“I need to run back to my room before we leave.”
“Sure.”
She finished tidying up the kitchen and made sure that Bathsheba had fresh water and some dry cat food left out for the day. Then she packed up her laptop and gathered her things and was ready to leave by the time he returned.
“Bathsheba, hold down the fort for us,” she called to her cat who came running from her hiding place as they started to leave.
“Me-ow.”
Grimm openedthe door and took off running toward his jeep before Quinn made it to the threshold. She held back, uncertain what was happening, until she saw the same black hooded figure from a few mornings ago head toward the wooded area on her property. Grimm chased after the perpetrator. She froze. Swallowed hard and waited for Grimm to return.
He did a few minutes later out of breath.
“Did you catch up to whoever that was?” she asked, finally closing and locking her door.
He shook his head. “No. I lost them in the woods. I searched, but whoever it was must know the area well or they disappeared into the next neighborhood that the trees jut up against.”
“You better check your Jeep for damage. That was the same black hoodie that smashed my car windshield the other morning.”
“Right.”
She waited while he did a thorough search, but found nothing out of the ordinary. “We must have come out and scared them away before they could do anything. Let’s get to the Observer before you’re late. I’m sure Sheraton will want to hear about this.”
He opened the passenger side door for her and she climbed in. When he joined her, she told him how she wanted to drive over to visit Sandy Cranston’s parents soon. “Of course, I’ll need to call to see if they will see me, but I think it will help my story if I can get a first-hand account of their daughter’s disappearance and what kind of search was conducted after she went missing, if any. Logan didn’t have much on that in his notes. The authorities either didn’t do one or her parents didn’t share that info with him.”
“You talked with them on the phone for your quotes in today’s article,” he said. “You think they have more to say?”
“Yes. Lots more than what they were willing to say on the phone. I could feel it. The mother was hesitant. I believe if I can speak to them both at the same time they will open up to me more,” she said.
“Maybe you should see if Logan will go with us. You know, since they have already met him,” Grimm suggested, maneuvering the Jeep into the turn lane to turn onto the street to the Observer.
“Sure. I have no problem including him if you think it will help get them to talk to me,” she said.
“It can’t hurt.”
They parked and went inside the newspaper office. Sheraton was talking to a man in a dark suit outside of his office doorway.
“Oh no. That doesn’t look good.”
“Why do you say that?” Grimm asked.
“Whenever we get a visitor like that it always turns out bad,” she explained. “Grab us two coffees and meet me in the conference room.”
“Sure.”
They parted ways, and she headed to her destination but never made it.
“Quinn,” Sheraton called, motioning to her with his hand.
She groaned. Had her articles caused this visit? First the death threat and now this. She dropped off her computer bag by her desk and then joined Sheraton and the suit.
“Yes sir,” she said, keeping it formal.
“Quinlan Moynahan, this is Special Agent Keaton Street with the FBI. He works the missing persons division out of State College and he wants to speak with you about your articles,” Sheraton said.
“Nice to meet you, Agent Street.”
“Likewise. I’ve taken an interest in your articles, and I’ve been doing a little digging on my end into what went on with the cases and was surprised more wasn’t done by the local authorities. I know that Barbie Martin’s case was worked by the State College Police, but they really didn’t do due diligence in my opinion. And I’m still trying to get my hands on the investigation materials from the Sandy Cranston case. I was wondering what you might have on her case since it’s the oldest. I want to start there in my official investigation.”
