The Sholes Key (An Evans & Blackwell Mystery #1) by Clarissa Draper Page B

you anything of value?”
    “He doesn’t remember much, and I’m not sure what he did tell me was accurate. Children, they don’t think in days or hours.”
    “When did he see his mum last?”
    “He told me he felt sick at daycare, and his mother picked him up,” Dorland said. “He said he woke up and went next door because he couldn’t find his mum—must be Wednesday or early Thursday.”
    “That confirms what the grandmother said.” Theo flipped through his notepad. “To be sure, I think we need to contact the childcare center. I wrote down the information Eva gave me.” Theo stopped and leaned against the brick of the building. Dorland didn’t notice and walked on.
    “You’re good with children, Dorland,” Theo said, pushing buttons on his mobile when he finally caught up to his partner.
    “There are lots of children in my family. I’ve had hours of practice in dinosaur ventriloquism. Kids are great; they’re not full of crap. If I want an honest answer, I’ll ask them. The adults, they’re so full of bloody fear.” He tripped over a metal bin that landed with a crash a few feet ahead.
    Theo laughed. “Is that your clown routine?”
    “Well, if I can’t make it as a police officer,” Dorland replied as he set the bin upright. “I bet you want children some day.”
    “You sound like my mother. She still holds out hope that Agneta will recover and that we can make up for lost time.” Theo shrugged. “I don’t know.” Half the time he felt like a bastard for wanting to move on, the other half, he knew he needed to move on to regain his sanity. Children? Who could think about children? Agneta was reliving adolescence. “That was all the boy told you?”
    Dorland nodded. “You could always file for divorce.”
    “What? What are you talking about?”
    “Moving on. Divorce.”
    “Dorland, I don’t want to talk about my marriage with you, all right?”
    “All right, boss. I just—”
    “You just nothing. It’s none of your business.”
    They remained silent until they reached the car. Dorland bent over and unlocked his door. “I should tell you—Steve said they arrived home and his mother let him watch videos all night until he fell asleep. He didn’t know what time he went to bed, but he said it was dark out. That confirms she went missing sometime Wednesday night, and before five-thirty the next morning. We need to find out what her movements were then.”
    * * *
    After Theo retrieved his Jeep, he drove around his neighborhood until he found a spot near a park. His head throbbed. After placing two small pills under his tongue, he pulled the lever on his seat and leaned back.
    When he awoke, it was dark. He looked at his watch—nine. Damn, the pills were wonderful. If only he could sleep all his days away.
    The next morning, Theo wandered into his office around half-ten.
    Dorland, feet held down by the sofa, was doing situps. “Almost done, Gov—fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty.” He hopped up.
    Theo ignored him and went to his desk. The frame— knocked to the floor the previous morning—now sat on his desk, glassless, the photo taped to the top of it.
    Dorland grabbed his towel from the back of a chair and wrapped it around his neck. “Lorna lives near Commercial Street. Do you want to know why that’s interesting?”
    “You should do that at home.”
    “What?”
    “Sweat.”
    “Sorry, boss.” Dorland lifted his arm and smelled his armpit. “Oh, yes, I’ll remedy that immediately.” He looked at Theo. “So, know why it’s interesting?”
    “I’m afraid to ask. Why?”
    “Jack the Ripper territory.” Dorland held a big smile.
    “Jack the Ripper? I thought you had some grand enlightenment into the case. At least something related to it.”
    Seeing his irritation, Dorland continued quickly, “And as interesting as that morsel of information may seem to you, it wasn’t the only thing I was thinking of. There’s a great place to eat nearby.”
    “You’re