Missing and Endangered (Joanna Brady #19)(83)

With those words still hanging in the air, Beth fled into the elevator. Jenny remained in the lobby, realizing that everything her roommate had said about her awful mother was absolutely true. But Jenny’s real focus was on the envelope in Madeline Rankin’s hand.

“Those are pictures of Beth?” Jenny asked.

“Of course they’re her pictures,” Madeline snapped, “although they’re probably only some of the pictures instead of all of them. God alone knows how many of these there are.”

“How did you get them?”

“How do you think?” Madeline returned. “Someone sent them to us in the mail. The envelope showed up at the post office this morning with more than a dollar’s worth of postage due. Who are you?”

“My name is Jenny Brady. I’m Beth’s roommate.”

“Her former roommate, then,” Madeline said. “You go on upstairs and tell her I said she should pack her things and get back down here. Kenneth and I are leaving, and so is she.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” Jenny replied. “Beth has no intention of going with you, and she doesn’t have to.”

“Yes she does,” Madeline said, “and if you won’t go get her, I will. What room is she in?”

“I’m sorry,” the RA put in, “I can’t allow you to go upstairs. I believe your daughter has made her intentions clear. She has no interest in going anywhere with you. And since she doesn’t want to speak to you either, I’ll have to ask you to leave. As of now you’re unwelcome guests trespassing on university property.”

Beth’s father attempted to intercede. “Come on, Madeline,” he said. “We’re not wanted here. We should go.”

“I’m not going anywhere without my daughter,” Madeline declared, “and don’t you try to make me.”

“Jenny,” Butch said uncertainly, speaking from behind Jenny’s back. “What’s going on here?”

Jenny had been so focused on what was happening that she hadn’t noticed the lobby door slide open and then close behind her. She spun around and found Butch standing there. “It’s Beth’s parents, Dad,” she said. “They’re upset.”

“Upset?” Madeline echoed. “Are you kidding? I am not upset. I’m furious. These people have brainwashed my daughter into becoming something she’s not, and I want her back.”

By then the RA had returned to the reception desk and picked up the handset on the phone. No doubt she was dialing 911. Jenny knew that she and Beth had been given strict orders to stay under the radar and say nothing to anyone. Being caught up in an altercation that included an appearance by the campus cops didn’t amount to keeping a low profile.

“I have to go, Dad,” she said quickly. “I’ll call you later.” With that, Jenny, too, disappeared into the elevator. Even before she opened the door to her room, she could hear Beth’s inconsolable sobs. She lay facedown on the bed, weeping into her pillow.

“He sent the pictures to my parents,” Beth wailed when Jenny eased herself down onto the bed beside her. “How could Ron do something so awful?”

“Because he is awful,” Jenny replied. “Because he’s a scumbag who should be ground into the dirt like the cockroach he is.”

“Yes, a cockroach,” Beth hiccupped something that was almost a laugh. “That’s exactly what he is,” she added, taking a deep breath. “Are my parents still down in the lobby?”

“I doubt it,” Jenny replied. “When I left to come up here, the RA was calling the cops. I believe they’ll be encouraged to leave the campus, and I expect they’ll have a police escort to make sure they do.”

“I told you my mother was bad news,” Beth said.

“Yes, you did,” Jenny said, “but she’s way worse than I ever imagined. So are you ready?”

“Ready?” Beth repeated.

“The other person who’s down there now is my dad. We just had our last finals, and the two of us are on Christmas break, remember?”

Beth smiled weakly. “I almost forgot,” she said.

“Get a move on,” Jenny ordered.

Beth heaved herself into a sitting position. “I will,” she said determinedly. “Because I’m going to Bisbee, and my mother and Ron Cameron can both go to hell.”

“Right,” Jenny said. “Let’s do it.”

They had both packed earlier in the morning, so now it was just a matter of gathering things together. When they were ready to head out the door, Jenny punched her dad’s number into her phone.

“Is the coast clear? Are they gone?”

“It was either leave on their own or get hauled off to jail,” he said. “Fortunately for all concerned, they chose the former.”

“Good,” Jenny said. “We’ll be right down.”





Chapter 39





After getting off the phone with Garth, Joanna called Tom Hadlock to let him know her decision. He was pleased to hear it. Half an hour later, Jaime called. “Hey, boss,” he said. “We’re taking Barco into the interview room.”

“Good enough,” she said, “I’ll be right there.” On her way she stopped by Kristin’s desk long enough to give her a credit card and ask her to go into town to pick up an assortment of pizzas.