Gone without a Trace

by Patricia Bradley

  Robyn coughed to keep from laughing, and for a second the ache from wanting to wrap her arms around her daughter eased.

  “Are you still helping Mr. Alex with that case?”

  She’d forgotten how fast Abby could change subjects, and nodded.

  “Are you finished?” Kate said, looking at Abby’s half-empty bowl.

  “Yes ma’am.” She took a sip of milk. “I want to be a detective like Aunt Livy and Mr. Alex when I grow up.”

  “You do?”

  “I’m already working on a case. I saw this man hanging out near the playground two times last week. If I see him today, I’m going to report it to the principal.”

  Cotton filled Robyn’s mouth. “What did he look like?”

  “He was tall and skinny. And when he saw me and TJ watching him, he hurried away. TJ’s helping me on the case.”

  “Maybe he was cold,” Kate said. “Or . . . maybe it’s your wild imagination.”

  Robyn hoped that was all it was. Tall and skinny. That description could fit a number of the men who ate at Johnny B’s. “Did you notice anything else about him?”

  Abby looked up toward the ceiling. “He had on those camo clothes.”

  Just in case it wasn’t Abby’s imagination, she’d call Ben just as soon as Abby left for the bus. But what if this man was real and what if he snatched her while she waited at the end of the drive? “Hey, how would you like it if I drove you to school? If your nana will let me borrow her car.” She turned to her mother. “Would that be okay?”

  Kate folded a dish towel and hung it on the rack. “I suppose, even though she usually rides the bus.”

  “Let’s make today special.”

  “Yay! I like you, Miss Sharon.”

  Her chest swelled. If only Abby felt the same way after she discovered she wasn’t Miss Sharon. Robyn shifted her gaze to Kate. “What time does Abby need to be there?”

  “At least seven twenty. School starts at seven forty.”

  She checked her watch. Twenty minutes. “Finish your breakfast and scoot upstairs and brush your teeth.”

  Abby gave her a strange look, and so did Kate. “What?”

  Her mother cleared her throat, but Abby answered first. “You sounded just like my mommy.”

  Her heart sank to her knees. “I’m sure all mommies say things like that.”

  “Are you a mommy?”

  She’d stepped into her own trap again. “Ah . . . yeah, I have a little girl, and right now she’s with her grandmother. I hope we can be together real soon.”

  Abby continued to stare at her. “Why are your eyes blue today? They were a different color yesterday.”

  Oh no! She’d forgotten her contacts. No wonder everything was slightly off-kilter. She always put them in first thing in the morning, but when her mom came into her room earlier, Robyn had forgotten all about them. She floundered for an answer. “Oh, I’m wearing my blue contacts today.”

  “You have contacts that will change the color of your eyes? Cool. Is that so you can help Mr. Alex?”

  “Yes. Now run brush your teeth.”

  Kate continued to study her. Finally, she nodded. “I’ll get my keys.”

  “Thanks.” She was a lousy actress. While she was alone, Robyn dialed Ben’s number, and when he answered, she told him what Abby had said about the man near the playground.

  “I’ll send a deputy to patrol the area,” he said. “Is Livy up yet?”

  Robyn glanced around as her cousin entered the kitchen from the back door. “She’s up.”

  “Just let her and Alex know I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

  Robyn hung up and turned to Livy. “Where’s Alex?”

  “On his way to Nashville. When his car wouldn’t start, I took him. I’m starving. What’s for breakfast?”

  Robyn pointed toward the stove. “I think there are scrambled eggs and biscuits in the warmer. That was Ben. He said he’d be here in half an hour. But I thought he was going with Alex.”

  “He decided not to go with him after the shooting.”

  “There’s strawberry jam in the refrigerator,” Kate said, then gave Robyn another long look before handing her the keys. “I’ll be in the pottery room when you get back.”

  She swallowed. Maybe Ben would be here by then. “I’ll bring them to you.”

  Livy’s face wrinkled in a questioning frown.

  “I’ll explain when I get back from taking Abby to school.”

  “Why—” Livy stopped. “Never mind. I saw Daddy at the airport when I dropped Alex off, but he didn’t have time to come home.”

  “What?” Robyn and Kate said the word simultaneously.

  Robyn winced. Sharon would not have been so upset. Hopefully, Kate hadn’t noticed. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She puzzled over Livy’s statement as she waited for Abby to come downstairs. If her uncle was at the airport, why didn’t he come home with Livy? Then, Abby clattered down the stairs and Robyn didn’t have time to think about it as she ushered her out the door to the car.

  For a few minutes as she drove Abby to school, it was almost like she’d never been gone. They’d forgotten to call the hospital, so she let Abby call on her cell phone, but Chase was still asleep. They talked about him getting well, then Abby chatted about her friends and more about Valentine’s Day coming up.

  “I think it’s so neat, TJ’s mom and dad getting married on Valentine’s.”

  “It is neat. Are you making cards for everyone?”

  She nodded. “And Nana says I have to give everyone a card, even the boys.”

  “You wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, would you?”

  “But boys don’t care.”

  “You never know.” She pulled into the drop-off lane, and Abby gathered her book satchel. When she climbed out of the car, Robyn said, “Did you remember your lunch money?”

  Abby pressed her lips together and looked at her strangely. “You sure do say a lot of things my mom always said.”

  This time it had to be a Freudian slip caused by the ache in her heart. “It’s what I always say to my daughter when I drop her off at school, but I’ll try to do better.”

  “No, I like it. Bye, Miss Sharon.”

  As Abby ran inside the school, Robyn blinked back the tears scalding her eyes. It had to get better from here.

  Because she didn’t think it could get any worse.

  “What do you mean, you saw your dad at the airport? What were you doing at the airport?” Kate stared at her.

  “Alex’s car battery is dead, so I took him to the airport. While I was there, Dad flew in to refuel on his way to Jackson with a kidney for a transplant.”

  “That would explain why he didn’t have time to visit.”

  “Yeah. I sort of read him the riot act before I learned about the kidney.”

  Her aunt winced. “Oh, Livy. I wish you could cut your dad some slack.”

  “I know. It’s just that he’s never here.”

  “He had a bad time dealing with your mom’s illness and then her death.”

  Livy folded her arms across her chest. “That was over fifteen years ago. Evidently we’re not worth his time.”

  “Livy Reynolds, that’s not true and you know it. His work is in Alaska now.”

  Her dad had a great job as a pilot for one of the top airlines until he walked away from it. “Don’t worry. I apologized, and he said we would talk when he stops by on his return flight. If he stops.”

  Her phone dinged with a text, and she glanced at it. “Ben is on his way.” Livy scooped up scrambled eggs and then grabbed a couple of slices of bacon. “Can I fix you a plate, Kate?”

  “Goodness, child, I ate an hour ago. And if Ben is coming, I think I’ll get out of your way, go work in my pottery shop.”

  “Stick around, Kate,” Livy said. “And where’s Charlie? We have something to talk to you about, and I think Ben would rather Charlie wasn’t here.”

  “He stayed at th
e hospital with Chase last night.” Kate cocked her head. “I don’t much like the sound of this.”

  She would probably like it even less after she heard what they planned to do. Except the part about who Sharon really was. Livy was glad Ben decided to go ahead and tell Kate. If anyone could keep a secret, she could, and with Charlie gone, this would be a good time. The back door opened, and Robyn came into the kitchen. Close on her heels was Ben. He sniffed the air.

  “Wow, is that bacon I smell?”

  Kate nodded her head toward the cabinet. “You know where the plates are. And what’s this you want to discuss with me?”

  He held up his hand. “Food first—I haven’t eaten.”

  Robyn sat across from her at the table, and they exchanged glances. On the way home last night, they had decided to tell Kate the same way Susan had told her and Alex last week. Had it only been a few days ago that she got involved in this case? Or exactly one week ago, she and Mac were pinned down by gunfire in that warehouse? That seemed like a month ago. Or a year, even. The past seven days had passed at warp speed.

  As they ate, Ben filled them in on what they’d discovered in the shooting. “Jason, Timothy, and Bobby had all left the restaurant when the shooting occurred, and none of them have an alibi—they all said they were on their way home.”

  “How about Johnny B?” Robyn said.

  “He’d left to check on the game room and arcade.”

  “Did you retrieve any of the bullets?”

  “Three, including the one in Chase. Looked like .22 long rifle shells. If it’d been a deer rifle, he would’ve had more damage to his body.”

  “Do any of our suspects have .22 rifles?”

  “None of them claim to. Jason has a couple of 30-06s, Timothy has a shotgun and a 30-06, Bobby has a 270 Winchester, and Johnny B has a Maxwell 270. And they didn’t take kindly to me asking about their guns.”

  Livy drummed her fingers on the table. Dead ends. That’s all they seemed to run into. She glanced at Robyn. As they’d discussed the investigation, color had drained from her face.

  Ben poured another cup of coffee, and then he held the pot up. “Anybody?”

  “I’ll take some,” Robyn said. He found a cup and filled it. Her hands shook when she took the cup from him. “Thanks.”

  Kate looked from Ben to Livy. “Which one of you is going to fill me in on what’s going on?”

  “We all are,” Livy said. “And I’ll start. Remember when Alex came here looking for Samantha Jo Woodson?”

  “And I thought Robyn’s case might be similar.”

  She nodded. “Then Alex and I flew to Bristol to talk to a Susan Carpenter, and that’s where we met Sharon here.” She glanced toward Robyn, who had her arms wrapped around her stomach. “But before we met her, Susan told us a story about finding a woman at a rest area on the highway outside of Bristol. She’d been battered and beaten and had a concussion, a broken nose, three broken ribs, and she’d been drugged with GHB, so she didn’t remember what happened.

  “Months passed before she was well enough to leave the rehab place she was put in after the hospital discharged her. She was afraid to go back home,” Livy said. “So she went to stay with Susan, who runs a women’s abuse shelter.”

  “Why was she afraid to go home?” Kate looked from Livy to Robyn, and slowly recognition bloomed in Kate’s eyes.

  Robyn stood and walked closer to Kate. “She was afraid no one would believe her.” Robyn had dropped the western Virginia accent. “But she really wants to come home.”

  Livy’s heart nearly broke as tears filled her cousin’s eyes.

  Kate stared up at Robyn. “This morning, it crossed my mind that you surely did know a lot of the phrases that my Robyn knew . . .” She pressed her lips together as tears rolled down her face.

  Robyn wiped her eyes and knelt beside Kate. “Oh, Mama, I’ve missed you.”

  Kate’s arms went around her daughter. “You could’ve come home, honey. I would’ve believed you.”

  “I know, Mama, but I was afraid to.”

  Ben cleared his throat, and Livy glanced toward him. His eyes were as wet as hers. Now, if they could just have a happy ending for everyone.

  Livy leaned back in her chair. The past half hour had been spent filling Kate in on all that had happened to Robyn. Alex had texted that he’d arrived in Nashville and that as soon as he rented a car, he’d check out the lead on the purse. If the kidnapper—no, killer—did turn in the wallet as a red herring, maybe Alex could get a description of him.

  “So we can’t tell anyone else that Sharon is actually Robyn?” Kate asked.

  Ben shook his head. “Whoever kidnapped her is still out there, plying his trade. I got a hit on the fingerprints just before I came. Our victim is the waitress from down in South Mississippi. She went missing December 29 after a fight with her husband.”

  “We have another plan.” Livy took a deep breath. This was going to be the sticky part. “For a little while longer, Robyn will continue to go by Sharon, and I’m going to be Robyn. She and I are leaving in a little while to find a red wig and some clothes the old Robyn would wear.”

  “What?” Kate almost rose out of her seat. “No! It’s too dangerous. Don’t you think someone will recognize who you are?”

  “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll let you decide after I get in disguise. If you think someone will see through our scheme, I won’t do it.” She was certain she could pull the disguise off. “Besides, it’s too dangerous not to. We believe this guy lives in the area. And he’s fixated on Sharon now. Taylor thinks he shot Chase because he’s jealous.”

  Kate gasped. “Is Chase in danger?”

  “I have a deputy guarding his room now—just in case.”

  Kate’s eyes grew round. “Abby. Do you think the man she saw at the school was him?”

  “What man?” Livy demanded.

  “Abby saw a stranger dressed in camo clothes hanging around the school.”

  She directed her gaze to Ben. “Has anyone reported seeing someone hanging around the school?”

  “No,” Ben said.

  “It could be Abby’s overactive imagination,” Robyn said. “She thinks the undercover role I’m playing to help Alex is pretty exciting. She even told me she wants to be a private detective one day.”

  “I’ve considered that, but we’re not taking any chances. I have a deputy stationed there as well, and all outside recess for the fifth grade has been canceled.” He turned to Robyn. “Have you called in to quit yet?”

  She shook her head. “Livy thought it might be better if I waited until she was ready to talk to him about a job.”

  “Kate, do you think you can explain to Charlie that Livy is going to play the part of Robyn?” Ben asked.

  “I’ll take care of Charlie, and Allison, but who’s going to tell Chase? And Abby?”

  “We are.” Livy pointed to herself, then Robyn. “Chase, right after we get the wig and clothes.”

  “I think tonight will be better for Abby—after she sees her dad,” Robyn said.

  “Are you going to tell him who you are?” Kate raised her eyebrows at Robyn.

  “It depends on how it goes. I’d rather not. He doesn’t need to deal with my homecoming right now.”

  21

  Chase clamped his jaw together as the nurse dressed his wound, the pain overriding the morphine. He focused on the white and black name badge. Kathy something or other—his eyes blurred before he could read the whole name.

  “That’s it for today.” Kathy straightened and wiped the sweat from his face with a damp cloth.

  He swallowed the nausea that threatened to make him lose his breakfast. “Thanks.” Panting, he slumped against the bed, wincing again as his whole shoulder throbbed.

  “I’ll tell your mom she can come back in.”

  He nodded and closed his eyes, just wanting the pain to be over with. He’d like to know why someone shot him, as well. No one seemed to know, or if they did, they wou
ldn’t tell him.

  “Chase?”

  That didn’t sound like his mother. He opened his eyes. “Sharon?”

  He’d had crazy dreams about her all night.

  “Look, I’m really sorry about what happened.”

  Her blonde hair fell softly around her face. “Wasn’t your fault. I understand you stopped the bleeding.”

  She lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “You didn’t have a towel or anything in your truck so I used my jacket.”

  He shifted in bed and winced as pain shot through his shoulder. “I’ll be happy to replace it.”

  Sharon’s eyes widened. “No! It was my fault you were shot.”

  “How could it be your fault?” Every time he’d awakened in the night, he tried to puzzle out why someone shot at them, but not once had he thought she was to blame.

  She sat in the chair beside the bed. “I’ve made such a mess of everything. Ben hasn’t told you what happened?”

  He didn’t realize she knew Ben well enough to call him by his first name. “No one’s told me anything. What do you know about it?”

  She chewed on her bottom lip, and something about the way she did it was so familiar. Almost like Robyn when she didn’t want to tell him something. “What are you afraid of?”

  Her shoulders slumped, and she hugged her arms to her stomach. “I thought I could do this, but I can’t. I’m just so sorry. I’ll get Livy.”

  He stared at her retreating back. Maybe Livy would make more sense. A few minutes later, the door opened, and Sharon returned with Livy in tow. His mother followed on their heels. “I hope you can tell me what’s going on,” he said to Livy.

  “First, how are you feeling?”

  “Like someone shot me with a cannon. Spill the beans. Who shot me and why?”

  Livy sighed. “We don’t know who, but we’re pretty sure we know why.”

  “Don’t start talking in riddles. Start at the beginning—wherever that is—and don’t leave anything out.”

  Livy glanced at Sharon as if to ask if she wanted to tell him. She gave a small shake of her head. “Okay,” Livy said. “You know Alex is trying to find Samantha Jo Woodson, the waitress who worked at Johnny B’s before she went to work at Molly’s?”