by Leanne Davis
Chloe froze. “No. I’m here and she’s not. Petra said she called and said she was on a romantic surprise getaway with you, and she apologized for not showing up.”
“What? Are you sure?”
“Sure that Petra’s never gotten anyone’s excuses wrong. And she’s not here. Why? Are you… I mean, you’re not worried, are you?”
“Confused. Where the hell could she be then? I’m going to make some calls and I’ll let you know.”
“Yeah, so am I.”
Hanging up, a streak of worry rippled through her. It soon became excessive. She dropped her phone into her pocket. How often over the years did an employee not show up for various reasons? Often. Sometimes they were sick or had family emergencies or were simply playing hookie. Sometimes they simply forgot to call. Tara, however? She didn’t just forget, she called in with an excuse that was a lie. Chloe’s stomach dropped. Something wasn’t right. Chloe quickly called her home and also her cell phone, which she was sure Ryder was doing now. No answers. Grabbing her keys, she hastily ducked out, intending to swing by their house. The unease she felt was palpable. Why would Tara suddenly become non-communicative? It was so unlike her, especially after everything else that happened recently.
She wouldn’t have. Chloe tightened her hands over the steering wheel. No, Tara would not have done that.
She pulled into Ryder’s place and sighed with relief when she saw he was already there. His truck was parked in front. She quickly jumped out of the car and ran towards the house. “Ryder! Ryder!” She called as she ran up onto the porch and burst in, only to stop dead.
The house seemed so empty. No one called back. Confused, she ran upstairs. Everything looked normal as did the downstairs. Where were they?
She wandered outside towards the barn. “Ryder? Tara?”
Crystal walked out of the barn.
“Crystal?”
“Hey, Ryder mentioned Tara wasn’t answering her phone and she also wasn’t at work. I was close by so he asked me to check around for her. I don’t see her anywhere, however. Do you?”
“No. I had the same thought.”
“Is there any place special she likes to go that you know about?”
“No place that I’m aware of. If there is, it’s probably one of Ryder’s spots. He’s the outdoorsy type and finds them mostly with his boat.”
“Yes.” Crystal smiled. “His boat. Well, crap. Not sure if this is a real problem or not. I’ll call Ryder and see what he wants me to do next.”
Chloe’s breath escalated and something kept buzzing at the base of her head before it felt like it suddenly exploded. No. Oh, no. This could not be happening again. But it felt so familiar. The missing woman. A missing loved one. A mild discomfort of worry was how it started at first. Searching out all the possible places where they could be because they aren’t where they should be. Taking it calmly initially because you don’t really think it could be anything horrible. No one actually believes bad things can happen to their loved ones. Everyone assumes the missing person just forgot to check in, or suddenly reacted out of character but still within normal behavior. After all, people were often unpredictable. Then, as more hours pass, and the evening descends and darkness falls, and still no one has heard from the loved one, the cell phone is called repetitively by everyone. Every family member and person in town is subsequently called before resorting to old college friends, and family friends that moved out of town. Then it’s every last person who has ever been in contact with the missing person and their family. You call all the hospitals in the area. You keep calling any leads as the agonizing, sinking feeling in your stomach increases and that buzz in your head becomes full-fledged fear.
It takes a while, especially in the case of an adult. But that is how it starts, just like it was now.
Crystal stepped closer and set her hand on Chloe’s back. Chloe was bending forward, breathing deeply and trying not to have a full-on panic attack. “Hey, Chloe? Are you all right?” Crystal asked as she rubbed up and down her back.
Chloe sniffled. “No. This… this is how it starts. Someone isn’t where they should be. No one knows why. It doesn’t add up or make any sense…”
“Oh, honey. You’re thinking of Ebony. You’re comparing this to Ebony. I’m so sorry, I didn’t see the correlation at first. What can I do? Let me help you. It’s not like that really. This happens all the time. Someone plays hooky or runs off to buy new shoes or has a drink at a bar, whatever their pleasure, and manages to scare the daylights out of their family before they show up safe and sound. I promise, this will be a different ending than what happened to Ebony. That was the exception to the rule.”
Chloe sniffled again, trying to take comfort in Crystal’s experience and her authoritative voice. It was calm and even. She concentrated on that. “Y—you think so?”
“I know so.” She nodded, smiling with reassurance. “How about I drive you around a bit? We could check out the parks. I don’t think you’re in any frame of mind to go back to work.”
Chloe smiled through her sloppy tears, straightening up. “No. I’m not. It’s just that Tara should understand what disappearing like this could do to Ryder. His first wife disappeared quietly one day, and it started just like this. She wasn’t answering her phone. She was supposed to be at the café and she didn’t show up. Wyatt had been dropped off at the daycare that day by Ryder, so he was safe. But we couldn’t locate her. We wrongly accused her of playing hooky, taking an irresponsible break. She had a hard time adjusting to Wyatt. She struggled with motherhood and feeling tied down. But that was mostly caused by hormones she could not control. Ryder and I were annoyed that day, and we called everyone, but we were not really worried, you know? We didn’t seriously believe anything could have happened to her… but…”
“It did.”
“Yes. It did.” Chloe shuddered. It was painful for her to relive. “But it can’t happen again. Tara must have gone out shopping or something. Maybe she wanted to surprise Ryder with some sexy lingerie so she made up that story.”
“Certainly could be possible. Things have been pretty grim for him and no doubt, for her too. Maybe she’s trying to spice things up. Probably didn’t expect anyone to notice her absence at work and contact Ryder.”
Chloe let out a breath. “You’re probably correct.” She rubbed her knuckles in her eyes.
“Can I give you a ride somewhere, Chloe? I feel like you need company more than you need to work.”
Her shoulders slumped forward. “I could use a ride, yes.”
Chloe wilted as she finally relaxed in Crystal’s passenger seat. She felt safe in the truck with all its official paraphernalia. It comforted her. So did the big, black gun strapped on Crystal’s hip.
“Has Tara ever done something like this before?”
“No. She’s never missed a day of work. She’s remarkably reliable, actually. So was Ebony. That’s why we should have realized something was up earlier on. Something was drastically wrong. I mean, we know this violent maniac is still lurking among us because I’ve heard from him.”
“Yes. There is no forgetting that. It would make sense too since you look so much like her. Knowing he chose her to be his victim.”
Chloe shivered, clutching her arms around her. “Yes, why wouldn’t he pick me next? That’s why I always stay with my boyfriend.”
Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”
“We’ve kept it quiet since it was so new. Chet.”
Crystal’s astonished expression reflected the surprise Chloe had already received thus far. Chloe nodded, saying, “Yes, Chet the busboy.”
Crystal gave her a curious look. “You’ve gotten surprised reactions before?”
“Yes. But I don’t care.”
“That is how I would hope you’d feel. And I’m sorry if I reacted unkindly or scared you.”
“You can’t scare me. Not when you’re only repeating the facts and I am already scared. You agree then? You think
I should be scared?”
“I do. Caution is good.”
“I shouldn’t have even come out here alone. God, I know better. I’ve been purposely trying to avoid becoming the stupid heroine who never seems to learn from her mistakes.”
Crystal smiled. “I love that. They give us women a bad name. Like we’re just begging to get attacked and become victims because we never listen to basic safety measures.”
“I know. If it were anyone but Tara… I really thought Petra must have heard her wrong and she should have been there. Could be sick or taking a personal day. Maybe even lying about it. However, that would surprise me because I still talk to Ryder so frequently.”
“Yes, you do,” Crystal agreed, her voice growing softer.
Chloe turned towards her. “So what’s new with you? All of our conversations seem to center on Ebony and murder. It gets a little grisly and sad. I could use any cheerful distraction.”
Crystal kept her gaze focused on the highway. “I can see that. I’m never sure if I should just chat with you like the old days. It seems so callous after what you’ve been through. Who cares if I went on a date with a guy who has a sleeping disorder and he kept napping in the middle of it? Who cares if my dog got sick after eating chocolate and ruined my new carpeting? You see how trivial all that sounds? I, along with most others, want to show you respect and observe the gravity of what happened to you and your family. You know? I don’t expect you to ignore it. Or trivialize it or act like it’s just over.”
Chloe smiled warmly at hearing Crystal’s words. Affection and gratitude flooded her mind. “Most people don’t know how to react to me or my family. Thank you for what you just said. It was perfect. What we wish we could hear from everyone. Most people get weird around me. Either they act too cheery and nice, while trying so hard not to mention it, or they become morose and launch into a detailed version of their grief and upset over what’s happened. You’ve been a good friend to us.”
Crystal shrugged and her voice was soft and even. “Well, I feel pretty invested. I saw Ryder. I had to tell him when we found Ebony’s body…”
“That couldn’t have been easy. To tell your friend—”
“It wasn’t. It didn’t take long for the investigators to suspect whose body it was, and then her jewelry was pulled from the swamp. I, unfortunately, was the one who identified it all.”
“Including the ruby ring? My grandmother’s ring? I’m surprised she was wearing it. She rarely wore it anymore,” Chloe asked, unsure why she brought it up again. It was such a small item. But still, the words popped out.
“Yes. She told me about it once. It was her grandmother’s and you didn’t want it because you don’t like to wear rings since you cook so much, so she took it. She wore it all the time until she got married and then she wore her wedding ring more often.”
“Yes. I guess I should take it back now.”
“What do you mean?” Crystal asked.
Chloe shrugged, glancing out the window. “After the investigation finishes, or whatever the usual process is, I hope to get her jewelry back. My mom will want all of her favorite pieces, and I think I’d like the ruby ring. You know? Because it belonged to our grandmother. I still couldn’t bear to wear it, but I’d like to have it.”
“I think it’ll be years before your family sees any of that. It’s criminal evidence.”
Her shoulders slumped forward. “If we ever find the answers to most of our unknowns.”
“I’m sorry.”
Chloe glanced at Crystal and they shared a long look. She felt a bonding with Crystal; maybe she was another female her age that she could connect with. There was no one like her sister. Ebony was it, and without her, Chloe couldn’t reach out to anyone new. She liked Tara but there was way too much water under that bridge, even if it weren’t Tara’s fault.
They drove around and checked Crystal’s usual haunts while chatting about far less gruesome things than missing women and murder. Eventually, Chloe sighed and said, “I think it best if I go back to Ryder’s. She hasn’t checked in yet and he hasn’t seen her. We should probably make an official report and all that.”
“Right. Of course.” Crystal sighed. “I have a call coming in. I’m sorry, but I have to take it. Why don’t you go back to the café? Don’t stay here alone, okay? I’ll follow you out.”
Crystal pulled the truck back into Ryder’s house. “Duh. You’re working. I’m sorry,” Chloe replied.
“No. You needed the mental break and I’m glad I could help. Don’t worry about it. I consider it part of my work. But I do have to go now. Follow me out?”
Chloe smiled, glad for the extra supervision. She quickly got into her car and did as Crystal said. They waved to each other as they parted. When Chloe finally glanced down, she frowned. Her damn cell phone wasn’t there. She rooted around for it between the seats, but nothing. She’d have to wait to call Ryder. Rushing into her office upon her arrival, she was disappointed to see Chet wasn’t there. She sighed, wishing it weren’t his day off. But nevertheless, she called Ryder. He sounded hurried and panicked.
“Where have you been?”
“I ran into Crystal. We drove around together.”
“Oh. I’m sorry for snapping at you. I should have realized you’d run into her at the house. She said it was all clear and there were no signs of any kind of disturbance. I believe her. She’s thorough and always spots the signs. You didn’t answer your phone so I got worried.”
“I can’t find it.”
“I can’t find her! I can’t find, Tara, Chloe!” Ryder’s voice cracked and dropped. She could hear the strain and agony in it. Tears immediately flooded her eyes. She flopped down, resting her head on her hand. Dear God, this was all too familiar. “What if… what if…”
“NO!” she yelled. “What if nothing. Nothing. Do you hear me? This isn’t the same. This isn’t… it isn’t… like Ebony…” But Chloe’s voice cracked too and a tone of hysteria replaced it. “Of fuck! Ryder. What do we do?”
“I don’t know. This isn’t supposed to be happening. Not to her. Where is she, Chloe?”
“It’s supposed to be me. The way he targeted me, I assumed I would be his next victim.”
“I thought it was suspicious. I just never dreamed there could be a serial killer aspect to this. A stalker, a predator, lying dormant for years and now they decide to reoffend? Why? What prompted them? I don’t understand. I’ve been everywhere I can think of and I’ve called everyone I know. I’m at the police station now.”
“I’ll be right there.” Chloe made her decision. Sure. She was ready to embrace the fact that this was happening all over again. It might have already been too late. Cynically, she sneered, didn’t they know better than anyone that sometimes this stuff did happen?
She tried to wrack her brain. What was different lately? Anything? Anyone? Shit. Ryder was in law enforcement and had so much more access, yet he didn’t have a clue either. Not a one. No one did. What? Who could have executed the perfect murder? And now, was it about to happen again? Dizziness overcame her. Wait, there was one difference. Lance Huskin. He disappeared and couldn’t be found this week. He often wandered into the woods. He liked to shoot at targets a lot. He was odd too… off… slow, yes, but also rather strange. Everyone knew that. They treated him differently because of it. He’d always received much of the community compassion but Chloe was aware that some people had bullied him over his peculiarities and relative slowness. He’d also been the butt of many jokes in school.
He often had contact with Tara after she rented a room from his grandmother, up until just two months ago. Frantically, Chloe grabbed the phone and redialed Ryder. “Lance? What about Lance Huskin?” Chloe asked before she proceeded to spew out every dot she could connect to him.
Ryder’s breathe hitched. “I interrupted them together once. He took Tara hiking, before she and I got together. I heard some reports of shooting and they were there. But she ended up leaving with me, which
probably hurt his feelings.”
“What should I do?”
“I’ll call it in. Meanwhile, I’m going to his house.”
“Call me when you can.”
“I will. And Chloe? Good catch. I didn’t make the connection. This is the only lead we’ve got.”
“It might be nothing.”
“But we can’t let it be. Chloe, you know—”
She cut him off. “I know, Ryder. I know.”
He hung up. Chloe stared at her phone. It was happening over again. All of it. The worst nightmare of her life was repeating. Her stomach churned and roiled. Chloe was perhaps the only one who understood that it might already be too late. For Ryder couldn’t survive another murdered spouse.
And neither could she.
Chapter Fifteen
CHLOE COULDN’T JUST SIT there as all of this went down. What if they found the man who murdered her sister? What if it were Lance? All these years, she’d been so nice to him. He came in quite often to eat in his distinctive, goofy, but strangely intense manner. He was mostly intense about guns. She nearly smacked her head. Why had no one thought of that? He loved guns. He always talked about them, insisting on the right to shoot and own them. Guns were definitely his thing. But no one considered him anything but benign. Strange. Super strange. And because he was developmentally slow in his emotions and intelligence quotient, no one ever treated him as an adult. Let alone, as someone who could cause harm to another. Chloe shuddered, picturing him right there so often in her establishment, smiling at her, talking to her, and all that time, he was probably laughing inside at her, knowing what he knew and had done, and cruelly continuing to reopen the wound.
But Chloe kept quiet. It wouldn’t be long before word got around town. For now, she had to let things develop, and besides, maybe there was no foul play involved. Maybe Tara would suddenly pop up from the store, and Lance would be found outside enjoying the woods and— fuck! If Ebony’s murder taught her anything, it was that life doesn’t usually have fairytale endings. She still needed to seek the final answer. Slumping forward, she rested her head on the surface of her desk. By rote, and feeling depressed, scared, and unsure, she called Chet’s number again. He was spending the day with his mom since she had the day off too. Chloe suspected Dok might have been checking in on him after speaking to Chloe and having their talk. He got a call from her asking him to take her to Portland to watch a movie. He agreed, of course, and off they went. Chloe really didn’t want to disturb them, especially not with hearsay, or just to voice her fears. Shit. This was big. She left a quick message and got up, grabbing her purse and preparing to leave again.
