The Single Staircase by Matt Ingwalson

to go talk to them. To the Greys.”
     
    Chap. 50
     
    Jefferson had come through with a transcript of Monica ’s call to David. Raccoon read it out loud as Owl drove: Hi, David. It’s me.
    Hi.
    The police were here. They said, they said, they said that Sophia has been kidnapped.
    She’s missing.
    David…
    It’s going to be OK.
    Are you sure?
    No.
    Is Daphne OK? [Pause] David?
    Yes, she’ s OK.
    David?
    Monica , it’s just . [Pause] I don’t know what’s going to happen.
    Will you call me soon?
    Yes. Promise. I’ll let you know what happens.
    OK.
    [Pause]
    I’ll call you, Monica .
    OK.
    [Pause]
    Bye.
    David. [Pause] OK. Goodbye.
     
    Chap. 51
     
    David Grey answered the door to the suite at the Marriott. He looked at Owl and Raccoon and said, “Good morning.”
    “Is it?” Owl asked.
    To that, David Grey said nothing.
    Owl went on. “Nice room. Got a whole little office space in there, yeah?”
    “It does.”
    On the way to the Marriott, Raccoon and Owl had gone by yet another coffeeshop and bought four cups of coffee. Owl held one up. “We thought you might need some coffee, seeing as you went on a bender yesterday.”
    David Grey didn’t know what to say. He took the coffee and took a drink. “Do, um, do we need to go back to the station again, detective?”
    “Nope,” Owl said. “This time, David, we talk and you listen. Because I still think you killed your daughter. Sophia. That’s what I think. But on the very slight off-chance you didn’t, I have some good news.”
    David Grey turned around so that Owl and Raccoon couldn’t see his face. He said, “Why don’t you come in, then?”
    The suite was expansive. A desk with a swiveling chair. A doorway leading to a bedroom with a queen sized bed. And a red cloth couch, upon which curled Daphne Grey, wearing nothing but one of her husband’s dress shirts.
    “The detectives brought us coffee.”
    Daphne smiled. Perhaps she was hungover. Maybe not. She seemed relaxed, even younger, her skin seemed softer somehow, her long pretty legs curled up under her. Raccoon handed her a cup and she said, “Thank you.”
    “ Y ou going to ask if we have found Sophia?”
    Daphne nodded. “Have you?”
    “No, we haven’t. We do have some good news, though. Tomorrow morning, we’re going to have a press conference to ask for help locating your daughter.”
    Silence.
    “And what do you think of that?”
    “It’s great,” David said. And Daphne nodded.
    Raccoon said, “Good, glad you feel that way. Because it’s not like there was a ransom note.”
    Nothing. The Greys looked down, looked at their hands, looked at the table, looked at their coffee.
    Raccoon continued. “A note. It’s not like a kidnapper took Sophia and is now holding her for ransom.”
    David Grey spoke up. “Yes, of course a kidnapper took her. Out of her room. She’s missing.”
    “But there has been no ransom demand? No phone call? No note?”
    Silence and then, “No.”
    Owl snorted. “Hm. You’ll both have to come, of course. To the press conference. We need you on camera.”
    The Greys both nodded.
    “Anything that will help,” Daphne said.
    Owl and Raccoon turned to go. And then Owl turned back around.
    “Hey Daphne , where’s your phone?”
    “I lost it,” David Grey said and almost in unison Daphne Grey said the same thing. “I lost it.”
    Owl and Raccoon looked at each other and then back at the Greys. The Greys were also looking at each other. “Who lost it?”
    “I did,” Daphne Grey said. “I lost my phone. On Monday. Or m aybe on the way to the station or something? I’m not sure.”
    “Tried to find it yet?”
    “Oh, it’s probably time for a new one anyway,” she answered.
     
    Chap. 52
     
    Owl’s phone rang almost before he’d settled into his car seat. “Yes?”
    “David Grey just sent another text message to that Indiana number. Wanted to let you know.”
    “Copy that,” Owl said. He considered this for a minute and then told Raccoon.