white curtains, a row of teddy bears sitting on the heat register, a desk, a chair full of clothes, and two made-up beds. A boy with a military haircut was lying on his side on the one closest to the window, reading.
âIâm looking for Beth Wright,â I said after I knocked.
The boy sat up and swung his legs over the bed. âSheâs not here.â
âSo I see.â I smelled pizza and some sort of floral perfume as I took a step inside the room. I could tell from the way the kid looked at me, he didnât like me in there. âMaybe you can help me,â I asked before he could say anything.
âPossibly.â He studied me, his expression guarded, waiting to see what was coming next.
âDid you know Melissa Hayes?â
âWhy do you want to know?â
âHer brother hired me to find her. Iâd like to ask you a few questions if I may.â
The boy put a bookmark in his book, closed it, and stood up. Despite the T-shirt, jeans, and two pierced ears, his bearing was military. âItâs a little late for that, isnât it?â
âI hope not.â
âYou really think you can locate her?â
âIf I didnât, I wouldnât have taken the job.â I pointed to the sugar gliderâs cage. âIâm surprised that heâs still here.â
The boyâs face softened slightly. âWell, Melissaâs brother didnât want him, and since her mother is sick, Beth didnât know what else to do.â
âAnd her new roommate doesnât care?â
âNo, maâam. She likes him.â
I went over to the sugar gliderâs cage and peered in. The little animal was curled up in its sleeping box. All I saw was a tiny ball of silvery gray fur.
âHeâs noctural,â the boy explained.
âI know.â I straightened up. âDo you mind my asking who you are?â
âNo, maâam.â He came to attention. âIâm Chris Furst, a friend of Bethâs.â A soldier on the parade ground. The only thing missing was the salute.
âAre you a student here?â
âYes, maâam.â
Getting this kid to talk was definitely going to be a trick and a half. âDid you know Melissa?â
He nodded.
âDid you know her well?â
The sound of rap music from down the hall seeped into the room while Chris thought. He obviously wasnât someone given to unconsidered statements. âAs well as anyone, I expect,â he finally said. âShe pretty much kept to herself.â
âIâve gathered as much. What do you think happened to her?â
âAt first I thought she just took some extra vacation time, but obviously that didnât turn out to be the case.â
âWas anything bothering her?â
Chris ran a hand over the top of his brush cut. âSuch as what?â
âI donât know, thatâs why Iâm asking you.â When Chris didnât answer, I added, âIâm never going to find her if I donât get some help.â
âIt probably doesnât matter much now anyway.â
âDoes that mean you think sheâs dead?â
âMaybe she just doesnât want to be found.â
âWhy do you think that?â
âI donât know.â
âAre you sure?â I caught his gaze and held it. After moment he looked away.
What he said next, he said begrudgingly, measuring out each word. âShe was upset.â
I waited. A phone began ringing. After eight rings it stopped and another one started.
âBeth told me she used to cry in her sleep a lot. Beth told her she should go talk to a counselor at the health center. She kept saying she would, but I donât think she ever did.â
âDo you have any idea why she was crying?â
Chris looked embarrassed. âWell, her mother is ... you know.â Death as the unmentionable.
I nodded to show I did. âBut is there anything
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