Page 24 of The Missing Couple

Guntersville, Alabama, 1:00 p.m.

CHARLY WAS NOT happy with having spent so much time in the ER. To set her worries at ease and because it was the right thing to do, while she suffered through the various procedures for ensuring she had no nonvisible injuries, Billie had gone back to her vehicle and lugged her purchases up to his SUV. The task would have taken far longer but a deputy came along and spotted the trouble. He’d helped Billie with the biggest part of the load, all the while asking questions about the accident. Once the transfer was finished, the deputy had headed to the hospital to talk to Charly. Billie had hurried to her cabin and unloaded the goods, refrigerating all that required that step. The rest sat around her small kitchen.

He’d gotten back to the hospital in time to await the visit from the doctor before she was released and to hopefully ease her frustration.

“Did the fruit seem okay?” She searched his eyes, hers overly concerned about something that didn’t matter in the larger scheme of things. “The bananas bruise so easily.”

“The bananas and everything else are fine.” He smiled. Decided to tease her a little. “A case of water may have flattened the boxes of chocolate.”

“Oh no.” She made a sad face. “That’s the best part of the fruit baskets.”

He laughed. “I’m kidding. Everything was fine. You couldn’t have packed it better for an accident if you’d planned it.”

She nodded. Seemingly satisfied. The nurse had allowed her to put her clothes back on instead of waiting in that less than comfortable gown she’d had to put on at first.

“That deputy who helped you,” she said, “came by and took a report. Not much good it will do. The guy was wearing that baseball cap, the bill pulled low so I couldn’t see his face. All I know is that he was driving a black SUV.” She shook her head. “He didn’t hit me, just scared the heck out of me. Maybe he was just some guy in a hurry. I guess the accident was my own fault.”

Billie didn’t see it that way. “If that pothole hadn’t sent you spiraling out of control, I feel confident he would have made another move. Think about it. He drove away and left you in that ditch. If he’d been some guy just driving along, surely he would have stopped or at least called the police.”

Regular people didn’t leave someone possibly injured stranded in a ditch.

“Makes sense,” she agreed. “I forgot to ask. Did the sheriff have any news?”

“He wasn’t impressed with my suggestion about the potential pattern over the past sixteen years in his jurisdiction. I can’t believe he hadn’t already noticed but who knows?” He decided to leave out the part about the sheriff’s suggestion that Billie stand down and let him do his job.

“Deputy Lathan talked to me at the market.” She rolled her eyes, signaling it wasn’t exactly informative or constructive. “They have all sorts of ideas about the trouble you may be causing by nosing around in the investigation and making the locals look bad.”

He smiled. “Yeah. I got that impression from Sheriff Malone.”

She sighed. “I just wish we would get some sort of news. A sighting. Something. Surely, calls are coming in to that hotline the sheriff’s department set up.”

“So far, nothing they’re telling us about. He told me this morning they’re running Briana’s and Martin’s photos on all the local channels as well as in a statewide bulletin. Sounds like he’s taking all the usual protocols. An FBI agent from the Huntsville field office is meeting with him this afternoon.”

“Are you going?” She searched his gaze, hope in hers.

“No. Malone didn’t invite me and I didn’t push. I want him to believe I have complete faith in his ability to get the job done. Besides, my people will hear about the results anyway.”

“Deputy Lathan didn’t sound as if he or the sheriff trusted what you and your agency are up to.” She made a face. “They really hate that we’re looking into what happened. But what do they expect? She’s your sister for God’s sake.”

“Sometimes it’s best to leave that layer intact,” Billie explained. “The one that allows the other side to believe what they choose. But that doesn’t mean you’re doing what they think you’re doing.”

Charly nodded, then frowned. She rubbed at the side of her head. “I think I hit the window.”

Worry tugged at Billie. He reached up, touched the place above her ear that she had rubbed. “Did they do a scan to make sure there was no injury?”

“They did. I guess we’ll know when the doctor shows up.”

A soft knock and then the door opened.

Billie glanced at her. “Looks like that’s now.”

“Afternoon, Ms. Nix.” Chart in hand, a man entered the room and walked up to the exam table where Charly sat. “Let’s have a look at you, shall we?”

The doctor was maybe forty. Had the suntan of a man who spent plenty of time outdoors. He looked fit. Seemed affable.

“I’m fine, really,” she said for about the fifth time. “I bumped my head on the window, and the airbag gave me quite a punch.” She put a hand to her chest. “But otherwise I’m fine.”

When the doctor had completed a quick exam, he said, “Your scan showed no issues. Other than being sore for a few days I think you’re one lucky lady.” He stepped back, signaling that he was finished with his exam. “If you start having any issues, persistent headaches, nausea, anything out of the ordinary, go straight to your primary physician or come on back here. Otherwise, I expect you shouldn’t see anything more than some bruising from the airbag. Unless you’re having significant pain, any over-the-counter pain medication should take care of your needs.”