214 Palmer Street(51)

“I know.” Clarice walked into the living room, sat down on the couch and crossed her legs. “Sarah sent me a text saying she needed some time away. And then Kirk called me all frantic, wanting to know where she is.” She exhaled loudly. “You know Kirk, always needing a security blanket. Sarah is apparently his go-to for that right now. The boy is so insecure.”

Taking a seat next to her, he asked, “You know where she went?”

“I haven’t a clue. I don’t care either. You sure you don’t want a drink? Oh wait,” she added with a laugh. “You can’t drink while you’re on duty, can you?”

“I’m not technically on duty,” he said.

“So the uniform’s just for me?”

“Look, Clarice, we’ve got a big problem. A woman at the town hall recognized Sarah’s picture on Kirk’s missing person flyer—”

She hooted. “He made up a missing person flyer? After she left him a note? That’s hilarious. Kirk is too much.”

“Focus, Clarice. You’re missing the point.” He gripped his knees with both hands. “This woman said Sarah came into the town hall sometime in the last week, asking about 214 Palmer Street. The bomb shelter. Not only that but Sarah knows about Jeremy’s disappearance and was asking questions. It sounds like some red flags were raised for her. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“You think she knows what happened?”

“Not knows, but suspects. It wouldn’t take too much to put it together.”

“What do you want from me, Chief Kramer?”

“What I’d really like to do is find Sarah. You have any idea where she might have gone?”

Clarice shook her head. “I can text her if you want.”

“That wouldn’t help. She left her cell phone behind.”

Her brow furrowed. “That’s odd. Why wouldn’t she take it? I don’t go anywhere without my phone.”

“Well, she’s not you. It appears she doesn’t want to be found.” Despite his worries, Gavin was impressed with Sarah. She hadn’t taken a car or her cell phone, and she’d also managed a disappearing act without using a credit or debit card. Since she wasn’t shown leaving out the front of the house, she must have circled around the back. She’d thought of everything.

“Sorry I can’t help.” She sidled over closer, pressing herself up against him. “But since you’re here…”

He stood up and held out a hand. “But I think you can help. Let’s go for a ride.”



“I don’t understand,” she said when they were nearly there. “Why are we going to the state park?”

Gavin tried to remain calm, even though she was aggravating the hell out of him. He realized he’d never fully appreciated his wife Natalie’s gentle voice and agreeable demeanor, until now. “Because we can access the old Aden property through the park. I want to make sure the ground over the bomb shelter hasn’t been disturbed.”

“I get that,” she said, impatient. “But why? Why not drive to the house and walk around back? You’re a cop. Can’t you just say you’re checking things out? That you got a call or something?”

Clearly, she had no idea how his job worked. “No. That’s not how it’s done. We’re trying to avoid attention, remember?”

“I’m not even sure what we’re doing.” She tapped the dashboard. “Driving around in a squad car is not as much fun as I would have thought.”

When they arrived at the park entrance, he ignored the signs saying it closed at sundown and continued down the road slowly following the twists and turns. When he came to the right spot, he pulled over and shut off the engine.

“Now what?”

“Now we get out and walk through the trees to the Adens’ house.”

“I’ll wait here,” she announced.

“You’re not getting off that easily.” He forced a smile and beckoned. “You were here at the beginning. Time to see how the story ends.”

“Such drama, Gavin. You’ve been spending too much time with Kirk.” She laughed while unbuckling her seatbelt. “Okay. Have it your way.”

As she left the vehicle, he reached under his seat for the gun, and grabbed a small flashlight. Getting out of the car, he found Clarice waiting on her side of the vehicle. “So dark,” she said.

“That’s why I have this.” He clicked on the pen light and led the way through the trees, hearing her shuffled steps behind him.

“You really need the gun?”

“I always carry a gun.” There was more distance between the edge of the park and the residential section than he’d remembered.

For a minute or so, he wondered if his estimate was off, but no, now he saw lights glinting through the trees, leading them to the houses in the subdivision. He stopped at the edge of the tree line, shutting off the light, and tucking it into his pocket.

Clarice came up behind him and patted his backside. “Now what?”

From the safety of the park, he surveyed the yard in disbelief. “What the hell?”

The whole thing was torn up. The grass had been scraped off; piles of dirt were scattered around the perimeter. Tread from an excavator’s tires crisscrossed the ground, and in front of him, the dirt which had covered the bomb shelter was gone. He walked out of the park and into the Adens’ yard, then looked down at the partially exposed metal doors. “Damn.” Looking around, he saw a shovel and a pickaxe neatly lined up on one side. The padlock Kirk’s dad had used to secure the handles was still in place, but a bolt cutter lay alongside it. He started to doubt it was Sarah who’d done this. Would she have trespassed and physically dug out the bomb shelter on a shaky supposition? Unlikely, he thought. Sarah was delicate, ladylike. Whoever had done this was physically strong.