Page 33 of The Missing Couple

“She was assisting me,” Billie said, moving to her side. “She knows the names and faces here and I don’t. I needed her eyes and her knowledge. Because I am an investigator, and I will not stop looking for my sister and her husband until I find them. If that means stepping on toes or hitting nerves… Well then,” he said, glancing at Kerrick and his mother then back to the sheriff, “I guess you’ll be getting a lot of calls like this.”

The sheriff sat his hands on his hips. “I can understand given the situation, but there’s a right way to do these things, and coming in here and upsetting this lady and her son is not one of them.”

“It’s all right, Sheriff,” Kerrick urged. “We understand. Don’t we, Mama?”

She nodded, though she didn’t appear as certain as her son pretended to be.

“Fact is,” Sheriff Malone added, “we have reason to believe the person who took your sister and her husband was driving a black SUV based on the security video from Vince Cox, and you said—” he directed at Charly “—that the vehicle that caused you to run off the road was a black SUV.”

“I do not drive a black SUV,” Kerrick piped up. “I have a silver truck.”

Billie gave a nod of acknowledgment. “I appreciate the clarification. But that still leaves me with serious questions about your appearance,” he said to Kerrick, “in so many captured moments with the victims over the years.”

The sheriff held up a hand. “I think we can all agree that sometimes events are just coincidences.”

Billie laughed a dry, quick sound. “I don’t believe in coincidence, sir.”

Kerrick harrumphed. “Call it bad luck, then. Call it whatever you want. But I had nothing to do with your sister or any of the others you’re talking about.”

Billie stared him directly in the eye. “Besides my sister and Francesca, how do you know who I’m talking about?”

For one split second Kerrick had that deer-in-the-headlights look on his face, then he snapped out of it. “You said something about nine women.” Then he threw up his hands. “I’m out of here. I have work to do.”

He walked out of the office, those remaining staring at him.

“I… I can’t have this,” Laney babbled. “As sorry as I am for your situation, I just can’t have these disruptions.” She zeroed in on Charly. “Surely, you understand it’s bad for business.”

“I think,” Sheriff Malone said, “the two of you should be on your way. If you have questions about this case or any other in my jurisdiction, you should direct those questions to me. Do not,” he warned, “go around upsetting folks with accusations that are wholly unfounded.”

“Understood.” Billie looked to Charly, and they headed for the exit.

It wasn’t until they were in his SUV and driving away that Billie spoke again. “The remarks his mother made about the two other businesses suggests he was captured on other security footage with other victims.”

Charly’s heart started that frantic pounding. “That’s what I was thinking, too. I know Rob Decker and Paul Grant. I believe they’ll talk to us.”

“Just tell me which way to go,” Billie said.

Decker Residence

Riverbend Circle, 6:50 p.m.

ROB DECKER’S STOP AND GO was on Gunter Avenue not far from the Highway 79 intersection. But they didn’t go to his gas station; instead, they went to his house. Rob was older than her father would be if he were still alive, late seventies, maybe eighty. She couldn’t see him at work at this hour.

The house was one of those modern structures built in the eighties and nineties. This one was showing its age a bit but the view of the channel was quite nice.

After ringing the doorbell, her assumption about the man likely being at home was confirmed when Rob himself answered the door.

“Mr. Decker,” Charly said before he could ask who they were and what they wanted, “you may not remember me. I’m Charly, Sheriff Bradly’s younger daughter.”

Rob’s face lit. “Well, of course I remember you! You’re the spitting image of your mother.”

Charly relaxed. She got that a lot. Jen got their father’s much darker coloring. Charly had the lighter brown hair and green eyes of their mother. “I hope we’re not interrupting your dinner.”

“No! Come on in.” He drew the door open wider. “As Carol and I have gotten older, we prefer dinner a little earlier since we end up in bed earlier.” He looked from Charly to Billie. “You kids have no idea how lucky you are to be so young.”

They followed him into the living room where his wife sat on the sofa watching television. The volume was muted. She glanced up as they walked in. “Just catching the weather.” She waved dismissively at the television. “Who wants to hear the news anymore?”

“Nice to see you, Mrs. Decker.” Charly didn’t know the wife as well, but her father had considered Rob a friend. The welcome reception so far gave her hope the couple would be amenable to answering questions. “This is my friend, Billie Jagger,” Charly explained, looking from the wife to the husband. “His sister is Briana Willard. I’m sure you’ve heard she and her husband are missing.”