AllFreeNovel
Share Us
David’s disgust dropped and he held up an apologetic hand. “No, you’re right, I have zero moral high ground here.” He turned to Sophie. “But my understanding is you want the girls to know their brother. That means civil communication, and since she’s having a difficult pregnancy, I figured you’d rather have her call Jo than you if she couldn’t reach me.”
“Doesn’t she have herownfamily?” Sophie said.
“Just a sister, and they don’t get along. And that’s no help if she needs to reach me.” He pointed at himself.
Sophie’s gaze dove to David’s phone and back. “So why didn’t she just callyou?”
David threw up his hands. “I have no idea. This is the first I’m hearing about any of this.”
Jo cut in. “She called me because a friend of hers is missing and she knows I’m a detective.”
Sophie’s eyes widened briefly, then narrowed again. “Why didn’t she just call the police?”
“She did,” Jo said. “They can’t do much when an adult woman misses an appointment. But Chelsea doesn’t respond well to hearing ‘no.’”
“Oh, I’m sure.” Sophie laughed sarcastically and crossed her arms over her chest. “She’s been doing whatever she can to keep her claws in David. She calls constantly. And now you’re playing right into it.”
Jo started to object, but Matt preempted her. “Wasn’t she the one who broke things off with David? And what was Jo supposed to do? Just ignore a woman who may need help?”
Sophie’s arms clenched tighter around her chest. “She could have hadanotherdetective handle it.”
Jo forced her voice to remain steady. “I can’t just call another detective and ask them to look into something for my brother-in-law’s pregnant ex-mistress.”
Sophie flinched, and checked that the girls were still happily throwing wooden balls. She watched them for a long moment, then finally answered. “No, I suppose you couldn’t. But it’s bad enough she has to be in contact with David because of the baby. I don’t need her wiggling her way into my only sister’s life, too. Please tell me you found her friend and this is over.”
“No.” Jo put a pin in her sister’s surprising possessiveness and briefly recapped the situation, leaving out as many details as possible. “I don’t have a good feeling about Madison and I won’t be able to get her off my mind until she turns up. So, as awkward as this is, I need you to be okay with it. But rest assured I’ve made it clear to Chelsea she shouldn’t be calling me.”
Sophie’s face and posture softened as Jo described the situation. “Of course Madison needs your help. I apologize for reacting so badly.”
“No need,” Jo said, pointedly avoiding David’s eyes. “This is a difficult situation for us all.”
Matt wisely diverted the subject. “What do you do now in a case like this? Isn’t time of the essence?”
Jo took a frustrated deep breath. “There’s not much else I can do. Without clear evidence of foul play, she’s not considered a critical missing person. It’s far more likely a young woman her age took off for the weekend with someone she met and didn’t think to tell anyone. There’s no way I’ll get authorization for a search party.”
Sophie’s face screwed up in annoyance. “That’s ridiculous. What do we pay taxes for?”
“Hundreds of people are reported missing every day, and we don’t have the resources to send out search parties for all of them, especially when the vast majority show up on their own. And, this is Phelpston PD’s jurisdiction. The SPDU doesn’t usually work missing persons cases unless there’s extenuating circumstances or they turn into homicides.” Jo reached for Matt’s beer and took a swig. “If she doesn’t show up tonight, I’ll go out to Crone Ridge Woods in the morning. And if she doesn’t show up to work Monday, I’ll be able to make an argument for a possible homicide.”
“Hopefully she’ll turn up safe and sound.” David turned as the waitress approached with their extra-large combo.
Spotting the pizza’s arrival, Emily and Isabelle ran back to the table. Jo pinned a smile carefully in place as they enveloped her in hugs and jumped onto their chairs.
But her mind was elsewhere. Because in her experience, when just a cursory look into a missing person’s life turned up secrets and inconsistencies, it wasn’t at all likely they’d turn up safe and sound.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Jo slept soundly but lightly, and the first rays of the sun pulled her out of bed and into the kitchen. After filling two travel mugs with coffee, she crept back into the bedroom to leave one on Matt’s nightstand, but he was no longer in bed.
He appeared in the bathroom doorway, toweling fat droplets of water off his hips. “Morning, beautiful.”
She handed him the mug and reached up to kiss him. “You’re up early on a Sunday.”
He took a long sip before responding. “I haven’t been getting enough weight-bearing exercise lately, so I figured a hike around Crone Ridge Woods would do me good. Plus, two pairs of eyes are better than one, and it gives me a chance to see you in action.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Very sexy.”
She laughed. “Whatever works.”
* * *
