Bumpy Roads - A Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book 11) (The Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery Series) by Terri Reid

minutes?” he asked. “Or do I have to walk
over to the mayor’s office and beg for them?”
    “They will be on your desk in ten minutes,” she replied
defiantly.
    “Thanks, Dorothy,” he said, a slight smile forming on his
lips. “Oh, and Dorothy…”
    “Yes?”
    “Try not to get us fired.”
    She laughed. “Yes, sir,” she replied.
    He hung up the phone, sat back in his chair and rubbed his
temples, trying to ease the headache that had been growing steadily all
day.   He couldn’t believe the backlog on
his desk from being away for only two weeks. The city, county and state reports
alone were going to keep him working until at least ten o’clock tonight.   Good thing he and Mary hadn’t planned
anything special.
    The phone rang and he rolled his eyes before picking it up.
“What now?” he asked, before announcing into the phone, “Chief Alden.”
    “Mary O’Reilly Alden,” Mary responded, a smile in her voice.
    The tension is his body eased and a real smile formed on his
face. “Hi.”
    “Hi yourself, how’s your day going?”
    “Don’t ask,” he said.
    “That bad, huh?” she replied. “Well, will it make you feel
better to know I’ve picked up some ribeye steaks for
dinner tonight?”
    He groaned silently. “About dinner,” he said. “I’m going to
have to take a raincheck on those ribeyes. I’m going to be here until late
tonight.”
    “But it’s our first dinner together as a family,” she
replied, disappointment evident in her voice.
    That’s strange, Bradley thought, she must have forgotten
we ate dinner last night together.
    “No it’s not,” he said, trying to gently remind her. “We ate
dinner last night as a family, remember?”
    “But, we had just gotten home,” she argued. “We hadn’t been
together for the whole day.”
    Shaking his head, Bradley replied quickly. “But we aren’t
going to be together for the whole day today either,” he said. “You and I are
at work and Clarissa’s at school. So, really, it’s no big deal.”
    Mary’s heart dropped. She had wanted to create a special
meal just for the three of them.   A symbol that would set the pattern for their lives together. How could he not see that it was, indeed, a very big deal?
    “But Bradley,” she began and then she heard his other line
ringing.
    “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he interrupted her. “I’ve got to
take this other call. Love you. See you later tonight.”
    He hung up the phone before she could respond.
    “Chief Alden,” he said, answering the other line and then he
closed his eyes and grimaced as he heard the voice on the other end of the
line. “Yes, sir, I would consider it a personal favor. Yes, I certainly won’t
make a habit of missing the city council meetings. Thank you.”
    He hung up the phone and immediately turned to his computer,
bringing up a new email and adding Mary’s address. He was just about to send her
a quick note apologizing for missing their dinner and explaining about his day
when the phone rang again. “Chief Alden,” he replied, and tucking the phone
between his shoulder and his cheek, his fingers paused over the keyboard.
    He stopped typing and turned back to his desk, pulling a
notepad across the desk. “How long has she been missing?” he asked, jotting
notes down quickly. “What’s her address?   Are both of her parents there? Okay, I’ll be there in five minutes.”
    He pushed away from the desk, pulled on his jacket and hat,
and hurried out of his office. “Dorothy,” he said as he passed his assistant in
the hallway. “We’ve got a missing teen. I’m heading over to interview her
parents.”
    Nodding, she waved the manila folder in her hand at him.
“These will be waiting for you on your desk when you get back,” she said. “Good
luck.”
    “Thanks,” he replied. “Let’s pray we can find this one.”

Chapter Thirteen

 
    On the bus ride home, Clarissa and Maggie sat silently for
the first few minutes, neither girl