At the truck, Tabitha glanced back at the cottage as if to examine it one more time. There were clearly tears shimmering in her eyes, but they didn’t spill. She lifted her chin. “Let me grab that Pluto cat and see where Trouble got off to,” she said.
“What are we going to do with the cats?” Roger asked.
“We’ll take Pluto to his home, and Trouble can come with us. They’re involved in this somehow. Think about it. We’ve had three cats show up, and they all seem involved in this case. The orange one your aunt let in—that’s my sister’s cat, Vesta. I’m sure of it and I have no idea how she got from Trudy’s house to Long Hall. I don’t know what’s going on, but until I find my sister, I’m going to follow every lead I get.”
“Round up the cats,” Roger said, because he knew it would be pointless to argue.
* * *
Tabitha put a docile Pluto in the truck and went after Trouble. He was aptly named. She went behind the cottage. She knew he wouldn’t answer to kitty, kitty. He wasn’t that kind of cat. He was somehow distinctly…British? It didn’t make a lick of sense, and she wondered if the stress of Trudy’s disappearance was making her thinking loopy.
She caught sight of the feline on top of two garbage cans where he was frantically digging to get inside them. He didn’t strike her as a cat that enjoyed rank food so she went to help him. Two minutes later he had dug some papers out of the trash. She brushed off a few stray coffee grounds and examined the report from what looked like a laboratory. It was an analysis on some plants, but it was way above her pay grade.
Holding only the edge of the page, she scooped Trouble up in her arms and hurried back to the truck. When she was inside with the door closed, Roger arched one eyebrow.
“What’s that?”
“You’ll have to tell me. I should give it to the cops but not before we have a chance to figure out if it gives us a clue to Trudy.”
“Garbage is a clue?”
“More than that, it may impact your business. It’s an analysis of something. Since Lisa worked for a chemical company, my guess it would be one of their products. “
Roger took the pages from her hand and studied them, his frown deepening. “This is soil analysis. And it was submitted by Trudy—that’s her initials, which means it probably has something to do with Long Agricultural Products. But look, there’s that strange symbol that was on Trudy’s calendar. I’ve never seen it before, and to be honest, I’ve never seen a report like this. It’s from…a company I’ve never heard of. Bitner Labs.”
Tabitha felt her dread grow. Trudy was involved in something. Crop analysis, soil samples—all things that were out of her normal wheelhouse of interests. Once again she wondered what her sister had gotten involved in. “We can check on this report, right?”
“We can and we will. Now let’s get out of here.”
They pulled away and headed out the road to Dahlia House, a place Roger knew of but had never had reason to visit. At the intersection, Trouble once again tried to take control of the steering wheel.
“He wants to go the other direction.” Tabitha knew because he’d done the same to her.
Roger was dubious. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Try the other way.”
He took up the challenge. As soon as he turned in the direction the cat favored, Trouble settled back in Tabitha’s lap.
She didn’t say a word but she couldn’t hide her smile.
“Where do the cats want to go?” Roger asked. “You’re the psychic, maybe you can tell me. Or maybe you’re also a cat in disguise.”
“Me-ow!” Trouble answered. Pluto slipped under Roger’s arm and nudged his right hand. When he turned in that direction, Pluto settled back onto the seat.
“Trudy’s place,” Tabitha guessed.
“Meow!” the cats chorused.
“This is not happening. I’m going to wake up any minute and realize this is a nightmare. Cats do not know how to tell people where they want to go.”
“Dream on,” Tabitha said. “The cats are now in control and let’s hope they know how to find my sister.”
They turned down the driveway to Trudy’s place and parked beside the front porch. Tabitha was aware the little house had taken on a sad and abandoned air even in the brief time Trudy had been gone. Dead leaves had collected at the front door, and pots containing plants had been knocked over. The wind? Roaming dogs? Or an intruder? Trudy had mentioned someone following her.
Tabitha shared a look with Roger.
“Let me go in first,” Roger said. “Just in case—”
“Trudy isn’t here. I checked when I first got to town.”
Roger sighed. “Thank goodness. But nonetheless I think I should go in. So what are we looking for?”
“Her car is missing. I’d like to find her personal computer, which I didn’t see when I looked, but I didn’t search thoroughly. And I couldn’t find her spare car keys. She always used to leave them in the drawer with the spoons. It was something we both did for emergencies.” Tabitha took a breath. “I’d like to find some indication of the man she was dating or the website she met him on. And we need evidence of a connection to Lisa East.”
“Okay.” He opened the truck door and the cats were out. They made a beeline for the front steps. Roger was right behind them.
Tabitha went around the house to the back. Two lawn chairs were beside a fire pit that had been used in the recent past. There was evidence of some burned papers, but they were too charred to be of any use. She did notice that a screen on a back window sat on the ground below. Wind damage or an intruder? She examined the window and had her answer—someone had broken into the house.
She heard Roger call her and she returned to the front and went inside. The house was just as she’d seen it.
“Looks like her clothes and suitcase are here,” Roger said. “There’s no sign of a struggle. Since her car is gone and there’s no sign she was taken against her will, maybe she left on her own.”
“Yeah.” Tabitha’s hope was taking a heck of a beating. “It’s possible she found out that Lisa was killed and ran.”
“Wouldn’t she call you?” Roger asked.
“If she’s afraid, maybe not.” Tabitha knew she was grasping at straws. Trudy was headstrong, rebellious, and often jumped before she thought things through. But she would never deliberately worry her sister. “Maybe she doesn’t want to involve me in this. She might have been at Lisa’s place since they were going to meet up. Maybe she saw what happened to Lisa and…” She couldn’t finish her thought.
“Don’t jump to the worst conclusion,” Roger said. He put a comforting hand on her back. “I’m sorry, Tabitha. Do you know where she kept her computer?”
“The logical place would be the kitchen table. It wasn’t there when I looked before.”
“Then we should look for thumb drives or something she could have hidden. If Trudy was on to something, she’s smart enough to have hidden the evidence.”
Roger was right. They began a systematic search of drawers and other places of concealment. Tabitha went to the closet, remembering Trudy’s love of shoes. She upended numerous pairs until she saw the cowboy boots they’d bought on a trip to Dallas. Trudy loved them. She tipped one over and a bright green thumb drive fell to the floor. The relief was intense. At least they had something.
“Look at this.” Roger came into the bedroom holding a disk marked ‘Interview Delta Dating.’ This may be the dating site Trudy was using.”
“Do you know it?” Tabitha asked.
He nodded. “The address is not far from here. We can check it out while we’re so close. One of us should go apply. That’s the quickest way to get inside.”
“You,” Tabitha quickly said. “That way you can show interest in Trudy. But won’t they know you? Everyone around here knows everyone it seems.”
“That’s true. So it has to be you. We have the video here so maybe we can see what Trudy put on her page.”
“And what about that report on the plants?”
“Another good lead that I’ll pursue. I can ask questions without arousing suspicions. We should photograph that and give it to the deputies. We don’t want to withhold information.”
“You’re right. Thank you.” Tabitha stopped in her head-long pursuit of finding Trudy long enough to appreciate how much Roger had gotten involved. He didn’t have to help yet he was doing so willingly.
“Young women don’t go missing in Sunflower County. We look out for each other here.” It was as if he could read her thoughts.
“Let’s find a computer and check that disk. Someone took Trudy’s laptop.”
“Tabitha, if we involve the law, maybe they could track her cell phone. There’s a GPS. It’s possible--”
“Someone else has her phone. I’ve called her a million times and yesterday someone answered but wouldn’t say anything. If Trudy had it, she would talk to me because she’d know how worried I am. She may be undercover or…” She decided to be honest. “Or she might be caught up in this. Trudy hasn’t always used the best judgment. I’m afraid if the cops show up, she’ll get hurt. If she isn’t hurt already. Let’s see what we can find out on our own. Let’s give it twenty-four hours and then I’ll agree to turn everything over to the law. I have this sense that Trudy was searching for something.”
“The law is already involved.” Roger’s expression was worried. “We have a dead woman.”
“True, but I have to believe Trudy is alive. And I think we have tools now to find her.”
Roger blew out a breath. “It’s your call, but only for the short term.”
Tabitha held up the disk. “Let’s check this out.”
They found the cats ready beside the truck and Roger didn’t suggest taking Pluto home to Dahlia House. He’d accepted that the cats were part of the investigation. The leaner black one rode with his front paws on the dash as if he were scouting the terrain for bad guys. When they arrived at Long Hall they were greeted by the little yellow cat who made straight for Pluto. She licked his head and purred.
“Looks like Trudy wasn’t the only one looking for a date,” Roger said as he opened the door for Tabitha. “Those cats seem to care about each other.”
Chapter Six
When Tabitha saw Charline Long in the kitchen, she was struck by the look of relief on her face. “Has something happened?”
“I was just a little worried. You were gone longer than I anticipated.” Charline looked past her at Roger. “I was a bit concerned that my nephew might have driven you away.”
Roger only laughed. “Aunt Charline, you’ve said many times I can be charming.”
Her smile was tinged with relief. “And you certainly can. You can also be an arrogant ass. I know both faces you wear.”
Tabitha laughed, and for the first time in several weeks, she enjoyed the sensation. “Roger has been very kind to me,” she said. “We have some common interests. In fact, he’s going to show me some work on his computer. I’ll see if I can get any positive feelings about his proposed plans.” She didn’t turn around to see how Roger was taking her explanation.
“Wonderful. When can I plan on a session?”
“After lunch?”
“That would be lovely. Cook is making salmon croquettes, which I think these cats will love.” She looked pointedly at Roger. “You brought home more stray cats?”
“I don’t think they’re actually strays,” Tabitha stepped in. She didn’t want Charline to get too attached to Vesta because when Trudy came home, she would want her kitty back. “The plumper black one belongs to Sarah Booth Delaney.”
“The private investigator? What’s he doing here?”
“Visiting Trouble and,” Tabitha pointed to the yellow cat, “Vesta. It seems they’re all…friends.”
“Are you pulling my leg?” Charline asked.
“She wouldn’t think of it,” Roger said, swooping his aunt up in a hug. “Vesta belongs to the young woman who hasn’t shown up for work lately.”
“How did the cat get here from town?”
“I’m looking into that,” Roger said. “Just enjoy them while they’re here and when they’re returned to their owners, we can go to the shelter and get you half a dozen cats if that’s what you’d like.”
Charline frowned at Roger and gave him a sidelong look. “What drugs are you taking? I’ve never seen you so agreeable. And cats! Who would ever have thought a cat could turn your head.”
“I am learning many things, especially about cats,” Roger said with a grin. “I may be mellowing.”
“Nancy, Nancy!” Charline called to the cook. “Put some champagne in the refrigerator to chill. Raj is mellowing. We must celebrate while we can. He’s liable to revert back any minute.”
Tabitha burst into laughter, and even Roger chuckled. “Am I that much a tyrant?”
“Yes, you are,” Charline said, “but I love you anyway.” She faced Tabitha. “I’m glad you’ve gotten to see the side of Roger we love. Perhaps he won’t have to spend the rest of his life alone if he shows more of that side.”
Tabitha couldn’t stop the shock. Charline Long was match-making between her and her nephew. Roger’s response was a long, loud laugh. “You are something else, Aunt Charline. About as subtle as a ton of rocks. I do believe I can manage my romantic future without any help.”
“Then get busy and do it,” Charline said, completely unperturbed. “Let’s see some of that famous Roger Long action.” She stepped closer to him and whispered very loudly, “Or else I’ll think you’re a coward.”
Roger turned to Tabitha. “Run for the hills. Aunt Charline is looking to add you to the family.”
“I think I can handle myself,” Tabitha said archly. She knew she was flirting but she couldn’t resist. “Now, Roger, the question is, can you?”
Charline applauded. “Oh, yes, she can hold her own. Now you two go finish whatever you had planned. Lunch is served at noon.” She shooed them out the back door with the three cats following.
“I should apologize. I was caught up in the moment,” Tabitha said. The moment she was alone with Roger, she felt self-conscious.
“No apology necessary. A bit of harmless banter makes the day go faster. How about we head to my office so we can look at that recording?”
“A wise plan.” Tabitha tried to keep her gaze from following Roger’s back as they both got in the truck, the cats leaping in after her. She was more acutely aware of his good looks and physicality with each passing hour. And also more aware of his kindness in helping her find her sister. That was where her focus had to be. They drove to the agriculture offices in silence.
* * *
Roger called the fourteen office workers into the reception area. They were a diverse group of men and women of all ages and they stood silently as Roger introduced Tabitha.
“This is a serious matter and I need your help,” Roger told them. “As you know, Trudy hasn’t been to work for two weeks. We fear something has happened to her, that she’s fallen into the wrong hands.” He motioned to Tabitha. “This is Trudy’s sister. She’s looking for some clue where Trudy might have gone. I’m asking you all to cooperate. If you know something, even something that may seem insignificant, please tell us. Did Trudy mention to anyone where she might be going?”
A young woman who worked in filing came forward. “She said she’d found a problem with some of the orders. She was talking on the phone about it just before she went home the evening she…disappeared. She was upset. Maybe even angry.”
“What kind of problem?” Tabitha asked.
The girl, Felicity Montgomery, shook her head. “Trudy was too smart. She caught on to things very quickly. She’d been studying those new seeds and plants you told her to research and she found some things she was concerned about. She was meeting that seed and chemical representative, Lisa East. They were going to look into some tests or something of that nature.”
Roger felt a surge
of hope and deeper worry. Many of the chemical companies and seed developers had been under fire from environmental protesters. The claims against the companies were more than troubling, and Roger had only reluctantly agreed to try the new strain of cotton. A cotton plant resistant to pests and fungus that wouldn’t require mass chemical spraying would be a godsend to farmers, but not at the cost of environmental damage or repercussions to humans and animals. The stakes were high, and if Trudy and her friend had found something damaging to DayZSeed, he could easily assume why Lisa East was now dead.
“Where were they meeting up?” Roger asked.
“At some field to take pictures of the plants that were coming up. They said something about soil samples too.”
“Did they give any hint about where this field might be?” Tabitha asked.
Felicity teared up. “I’m sorry. I was trying not to snoop into Trudy’s business. She was always super nice to me but she made it clear she didn’t like people prying into her business.”
“That’s my sister,” Tabitha said, but not unkindly.
Roger thought back over the other farmers who’d been approached to try the new cotton. Only one other had agreed. What field had Trudy been investigating? Was that where she’d disappeared from? Was her car still parked in a brake between fields?
“Do you know what happened at Lisa’s house?” an older woman asked. “I heard on the radio that the police were there.”
Roger wasn’t the kind to sugarcoat bad news. “Someone murdered Lisa.”
“Oh, my, god,” Felicity said. “What about Trudy? Is she okay?”
“We don’t know. There’s no indication that she’s been…harmed.” Tabitha inhaled sharply. “Right now she’s just missing. And please don’t mention this to anyone. The fewer people who know, the better our chances of getting her back safely. If this becomes town gossip, and if she is being held hostage, the talk might provoke her captors to kill her.” Her voice broke but she managed not to cry. Roger knew how hard that was for her, and he almost went to comfort her. But he barely knew her—and had no idea if she’d welcome any solace he could offer. His aunt was right—he was becoming soft, and all for a woman he hardly knew.
Bone-a-fied Trouble Page 6
