Gone Before Goodbye (Love &Mystery in the--6-oh-3 Book 1)

by Nora LeDuc

  Noah jumped into the conversation. “And the holy card was mailed locally, though the trail dead-ended at the distribution center. Father Matt has access to holy cards but so does anyone with the Internet.”

  “Shake up the priest, too.” The chief waved his cigar.

  Noah fought the need to pace. Shaking up the priest sounded good to him. “Stacey Smith, the church secretary, can provide us with a detailed list of his appointments for the day.”

  The chief nodded. “Keep looking at the what, where, and when Lisa Grant disappeared.”

  “And I learned that Lucy Watson and Teagan Raynes were in AA,” Noah said, “but she refused to give me her sponsor’s name to be interviewed. I know there are at least two groups that meet in Hawick Falls, maybe more.”

  “I’ve got that one covered,” Hines said with his feet stretched in front of him like he was ready for a nap.

  “Someone in your family goes to the meetings?” the chief asked.

  “No. They hold them in the St. Jude’s Activity Center and since Teagan’s a member of the parish, I’ll bet she attends at the church.”

  “Father Matt’s church?” Was Hines kidding? The priest was involved in every aspect of her life.

  “That’s the one,” Hines confirmed.

  “Go to the meeting. Interview the members. Go back to Jake Clark. Find out his story and his relationship to Lisa Grant.” The chief waved his cigar in the air again. “Vic Taylor, an editor for the paper, is covering the Grant vigil tomorrow. Give me something positive to announce. We don’t want the public to think we’re sitting around like fence viewers.” He threw a glance at the wall clock. “I have a briefing with Paul on the Meter Feeder gang in ten minutes. Too bad we’ve got to waste time chasing teenagers through the city.” He tossed his cigar on his desk. “Go. Now.”

  At the chief’s final order, Noah and Hines hustled out of his office.

  “Am I wrong, or did the chief just instruct us to rile up every person of interest?” Hines mumbled to Noah.

  “I’m glad we don’t suspect a baseball team.” Noah’s phone buzzed, alerting him to the text from his men at Teagan’s house. He read the message that they’d found nothing to indicate a trespasser had been on the grounds.

  Noah agreed the men should return to the station. He pocketed his phone and filled in Hines.

  Paul was at his desk as they entered the squad room. He held up a sticky note with a number and address. “I made contact with one of the All Saints students. I posted a picture of a pretty girl along with a fake name on a social media site. Then I sent a friend request in her name to one of the missing students. He accepted right away. I told him I hoped to transfer to All Saints and was looking for someone who went to the school. He took the bait. Our missing kid was more than happy to give me his cell number and his grandmother’s address, where he’s staying in Maine. I’m still working on the second student. He’s on the Cape.”

  “Thanks, Paul, and good luck with the chief.” Noah turned to Hines. “Let’s visit Jake Clark. He doesn’t work on Fridays. We should catch him at home for a quick Q and A.”

  Within minutes, Noah was driving toward Jake Clark’s apartment in the village. He found a parking spot on a side street by the pea-green, four-story building. Small balconies crammed with chairs and tables decorated each level of the residences of the Park View Apartments.

  “They should rename the place Barely Making It.” Noah took in the facade’s appearance.

  “Too bad, the building was a hot commodity twenty years ago,” Hines said. “The lodgings were converted into condos before the real estate collapse of 2008. Most of the people who live in them now are on the verge of falling from the middle into the financial abyss of poverty.”

  “Jake’s home sure doesn’t match his inflated ego.” Noah cut the engine. The front of the edifice sat on the sidewalk’s edge and offered tenants a scene of the busy street and a view of Pretty Park. “Guess Jake spends his money on Italian movies and not his living quarters.” He pocketed his keys while Hines glanced in the side mirror and smoothed his red hair.

  “The guy’s a person of interest in a possible kidnapping, Hines. Are you expecting a date?”

  “I need to look my best when I grill a suspect, gives me a sense of authority.” He scanned the clapboard building. “Place must contain a rear exit. If we have to take him to the station in the future, I hope he’s not a runner.”

  “The guy has a degree in dead languages. He didn’t impress me as the kind who exercises or spends his day at the gym.”

  “He might be into Latin dancing.” Hines smirked.

  Noah grimaced at the weak joke. “I was wrong. Maybe he will invite you in for a beer and a book discussion.”

  “I’m pretty sure we don’t read the same books.” Hines gave his hair one last pat.

  Noah’s phone buzzed and the chief’s voice barked in his ear when he answered.

  “Cassidy, we had a hit and run near St. Jude’s Church about twenty minutes ago. Victim’s a woman, who’s unconscious and at the hospital.”

  Teagan? Noah tightened his grip on his cell.

  “The uniforms found a purse and wallet nearby with a license for Lucy Watson, Jake Clark’s ex. I’ve got men working on contacting family. We have a clerk from the hardware store across the street. He reported hearing a car speed up followed by a scream. When he looked out the window, he saw a white vehicle fleeing the scene. An officer has confirmed acceleration marks before the hit, looks deliberate. Bring Clark in.”

  “Will do, chief.” What was Lucy Watson doing in Hawick Falls?

  “I wanted to keep her name out of the press, but a driver passing by called the radio station and gave them details. The newscaster hopped on it and somehow identified Miss Watson. He’s including her accident in the station’s news report.” The chief ended the conversation.

  Noah explained to Hines the change in their assignment while they entered the building. In the hall was a series of mounted mailboxes and intercom buzzers to allow people access through the next locked door.

  Noah pressed the button for the teacher’s third floor apartment. A woman holding a baby came into the foyer.

  She glanced at Noah ringing Jake’s bell. “He’s not home.”

  “Do you know where he is?” Hines asked peering at her child. “Cute baby.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled at Hines.

  “You were about to tell us where Jake Clark is,” Noah reminded her.

  She jiggled the infant up and down. “He’s at a meeting about that missing girl. He was her teacher.”

  Hines smiled at the infant and asked, “Did he tell you much about her?”

  The mother shook her head. “Not really. He’s upset because the girl might have run away. She has lots of problems. He told me he feels awful she’s disappeared. He was trying to help her.”

  Noah exchanged a ‘you’ve-got-to-be-kidding’ glance with Hines.

  The infant let out a wail, and the woman pulled out her key. “Sorry, my baby needs his bottle. Wish I could help. One girl vanishes in Hawick Falls you think she ran off. Two girls disappear and you wonder if a sex perv is running loose in the city. At least that’s what they say in the paper. Makes me afraid to walk to the store.” They disappeared through the inner door.

  “She’s got the last part right.” Hines turned to Noah. “Any ideas where they’d hold the planning meeting for the vigil?”

  “I have one and if that doesn’t work, I have a second. Let’s go and find out if Jake Clark took a detour to run down Lucy Watson.”

  Chapter 13

  After the early morning search at her home, Teagan drove to the shooting range. Today was the only day the range opened early, and she hadn’t wanted to miss the opportunity to sharpen her rusty skills. On her way back, she’d spied at least five purple bows around trees and telephone poles. “Yesss.”

  She arrived home six minutes before the planning meeting.

  Now seated in he
r kitchen, she looked over the small committee. At the head of the table, Matt was discussing the schedule. The two elderly volunteers, a husband and wife, nodded their gray heads in unison to Matt’s suggestions, but Teagan didn’t hear a thing. She sat at the opposite end in Lisa’s seat.

  The teen loved to tilt the chair back on its hind legs and yell, “Ladies and gentleman, my first balancing act.”

  That was Lisa. She couldn’t resist teasing or irritating others.

  Teagan’s mind leaped to images of the teenager wandering the streets of an unfamiliar city, and then to Lisa bound with duct tape, locked in a closet, and begging for help.

  Nausea crawled up Teagan’s throat. Get through the meeting. This is for Lisa. She forced herself to take in Matt’s low spoken words and shut out the image.

  He held up his notes. “I’ll speak first about Lisa’s disappearance.”

  Trying to concentrate, Teagan wrote the information on the notepad resting in front of her, and then continued to scribble her thoughts. Lisa gone three days. Run away or abducted? Why would she leave home when she was going to be adopted? How? Who sent me the threat? Who’d kidnap her?

  She stopped writing. She’d call Noah and talk to him. The reassurance in his voice boosted her spirits. Her mind drifted to the last time they’d met. They stood together so close she could see the individual whiskers on his chin. She’d been so sure he was going to kiss her.

  “Teagan?” Matt cleared his throat. “Teagan?”

  She snapped her head up and found three pairs of eyes staring at her.

  “Sorry, what did you say?” She put down her pen, and her cheeks flared with heat. What was wrong with her, letting her thoughts wander?

  “Stacey will send a thank you to Muffy Mart for the candle donation, unless you feel it is your place.”

  The front doorbell’s chimes interrupted her response. She started to rise, but Matt jumped to his feet. “I’ll get it.”

  Jogger sprang from the side chair where Aunt Sophia always sat. The cat padded across the floor as she tailed Matt out of the room.

  The elderly volunteers continued gaping at her. They’d already exchanged fleeting looks of disapproval with each other over a cat’s presence at the kitchen table when they thought Teagan wasn’t looking. Now, who knew what they were thinking about her?

  “If you’ll excuse me, I forgot something.” Like my mind. She crossed the floor and slowed when she reached the living room. Matt’s conversation carried from the hallway to her.

  “He’s not here. I’ll call you if he shows up. You should check his apartment or his classroom.”

  Teagan walked into the hall as Jogger perched on the bottom step of the staircase. She paused beside Matt. Noah and his partner were standing in her doorway. Lack of sleep tightened Noah’s face, but his gaze held the same assurance and grit that drew her to him. She wanted to run to him, invite him inside, and confess her fears. Then what would happen?

  Nothing. He was on an investigation, not a social visit.

  “Good morning, Miss Raynes,” Detective Hines said with a nod. “We’re sorry to intrude, but it’s imperative we speak to Jake Clark. Do you have an idea where he is?”

  “I’m not sure. He was supposed to join us, but he doesn’t like early meetings. I thought he skipped it to sleep in. Is something wrong?”

  “We need him to answer a few questions,” Noah said. “A car hit Lucy Watson this morning near Saint Jude’s.”

  “Lucy came back to Hawick Falls? She was hit?” First Lisa, now Lucy. Teagan clutched Matt’s arm. What was happening to everyone?

  Matt patted her hand. “She’s alive, Teagan.”

  She nodded and withdrew a step. Why would Lucy visit and not get in touch with her? Had she changed her mind and wanted to move home, but was hoping not to alert Jake?

  “When was the last time you spoke to Miss Watson?” Noah’s voice sliced through her spinning questions.

  “We talked a couple of days ago. She works as a night auditor at a hotel and sleeps during the day. We don’t communicate a lot. She never mentioned a visit. What happened? Who was the driver?”

  “We haven’t located the person involved yet,” Hines answered. “It appears to be a hit and run.”

  “But she’s okay?” Teagan inhaled deeply. Hold it together.

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine, Teagan,” Matt said. “Keep the faith.”

  She nodded and bit her lip to silence a sob. Noah moved forward into the hall. They were almost in the same place hours ago. Suddenly, she could feel the touch of his fingertips on her face and the tingle of her skin. When he glanced toward her, she sidestepped away to put a few more feet between them. She had enough problems. Forget fantasizing about Noah Cassidy.

  If his thoughts were on their previous encounter, he showed no signs.

  “Does Jake usually skip meetings without contacting you?” Noah asked.

  “He’s a late riser when he’s not working and sometimes oversleeps,” Matt said. “It’s not unusual, but he hoped to show for Lisa.”

  The detectives wanted to question him about Lucy’s accident. What would happen next? Teagan’s temple pounded. “He ran down Lucy?”

  “We want to clear up a few details,” Noah said. “When was the last time you spoke to him, Teagan?”

  “The first day Lisa disappeared. He came over to offer me support. Where’s Lucy now?” Teagan rubbed at the ache in her forehead.

  “She’s at the hospital,” Hines announced.

  “How badly was she hurt?” Teagan could hear the stress in her voice.

  “I’m afraid it’s serious,” Noah said. “Do you or Father Matt know the names of her family members?”

  Matt shook his head. “She has a brother, but they haven’t spoken in years. I don’t know any more.”

  Teagan would zip over to visit her friend. “Lucy told me the same about her brother. I have to go. Lucy shouldn’t be alone. I have to see how she’s doing. Matt, will you lock up?”

  “I’ll take you.” Noah stepped forward to hustle her out of the house.

  “I’ll get my keys.”

  Teagan broke away from the group and heard the silence in the hallway when she raced upstairs. In her bedroom, she checked her purse for her weapon and scooped up her keys from the top of the bureau. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she wound down the stairs. Matt met her on the bottom stair.

  “You don’t need a protective escort,” the priest objected, turning as she passed him. “I can take you.”

  “It’s police business, Father. Miss Raynes, you’ll be safer with us.”

  The idea sounded excellent, especially if someone was driving around Hawick Falls running people down or abducting them.

  Noah kept his iron clasp on her while he guided her out of the house and to his car in the driveway.

  Detective Hines jumped into the rear seat.

  “I didn’t remind Matt to give my apologies to the volunteers in the kitchen.” She unfastened her seatbelt.

  “He’ll figure it out.” Noah keyed the ignition. “You can fill us in on Lucy’s background.”

  No wonder he offered her a ride. Now he’d question her without interruptions, and she couldn’t get over the feeling he wanted her away from Father Matt. The two acted like they were in competition for her time, but that made no sense. Forget them both. She had bigger problems.

  Disappointment speared her as she buckled up. Yesterday, I had a moment with Noah, but today it is business as usual.

  “Do you think Lucy wanted to get back together with Jake?” Noah asked without taking his eyes off the road.

  “I don’t. Their relationship was over long before she left him. They shared a place for six months, and she knew him for two before they moved into his apartment at the Park View. Lucy confided that they’d acted too quickly, and she wished they’d gone slower before they jumped into sharing a home.”

  “Was Jake violent?”

  “Never. Lucy didn’t tolerate v
iolence. Besides, she did lots for him. Jake liked having her around.”

  “What did she do for him?” Hines asked from the rear.

  “Kept him on a budget for one. Before Lucy, he didn’t bother to pay his bills until final notice and ended up paying a lot of overdue charges.”

  “Would you say he enabled her when she drank?”

  Would she betray Lucy if she discussed her drinking? Teagan shrugged, searching for a response and keeping her mind off Noah and his peering glances. “Lucy took responsibility for her problems.”

  “Sounds like an AA answer.”

  “You asked. I answered.”

  “Who else might hurt her?” Hines asked.

  “Lucy is an easy-going person who liked everyone. I can’t imagine someone deliberately hurting her. It must have been an accident.” She tightened her hands together in her lap.

  “What’s going on with the vigil?” Noah asked. “Is Father Matt speaking for you?”

  “I speak for myself. Matt will lead us in prayer and ask for Lisa’s return, too.”

  “You’re not taking my advice about hanging low?” Noah threw her a disapproving look.

  “Detective Cassidy, a plea from Matt is not the same as a request from me. I must do it.”

  “She’s right,” Hines chimed in. “When the Linn girl went missing, everyone wondered why her mother didn’t attend a press conference. Taylor spoke, but the public expected her mom.”

  “Was she taking your advice, detective?” Teagan asked, feeling a touch of vindication.

  “Kara’s mother suffered a breakdown,” Noah answered in a level tone. “She’d been hospitalized.”

  “I didn’t know.” A pang of guilt struck Teagan. She should have guessed. The woman always appeared broken in the pictures of her.

  “You okay?” Noah’s question tore her away from her musings.

  “Better than others. Any chance you pinpointed where Lisa was when she vanished?”

  “We’ve good news on the river. Nothing turned up there.”

  Another place she’d cross off her search list. They knew little more than before, and why would anyone hurt Lucy? She’d help anybody in trouble. “Why are you trying to connect Lucy’s accident and Lisa’s disappearance?”