"Yes. Room 418 with a substitute teacher."
"Great. This room is off limits. I will be getting a warrant."
Principal Maynard nodded in understanding, as DiNolfo left the room and headed back out to her squad car. She had some time to kill before school let out, so she decided to head into town for a bite to eat.
DiNolfo walked into Monte's Cafe in Elkhart as the clock on the wall read 1:17. She knew Cole would not be here yet, but she was hungry and had some time to kill. From what she gathered from several family members, Cole and Tristan were close. One even mentioned that Tristan confided heavily in Cole. DiNolfo hoped she had told Cole something, anything about what was going on.
Joe Piedmonte came to the front counter when he heard the bell over the door ring. "I wondered when I'd be seeing you..." Joe said, the usual warmth removed from his voice. She could tell that he knew that she was here on official business.
"What can I get you? It’s on me."
"Well that depends... What's good?"
Joe feigned shock as a broad smile came across his face.
"It's all good!" Jenna returned his smile, there was something about Joe that always managed to warm her mood.
"Surprise me, then. I'll just be sitting right over there," said Jenna, pointing to a booth near the front windows. As she settled into the booth, she pulled the Morrow file out of her bag and began perusing where she left off. She had marked off sections that she planned to come back to later. She had marked off Bernard Kendricks’ testimony, the transcription from Moira's 911 call, and she especially marked off the officer's case notes transcribed by Amos Cope himself. With so little help, she wondered when she was supposed to get through the file when she was busy trying to sift through facts of this case, and find a missing teenage girl.
Twenty minutes later, Jenna's order was up, and as the waitress, Maxine went to grab the tray, Joe told her to go take her break, as he took the tray over to Jenna's booth.
"Voila. Meatball sandwich topped with marinara and mozzarella, a side of fries, and freshly brewed, sweetened iced tea."
"That looks amazing, I don't know if I can finish it, but I am definitely going to try!"
Jenna took half of the sandwich and put it on a paper plate in front of Joe, and she began to dig into her meal.
"So I know you're here to ask me about Tristan, and I'll help where I can."
"I appreciate it greatly. I am also going to need to talk to your son. I understand they were quite close."
"Nicolo will probably not admit this to you, but he is quite smitten with the girl. When he found out she was missing, he was really broken up about it. He started canvassing the area, trying to find out who might know where she might have gone or who might have taken her. When she didn't show up to school the next day, he assumed that Tristan got into an argument with her father and he allowed her to stay home that day."
"Just curious, but why would he assume that?"
"Cole told me that he and Tristan were looking at a scrap book the night before, it was my daughter's birthday, and she found a news article in the scrap book that talked about her mother's death. I guess Jack hadn't told her yet. I have to say, I can't really blame him. My son was in complete shock when he found out the next day that Tristan was gone."
"Are you and Jack friends?"
"Yes. Our families go way back."
"How did that happen?"
"School. Plus his family has been eating here since we opened our doors."
"Tell me about Jack."
"He's a good guy. Got a raw deal if you ask me with his wife. I felt terrible when the news about Catherine came out. Without Jack, I wouldn't have a family."
"Oh?"
"When that bridge went out, in '81, my kids were trapped underneath in a car. Jack is the one that saved them. Moved debris and snow and everything to get to them, and he kept them safe in his house over the Christmas holiday until the pass was cleared. Missing wife and all... he kept my kids safe. To me, that shows tremendous moral fiber. My wife died in that accident."
Jenna reached out for Joe’s hand.
“I’m sorry Joe.”
After a moment of silence, the questioning continued.
"Do you have any idea where Tristan might be?"
"No. But I will tell you this. Keep Amos and Earl off the case if you can. They are as corrupt as they come."
"Don't you worry, I have my eyes on them. Tell me about Bernard Kendricks..."
"I don't trust him."
"Why?"
"I think he is too hard on the kids, and from what I've heard, he pays inappropriate attention to some of the female students at school."
The bell over the entrance door rung again, as Cole Piedmonte walked through the door with a miserable look upon his face. Joe Piedmonte whistled at him from his seat, effectively catching his son's attention.