Journey to Murder (An Alex Warren Novel)

by DJ Owen

  "Okay," Alex agreed. She dialed the number as Kyle read it off to her. It rang several times before going to voicemail. "I can't believe this," Alex spoke during the greeting. Upon hearing the beep, she tried to speak as calmly as she could. "This is Alex Warren, Monica's sister. I haven't been able to reach her and was wondering if you had spoken with her recently. Would you please call me back at your earliest convenience?" She added her cell number and hung up.

  "What am I going to do? I'm two days away and my sister could be dying right this moment!" Alex buried her head in Kyle's chest. He felt her shoulders shake and found he wanted to hold her tight and tell her everything would be okay. He knew better. Monica may have been missing for as long as five days. If anything had happened to her, it was probably too late for anyone to help her.

  "You're going to sit here for a minute. I'll be right back. Write down your sister's address for me." Kyle lightly kissed the crown of her head as Alex wrote down the address. He walked purposefully back toward his desk. He was gone for almost twenty minutes, and returned just as Alex was getting up to leave.

  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be gone so long."

  "Every minute counts, Kyle! I need to get back to the park and pack up. Amy and I have to leave right now! It's going to take us two more days to get back." Alex turned toward the door.

  "Wait," Kyle said, as he took her arm. "That's what took so long. I'm going to drive you to the airport. I just called a pilot friend of mine. He's going to fly you back home in his plane so you can start checking on Monica."

  "But what about Amy? I can't just leave her here. And then there's my Winnebago!"

  "Alex, slow down a little and let me finish. Take a breath!" Kyle waited as Alex stared at him in frustration, then took a deep breath and let it out.

  "Okay, breath taken. Nothing is resolved, though."

  "Yes, it is. I just spoke with Jolene. She's going to contact the Sheriff's office in Fayette County, and have them go by Monica's house on a welfare check. Hopefully Monica is there and okay, and you can both laugh about this later."

  Alex relaxed slightly. "If I don't kill her myself for making me worry like this!"

  "Well, there is that, but I don't encourage it." Kyle allowed a little smile before continuing. "I've just scheduled my vacation for the next few days. I'm going to drive Amy back in your Winnebago. I drove a moving truck to help pay for college, so the Winnebago shouldn't be a problem."

  "Really? You would do that for me? I hate for you to waste your vacation, and are you sure you want to spend that much time with Amy? Maybe she should go with me." Alex was concerned about leaving her daughter with a man she barely knew.

  "I understand. Let's head to the park to pick her up. You might want to give her a heads up so she'll be ready to roll." They headed to the cruiser parked in the lot next door.

  Alex called and was relieved when Amy answered. She wouldn't have been surprised to get yet more voicemail. "Hi, Mom. I thought you would be back by now."

  "Honey, I've been trying to reach Monica and I'm not having any luck. Did she call you back, by any chance?"

  "No, I haven't heard from her. Did you try her office?"

  "Yes, and they haven't heard from her either. Everything is probably okay, but I can't help but be concerned. Kyle has made arrangements with a friend of his to fly us back to Ohio. You should grab whatever you need for the next couple of days and be ready when we get there."

  "No problem. All I need is a couple minutes. Do you need me to get anything for you?"

  Alex had to smile at her daughter's ability to always think of the other person. "No, Honey. Kyle will have the Winnebago back in a couple of days, and I can't think of anything that can't wait that long. It was nice of you to ask, though. We'll be there in just a few minutes."

  The cruiser was exceeding the speed limit, and Alex was glad Kyle was behind the wheel. She realized she was too distraught to drive. She couldn't imagine how she would get the Winnebago back to Ohio as upset as she was. Looking at a two day drive would have sent her over the brink. Kyle was being so helpful, and it wasn't his problem.

  Lake Monroe sparkled in the sunlight, and Kyle had to slow down to a crawl because of all the foot traffic. He tapped the horn as they pulled up, and Amy came out of the Winnebago and locked the door behind her.

  "Here you go," Amy said, handing her mother the keys and her laptop. "I thought you might need this for research before Kyle makes it to Ohio.

  Alex took them and held the keys out for Kyle. "You'll be needing these. I can't think of anything you need to do to prepare for the trip. There's food in the pantry and refrigerator, and I just took it to the dump station yesterday, so you should be good until you get it back. You've got Monica's address, so just head there. Give us a call and we'll meet you at the house."

  Kyle took the keys and dropped them in his pocket. He reached over and wrapped his large hand around hers and noted how small it was. She had seemed strong before, both physically and mentally. She now appeared to be wasting away with anxiety.

  He was about to tell her not to worry when his cell phone rang. He answered, "Buckley here." He listened for a few moments, thanked the caller and hung up.

  Taking Alex's hand once again, he gave it a little squeeze and said, "That was Jolene. Your sister wasn't at the house. Nothing looked disturbed, but her cell phone was on the table by the door. Jolene is checking with the local hospitals to see if maybe your sister went for a walk and got hurt or something."

  "No, Jolene doesn't go for walks. If her cell phone was there, something is definitely wrong. Please, hurry!" Alex was doing her best to hold it together, but each development brought worse news.

  "Well, maybe she's with Mark. Maybe they eloped or something. Don't immediately think the worst. You've got several hours of flying ahead of you. You need to calm down. Jolene is having the locals check everything out. There's nothing you can do from here, and worrying isn't going to help anyone." Kyle lifted Alex's hand and motioned toward Amy with his thumb.

  "I know, and you're right." Alex breathed deeply once more. "I really appreciate all you're doing to help. You are a wonderful friend, and I feel like I'm taking advantage of you. Unfortunately, I don't have a whole lot of choices right now. I won't forget this, though."

  Kyle turned sharply to the left and a municipal airport came into view. The three jumped out of the cruiser as soon as it stopped. He introduced Pete to Alex and Amy, and the pilot wasted no time directing them to the plane, which was a small twin-engine jet that vaguely reminded Alex of a mosquito.

  "She's a Cessna CJ3. I was going to use my Mustang, but we would have to put down in Omaha for fuel. This baby ought to just get us there on a single tank. Just filled her up. You two go on and get comfortable." Pete knew enough from his conversation with Kyle to know where they were headed and why. They would be in the air a few hours, so idle chit-chat could wait until they took off.

  "We really appreciate this, Pete. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you, though." Alex was practical, even in her current state. She knew a plane like this was expensive to rent, and it was going to be difficult to come up with that kind of money on short notice.

  "Don't you worry about it. Kyle's a good friend. I owe him one."

  "I don't know how to thank...." Alex had turned to look at Kyle and noticed Amy standing several feet away.

  "Come on, Amy. Go on in. I'll be there in just a sec."

  Amy shook her head no. "I don't think I can, Mom."

  "You have to. Just go on in. You'll be fine once we're in the air." Alex walked over to Amy, who retreated as Alex approached.

  "I really can't, Mom. You don't want me on that little plane. I can't do it. I'll ride back with Kyle, okay? I can help him with directions, and keep him supplied with drinks so we don't have to stop. That would be better, right? And Kyle would have company. And you'll be able to look for Aunt Monica without me being the in way, okay?" Amy was starting to ramble, and color was dr
aining from her face.

  Alex looked at Kyle, who shrugged his shoulders. "I just want to help. She can ride with me, or I can hog-tie her and carry her up those steps. You tell me what you want me to do."

  "Oh, alright. Amy, you're going with Kyle. Kyle, you keep her safe, okay? I've got enough to worry about already. You're being really sweet, but don't make me come looking for you after I find Monica!"

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  A private plane was definitely the way to travel. There was no security to endure, no waiting to board. No noisy children or groups to drown out. Pete even invited Alex to sit in the cockpit with him, after making her promise not to touch any knobs or buttons. He thought that would more likely ease her nerves than sitting in the cabin all alone with her thoughts.

  While Pete maneuvered the plane for take-off, he started to tell Alex a little about his family. He had married his high-school sweetheart over twenty-five years ago, and Shelby had given him six beautiful children in all, ages ranging between six and twenty.

  "The youngest would have been six this July," Pete stated matter-of-factly.

  "If you don't mind talking about it, what happened?" Alex asked, not sure whether Pete would want to share such personal information.

  "Jimmy was born with spina bifida. They operated when he was only 23-hours-old. Poor little thing was so tiny." Pete paused for a moment and swallowed hard. "Anyway, infection set in and we lost him two days later. Shelby and I decided we didn't want to go through that again, so we started taking precautions. Five is enough, you know?"

  "I'm so sorry to hear about your son. Life can be so unfair sometimes." Alex cleared her throat in an effort to stop the tears forming in her eyes. Unfair? Life never seems to be any other way, she thought.

  They traveled much of the way in silence, each one thinking about their own losses. Kyle had told Pete about Alex losing her husband and parents, and he was determined to do all he could to prevent Alex from losing her sister, too.

  ----------

  Kyle and Amy drove back from the airport to the Sheriff's office, and Jolene was waiting in her cruiser. As soon as they piled into her car, she pulled out on Main Street headed toward Lake Monroe as Kyle introduced Amy.

  "What do you know about this Mark fellow, Amy?" Jolene tried to sound nonchalant. Amy didn't pick up on her concern, but Kyle did.

  "All we know is that he's a lawyer and grew up in Mississippi. He moved with his dad to Pennsylvania a long time ago, but that's all I really know." Amy paused as the significance of Jolene's question began to sink in. "Why? Do you think he did something to Monica?"

  Kyle noticed the upswing in Amy's vocal register as her tension rose. "She's just making conversation, Amy. Right, Jolene?"

  "That's right. I didn't mean to upset you. I thought talking about him would be less stressful than talking about your aunt." Jolene shot Kyle a look that he knew meant they needed a private conversation. They were nearing Lake Monroe, and Kyle sent Amy in to tell the Park Ranger that Alex had left and Kyle would be taking the Winnebago.

  While Amy was inside, Jolene told Kyle that she had looked into Mark's background and came up dry. She found no record of a house at the address Kyle had been given for him, and a review of his law license indicated he had graduated from University of Pennsylvania School of Law; however, when she found his school ID photo, it didn't look anything like the photo from his driver's license.

  "It's not good, Kyle. At the very least, it definitely looks like identity theft. I went one step further and found a death certificate for a Mark Bauer dated six months ago, about the time you said he showed up at the law office."

  "You're right. It sounds like Monica is in a heap of trouble. Don't say anything to Amy, and keep looking for me. Alex is going to need all the information she can get when she lands." Kyle's brow was deeply furrowed. "Could you please do one more thing for me? Call the Fayette Sheriff's office and ask them to meet Alex and Pete when they land. I don't want Alex going off half-cocked. We don't need two women missing!"

  "Sure thing. You just drive safe and take care of Amy. It's a long drive and you don't have a relief driver. Don't let your testosterone take over and try to drive it all in one stretch. Make sure you get some sleep, and make Amy keep you fed and hydrated." Jolene smiled. "You know, this could turn out to be a good thing so long as Monica's okay. You being the hero and all, and developing a relationship with Amy. Two days on the road should tell you if you can manage having a kid around. At least she's not a rug-rat. She's almost an adult, and frankly, I think she's more responsible than some kids twice her age."

  "Jolene, that's the last thing on my mind right now. I just want to help Alex find her sister and get her camper home." Kyle looked up and saw the door of the ranger's office open. "Here comes Amy."

  "You know, you missed your opportunity," Jolene added. "You should have flown back with Alex and then she would have had to come back for the RV."

  Kyle quickly thought about it. "No, Amy was too afraid to fly, and it would have meant asking Pete to make another trip to pick her up or she would have to fly commercial. No, this is the best solution, though I wish I could be with her when she goes looking for Monica.

  Amy slid back into the cruiser carrying a plastic bag full of snacks and drinks. "I told him to go ahead and charge Mom's credit card for whatever we owe. He told me to tell you to drive safe, and let him know what happens."

  Jolene drove to where the Winnebago was parked. "Remember what I said," Jolene told Kyle. "I'll text you anything else I find out, or call if it's lengthy. Drive safe and be careful."

  Kyle and Amy chorused, "We will," as Kyle saluted.

  Amy added, "Thank you, Officer, for your help."

  Kyle opened the passenger door for Amy and then walked around to get in on the driver's side. "I need to make a quick stop and pick up a change of clothes and my cell phone charger at my house. I wasn't exactly planning to make a two day drive when I left the house this morning. It won't take more than fifteen minutes or so."

  Amy headed toward the refrigerator with the extra drinks. "No problem. I just really appreciate you letting me ride back with you. I just didn't think I could get on that little plane. I've never flown before, you know.” Her voice caught as she continued. “My whole life is centered around Monica. Mom comes and goes, but Monica is always there for me, day in and day out." Kyle glanced toward her and noticed her eyes becoming moist.

  "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be okay," he told her with as much conviction as he could muster. Seeing Amy so vulnerable made him want to give her a hug, but he knew they shouldn't waste any time. He was also well aware of how delicate a situation it was, a grown man driving across country with a teenage girl.

  "Do you want me to get out the maps? I was Mom's co-pilot on the way here. I can help give you directions."

  "That would be awesome!"

  Amy roller her eyes. "Nobody says 'awesome' anymore!" Then she grinned, and Kyle knew the road-trip would be more fun than he initially thought.

  ----------

  The Cessna had passed the midpoint and Alex asked Pete if she could get him anything to eat or drink.

  "That would be great. I usually have someone on board as a stewardess, and they check on me while I'm stuck piloting. You can grab me a water. It's right behind you."

  Alex unbuckled her seatbelt and maneuvered into the cabin. She opened a few of the doors in the galley and located the refrigerator. She handed Pete a bottle of water and asked if the plane had a restroom.

  "Yep, I made sure this baby had one on board. Not all these small jets do, you know. You'll find it all the way in the back," Pete responded.

  On her way back up to the cockpit, Alex also snagged a bottle of water for herself.

  "This is really a nice little plane. How much does something like this cost?"

  "This is one of those times when if you have to ask, you don't want to know. I bought her used and paid almost five million for her."

/>   Unfortunately, Alex was swallowing when Pete made that revelation. She coughed for a moment, trying to clear her airway.

  Pete chuckled. "Yep, that's sort of what I did when they told me what they wanted for it."

  The realization began to dawn on Alex how expensive this little favor was for Kyle. "So, how did you manage to pay for it?"

  "I rent her out as much as I can. I spend an awful lot of time up in the air. Something like this has to earn her keep." Pete checked the instruments. "Fact is, my wife would love for me to give up flying because I'm never home. I think that's why she wanted so many kids, you know? To fill the void."

  "Well, I certainly appreciate you taking me back home. How much would you normally charge for this flight?" Alex was determined to know just how much in debt she was to Kyle.

  "Now that is something I doubt Kyle would want me to tell you. Let's just say that I owed Kyle a huge favor, and this is my way of paying him back."

  "What did he do for you? It must have been really big."

  "I'm not sure he would want me to say." Pete studied her for a moment. "Don't tell him I told you, okay?"

  Alex agreed. She couldn't imagine what kind of favor would be paid back with a cross-country trip in a multi-million dollar jet.

  "Remember when I told you about Jimmy having to have surgery? Well, our oldest was only fourteen. Kyle came to our house when Shelby went into labor, and stayed until after the funeral. He took care of our five kids, even our two-year-old, so that Shelby and I could plan the funeral and have time to grieve. He handled everything. He did grocery shopping and cooked. He even changed little Maria's diapers." Pete laughed. "Of course, he didn't really know what he was doing, but he tried as best he could."

  Alex hadn't thought of Kyle as a nanny, and the image of him changing a diaper made her smile.