut off. “No, nothing. Of course, I had my door shut and the blinds closed. I rarely have them open. I don’t trust anyone. I go out to get the newspaper and my mail, and then I’m back inside again. That poor man! How old is the girl?”
“Fourteen.”
“Oh my gosh, I hope you find her.”
Both detectives moved back down the stairs and out to the sidewalk. Detective Garza wasn’t expecting to get much out of the neighbors, but if he went back to his lieutenant without this part to the investigation, he�
�d make him come do it.
“Thanks for your time, ma’am.” Turning to Detective Milson, he said, “On to the next one.”
At each house it was the same story. A few people had nodded, waved, and said a simple hello to Charlie when they were outside, but past that, everyone seemed to keep to themselves. Maybe they’d get more information at Cassie’s house. He had lived there longer.
“So, what’s next?” Detective Milson asked as they stood in the middle of the cul-de-sac.
Detective Garza pointed at the duplex next to Charlie’s. “I’m going to talk to that man again.”
“He already told us he heard them fighting.”
“Yep. Never hurts to go knocking twice.”
The man took forever to answer the door, but they knew he was home. They could hear the TV and footsteps, but Detective Garza didn’t want to knock more than he had to. Charlie’s truck was in the driveway. Maybe he wasn’t there, or just wasn’t willing to come see what was happening.
“Mr. Johnson, sorry to bug you again.”
“Detectives.” He nodded at them, his shirt covered in stains. His hair was oily and even if the stench of his body odor wasn’t apparent, just by his appearance, Detective Garza could tell he hadn’t showered in a few days. That didn’t matter. He was their main witness who had actual information they could use.
“Can we come inside for a minute?”
Hesitating, Mr. Johnson stepped aside and allowed them in. The house matched – the carpet was stained like his shirt, and the sink had dishes piled up. Detective Garza had seen worse.
“What is it? Did you find the girl?”
“No, not yet. We just want to follow up on what you witnessed yesterday.”
“Does he know I’m talking to you?” Mr. Johnson pointed toward the wall that separated Charlie’s and his place.
“No, he doesn’t. And if he so much as looks at you the wrong way, you let us know, okay? Now, start from the moment you stepped outside.” Garza got his notepad out and waited, certain it would be repetitive.