The librarian returned with a pile of slides. “Here's from April through July. It should be in here. I remember it was front page everyday for at least a week,” she said, turning on the machine. She showed me how to turn off the projector. “My name is Vikki if you need anything else,” she said and walked away.
I spent the next hour going over the information. I found it right away. It had been in May. It was front page for six days, but the story got smaller and closer to the bottom as the days went on. It seemed Carrie went out to play with the neighbor boy who was in her class. They'd played together daily since they were young. She simply went out and never came back. The boy was questioned, and released to his parents. His name was not mentioned, however. He was thirteen too and said that he walked her part-way home, like he always did, and that was the last he saw of her. The case was left open, assuming the child was kidnapped. They drug the lake just in case, because she and the boy often walked around it and played by it. She normally walked the waterline back to her house, so there was the possibility of a slip and fall. The townspeople thought it was a kidnapping because she was a great swimmer and had grown up on the lake.
I took tons of notes and then returned the slides to Vikki and thanked her for her help. When I left it was after one, and I was taking my dreams a lot more seriously. It was all seeming too real, too much of a coincidence. I knew what I needed to do but wasn't sure how it would look.
17
Hello, can you transfer me to Detective Richards please?” I said, into my cell.
“Richards,” Derek answered.
“Hey, Mr. Richards. It's Sara Martin,” I said sounding a little uneasy.
“Hey, Sara,” he said. I could hear the smile in his voice, which made me smile, too. “What's up? Everything okay?”
“Ummm, well. There’s something I need to talk to you about. It's about Lily. Well about me actually. It's kinda weird, but I don't want you to think I'm weird. I'm just worried, and now I'm scared. I'm, uh . . . I'm at the cabin.” I felt like a total dork. I wished I could hang up and start over.
“Whoa, slow down. Sara, I'm not going to think you're weird. Just tell me what's going on. What cabin? The one up north that Lily disappeared from?” he asked suddenly sounding concerned. “Start at the beginning.”
I spent the next twenty minutes telling him about the boat and the girl or ghost, and then the dreams. I gave him all the details of each, then I told him how concerned I'd been feeling throughout the days and nights and how I just couldn't shake the feeling that Lily was dead. I told him that I was scared I’d be considered a suspect if I “magically” knew where she was. What if she was there? What if there was a cave and it was just like my dream? Would I be held responsible. Would people think I'm crazy? I continue on and told him about my walk and how I chickened out, but that, more than ever, I was worried that she might be up there.
“I'm also worried that this may just be my brain's way of processing information while I sleep, and I'm being stupid and wasting my time,” I said in a whinny voice.
“Sara, you're not stupid. You're a concerned friend or ex-friend. You should have told me this before. Are you alone at the cabin? You went up there by yourself?”
“Yes, just me and my kitty,” I said. “I don't know why I called you . . . I guess I really think that someone should check out the path and see if there really is a cave and then . . . look in it. I can't do it alone, and I think someone should be here just in case . . .”
“Sara, Sara, Sara,” he said, sounding like my dad. I bet he was sitting there shaking his head too. “Okay . . . geez, um . . . all right I'm going to come up there. I can easily clear your name with a quick lie detector test. I'm not too worried about you though. I need some time to get things in order here first, and then I have to get clearance from my captain, which should be fine. He's already aware of the case, and I told him I wanted to check out the cabin anyway. I need to talk to the Nisswa police too. Umm, Sara, I don't like you up there by yourself. I need an hour or so to get things together here, and then it's what, a two-hour drive?” he asked, sounding a little overwhelmed.
“Yeah, it's about two-and-a-half hours, depending on city traffic. Here's the address,” I said. “I'm sorry, I didn't come up here to get in the way or make you mad. I just really felt the need to come, and now I'm scared. I didn't know who else to call. I'm sorry.”
“It's okay, sweetheart, you did the right thing calling me. I'll be there as soon as I can. In the meantime, stay in or near the cabin and keep the door locked. I'll talk to you soon.”
“Okay, thanks. I will.” I disconnected and held the phone to my chest. I was kinda nervous and excited at the same time. He called me sweetheart . . . I wondered if he said that to everyone.
After I picked up the cabin and grabbed some lunch, I headed out on the patio again. The weather was nice, but it cooled down quickly at night, and it got dark too early. I wondered what time Derek would get here. There was no way I was going into the woods in the dark. I wondered what the plan was. Was he coming with the force or just him? Was he starting as soon as he got here, or waiting until morning? If he waited tell morning, was he staying here? I wondered if he wanted me to take a lie detector test and if that would be something he would be packing too. Were lie detector machines portable?
I went back into the cabin and made a cup of hot tea, grabbed my sweatshirt, then returned to the patio, to enjoy the peace and quiet for the next hour or so.
My phone rang. It was my Mom. I told her about my day, and she asked a lot of questions about the detective. She was taking notes, I knew it. She asked all the same questions I’d asked myself. I answered, “I don't know,” to all of them and reminded her that I was a grown woman and could take care of myself. She paused for a bit and then in a smirky tone asked if he was cute. I laughed and told her I was hanging up and I would update her later.
I sat there smiling, thinking to myself, he was cute. Really cute. But that was beside the point. I needed a detective, not a new man. It had been hell lately. I didn't need any more complications. I went in and grabbed my shoulder bag, took out my notepad and looked over my notes again. It was so sad. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like, not knowing where your child was. Everyday wondering if they would walk through the door any minute or if the police had found anything yet. It must be agony. They probably kept her room the way she’d left it. Wonder what I would do? It must be so hard to go on each day without any answers.
Six-thirty. I would assume that Derek was on the road. I just thought he would've called by now. I was bored, and it was already getting darker, so a walk/run was out of the question.
I decided that my hair and make-up needed a touch up so I went in the bathroom and threw some curls in my hair and added some eyeliner and mascara to my eyes. I loved my new hair. This was the first time I'd tried it curled, and it looked good. I went into the bedroom and pulled on a shirt a little more worthy of my hair and make-up, and walked back out to the living room, which had gotten dark. I turned on a few lamps and lit a fire in the fireplace. The sound of the crackling wood melted my soul. A quick check of my cell showed seven-twenty. I poured a glass of wine and sat by the fire, in the overstuffed chair, all settled in. I looked around. Faith was still exploring. She had tons of energy. She walked by. I scooped her up and played with her for a few minutes. Finally, there was my phone!
“Hello?” I answered, with a smile.
“Hey, you,” Derek answered back. He sounded like he was talking to an old friend, so relaxed. “I’m about ten minutes away. Did you eat supper yet?” he asked.
“No, I haven't. You?”
“Nope.”
“Don't. I'll make something. Are you coming by yourself?” I asked.
“Yeees,” he said. “Is that okay?”
“Yeah, it's just after I hung up, I wasn't sure if you were just coming to check it out or if you were bringing the whole force to tear the area apart,”
“No,
just me. I think it's too dark to do anything tonight, but I’ll check out the cabin and join you for dinner. We'll work out all the details when I get there. Actually . . . I'm here, I think. Do you drive a Jeep?”
“Yup,” I said running to the window to see lights coming up the driveway. “You're here. Come on in.”
I clicked the lock on the front door, then pulled some chicken breast and salad from the fridge. I went out to the patio and turned on the grill. Just as I came back through the sliding door, I saw Derek letting himself in the front door. He was in dark jeans and a black polo shirt with the St. Paul Police Department logo on it. It went great with his black hair. The shirt hugged his chest and arm muscles perfectly. I felt a rush of heat and had to take a deep breath to steady myself. Geez.
“Hey,” I said. “Thanks again for coming. I feel like such a baby, but it gets really dark and scary up here, and with the dreams and everything . . . I just didn't know what to do. And I'm not use to being alone,” I said with a half smile.
“Wow! I almost didn't recognize you. I love your hair!” he said smiling.
“Aww, thanks,” I said. “I needed a change.”
“And don't worry about it. It's fine. You did the right thing. I was glad you called me, and this is the right way to go about it. I should be here when you go to the woods, just in case . . .” He shook his head and looked down and then back up to me. “And if it turns out to be nothing, then you got me out of the office, and I got time on the clock for hanging out with you in this little piece of paradise,” he said looking around.
“It is great, isn't it,” I said. “I just love it here. The lake is back here,” I said, waving him to follow me to the patio door. “The patio and the back yard are really great, too.” We walked outside together and stood there looking out to the lake. Derek stood next to me. It felt so good to have someone there with me, and, dang it, he smelled good. I felt an instant connection to him, like I'd known him my whole life. I felt safe next to him.
“So,” he said, “what's for dinner?”
“Grilled chicken breast salads, if that's okay?” I said, picking up my wine glass. “I packed some food but not a ton because I didn't anticipate staying for more than a couple days at most.”
“Sounds perfect. Yeah, I suppose the nearest store is not-so-near out here.”
“At least twenty minutes in either direction. And they don't deliver pizza out here either. Can I get you a glass of wine?” I asked.
“Yes, thanks. And while we’re still in our right minds, I thought that we could discuss the arrangements for tonight,” he said in his business voice, folding his arms across his chest. Tipping his chin down slightly.
“Okay,” I said. “Well, I don't know what you were thinking, but the nearest town is twenty minutes away. They do have a small motel there, or there are two bedrooms here. If you want to stay here, you are more than welcome to.” I said pouring his wine and handing it to him.
“Is it okay with you if I stay here? It doesn't make you uncomfortable, does it?”
“No, no not at all. Actually I’d prefer it. I'm kinda a chicken when the sun goes down,” I said. “And you're an officer of the law so you seem safe enough. I imagine you've been background checked. Plus, we have a lot of catching up to do since the last time I saw you was at a college party,” I said, with a wink. “You can make yourself at home in the bedroom on the right. The bathroom is just before it. All the towels and linens are clean, and housekeeping is included.”
“Okay, thank you,” he said. “Glad we got that cleared up. I need to call my supervisor and let him know that I arrived, that I will be staying here and that we’ll go on our walk in the morning, so if you'll excuse me for one second,” he said, as he pulled his phone off his belt and stepped into the living room. I sat at the island counter and watched him. He talked to his supervisor about the details and answered “Yes, sir” in a respectful manner. He paced around the room as he spoke. He spun in my direction caught my eyes and winked at me, which caused butterflies. Oh, boy. I decided to get up and grabbed some more wine from the fridge. I heard him say goodbye so I quickly tried to look busy.
“Can I do anything to help?” he asked, sauntering back into the kitchen.
“Sure, you can get plates out, and forks.” I said, grabbing stuff from the fridge. I seasoned the chicken breast and put them on the grill. We spent the next fifteen minutes chatting out on the patio, sipping wine and enjoying the evening while the chicken cooked.
When we pieced together our salads, I asked him if he'd learned anything new on the case. He hadn't, but we talked for a bit about other stuff then cleaned up together. Derek started the dishes and looked very comfortable in the the kitchen. So I asked him about it.
“I've been a bachelor for the last five years. Before that I lived with a girlfriend for six months but it didn't work out.”
“Why's that?”
“Well, as a surprise, one night on my 10:00 p.m. lunch break, I picked up her favorite ice cream, and walked in on her half dressed on the couch on top of the college guy that lived across the hall. I've been single and working on my career since.”
“Oh, wow. I’m sorry. Did you have any idea?”
“None. I was actually looking at rings with her and talking about wedding plans.”
“It's so unfair,” I said shaking my head.
“Anyway, I tell you that because I know what it's like to be in your situation, thinking everything in life is going great and then suddenly, through no fault of your own, your world is turned up-side-down,” he said holding eye contact. “Except your situation is harder because it was your best friend. And you were married,” he added, draining the water from the sink.
And there I was in tears, thinking how could people do this? I don't get it. I wasn't planning on crying either, dang it. Derek saw my eyes filling, and tilted his head.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. You must be so lost right now. I hope that tomorrow we can get things figured out a little more.” He dried his hands and stood in front of me. “It took me a long time to move past what she did to me. It was hard, but looking back, I wish I would’ve washed my hands of her and moved on quicker. She stole a whole year of my life . . . my livelihood, my ambition. That's what impresses me about you. You picked yourself up, moved to a new place, got this new friend,” he said smiling and grabbing Faith, who had just climb up his pant leg. He put her gently on the floor. “You even cut your hair and got a new look. You should be proud. You're being very strong.”
I half smiled and dried my face. Here he was telling me I was strong and just him talking to me put me in tears.
“And the kicker, you're here looking for a woman who you still care about, and most people think you should hate. You're a brave, good-hearted woman, Sara,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said. “That's nice of you to say.”
“I mean it too. I see a lot of junk in my job, and you're a real stand-up person to be doing this. And I want to help you in any way I can,” he added in a soft, gentle voice. “I didn't know Lily well, but I was shocked to hear that she cheated on Mark. They have been together for so long. I thought for sure they’d be married by now.”
Half smiling, I jiggled the wine bottle. He nodded and I topped him off. We walked into the living room, and he threw some more wood on the fire. I grabbed a seat on one couch and he took a seat on the other across from me.
“So how have you been holding up?” he asked with genuine concern.
“I don't know. I'm trying to stay strong. I'm trying hard to push through the hate and anger stages and hopefully skip the self-pity stage. I just take it day by day. I keep telling myself that they stole part of my life, but I’m not going to give them one more day.”
“You look great, really. You could be a total mess right now and everyone would understand. You're doing so well.”
“Thanks, but sometimes I wonder how long I can keep this up. I wonder if I’m just pushing all that
messy stuff off. I feel like I’m very fragile and could break if a feather hit me at the wrong moment,” I told him.
“I think that if you were going to be weak and break, you would have already,” he said with a closed-lipped smile. “And there's nothing wrong with it if you do. You have every right to be angry, and sad and all the other emotions that pile on without notice.”
I took a deep breath and changed the subject. “So tell me about yourself. I mean besides the horrible x-girlfriend,” I said with a wink.
“Well I grew up in the cities, Eden Prairie actually, and I've never left. I did my training for the police academy there, too. That's when I met you at that party. I never went to college, just straight from high school into the academy. I got my own place as soon as I got my first job as a cop in St. Paul, and have worked my way up. I’ve been a detective for the last seven years, and for the most part I like it. I had that one serious girlfriend who moved in for about six months. I’ve been on a few dates here and there, but, other than that, I'm single. I hope to have a wife and kids and a nice house in the country someday, but we'll see what God has in store for me,” he added, with a smile as he shrugged.
So mister handsome cop was a man of faith too, he seemed so genuine and grounded. He took a sip of wine and then looked at me.
“So how about you? What's your story?”
“Hmm, well, I grew up in the cities too, in Brooklyn Park. After high school I went to three different colleges in the cities area to complete my law degree. I got a job offer a week before graduation from the same place I did my last internship. After graduation, I married Jake, my high-school sweetheart, and we got the apartment a month before the wedding. I currently work as a lawyer for Robertson-Dubey, but I told my boss this week that I want to move to part time because I'm not sure what I want to do with my life anymore, and she basically told me I'm next in line for partner at the firm. I told her thanks but no thanks . . . and the rest you know,” I said. “I'm kind of a mess right now.”
Lost and Found: Sara Martin Series Page 13
