Gone Before Goodbye (Love &Mystery in the--6-oh-3 Book 1) (3 page)

The chief’s voice held steady, but Noah caught the man’s wince on the word ‘another’.

“I understand, sir.”

“We’re putting most of our resources into the search. After the dead ends in the Kara Linn disappearance, I don’t need to remind you the city is clamoring for an arrest and for the girls’ safe return. The media roasts us every day.” He grabbed the paper from under a file and slapped it on the desk in front of Noah. “One of the editors, Vic Taylor, is Kara Linn’s uncle, and he uses his blog and daily column to keep track of the days she’s been gone. The guy’s odd, but he has a knack for pressing the right buttons to set off public reaction.”

Under the headline ‘
And Now There Are Two
’, Noah read aloud the first paragraph. “Why do we no longer hear Kara Linn’s name mentioned or details of a search for her? The police prefer to focus on parking meters. Are they more precious than the missing children of our community?”

Since the chief handled criticism like a sore he constantly picked until it grew worse, Noah chose his words with care. “I don’t think the editor understands the scope of our investigation. The fact we continue working on Kara Linn’s case isn’t as obvious as when we went door to door. Any connection between the two teenagers?”

“We’ve found none so far.”

“One missing girl is unusual for Hawick Falls. Two seems too much of a coincidence for them to be runaways.” If they could discover similarities, they might find a single predator.

“Taylor describes us as heartless and inept.” The chief tossed the front section into the wastebasket. “All the readers’ letters to the editor condemn the police department. I expect pitchforks and torches instead of cameras and lights at the next news conference.”

“I read up on the last girl’s disappearance during my flight. Has the crime line gotten any action?”

“We’ve followed three hundred tips. We checked out every one from the weird neighbor who cuts his grass in the middle of the night with a flashlight to the guy who threatened to blow up his mother-in-law’s car. An elderly couple swore they saw Lisa at the bus station, but the girl they ID’d turned out to be a teenager traveling to her grandmother’s.” The chief pulled a sheet out of a file and handed it to Noah. “Here are her basic facts”

Noah studied the sheet while the boss talked.

“Lisa Grant disappeared sometime on the night of the fifth or morning of the sixth when she was reported missing. Black and pink hair, light brown eyes, weight one hundred and ten pounds and five foot six. Her guardian for the past six months, Teagan Raynes, reported the girl was last wearing denim shorts and a white T-shirt when last seen.”

Noah tried a different tact. “Do we have an intruder theory?” Was she a new Elizabeth Smart abducted from her bed?

“No evidence supports forced entry or a struggle. Lisa slept alone on the third floor. No ladder, trees, or trellis near the house or prints on the ground.” The chief passed him a picture of Lisa’s bedroom and her folder.

Noah noted the windows and door locations. The room size suggested an intruder could get in and out quickly, but going down three flights of stairs with an unwilling teenager was risky even if someone memorized the layout.

“We’re done canvassing the neighborhood. State Police questioned the eight registered sex offenders in the area. Your partner’s notes are in your file and dropbox, Cassidy.”

“What do we know about the guardian?”

“Miss Raynes is a local, who moved to Massachusetts, but returned this winter to care for her aunt. She died two weeks later from leukemia. Since her return, Raynes got a job at the elementary school. At this time, she’s not a person of interest. No one else lives in the home.”

“Any chance the girl’s a runaway?”

“Everyone swears Lisa never mentioned taking off, though she had dreams of working in Boston or New York City. She had little cash and no credit cards. Miss Raynes had confiscated Lisa’s cell phone, but it was no longer in her bureau where Miss Raynes put it. The cell, Lisa’s wallet, and house key didn’t surface in the search. We developed the theory Lisa lifted her phone before she vanished. Miss Raynes reported Lisa carried her key in her wallet wherever she went. The judge issued a warrant for the phone records yesterday, and I’ve a man working on the call history.”

Noah scanned the first page of his partner, Denny Hines’, notes. “No useful statements from other foster children in her previous homes.”

“Not a damn thing. Lisa’s boyfriend, Travis Bodell, says he knows nothing. He shows up each morning for an update. He flips between a civil, mature discussion to an out-of-control rant that we need to work harder and find Lisa sooner. We can’t predict which Travis will show up.”

“Strange behavior. Counseling?”

“His guidance counselor described him as a teen with poor self-image, who has weak social skills but isn’t violent.”

“He sounds like every high school kid to me.”

“Travis admitted he argued with Lisa on her lunch break the last day she was seen. He maintains he hasn’t glimpsed or heard from her since the fight, but until he’s ruled out, he’s a person of interest.”

“Lisa Grant disappeared without a clue.”

“The girl vanished faster than a bullet from a Bushmaster rifle. You and Hines focus on Grant. I’ve got another team searching for the Linn girl. Continue pressuring Travis. He lives with his uncle, Seth Bodell. He’s threatened to lawyer-up the kid if we question Travis again and turns deaf when we explain his nephew wants to talk to us. Uncle’s earned a rep as unreasonable. Seth went to All Saints on a sports scholarship and was a star for a couple of years until he suffered two broken legs. He used to ump for a few teams in Hawick, until he got into too many arguments. 

“So the uncle’s a fun guy. His nephew may have inherited his temper. What’s the story on friends who’d hide Lisa if she ran?” The chance of finding her safe was better if she’d taken off on her own.

“She’s been in nine foster homes since she was two, and she ages out of the system on her birthday next month. Lisa left a trail of disruptive behavior in her past placements.”

“You mean no one put a candle in the window for her.”

“Sophia and Teagan Raynes were the girl’s last stop.”

“A girl with poor impulse control and judgment would be easy prey for the wrong person, and not a happy ending.”

“I requested a clearer picture of Grant.” The chief seized another section of the
Hawick Falls Citizen
from under a stack of folders and dropped it on top of the desk.

The article on the plane had omitted Lisa’s image. Noah stared at the fuzzy photo of a slim teen. A pixie-sized woman with long hair reaching past her shoulders stood beside Lisa. Raynes looked young for a guardian. Raynes. The name and face were familiar. Curious, he brought the picture closer.

“When I asked if you’re ready to work, Cassidy…well, your family will always be missed.”

The chief’s admission left Noah speechless. His boss always lectured the men, “When it’s personal, keep it at home.”

Had the chief expressed sympathy when June and Kimmy died? His wife had supported his every decision. Many labeled her traditional, but June was proud to be Mrs. Noah Cassidy from the moment they married. His daughter had been the sunshine in his life with her smiles and giggles.

Noah searched his memory and recalled days buried in a haze after their deaths. The chief’s calls and visits had seemed focused on when Noah would return to work. Was his boss acting like a normal human being now?

“Hines is at All Saints High School interviewing Lisa’s teachers.” The chief chucked the rest of the paper into his circular file by his desk. “I need you to go to Miss Raynes’ house before you join him. Her address is listed in the report. Ten minutes ago, she called in that she’d received a death threat. She sounded flustered and upset. I sent the patrol over on a welfare check, and they’ve reported she’s safe and secure. You will need to document today’s evidence.”

Noah checked Miss Raynes’ residence. Eighty-six High Street was located in the village section of Hawick Falls and three blocks from the small, popular neighborhood grocery. People joked, if you’re lonely drop into Muffy Mart and you’ll meet someone you know.

“I planned to head to High Street,” the chief said, “but we had a collision on Purgatory Road involving an oil truck. I’m going to the accident to inform the EPA that none of the fuel leaked into the ground. These rules tie up our manpower.” The chief tapped his fingers and frowned. “Fish and Game will drag the Bearclaw River, and the staties and volunteers will comb the footpaths in the southeast parts of the city today. We’ve managed for a Guard helicopter to fly over the rougher terrain.”

One hundred twenty-two miles of trails stretched through the Appalachian White

Mountains. Unexpected weather often stranded experienced hikers. The teen’s chances of survival were reduced if she’d chosen to walk her way through the nearby mountains unprepared. He turned to leave.

“Oh, Noah, one more thing. Father Matt Hastings, a family friend, will be with Miss

Raynes, too.”

Noah swung around to the chief. “Mercy, a priest is coming?”

The chief narrowed his eyes at him, but Noah didn’t bother to apologize for the hostility in his voice. He’d never kept it a secret from his boss how his father, once an altar boy, had been messed up by his parish priest’s unwanted attentions. Noah was an adult before he had understood the impact of the abuse on his father.

“People turn to their church when they’re in crisis, Cassidy. Lisa works part-time in the church’s office, and I expect you to keep your personal feelings to yourself.”

He knew that name, Father Hastings. “Isn’t he the priest who was rejected for a job as a bishop because of an affair?” Seemed like the guy had his own crisis to keep him busy.

When the chief scowled at him, Noah added, “I overheard a few community members mention the fact.” Everyone he met. The fling had been the talk of Hawick Falls during the long, boring winter. Townspeople rotated the names of different women for the scarlet-letter role. A rumor flew that the police had arrested a bagboy at Muffy’s for running a betting ring on the woman’s identity.

“We don’t investigate sins,” the chief growled. “Otherwise, we’d have to double the force. So, bring those girls home, restore faith in our department and prove your worth.”

“Glad you don’t expect much.”

“Save the jokes. Get going.”

Noah’s adrenaline revved up. He savored challenges. He stuck the folder under his arm and crossed the wooden floor to the exit. What was the quickest way? Hawick Falls was nestled between the White Mountains with their breathtaking peaks and the sparkling, clear waters of the Lakes Region. Noah loved the place, but not the crowds of tourists the landscape and outlets at the north end of the city attracted. The visitors flocked to stores at the noon hour.

He’d take the Falls Back Road. Being a townie, he always drove the shortcuts or less traveled routes. The road ran parallel to the winding river and ended near the cascade in the village. Sister Mountains to the northwest overlooked the valley.

“Cassidy, I have one more thing.”

The edge in the chief’s tone warned him his boss had saved the slap on the wrist for last.

“Buy a new shirt. We’re not the Rag Squad.”

You look handsome in your gray shirt
, June whispered from the past. The hitch of pride in her voice swirled in his memory until pain bit into him. He rubbed a hand over his face. “Yes, sir.”

Noah shoved the scene out of his thoughts. He headed out of the office, keeping his thoughts focused on the case. Now what items would a teenage girl grab when she left her house? She’d grab her phone. If only the rest of the case came together as easily.

He exited into the sunlight. The warning echoed in his mind.
Restore faith and prove your worth.
Noah’s family had been destroyed in the boating accident, but he was determined not to let life break him and end up like his father.

Teagan raced across the tiled entryway when the bell chimed. All she wanted was to show the police the threat she received this afternoon. Maybe it was an important clue that would lead to Lisa, and to the arrest of the person who’d sent the holy card.

Caution slowed Teagan at the last moment, and she cracked open the door. “Chief Banks, I—”

She’d met the Chief of Police and this wasn’t him. At five feet tall, she was often the smallest individual in the room, but this male must stand about six four and could make an average sized adult feel short. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his gray-button-down shirt, which seemed to emphasize the mass of his arms. In his hand, he held a manila folder.

He raised a brow and removed the sunglasses over his light blue eyes. “Miss Raynes? Chief had an emergency.”

She tilted her head and looked closer.

“I’m—”

“—Noah Cassidy.” The name hurtled past her worries and fears. She opened the door wider. “You worked as a counselor at Camp Mighty Joe.” She’d had a wicked crush on him. Whenever she heard an oldie love song from that summer, she thought of him.

A forgotten memory popped into her consciousness. They were camped on the mountaintop. A canopy of twinkling stars stretching forever above them, but she barely noticed or breathed. Noah Cassidy sat less than a foot from her.

Now he moved impatiently, and she stuffed the scene back into her teenage memories. Although he seemed calm, his gaze roamed over her neighborhood as though he was taking in everything around him or ready to take down a suspect. He tapped his index finger against his thigh.

Yes. Noah Cassidy was a man of action. She would have chosen him from a lineup to search for Lisa. At Mighty Joe, his sense of humor and ability to push his campers to do their best while having fun made him a favorite counselor.

“Mighty Joe was a popular camp.” He stared at her like he was searching through faces and names in his minds.

Of course, he wouldn’t recognize her. She’d attended Mighty Joe fifteen years ago. She was eleven. Aunt Sophia thought weeks spent in the outdoors would be character building. Teagan did her best to win the camper of the month award and not disappoint her.