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

by Nora LeDuc

  “It’s a hypothesis.”

  His noncommittal tone wasn’t encouraging. “Maybe the night I saw Travis outside my house, he was searching for a way to enter and snatch a few of Lisa’s clothes. When he couldn’t get inside, he bought her a top and shorts at a thrift store or borrowed some.” That meant Lisa was alive for sure.

  Skepticism and then sympathy glittered in his eyes. “We don’t know yet, Teagan. I’d appreciate you keeping quiet about your vigil text and the garments we found. Personally, I believe the thief ditched the car with Lisa’s belongings in the woods for us to find.”

  “You think she was kidnapped, and her kidnapper taunted the police with her clothes?”

  “Again, it’s a theory, not a certainty.”

  “Sounds like someone is watching our every move.” Her throat burned from the fear rising upward. She had to talk of something else or become ill. “Vic Taylor stopped by the night of the vigil.”

  “Vic Taylor came to your house?”

  “He arrived after you left for the fire. He thinks the girls joined the teenage Robin Hood group at Pretty Park. I didn’t mention him sooner because I was distracted by the burned body in Lisa’s chair.” She linked and unlinked her fingers while she pictured the fried corpse before she rambled onward. “Vic Taylor wants the police to investigate the Robin Hood boys.”

  “Teagan, the teens are already under investigation. You shouldn’t have spoken to him. Take no chances should be your motto. Next time, send him away and call me if he won’t leave.”

  “Will do. Do you think the kids who hang out in the woods set them on fire or Jake was involved in the arson?”

  “I don’t have the answers. Trust no one, even Kara Linn’s uncle.” The intensity of his gaze pounded her until she broke eye contact.

  “I’m suspicious of most people, and Mr. Taylor is kind of creepy. Don’t worry. I’m done talking to him.” She recalled the man’s embrace. Had she misread him? No, it wasn’t only his physical touch that creeped her out. He’d been trailing her the night of the vigil to her house and inside.

  “Noah, when Vic was here, he followed me inside for a drink of water. While he was here, he kept looking around. He claimed the place reminded him of his grandmother’s, but what if he was planning where to leave the…remains.” What if he had killed and burned his niece? Her hands and legs began to shake. She clasped her palms and knees together to keep them still.

  “I’ll talk to Mr. Taylor.”

  Noah’s steel voice wasn’t reassuring. “Could Vic Taylor have put Kara in my kitchen?” She wet her dry lips and focused on Noah’s face to blot out more images and questions.

  “We’ll arrest him if he did. Whoever took the girls hasn’t made a mistake, yet. I’m hoping we’ll get a lead from the victim at your table, as terrible as it is to imagine.”

  Teagan nodded and glanced out the window at a young couple walking past the house. The girl was laughing and playfully shoved at the boy. Strange that people could smile and be happy. She didn’t know if she’d ever laugh again. “Sometimes, I feel like an awful person, and today is one of them. I’ve been praying the remains are anyone but Lisa.”

  He rose and pulled her to her feet.

  “Teagan,” he said in a low voice. “You’re not bad. You’re normal.” He slid his hands to her elbows.

  Her skin tingled from his touch, and the intimate way he said her name reminded her of the last kiss they’d shared.

  “You care about Lisa. It’s natural to want her to be alive.” He tugged her to him and tightened his hold.

  She inhaled the clean fragrance of his soap and toothpaste. The urge to kiss him and drive away the grief that held her prisoner cheered her onward. She wanted to be a normal person, not a woman filled with sadness and fear, spending hours worrying until her head and stomach hurt. He slackened his grip, and she sensed he was about to release her. No, she had to hold onto him for one more moment.

  Rising up on tiptoes, she brushed her lips against his. Surprised flickered over his face. The button of his shirt pressed against her chest. Then his mouth opened and his heat melted into hers. The world of pain drifted away.

  His hand cupped her breast, and he nibbled at her chin.

  The front doorbell buzzed.

  They’d leave when she didn’t answer. She tightened her arms around his shoulders. Desire clawed at her.

  “Teagan?”

  The voice registered in her mind. Matt! He stood a yard from them. His open jaw and his eyes bright with shock warned he understood what he’d interrupted.

  There was no one she wanted to see less at this moment. She should have paid attention to his ring. She broke free from Noah’s grip. “Ma…at,” she stumbled over his name. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

  “Father,” Noah acknowledged, seeming unfazed, almost defiant.

  Matt recovered before she did. “I rang the bell.” He pinpointed his gaze on Noah and frowned.

  “I’ve so much to tell you,” she blurted to cover her awkwardness and added another two feet of distance between herself and Noah.

  “Did you find Lisa?” Matt asked her.

  Noah’s phone began to ring while Jogger leaped down from her perch to twine herself around Teagan’s legs. She picked up the cat and held her against her chest. The sound of her pet purring soothed Teagan’s frazzled nerves.

  “Excuse me.” Noah turned away with his cell against his ear.

  She had to say something. “Matt, the police located Jake’s stolen car at the park yesterday, and someone put a burned body at my kitchen table.”

  “What? A body was here, inside your home?” His eyes widened. “Lisa?”

  “We have to wait for forensic results.” She bent her face over Jogger, trying to hold onto her composure.

  “You should have called me, Teagan.”

  “The police came.”

  Jogger jumped free as Noah walked back toward them. He stopped and watched them from across the room.

  She didn’t have time for whatever was bothering him about Matt.

  Was Matt wondering why she and Noah were kissing when they’d found a person’s remains? How did she explain the comfort and attraction she felt when she was with him? Life was more confusing each second.

  “I’ve got to go, Teagan,” Noah told her. “I’ll brief you later if I learn anything. Maybe I need to speak to Paul about who comes into your house.”

  “Matt is always welcome.” Almost always.

  “Paul’s father is a deacon in the church. He knows me.”

  “Any chance you’ll search for the Robin Hood group?” Teagan asked, sensing a no win contest between the men brewing, “It’s a wild guess, but maybe Lisa joined their band.”

  “We investigate every possibility. If you’ll excuse me, I’m off.” Noah compressed his lips and nodded at the priest as he passed him.

  An uncomfortable silence fell between her and Matt. What should she say? Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned? No, she hadn’t sinned. Why did she feel like she’d committed the worst kind of crime and sin?

  “I couldn’t sleep and knew you’ve been having the same problem. Since the last time we spoke was the vigil, I drove over. With the cruiser and the detective’s car parked out front, I thought you were getting more bad news and might need support.”

  “I appreciate your concern.” Except when I’m kissing Noah.

  “I didn’t realize you and the detective were…close, Teagan.”

  “It just happened.” She twisted her hands together. That wasn’t exactly true.

  “I’m worried about you. You’re stressed from your aunt’s death, adjusting to life in Hawick Falls again, and Lisa’s disappearance. It’s easy to get caught up in a relationship that you wouldn’t seek under normal conditions.”

  “What’s wrong with the detective?”

  “Your mind isn’t clear when you’re upset. You could regret your actions later when your days return to normal.”

 
Regrets? She imagined Noah’s arms around her, and the gleam in his eyes when he wanted her. No, she wasn’t sorry or sad about their kiss. And she’d kissed him first. If he was using her, she was using him, too. “I’m fine, Matt. Don’t fret.”

  He laid his hand on her shoulder. The warmth from his palm seeped through the fabric. “You’ve had your ups and downs, especially when you were younger. I always hoped you’d meet a steady, stable man to give you what you deserve. A detective lives a life of irregular hours. Often, he deals with people at their lowest points round the clock.”

  “I’m sure he must find rewards in his job, and I’d describe your day as similar.”

  “I don’t have a family. Teagan, Detective Cassidy may be the most talented investigator in Hawick Falls, but he grew up in a troubled home and carries a great deal of anger. I’ve never been into gossip, but you should consider the facts. His parents left him to raise himself and I suspect he bears scars from their abandonment. He’s learned to use threats to get results instead of reason and compromise. I’m sorry, but it’s common knowledge in Hawick Falls since his father drank too much and told their problems to anyone who would listen. I don’t believe Noah Cassidy is the type of person you’d date under normal circumstances.”

  Matt was mistaken about Noah. “I’ve seen only good in him. Besides, each of us has faults.”

  “I’m not arguing that you date only perfect men because there are none. I’m saying step back until Lisa is found, and your life is stable. That’s all. If Noah Cassidy has changed, then I’m happy to be wrong.”

  She barely caught his last piece of advice. Her mind whirled with questions about Noah’s ‘troubled home’. Was she gravitating to a man who’d never commit? Was this what attracted her to him?

  Matt was waiting for her response. She searched for an honest answer. “I don’t want to mess up my life either.”

  The tension in his shoulders eased. It was rare that she argued with him, if ever.

  “Your aunt would be proud of you,” he said in his low even voice. “You’ve grown a lot from the little girl who lived on the street. Just consider what you’ve always imagined for your future. I trust you’ll do right.”

  Matt didn’t approve of Noah. His meaning was plain. “I have good news for a change. I called the hospital yesterday. Lucy’s doctor will allow a few visitors to stop by and talk to her.”

  “She’s regained consciousness? The rosary group will take full credit.”

  “Not yet. Her physician subscribes to the theory that his patients can hear you when they’re unconscious, which means we’re allowed into her room, but she won’t be talking. I planned on visiting today. Do you want to come with me?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve got the Coffee Chat in an hour. We meet early to accommodate people going to work, and I’m booked the rest of the day. This was the only time I could squeeze in to stop by. And I promise in the future to call beforehand.”

  “I appreciate your concern. Oh, did anyone turn in a St. Jude’s medal at the vigil? I can’t find mine and wanted to loan it to Lucy. I thought it was in my purse, but no such luck.”

  “None of the parishioners brought a medal to the rectory, but I can get you a new one.”

  “Aunt Sophia gave me the medal when I first arrived. I’m a little sentimental about it. But I might take you up on another if mine doesn’t show up.”

  “Why don’t I ask Stacey to go with you to visit Lucy?”

  “She has lots to do in the office without Lisa’s help.” Teagan swung her purse over her shoulder. “I won’t be alone. My escort will be with me.” She pointed out the window at the patrol car. “Detective Cassidy asked his chief to have an officer posted at my house after the last threat. I’m sure Paul wouldn’t mind a change of scenery.”

  “What do you mean? You received another holy card with a warning?”

  “I received a text while at the vigil.” Too late, she remembered giving her word to keep this piece of information secret.

  “What did it say?”

  “The same as the first,” she hedged.

  “I’m canceling the Coffee Chat.”

  “No. Consider the officer in the cruiser carries a gun. I’ll be fine.”

  Matt locked onto her gaze. “If anything happened to you—”

  “Don’t worry. If a person kidnapped Lisa and Kara Linn, he’s into young girls. I’m ancient, and I bet the holy card warning was from Travis, wherever he is. Travis needs you, not me. He’s probably wandering around searching for food and shelter.”

  “I’m going to call Seth later this morning and organize a search for the boy.”

  “I appreciate your concern, Matt.” She reached up and kissed his cheek to let him know how much she cared.

  “Especially since I’m not dogging your steps,” he added. “Why don’t you come to the Chat? We serve baked goods, and I’m guessing you haven’t eaten. Then you can go visit Lucy. Bring your new escort along.”

  “You’ve convinced me. Besides, I’m trying to have a life and find Lisa. I’ll be ready in a second once I explain to the officer he’ll be getting free food and coffee.”

  At the Activity Center, Teagan accepted people’s sympathy and concerns about Lisa. Many offered to volunteer in searches or vigils. Officer Paul drank and ate, but maintained a distance from the group.

  It was late morning when she ducked out of the meeting with the patrolman tailing her. Hospital security had set up a chair outside Lucy’s door and Paul settled into it to wait for her.

  Keeping the memory of her mother’s hospital stay locked away, she entered her friend’s room.

  Lucy lay in the bed with wires attaching her to a monitor.

  Teagan relaxed her shoulders and wandered closer. “Hi, Lucy, it’s me. I’ve missed you. When you’re better, we’ll go shopping and buy lots of chocolates.”

  The soft music playing and the buzz of the machine filled the quiet. The vase of yellow lilies sat on the cabinet on the other side of the bed. Had Stacey delivered them? A beam of sunshine glinted off something in the leaves. What was that? She shoved aside the stems of the bouquet and found a silver chain wrapped around two stalks. Teagan pulled it out. A heart dangled from the middle link. Lisa’s bracelet! Teagan turned over the pendant. What was the rust-colored stain on the back?

  She held the jewelry closer, and her mind spun. Blood!

  Teagan’s legs wobbled. The wristlet fell to the floor. She closed her eyes and fought the wave of nausea sweeping over her.

  At the swish of the door opening, she rested her foot over the bracelet and faced the newcomer.

  Chapter 24

  A loud noise woke Lisa. She lay listening, too sore and sick to move. Go away. Go away. Come again no other day.

  No wire, chains, or handcuffs imprisoned her, but she didn’t budge a muscle. If she just kept her eyes closed, she wouldn’t see the monster who invaded and controlled her mind. The monster who would strangle her until she passed out, and then bring her back to life for more torture.

  “Lisa. Lisa.”

  Her foster mother was scolding her. Which one? Was it morning? She couldn’t sit up. She was trapped in a hole, a pit that stunk of sweat, piss, and filth.

  Ashes to ashes. Soon she’d join the surrounding dirt. Had the other girl joined it? Lisa hadn’t heard her crying for a while.

  A chill waved over her. Her throat hurt. Her body ached everywhere.

  “Lisa. Lisa.”

  The voice grew louder. Who was calling her? “Aunt Sophia? I’m in here,” Lisa rasped. She scooted downward and slammed her feet against the door until queasiness overcame her.

  She waited out the need to barf. No, Aunt Sophia died. Maybe someone else was looking for her. If only Travis had loved her.

  At night, she’d put the key under the angel in the backyard and he’d sneak down to the cellar where they’d meet. Teagan would be sound asleep. When they were fighting, she kept the key and the door locked. But when they were happ
y, they’d sit on the old wicker two-seater and make out. That’s where they first had sex and he claimed to love her.

  Why hadn’t he? Lisa blinked at the tears while the voice whispered her name.

  It was Aunt Sophia again, except now she wanted Lisa to join her.

  No. She wasn’t going to heaven. A sharp pain stabbed her chest. She was sick because of the monster man.

  She hated him. The next time he came for her, she’d resist. Whatever he did for punishment was better than remembering those gross, painful things he did to her.

  The music was playing. He was here.

  I’m dying in this hole. Please, God, help me escape.

  The door swung open. He dragged her out of the chamber by her heels. She blinked against the light. The monster shoved her forward. She fell against the torture table. Catching herself on the edge, she leaned against the edge, waiting for her agony to begin.

  She tensed and turned her head. A shadow in the corner shifted.

  She squinted at a shape. She wet her cracked lips and croaked, “Help.”

  Had she imagined the movement? No. She wasn’t crazy, yet. But what if the creature in the dark wasn’t human? The silhouette was too big for rats. The girl? Yes. He was making the girl watch them.

  Chapter 25

  At the moment, Noah would cast a vote for Jake Clark as best professional liar. He stared at the man on the other side of the table for facial tells. Hines, sitting next to him in the bare, beige-walled room, was doing the same.

  From his pocket, Jake produced a list of phone numbers and names. “I called each of these people, trying to find my vehicle the day it went missing. I’m sure you can verify my timetable with them.”

  Noah scanned the paper and set it aside. “You carry this around?”

  “No, when Officer Hines—”

  “Detective Hines,” Noah corrected.

  Jake frowned and continued. “When I was asked to come to the station because you found my car, I decided to arrive prepared. I’m not a backwoodsman who’s unfamiliar with the law. You’re looking for someone to pin a crime on. I brought evidence. I’m not the one who hit Lucy. My car was stolen, and I couldn’t have done it.”