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Someone will eventually report her missing from work. It may take a week, but it will happen. The cops will be called. An investigation will be done once they note the bruising around Shelly’s neck. Everything will be dusted for prints and swabbed for DNA, but there would be no evidence to trace back to him, just a coffee cup belonging to one Clint Roberts.
CHAPTERFIFTY-SEVEN
GAUGE
March 19th,2021
The team and I have been on stakeout in Colorado Springs working the Madison Chambers missing person case for the last ten days. Our team of three sits in a van outside an apartment complex, waiting to catch a glimpse of Madison.
The theory Madison was abducted from her dorm made little sense. Colorado College is a nice private campus with fairly decent security. A person sits at the lobby entrance in the office, seeing who is coming and going. Video cameras are at all entrances and exits into the building.
FBI reviewed the security footage and never saw her leave. They conducted a wide search of the building, thinking someone may have hidden her or her body was stuffed somewhere. When they didn’t find her, they surmised someone hacked the security system, splicing the camera feed when Madison was taken.
Chase rolled his eyes at the theory. “Splicing surveillance footage is an art technique only used by pros like me. Unless we’re dealing with a pro, there are no glitches in the recordings to indicate splicing.”
“It seems like a lot of work to go through when there are easier ways to abduct a person.” Stage scratched his head. “According to the FBI report, there’s nothing to suggest she was being stalked or had an admirer. Never mentioned anything to those closest to her about feeling threatened or watched.”
“Then somehow she snuck out,” I surmised. “Windows aren’t monitored in the building. It’s time we ask her friends what they know, see if one of them helped her get out.”
Deciding it was best to get a team on the ground, I recruited Stage and Triple to scout the city with me.
It took a little sweet talking from Stage to get Madison’s roommate to confess she snuck out the window with a small bag of belongings. When Stage pressed for more information, the roommate admitted Madison was afraid of her parents, but she had no specifics.
Triple questioned Madison’s coworkers at the restaurant she worked at. None of the staff had anything useful, or at least the ones who spoke English. The sous-chef was a French man, who struggled to answer our questions, but it was clear he was saying he didn’t talk to her since there was a communication barrier.
As we were leaving, we heard one server say to another how odd it was to hear Andre struggling with his English when he spoke it so well. Andre became suspect number one in the disappearance of Madison. We followed him for four days. His routine was simple: go to the gym first thing in the morning before proceeding to work and return home late in the evening. Every night after work, he would bring a large bag of leftovers home from the restaurant—too large of a bag to feed just one person.
We’re betting Madison is inside his apartment. Whether she’s there against her will or willingly is unknown.
It’s nearly seven in the morning. I’m not a morning person, but I live the schedule of who I’m watching. Luckily, there’s a coffee shop down the block from where we’re sitting in our stakeout van. I’m on my second cup of brew when Triple taps me on the arm. “We got movement.”
Andre emerges from the building with Madison trailing next to him—a very pregnant Madison. The two are holding hands, walking up the sidewalk.
“I think we have the answer to why Madison feared her parents and hid,” Stage jokes.
I roll my eyes. “Let’s get this over with. I want to get home before tomorrow. I have a proposal to plan.”
We exit the vehicle, approaching the couple. “Madison Chambers? We’d like to have a word with you and your boyfriend, Andre.”
* * *
Several hours later, we have our answers and are on our way home. Madison and Andre have been secretly dating since Madison started working at the restaurant. They kept the relationship private because Andre is a decade older than Madison. Her parents would disapprove of the age gap. Hiding it from everyone else seemed like the surest way to keep the information from reaching her strict parents.
When Madison discovered she was pregnant, Andre insisted she move in with him, fearing her parents might pressure her into terminating the pregnancy and leaving him. Madison agreed to run away from her old life to stay with Andre. The couple is in love and eager to welcome their baby girl.
I called the FBI to inform them Madison was safe, had not been abducted, and had gone into hiding because she feared her family. Because she is an adult, they do not consider her case a runaway. I’m not sure if any legal action will be taken against Madison or Andre when no crime was committed. Our job is done, and the rest is out of our hands. We’re still getting paid, and as far as assignments go, this one ended better than most with a couple growing a family.
For a moment, I relax, knowing I’m going home to my woman, who will soon be my fiancée.
CHAPTERFIFTY-EIGHT
OPAL
March 20th, 2021
“Opal! Opal! Come quick,” Gauge calls excitedly from the living room.
I hustle my butt out of the kitchen, where I was prepping to make some banana bread. “What is it? What’s going on?”
