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“Any time you need to hear it, you know where to find me.”
“I do, and I’m grateful for you.”
“Likewise.”
They arrived at the Carters’ neat ranch house a few minutes later. Two Honda sedans were parked in the driveway, and the flag was up on the mailbox at the curb. For some reason, that little flag caught Sam’s attention as she marveled at the mundane details of life marching forward even though someone you loved was missing. After the worst thing had happened, bills still had to be paid, people needed to be fed, grass had to be cut, and life went on like nothing had changed when everything had.
Vernon opened the back door for her.
“Thank you, Vernon.”
“My pleasure. I assume you don’t want us going in ahead of you.”
“You assume correctly.”
“Had a feeling.”
Sam left him with a warm smile and headed up the sidewalk to the front door.
Theodora met her at the door. “Come in.”
Sam didn’t bother showing her badge or making the usual introduction. “Thank you for seeing me.”
“I’d say it was no problem,” she said, “but we suffer every time there’s interest in Brittany’s case, especially when nothing ever comes of it.” The woman looked like a stereotypical librarian, with short gray hair, glasses, a neat appearance and an aura of efficiency about her.
“I’m very sorry for your suffering. I’ll do everything I can to try to get you some answers.”
Theodora gestured to the kitchen table, where her husband was already seated.
“We appreciate that you have good intentions,” Theodora said. “You’ll understand if we don’t get our hopes up.”
“I understand.” Sam took a seat at the table. “I know you’ve been disappointed by members of my department for years and have no reason to believe this time will be different.”
“Not members of your department,” Bart said. “Onemember. Leonard Stahl lied to and deceived us at every turn. We’re well aware of your own troubles with him and how he was convicted of trying to murder you.”
“Yes, he was.”
“And yet, you’re still working on cases that involve him?” Theodora asked.
“Yes, I am, because I want to make things right—or as right as they can be—for the other people he harmed.”
“How will you make this right?” Bart asked. “Our daughter has been missing for twelve years. What’s different now?”
“I’m here to inform you that we’ve received credible information possibly tying former Lieutenant Stahl to Brittany’s disappearance and that of several other young women.”
For a long time after her words landed, they stared at her in apparent shock.
“So the man assigned to investigate her disappearance might’ve been the one who took her?” Bart asked, his every word laced with outrage.
“We believe that might be possible. As we speak, Crime Scene detectives are at his former home and tearing apart every aspect of his life.”
“How is it possible, in light of his crimes against someone like you, that his life hasn’t been torn apart before now?” Bart’s face had gotten very red, and a vein in his forehead pulsed.
Theodora placed her hand on top of his. “Take it easy, Bart. Remember your heart.”
“I don’t care about my heart, Teddy. Did you hear what she said?”
“I heard her.”
