Missing at Christmas

by K. D. Richards

  Shawn stepped off the elevator and headed toward the suite.

  “I know. I plan to track down Ben Konstam tomorrow and lean on him hard to get him to talk.”

  Shawn held his key card against the black box affixed to the room door. Two beeps sounded, and the red dot on the door turned green.

  The darkened living room had him dropping the pie to the floor and reaching for the Glock in his waistband before he crossed the room’s threshold. It was only eight thirty, far too early for Addy to have gone to bed.

  “Addy?” He held his gun low but at the ready.

  “What’s wrong?” Ryan demanded.

  Shawn didn’t answer his brother.

  He flicked on the lights, taking in every inch of the room in moments. The bedroom door was open.

  His heart beat wildly, but he listened past it, ears perked for any sound in the suite.

  He moved forward quickly, checking the bathroom and the closet.

  The suite was empty.

  “Shawn? Talk to me. What’s going on?”

  He forced the words past the lump that had formed in his throat.

  “Addy’s gone.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Snow began to fall as Addy left the Bentham town limits, leaving the streets slick and turning the forty-five-minute trip between Bentham and Garwin into an hour-and-a-half drive. Sitting alone in the suite after Shawn left, the sense that she was running out of time to find Cassie had grown until it nearly overwhelmed Addy. She was grateful for his help, but there was no reason she had to wait for him to talk to Suri.

  She’d only had a quick glimpse at the Garwin address in the background report West had done on Suri Bedingfield, but she’d remembered it easily.

  Skirting the New York–Massachusetts border, Garwin was twice the size of Bentham but still much smaller than New York City. Three decades ago, the city’s politicians had successfully courted a midsize pharmaceutical company, which had established its headquarters in Garwin. Other businesses sprouted up to support the influx of new residents, making Garwin an important small city in the area. The Garwin City Council must have used the same holiday decorator as Bentham—strings of white lights twisted around the base of every lamppost, with red-and-green happy-holidays banners as toppers.

  Addy found an open parking spot on the busy street in the heart of downtown Garwin, across from a modern glass-and-chrome high-rise. It looked like Shawn was right about Suri’s new apartment being an improvement over the duplex she and Cassie had shared.

  Addy’s phone rang as she exited the Mustang. She didn’t need to look at the screen to know the caller was Shawn.

  For a brief moment, she contemplated not answering, but she didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily. She stopped on the sidewalk next to the car and connected the call. “Hello, Shawn.”

  “Are you okay? Where are you?” The panic threading his words sent a stab of guilt through her.

  “I’m fine. I’m in Garwin on my way to talk to Suri.”

  Shawn swore. “Have you talked to her yet?”

  The wind whistled by, buoyed by the tunnel created by the high-rise buildings on either side of the street. She pulled her coat tight against the gale. “No. I just got to her apartment. I haven’t gone in.”

  “Good. Don’t. We don’t know if she had a hand in Cassie’s disappearance. She could be dangerous.”

  “I doubt she’s going to do anything to me in her apartment. It’s a big building. Lots of neighbors to overhear and a doorman who would notice if I didn’t come back down.”

  “Addy, just wait for me. I can be there in an hour.”

  She shook her head, dashing behind a white minivan and across the street. “I’ll be fine, Shawn. I’ve got to go.”

  Addy ended the call before he could argue further and headed toward the apartment building. No point arguing. She was here, and she wasn’t going to wait another minute to get answers.

  She already felt as if a clock ticked over her head, every passing minute leading her further and further away from finding Cassie. Every fiber of her being screamed that Cassie was still alive, but the same intuition told Addy that Cassie wouldn’t remain that way if she wasn’t found soon.

  She tugged open the heavy glass doors and crossed the white marble–tiled floors to the doorman’s station.

  A lanky young man in a turban and a doorman’s uniform smiled as she approached. “Good evening. May I help you?”

  “I’m here to see Suri Bedingfield.”

  “Your name, ma’am?” the doorman asked, reaching for the phone on his desk.

  Addy gave her full name and waited while the phone rang. After several rings, the doorman replaced the receiver in its cradle. “I’m sorry. It seems Miss Bedingfield isn’t at home presently. Would you like to leave a message for her?”

  Addy looked at the phone still in her hand. A text from Shawn waited, but she ignored it and looked at the time. Fifteen minutes after seven. Suri could just be working late.

  “No. No, thank you. I’ll try her again later.”

  She jogged back across the street to her car. Sliding in, she turned the engine back on and cranked up the air. She’d already made the trip; it wouldn’t hurt to wait awhile.

  She dashed off a text to Shawn while she waited.

  S not home yet. Waiting to see if I can catch her.

  The number of pedestrians streaming by on the sidewalk diminished considerably as Addy waited for Suri to return home.

  Twenty minutes into the wait, with no response from Shawn to her text, the phone rang. She answered without checking the caller ID, fully expecting the person on the other end of the phone to be a furious Shawn. Instead, she got a furious Jarod.

  “Addy, finally. We need you back here now,” Jarod barked.

  Addy bit back a swear. “Jarod, we talked about this. It’s Tuesday. I’ll be back in time for the meeting on Thursday.”

  “You said you’d be available, and you haven’t been,” Jarod snapped. “I’m not confident you’re ready for this meeting. The presentation slides are all wrong. They need to be redone, and you need to be in the office tomorrow by nine.”

  There were nearly sixty associates in the practice group who could rewrite the presentation, which was perfectly fine the way it was. Not to mention Jarod could do more than shake the client’s hand and take all the credit if he really felt that more should be done.

  She shook her head even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “I can’t do that. Transfer the project to another senior associate if you feel that’s best.”

  “Transfer,” Jarod sputtered. “The clients love you. How do you expect me to explain your absence to them? No, I expect you in the office tomorrow at nine,” Jarod said, his tone indicating he expected that to be the final word. Outside, the moon came out from behind a cloud, spraying light across the windshield.

  It suddenly became crystal clear to Addy just how much Jarod and the firm would require her to sacrifice to make partner.

  Her stomach flip-flopped wildly, but her voice held steady. “I quit.”

  An SUV swooshed past her parked car, but the other end of the phone line remained silent for several long seconds.

  “Addy, think about this,” Jarod said in a tone that was softer and far more conciliatory than it had been a moment ago. “You’re a year away from making partner. Everything you’ve worked for. This is about your career here.”

  “No, Jarod. This is about something more important than my career. This is about finding my sister.” She hung up the phone without giving her boss another chance to speak.

  Her hands shook.

  A voice screamed in her head to call back. Apologize. Smooth things over. But she knew the only way to make things right was to show up at Covington and Baker tomorrow at nine, and that was something she just could not do.
>
  She tucked her phone into the side pocket of her purse and tried to focus on what needed to be done to find Cassie.

  Thirty more minutes passed before Addy finally spied Suri strolling down the sidewalk toward the building.

  Addy had only met Suri once, when she’d visited Cassie not long after she’d moved to Bentham. She’d been pleasant but standoffish, mostly staying in her room when Addy and Cassie were in the apartment. Then, the slight blonde had worn her hair long and mostly up in a messy bun. Though Suri and Cassie were the same age, Suri looked years older and perpetually tired.

  Even from a distance, Addy could see that Suri had undergone a significant makeover. She’d lightened her dark blond hair and cut it into a stylish angled bob. Suri’s sleek black suit and strappy heels looked to be designer.

  She waited until Suri entered the lobby of her building and disappeared into the elevator before exiting her car a second time. She started around the front of the car and pulled up short as a large dark figure moved in from her right.

  Addy yelped, tripping backward over the curb.

  A hand shot out, steadying her before she fell. “Take it easy. It’s just me.”

  “Jeez. You scared me. What are you doing here?”

  The tic in Shawn’s jaw returned. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”

  “Look, I get you have a paying client to answer to, but my sister could be in serious trouble. I will not wait around while you chase down some cheating husband or whatever.”

  Shawn’s nostrils flared. “That’s not fair. I’ve been right there with you looking for Cassie.”

  Addy averted her gaze, guilt tripping through her. He was right. He and West Security had gone above and beyond helping her look for Cassie.

  She held up a hand. “Look, can we discuss this later? We’re both here now, so let’s just go talk to Suri.”

  His jaw twitched, but he stepped to the side, sweeping his arm out in an “after you” gesture.

  They crossed the street and entered the lobby of Suri’s building.

  The doorman smiled anew as Addy approached.

  “Would you like me to try Miss Bedingfield again?”

  “Yes, please.”

  This time Suri answered the phone, but from the doorman’s facial expression, she wasn’t happy to hear who her visitors were.

  Before the doorman could hang up the phone, Addy leaned forward over the top of his high standing desk. “Suri, we found Cassie’s things in the attic of the apartment. You can talk to us or you can talk to the police. Your choice.”

  The doorman’s mouth fell open at the mention of the police.

  “Let them up,” Suri said from the other end of the line.

  Shawn and Addy stepped out of the elevator on the tenth floor and headed to Suri’s apartment halfway down the hall.

  The door swung open at the first knock.

  Suri had changed from her work clothes into a pair of cutoff shorts and an Atlantic City tank top. The scowl on her face was a contradiction with her beach-friendly attire.

  “I don’t know why you’re here. I already told Sheriff Donovan everything I know.”

  “I don’t think that’s true,” Addy said. “Can we come in?”

  Suri’s scowl deepened, but she stepped aside so Addy and Shawn could come in. She closed the door and crossed the room.

  “Who’s he?” Suri asked, falling onto a lime-green couch in the small living/dining space.

  Addy sat at the opposite end of the couch while Shawn leaned a shoulder against the wall separating the kitchen from the living area and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “He’s a private investigator helping me locate Cassie.”

  Suri’s eyes roamed over Shawn like a predator sizing up its prey.

  Addy’s dislike for the young woman deepened.

  “We know you lied about Cassie leaving town, and we can prove it,” Addy said. Maybe not the subtlest approach, but she was low on patience.

  “I didn’t lie,” Suri spat.

  “Then why did we find Cassie’s clothes and other things in the attic of the apartment you two shared? Cassie wouldn’t have moved without taking her things.”

  Suri squared her shoulders, but Addy read the fear in her eyes before they darted away. “Maybe. I don’t know anything about that.”

  “So someone broke into your apartment and packed up all Cassie’s things without you knowing a thing about it?” Addy struggled to keep her voice even against her rising fury.

  Suri shifted, pushing her back against the arm of the sofa and putting as much room as possible between them. Still, her voice rang with defiance. “Cassie did talk about moving back to New York.”

  The but hung heavy in the air.

  Addy glared silently.

  Suri sighed. “The last couple of days before she left or whatever, Cassie was worried or something. She didn’t tell me what it was about, but I think she was mad at Ben, or maybe they broke up or something, because she wouldn’t take his calls and I know they hadn’t been out on a date in a while.”

  “Why didn’t you tell the sheriff about this?” Shawn asked.

  Suri shot a look at him, then moved her gaze to the window. One shoulder went up. “I forgot.”

  Addy leaned forward across the sofa into Suri’s personal space. “That’s not going to fly.”

  Suri pushed to her feet and crossed to the television. Snatching a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the stand, she lit up, blowing a ring of smoke up to the ceiling. “Look, I didn’t want no trouble then, and I don’t want any now.” She jabbed the cigarette in Addy’s direction.

  Addy stood. “Then tell us the truth.”

  Suri rolled her eyes. “Fine. Whatever. That guy Teddy came by like two weeks ago and told me to say Cassie had moved back to New York. If you ever meet Teddy, you’ll know why I did what I was told. That guy is deranged.” A shudder rocked Suri’s bare shoulders.

  A picture of Teddy’s menacing dark eyes popped into Addy’s head.

  “Okay, what about Cassie’s clothes being in the attic?”

  “I don’t know anything about that. For real,” Suri said when Addy shot a disbelieving look at her across the room. “Teddy said Cassie had left town and her stuff was gone. That’s all I know.”

  “That’s not all.” Shawn spoke again.

  Suri took another drag on her cigarette, blowing it in Shawn’s direction.

  He didn’t blink. “How’d you get your new job and this fancy apartment, Suri?”

  “That’s none of your business.” Suri ground her cigarette out on the side of the TV stand, not for the first time from the marks on it.

  “It is if you had a hand in killing Cassie Williams,” Shawn shot back.

  Everything in Addy revolted at the idea, but she kept quiet and let Shawn press Suri. She recognized the question needed to be asked, and she wasn’t able to do it.

  Suri’s eyes went to slits. “I didn’t kill anyone.”

  Addy swallowed hard, pushing her words past the lump in her throat. “Why lie, then? Cassie was gone. If you were really afraid of Teddy, why not tell the police what you know?”

  “’Cause I have to look out for myself. I’m not a rich girl slumming it before I go off to MIT. When Ben came around offering me a real job and this apartment, I knew it was in exchange for keeping my mouth shut.” Suri shrugged. “I didn’t see a better offer coming my way, so I took it.”

  It was obvious Suri was jealous of Cassie. But what kind of person lied about another’s disappearance? Her sister could be hurt or worse, and Suri didn’t care at all. Her casual disregard for Cassie’s safety sent anger pulsing in Addy’s veins.

  Addy hopped up off the couch, crossed the room and got in Suri’s face before Suri processed the action.

  “Without a tho
ught for Cassie?” she hissed. “Don’t you care at all that Cassie could be in serious trouble?”

  Rage nearly blinded Addy. Her hands balled into fists at her side.

  “Hey, I said I didn’t have anything to do with Cassie disappearing or getting killed or anything like that. For all I knew she did move back to New York.”

  “Where is Cassie?” Addy yelled, grabbing Suri by the shoulders and shaking the slighter woman. “What did you do to my sister?”

  “Get off me.” Suri struggled, trying to push her away, but fueled by a combination of pure fury and fear, Addy’s grip on the woman was strong.

  Shawn crossed the small space in two steps, dropping a heavy hand on Addy’s shoulder. “Let her go, sweetheart. She doesn’t know anything more that can help us.”

  Addy let her hands drop from Suri’s shoulders.

  Shawn wrapped his arms around Addy’s shoulders, and she leaned into him.

  “I’m calling the cops,” Suri screamed, backing away to the other side of the room. “She assaulted me in my own home.”

  Somehow she doubted Suri would follow through on the threat, though. Although she would be within her rights to file charges. For the first time in as long as Addy could remember, she had completely lost control.

  Shawn gave voice to Addy’s thoughts. “Do that. I’m sure they’d be interested in what we have to say about why we came to see you, Miss Bedingfield.”

  Suri’s whole body shook, whether with anger or fear, Addy wasn’t sure. Maybe a bit of both. “Get out.”

  Shawn shot Suri a hard look. “Come on, Addy. Let’s go.”

  Shawn grabbed her arm, but Addy dug her heels into the floor.

  Addy locked eyes with Suri. “If my sister is hurt, Teddy will look like a teddy bear compared to what I’ll do to you.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Addy had hoped to make it back to the hotel before Shawn. A little time for her nerves to settle before the inevitable argument would have been nice, but the Yukon rode the Mustang’s bumper the entire way back to Bentham.

  Shawn moved to her side the moment she got out of her car.