happen next?
“You need to let me know once and all who is your daughter, Marcy!”
Dana jerked back at the raw anger in Skully's voice.
"I told you I don't have any daughter."
Dana covered her face. They were after her now. Guilt washed upon her. Her father was right. Her mother only wished to protect her.
But from what exactly?
***
Rob sneezed for the sixth time that evening. He cleaned the mold from his bathroom and stared at the cracked linoleum tiles. Being a photographer taught him how to appreciate beauty and art, but there wasn’t anything attractive about this dingy motel.
Rob wiped the tears from his face as he clutched the phone. “I’m sorry, Mom. I never wished to disappoint you this way.”
“My son, I know you have nothing to do with these women. I don’t wish to turn on the TV anymore because the news just devastates me.”
“Don’t believe them. The media will do anything to destroy me. That’s how they make a living. In the meantime, be strong and pray for me.”
“I will. You take care of yourself.”
“I love you, Mom.”
***
Kerry and Felicia studied Ginny’s café from the corner table inside. Closing time approached, and both Mr. and Mrs. Kestav were cleaning the counters. No more patrons lingered in the café.
Kerry nudged his partner on the side. “We’ve been here three times. Nothing has changed.”
“Sh. You’re too complacent,” Felicia whispered. She raised her chin. “Just look at them, especially Mrs. Kestav. She’s nervous as hell. Trust me. I know they’re hiding something.”
Mr. Kestav approached them, his hair gelled to one side, both hands inside his pocket. “Agents, any updates with the case?”
Kerry stared at him. “You tell us, Mr. Kestav. Who would want to kidnap your daughter? Your sweet daughter who had a whole life ahead of her. Wasn’t she supposed to leave for Paris?”
“Yes,” he choked out in between tears. You have to find the bastard who took her."
Mrs. Kestav squeezed herself between them with a tray of desserts and two waters. "Please enjoy these goodies."
The couple sat beside the agents.
"So…" Felicia licked the chocolate icing of the decadent cake. "What's Stacy's favorite dessert?"
Mr. and Mrs. Kestav exchanged glances.
Mr. Kestav cleared his throat. "Stacy was actually a diabetic, and most of our desserts are made from real sugar."
"She was the one who created the special sugar-free desserts," Mrs. Kestav added.
After taking a sip of his water, Kerry said, "Must be difficult for a diabetic to be surrounded by sugar. Is this the reason why she wanted to leave?"
Stacy's sister stepped forward from the back. "Mom, everything's done. Can I walk ahead?"
"Natasha, we won't be long," Mrs. Kestav said. "I don't want you walking alone out there."
Natasha rolled her eyes. "I'll wait here then."
Kerry rose from his seat with his plate. "I'll take this to the counter." He followed Natasha to the back kitchen where she sat glued to her iPhone. "Must be lonely without your sister."
The skinny blond teenager didn't budge as she continued to text. "For once, I don't want to keep talking about her."
"My little brother died when I was twelve." He sat beside her.
She glanced at him. "How?"
"Asthma attack. All the attention was focused on his death. I not only felt left out, but I felt like I didn't exist."
Natasha pushed her phone aside. "That's exactly how I feel. When my parents talk, it's always about what Stacy would have wanted. And when they're not talking, I can taste their tears in our desserts."
"You can't erase her disappearance, but you can help us find clues."
She nodded. "You're right. I do miss her so much."
"And you're allowed to miss her." He handed her his business card. "If you find anything suspicious, please give me a call."
"Thanks." She tucked the card inside her pocket.
***
Five minutes later, the agents climbed into the car. Felicia blasted the music, but Kerry turned down the volume.
"C'mon.
“You need to let me know once and all who is your daughter, Marcy!”
Dana jerked back at the raw anger in Skully's voice.
"I told you I don't have any daughter."
Dana covered her face. They were after her now. Guilt washed upon her. Her father was right. Her mother only wished to protect her.
But from what exactly?
***
Rob sneezed for the sixth time that evening. He cleaned the mold from his bathroom and stared at the cracked linoleum tiles. Being a photographer taught him how to appreciate beauty and art, but there wasn’t anything attractive about this dingy motel.
Rob wiped the tears from his face as he clutched the phone. “I’m sorry, Mom. I never wished to disappoint you this way.”
“My son, I know you have nothing to do with these women. I don’t wish to turn on the TV anymore because the news just devastates me.”
“Don’t believe them. The media will do anything to destroy me. That’s how they make a living. In the meantime, be strong and pray for me.”
“I will. You take care of yourself.”
“I love you, Mom.”
***
Kerry and Felicia studied Ginny’s café from the corner table inside. Closing time approached, and both Mr. and Mrs. Kestav were cleaning the counters. No more patrons lingered in the café.
Kerry nudged his partner on the side. “We’ve been here three times. Nothing has changed.”
“Sh. You’re too complacent,” Felicia whispered. She raised her chin. “Just look at them, especially Mrs. Kestav. She’s nervous as hell. Trust me. I know they’re hiding something.”
Mr. Kestav approached them, his hair gelled to one side, both hands inside his pocket. “Agents, any updates with the case?”
Kerry stared at him. “You tell us, Mr. Kestav. Who would want to kidnap your daughter? Your sweet daughter who had a whole life ahead of her. Wasn’t she supposed to leave for Paris?”
“Yes,” he choked out in between tears. You have to find the bastard who took her."
Mrs. Kestav squeezed herself between them with a tray of desserts and two waters. "Please enjoy these goodies."
The couple sat beside the agents.
"So…" Felicia licked the chocolate icing of the decadent cake. "What's Stacy's favorite dessert?"
Mr. and Mrs. Kestav exchanged glances.
Mr. Kestav cleared his throat. "Stacy was actually a diabetic, and most of our desserts are made from real sugar."
"She was the one who created the special sugar-free desserts," Mrs. Kestav added.
After taking a sip of his water, Kerry said, "Must be difficult for a diabetic to be surrounded by sugar. Is this the reason why she wanted to leave?"
Stacy's sister stepped forward from the back. "Mom, everything's done. Can I walk ahead?"
"Natasha, we won't be long," Mrs. Kestav said. "I don't want you walking alone out there."
Natasha rolled her eyes. "I'll wait here then."
Kerry rose from his seat with his plate. "I'll take this to the counter." He followed Natasha to the back kitchen where she sat glued to her iPhone. "Must be lonely without your sister."
The skinny blond teenager didn't budge as she continued to text. "For once, I don't want to keep talking about her."
"My little brother died when I was twelve." He sat beside her.
She glanced at him. "How?"
"Asthma attack. All the attention was focused on his death. I not only felt left out, but I felt like I didn't exist."
Natasha pushed her phone aside. "That's exactly how I feel. When my parents talk, it's always about what Stacy would have wanted. And when they're not talking, I can taste their tears in our desserts."
"You can't erase her disappearance, but you can help us find clues."
She nodded. "You're right. I do miss her so much."
"And you're allowed to miss her." He handed her his business card. "If you find anything suspicious, please give me a call."
"Thanks." She tucked the card inside her pocket.
***
Five minutes later, the agents climbed into the car. Felicia blasted the music, but Kerry turned down the volume.
"C'mon.
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