Lost and Found: Sara Martin Series

by Danelle Helget

First thing in the morning, I checked my email. Detective Derek Richards had left a note saying he was getting started on the investigation, that it was a pleasure seeing me again. Nice . . . very nice. There were also a few messages from Jake that I deleted, except the one that said, “POLICE” in the subject line. I opened that one.

  “Did you call the police? Why? Stay out of it, Sara! You want your divorce, fine! I know I hurt you. Are you trying to repay me?”

  I went to hit delete and then decided not to. I turned off the monitor and got in the shower. I dressed in casual but cute clothes. I fed Miss Faith, and she thanked me by rubbing against my leg and purring. I threw my purse over my shoulder and left.

  On the way to church, I talked to God for a while and asked Him to help me find Lily. I told Him I hoped I was handling this situation the way He wanted me to. Never in a million years did I think I would be dissolving a marriage I’d vowed to keep in good times and bad. I really hoped God understood that this was a special circumstance. There wasn't much I could do. I thanked Him for friends and family and my kitty, and then spent the next hour at church praising Him.

  After the service, I sped to the mall. I was a little excited. I had an hour and a half before my hair cut, so I went to the food court and grabbed some Chinese food. When I finished, I headed to a home decorating store and picked up a few new things for my apartment.

  Stephon was in his black smock, waiting for me at the front when I walked up. He started jumping up and down and clapping when he saw me. He screeched, ran up and threw his arms around me.

  “Girlfriend, I’m so excited!” he said kissing me on each cheek. “I’ve been thinking about your makeover all night. Are you ready for a whole new look? “

  “Yup, I'm ready,” I said. “Make me fresh and new and beautiful.

  “Right this way, love. Sit, sit and tell me about all these going-ons in your fabulous, soap opera life,” he said, while draping me and fingering my hair.

  We talked first about color and then cut. Then we moved to the shampoo bowl. When I was back in my chair, I told him some of the “going-ons” in my life. I got to the part about filing for divorce, and Stephon stepped back, put one finger on his tightly pursed lips and the other hand on his hip.

  “Now wait just a minute, girl,” he said. “Are you telling me that Jake Martin is a free man?”

  I laughed. “Ah yeah, he will be soon enough, and you can have him.”

  “Mmmm, mmmmm, he’s a nice slice of man pie! I wouldn't mind none at all taking a nibble on that. Mmmm.” He got quiet and still, staring off to the corner of the room. A few seconds later he was back. “Oh, sorry. Go on, love. What else?” he asked shaking his head, trying to refocus.

  I giggled and continued. Three hours later, Stephon was up to date, and willing to cat sit anytime. And I was a blond, with golden-honey low-lights. It was a short bob, with a bit of an angle getting longer in the front, tapered up the back and lots of texture throughout. It was amazing. I loved it.

  I paid Stephon a very generous tip and gave him a kiss on each cheek. I grabbed my purse and walked out to the mall hallway. I called my mom and Kat and told them about my new do. They were both very excited for me. It felt a little weird when I turned my head, it was so light. I think it added a little bounce in my step. Just what I needed. Goodbye old me and old life. Hello new me . . . with a great hair cut! Ahh, spa therapy!

  I spent the rest of the day unpacking boxes while listening to music. I got down to the last box and realized that I now had a stack of flattened boxes, that were really nice and I didn't want to throw them away. It felt like a waste, an all too familiar story. There was a bulletin board in the entryway of my building with items for sale and services, for the tenants to use. I grabbed a half sheet of paper, and made a quick “Free” poster, with my phone and apartment number on the bottom and ran it down the hall to the board.

  When I got back to my apartment, I was hungry and realized that I had no food in the house. I made a quick list of things to pick up tomorrow after work and grabbed a couple cookies. I unpacked the bag of decor I'd bought earlier and put the items out. Then I decided that I was officially unpacked, closets too this time.

  At nine-thirty my phone rang. It was Mark. He said he'd just got back from being questioned, and he wanted to talk to me. I headed over there and sure enough the place was a mess. But he was at least showered and dressed and seemed sober this time. I looked to the counter and there was a half a pot of coffee. Guess he took my advice.

  “Holy crap, I almost didn't recognize you! Wow, you look great. I like it,” he told me.

  I thanked him. Just when I was about to sit down on the opposite end of the couch, someone walked out of the bathroom. Jake. “What’s he doing here?” I asked. “Mark, you know I don't want to talk to him.”

  “Sara? Wow, nice hair,” Jake said, looking stunned. This was perfect. He thought I looked great, which I did, and he'd lost me forever. Revenge is sweet. I smiled on the inside.

  “I wanted to talk to you,” Mark said, “I saw Jake coming into the police station just as I was leaving and asked him to come over to talk. We need to go over what happened so all our stories are the same,” he said, motioning me to sit.

  I uncomfortably sat. “Why would we need to get our story straight. It is straight.”

  “Look, Sara,” Jake said, “we’re all being investigated in the disappearance. We need to be consistent with what we tell the police so we are all cleared of suspicion. This is serious.”

  “Being investigated? Were they the words the detective used?” I asked. Wondering if Mark knew Derek. I knew that Jake wasn't at the party that I met Derek at. I was alone, which is why I spent so much time talking to Derek. But I didn't know if he and Mark ever met.

  “Not exactly, but that's how we both feel,” Mark said. “I think we should go over the details of the day and and make sure we’re all on the same page.”

  “You sound like you have something to hide. Just tell them the truth, and you'll be fine. Anyway I was already questioned. They aren't investigating us. They’re just looking for leads,” I said. “Look, Mark, I'm leaving. If you two want to stay and ‘get your story straight' then go ahead, I'm going to answer any questions the police have and help in anyway I can. I didn't see anything different than what you saw that day.” I grabbed my purse and walked to the door. “I didn't miss anything while I was napping, did I? She did get in her car and leave, right?” I asked.

  “Right,” Jake said. Mark nodded in agreement.

  I closed the door behind me and exhaled. Man, the nerve! Why would he want to be anywhere near Jake. He knew I didn't. So he invited us both over? Geez.

  Back home I scooped up my kitty and climbed into bed. We played until she pooped out and then I watched her sleep for a little bit. She was so precious and sweet and getting bigger every day.

  In the morning, I got ready for work quickly and threw a few things in a bag for my meetings that afternoon with two of the financial advisers. I had a light day at work and then lunch with Kat. I checked emails, and there was nothing new there. I unplugged my phone from the charger and noticed I'd missed a call while I was in the shower. It was from detective Derek Richards. His message said that he'd like to speak to me again, so to call or stop in sometime today. I returned his call and got his secretary. I asked her to tell Derek that I'd be in about four and if he needed me earlier he could call me on my cell.

  I'd put some more cat food in the bowl and then scooped the litter while I had a quick talk with Faith about what work was and how we behave when mommy's at work. I tossed my purse into my shoulder bag, tossed it over my arm, then grabbed the garbage and litter and headed out. I left the TV on for Faith so she wouldn't feel lonely.

  People at work loved my new hair and said I looked totally different. It felt good to be back there. And to smile again. My meetings went quickly. I was suppose to be in court next week and had a bunch of paper work to get ready for that, but I had passed t
he two big projects on to associates who were more than willing to take them. In my mental condition, I had no business being in charge of serious cases right now. I needed to talk to my boss too and let her know that I was planning to drop back to part time. I figured I'd do that next week.

  Morning flew by, and I had a great lunch with Kat. Thank God for her. She loved my new hair too. We enjoyed lunch, and while we ate, I told her about all the cute things Faith was doing. After we paid, we promised to get together soon.

  I headed to my first financial adviser meeting and immediately checked that one off the list. She was a rude, old lady who expected a check from me today. I think not. The next meeting was only about a mile away in a really nice, new building. About an hour later, I'd walked out with a lot of literature and a schedule of introductory classes that they held there in the evenings to help teach their clients how the whole investing system worked. The man I met was really nice. Blake Conner, a little older than I was and very friendly. He looked great in a suit and smelled amazing. He was very kind when I told him I was nervous and didn't understand a lot about it. He gave me the class schedule and assured me that it was his job to worry about the money and to handle the paper work. It was my job to bring concerns to him and learn as we go. He told me, if I did well, he got paid well, and if I lost all my money, he didn't get paid. So it was in his best interest to work with me and for me. I liked him.

  My next meeting was tomorrow night at five. So I'd hoped to make a decision after that. I climbed into my Jeep and headed to the police station. Derek's secretary smiled when I walked up. I said that I was there to see Detective Richards. She told me to have a seat and help myself to coffee. After looking over at the coffee bar, which was pretty lame, I decided to pass.

  Moments later Derek walked over and took my hand. “Hi. Thanks for coming in,” he shook my hand and helped me to stand. “Right this way,” he said, motioning me towards his office. His hands were so soft and gentle, just like his smile.

  I sat down in the same chair as last time, across the desk from him. I saw all kinds of things pertaining to Lily spread on his desk. “Have you found anything out yet?” I asked.

  “No, nothing new. I’ve spent the day going over the statements from yesterday and verifying their details. We did bring Jake and Mark in last night.” He said setting everything aside, and folding his arms. He leaned back in his chair and said, “My concern starts with them. They are the last two to see her alive. I can see a woman running away from that situation and going home or to a friend's or relative's house for a while, but she’s been gone too long. It's like her mom said, it's normal to not want to talk to the three of you, but her mom shouldn't be a person to hide from. So that's why I called you back here. You, Mark, and her Mom would have known her best. So I want to ask you a few more questions. Is that okay?”

  “Yeah, that's fine, I think. Well . . . actually, I'm a little concerned. Let me ask you something first. Mark called me last night after he left here and said that we were being investigated. If that’s true, I need a lawyer. Am I being investigated, Mr. Richards?”

  “You are a lawyer, aren't you Ms. Martin?”

  “Yes, but Criminal Law is not my expertise, and you haven’t answered my question.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up a little. “I don’t see you as a suspect in this case. I’m not charging you or holding you, and you came to me, so I think you’re okay without a lawyer. You do have the right to one if you would like,” he added, to cover his butt.

  “Okay, Mr. Richards, what would you like to ask?” I said, smiling and relaxing a bit.

  “First of all, you can call me Derek if I can call you Sara,” he said, with a wink.

  Smiling, I told him okay and we started. He asked again how long my nap was, if I remembered what Lily had been wearing, and if I heard her start the car and leave. I answered all those questions and then he asked about when I woke up, who I saw first and what their behavior was. I told him, again, what I remembered and that I was so angry and everyone was so upset that we all had weird behavior.

  We spent the next hour talking, and I had the feeling that he was looking hard at Jake and Mark rather than looking around town for Lily. Feeling concern all over again, I told him I’d help in anyway I could and left feeling like we were on the same team. Derek was a lot nicer today than yesterday. He felt like a friend again. He promised to call me if anything new came up and I did the same.

  I got home and Faith came hopping over to me. I dropped everything and scooped her up. “Oh, I love you! You’re the highlight of my day,” I told her while I rubbed my nose on hers. This must be how parents felt when they picked their kids up from daycare.

  I settled in for the night and called Lily's mom and told her about my trip to Derek's office. She was grateful for the update and thanked me for my compassion and help through all this. It was such a weird place to be stuck between hate and worry for the same person. I needed to know Lily was safe though. I didn't tell anyone about my dreams yet. I was really considering it in Derek's office, but I didn't want to look guilty if they found her. And I didn't want him to think I was crazy or losing my mind. After all, I was the wife of the man she'd cheated with. I was just glad I wasn't the last one to see her alive. At least Mark and Jake were there to help clear that up, but Derek said their stories had holes and that I should be careful around them. He said not to act differently but just to watch my back. I told him I trusted Mark completely. I knew he’d never hurt her. And Jake made a huge, selfish mistake but he would never hurt anyone either. Derek didn't seem convinced but that was his job, and it seemed like he was good at it. He then shared some statistics with me that were not very promising. Derek said that tomorrow he would work on phone and credit card transactions but that he needed to pressure Mark for information or get a search warrant.

  15

  It was a good night for a bubble bath. I kind of liked the freedom being single brought. I could sleep in, go to bed early, stay up late, eat cookies for supper, and no one was around to shake their head at me. I poured a glass of wine and sauntered to the tub, disrobed and slid in slowly. Faith walked on the edge of the tub and leaned over to bat at the water. Then she hoped over to the toilet and walked around the seat a couple of times and leaned down to bat at the water but fell in head first! She was out as fast as she went in and was drenched! Laughing, I tried to reach for her but she shook water everywhere and took off running out the bathroom door and out of sight. I called for her, but she didn't come back. I reached over and put the lid down, and made a mental note to always put the lid down.

  I read in the bath for a while and then got out and put on my jammies and fluffy socks. I threw a load of laundry in and watched TV while waiting for it to dry. When it was done, so was I. I put it away and then climbed into bed. I loved my bed.

  “Saaarrra,” I heard the voice again. The fog was gone now. It was a bright, clear, cool day. The sun was high in the sky. I was by the cave, sitting just outside of it. I knew she was dead. The puddle was too big; it was too much blood. I was crying and rocking and hugging my knees to my chest.

  “Sara, help us,” I heard. “Tell them, tell them, so they can know.” I looked around, and I saw two girls, one I don't know, the other was Lily. They were both in white gowns and misty looking. They were about fifty feet away.

  “Who do I tell. What do I tell them?” I asked, sobbing.

  “Help us, Sara,” they said together. “Tell them, so we can go.”

  “Tell them what?” I screamed, “What do you want from me?”

  Sitting straight up in bed, I was panting and sweating, completely out of breath. I was awake now but I wondered if I'd yelled that last part out loud, because Faith had just went running from the room. What was my problem? This was getting really weird. It concerned me, a lot. It was only midnight, so I decided to go to the fridge and get some food. Maybe if I ate I'd sleep better. The dreams were scarey. Pretty soon I wasn’t going to want to
go to sleep. At least not alone in this big apartment.

  After I finished a bowl of cereal, I went to my computer. I checked my email and there was a bunch of junk and one from Derek.

  “Thank-you for coming in today and helping with the investigation. I want you to know that with all you've been through, no one would blame you if you didn't. I’m doing everything I can to find Lily and I will keep you posted on any new developments. I think that your doing a really nice thing helping Lily's parents and I can't imagine what you must be going through emotionally. Please let me know if you need anything, anything at all. It was nice to see you again.”

  Derek

  Well that was nice of him. I debated responding back and decided not to. It was the middle of the night for one thing. I hit the bathroom and headed back to bed. I closed my eyes and had a moment with God, asking Him to guide me through what all this meant and help me understand what I was suppose to do. Then I closed my eyes.

  Oddly, I was ready way ahead of schedule. I'd hit the coffee shop and ordered an extra for my boss, Courtney, who I called on the way to work and as always, she was there early and was in need of a cup too. I asked her if we could talk before I had my meeting.

  When I got to the office I was the only one there besides Courtney. Courtney had been at the firm since the first day it opened. She was a great supervisor and a great partner too. The firm did very well. We got along well so I wasn't worried at all about the meeting.

  “Coffee and company!” I sang, as I entered.

  “Sara, my hero, come on in and have a seat,” she said smiling. “How are you, dear?” She took the coffee and drank.

  “Well,” I said, letting out a big exhale, “not great. I know you know about my recent separation and divorce filings.”

  “And your so-called friend's behavior!” she added.

  “Yes. It's been a lot to take. Courtney, the reason I'm here is because well, it's all too much. I’d like to drop way back on my work load, back to part time, maybe less.” I said in a questioning voice.