A.L. Jambor - Where's Audrey? by A.L. Jambor Page B

sixty,” Conner said.
    “No. Just the kid. I complained to Bea about it.”
    “Who’s Bea?” Conner asked.
    “The manager,” Marge said.
    “The manager’s name is Nancy,” Mel said.
    “Not that one, the one before. I told her that kid didn’t belong here. He was doing something to annoy Maurice and I wanted him out.”
    “What did she say?” Conner asked.
    “She said what she always said, that she’d look into it. The woman never did a damn thing the whole time she was here.”
    Conner was watching the dog. He kept sniffing, then barking, and his eyes were trained on something across the street.
    “How long has Maurice been barking?” Conner said.
    “Three months.”
    “And you’re sure you’ve never seen an older man living there?”
    “I’ve never seen anyone but that boy. Are you gonna do something to get him out?”
    “We’re working on it,” Conner said. “Thanks for your help.”
    “Yeah,” Marge said. “You’re working on it.”
    “Bye, Marge,” Mel said.
    They went back to the car and Conner took out his notebook. Mel watched Audrey’s home as he filled in his notes.
    “Why would a dog bark when he didn’t before?” she asked. “What would make him do that?”
    “He was sniffing a lot,” Conner said. “He smells something he doesn’t like.”
    “Coming from my aunt’s house?”
    Conner nodded. “We have to get inside again, but I’d rather do it with a warrant. If we find something, we have to be able to use it later on.”
    Mel started crying. “I didn’t even know her.”
    “She’s still family. And, how old was she?”
    “She was in her nineties.”
    For the third time since they met in the parking lot that morning, Conner put his hand on hers. She liked the way it felt. “You have a right to be concerned. She was pretty old.”
    “She wouldn’t have been able to fight him off.”
    “Are you hungry?” he asked.
    Mel smiled. “Again? Really? No, I’m not.”
    “Well, I could go for some ice cream.” Conner started the car and backed out of the street, turned left, and drove to Ulmerton Road. “There’s a creamery place in the mall.”
    Mel did order a chocolate chip cone. It took her mind off Audrey for a few minutes, that and watching Conner eat a banana split.
    “That was good,” he said, wiping fudge off his mouth. “I think I’m gonna go to my office and see if I can get a warrant.”
    “Can I go with you?” Mel asked.
    “Why don’t you go see your friend in Clearwater? I’ll call you if they agree to a warrant.”
    “She’s probably on the beach right now,” Mel said.
    “But she has a phone with her, right?”
    “Yeah, she should.”
    “Call her. It’ll be good for you to see someone else for a few hours.”
    But I like being with you , she thought. “Okay. You promise you’ll call me?”
    “As soon as I know. Hey, give me the paperwork you’ve got.”
    She pulled the papers she had out of her purse and put them on the seat. He dropped her off at her car. She waved as he pulled away. When she got into her car, she dialed Lisa.
    “Hey, it’s me,” Mel said.
    “Where are you? I thought you were coming today.”
    “I got stuck here. My aunt is missing.”
    “Well that sucks.”
    “A nice cop is helping me. I have a little time while he works on something and thought I’d come over.”
    “Great. I’m on the beach, but you’ll never find us. I’ll go back to the condo so I can bring you over.”
    “Who’s with you?”
    “A friend from work, Sandy.”
    “Oh, okay. I’ll see you in a few.”
    Mel pulled up the GPS on her iPhone. It had the condo address on it so all she had to do was touch the screen and follow it to Clearwater Beach.

Chapter 10
    The sky had grown cloudy while they were in the office.
    “It’s gonna rain,” Conner said.
    Marge was at her station on the porch and Maurice was barking.
    “Shut up, Maurice,” Marge yelled when she saw them pull up. She recognized Mel and Conner from the day