Page 103 of Jameson’s Salvation

On instinct, Jameson’s hand started to move toward his hip but Nix grabbed his bicep, halting the process.

“Jonas,” Nix greeted. “This is Jameson, Kennedy’s man.”

Jonas looked to Jameson and locked eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t come out sooner. We got busy and Lavender was in the back doing payroll. Things like this don’t happen here, I didn’t think to walk her out.”

As much as Jameson appreciated the man’s concern, he didn’t have the time nor the inclination to assuage the other man’s guilt.

“I talked to Ray,” Jonas continued. “Come on, you’re gonna want to talk to his son. The boy was taking out the trash and saw two women getting into a car.”

Two women?

Jameson didn’t have time to question Jonas further, he was halfway across the parking lot. A door opened and a big, heavyset man stepped out with a scrawny teenager.

Jonas made a quick introduction and explained that Ray owned a roofing company whose office was in the space next to Nature’s Choice. Jameson’s gaze never left the boy’s as he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

“Go on, RJ, tell ‘em what you saw,” Ray prompted his son.

“I was taking out the trash. Right there.” The boy pointed to a dumpster ten feet away and Jameson looked from the metal container back to Kennedy’s truck. Roughly fifty yards away, the boy would’ve had a clear line of sight. “I didn’t…I didn’t think anything about it. A woman was helping another woman into the back seat.”

“What do you mean, helping?” Nix cut in.

“I don’t know, like, the woman had her arms around the other woman from behind. Under her armpits, you know, and sat her in the back seat, then picked her legs up and put them in.”

Jameson’s jaw clenched until his molars hurt.

“Did you see her face?” Nix continued.

“No. Both of their backs were to me and I went back in. The woman being put into the car had blonde hair, or really light brown. And the other one had old woman hair.”

“What does that mean?”

“You know, it was like gray and cut short. Above her shoulders.”

“Like gray? Or gray?” Jameson asked.

“It was…I think it’s called salt and pepper.” RJ turned to his father. “Like Grandma’s.”

“He means dark with gray streaks,” Ray clarified.

“What about the car?” Jameson persisted.

“It was a black Buick.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. My buddy Todd’s mom has one. It was a Buick for sure.”

“Was there anyone else? Maybe in the car or standing close?”

“No. Just the two women. That’s why I didn’t think anything about it. I just thought the woman was helping her into the car.”

As much as Jameson wanted to shake the kid for not intervening, he couldn’t blame him. Cliff City was a small town, kidnapping was not the first thing that would come to anyone’s mind. Especially if the woman doing the taking looked like a grandmother.

“Thanks, RJ. You’ve been very helpful,” Nixon offered.

“I’m really sorry. I would’ve helped. I just didn’t think…”

“Put that out of your mind. You had no way of knowing. Please call us if you think of anything else.” Nix pulled a business card out of his pocket and gave it to Ray.