Exponential

by JM Addison

  *

  At a somewhat regular interval, the Bedford Police went through an open case review. During the reviews, the detectives and officers working on open cases exchanged some ideas and, at the direction of the chief, determined whether to continue or shelve the case. Dell couldn’t believe it. To have the chief take away an unsolved case without going through case review was highly irregular. Especially a case as new as this missing person situation with open leads to be followed up on.

  Dell was on pretty good terms with Chief Donaldson, but no matter what argument he tried in support of keeping the case assigned to him the way it was, the chief simply ignored him and said “It’s out of my hands. It came from higher up.”

  Higher up than what? Dell wondered. Bedford was not a large city. Someone at the state level? When he tried to ask if Viiradium was involved or had become part of another investigation, the chief again turned a cold shoulder and wouldn’t supply any information.

  He sat thinking about the situation and wondered if a company like Viiradium could influence law enforcement agencies. They were rich and profitable and would likely have many friends in higher places. In fact, since they were one of the main players in the encryption industry, they would, no doubt, have friends in the federal government. This whole thing was really beginning to stink. Should he dare defy the chief and secretly continue the investigation? What could the chief do? Fire him? Dell had a pretty good local reputation – so he doubted that. In fact he was surprised that chief Donaldson didn’t level with him and supply a frank and open explanation of what really happened.

  He became really concerned for the girl. The more he considered the facts of the case, the more concerned he became. He was glad that she was going out of town for a while. But if the influence extended even to law enforcement organizations, what would happen when she got back? Or perhaps there was a genuine threat and the reach of this vague menace could just as easily put Mara in danger at her mother’s anyway. If there was substance to her story and he could determine who ‘they’ were and what it was they wanted, things would be a whole lot easier to figure out. Well that’s the sort of investigation that he was commissioned to do as a public servant and like it or not, he needed to do what he could in spite of the new status of “case closed”.

  He decided to find out the outcome of the investigation of the missing mathematician from several months ago. That might shed some light on the matter. He thought also that a phone call to Mara just to make sure she made it to her mother’s without incident and that she was all settled in would be a good idea. He tried her call and got her voicemail and then remembered that she mentioned her purse along with her cell phone were lost during the attack. Using his computer, he checked the person directories to find the number for “Chandler” in Ashbury New Hampshire. He hoped the mother never remarried and had a different name. Fortunately, there was only one listing to choose from, so he picked up the phone and dialed.

  While he waited for an answer, he wondered how he would identify himself without raising concern for Mrs. Chandler. Simply giving his name and asking for Mara would be best.

  However, there was again, no answer.