“Jan, hey, I needed to talk to you,” she said, and went on to tell her friend about the plug being pulled at the hospital, about Nathan’s initial reaction, and then, how they had gotten off-duty officers to guard the room.
“Well, thank God, because I know I didn’t trip over anything,” Jan said indignantly. “And there should have been police officers watching him all along.”
“Actually, I don’t think our convictions are being overlooked.” She was amazed to find herself defending those who were investigating the accident.
“It’s just that the police are having a very hard time. No one saw anything, just a guy in his underwear on the highway. And you can’t begin to imagine the number of accidents that happen every day in this county.”
“Not too many that involve a guy in his underwear wandering on the highway,” Jan reminded her. “And they must realize now, since someone attacked Stuart in the hospital, that he knows something that will put someone in jail.”
“Unfortunately, Stuart’s doctor really believes we were careless. No one but us thinks someone pulled that plug on purpose. Anyway, Stu is being watched over now.”
“Karen will go ballistic when she hears—actually, that’s why I called you. I can’t get hold of her. She called in sick, but I can’t get her at home, either.”
“I know. Strange, isn’t it?”
Jan giggled. “Maybe she got her cop. Maybe they went off to have a romantic fling.”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve seen the cop. Len is here, at the bar, right now. He went to work, and then after work he came in for a few hours to be the cop on duty at the hospital.”
“Oh,” Jan said, perplexed.
“Maybe we should go to her place.”
“It’s not like we haven’t seen her in forever,” Ashley reminded Jan.
“With Karen, it is. She always returns my phone calls.”
“Mine, too,” Ashley admitted. “Maybe we should take a drive over to her house.”
“I’m working tonight. I just took a break to call you. Do you think…you don’t think anything is really wrong, do you?”
“No, of course not. Listen, I’ll just take a drive over and check on her, in case she’s so sick she’s not answering her phone. Although, actually, maybe we should just give her parents a call. Maybe she’s with them for some reason.”
“I already tried that. I played it casual. I didn’t want to get her mother worried.”
“I’ll just drive over, then.”
“You have a key to her house? Because I do, if you don’t.”
“I have a key. And I know the alarm code, too, so I’ll be fine.”
“All right, then. I should be going with you. I don’t like you going alone.”
“I’ve had police training, remember?”
“Yeah, I know. But call me the minute you find out anything. I may not get the call right away, but I’ll check my messages every chance I get.”
“I’m sure we’re overreacting.”
Jan was silent for a second. “If the cop had disappeared, too, I’d say she was off being romantic. But you said you know where the cop is.”
“Yes, I do. I just left him sitting there. But I’ll go ask him if Karen said anything to him about taking off, and then I’ll take a ride out to her place. I’ll call you after I’ve gotten there and just leave a message if you’re in the middle of a set.”
“Great. Thanks.”
They hung up. Ashley started out of the room, then hesitated. Nothing was missing, things were just…moved.
She was definitely getting obsessed with little things. Maybe Nick had been in for some reason. She didn’t lock the door. Maybe Sharon had been in. Sharon, who had sold the property at the address that had been found scratched on a piece of paper belonging to Stuart Fresia, who was in the hospital, fighting for his life.
And now…Karen.
Reflecting on the state of her room wasn’t solving anything. Feeling for the gun in her handbag, she hurried on out.
Jesse didn’t seem to mind traversing the waterways, giving up his time for what might be a major miscalculation on Jake’s part. They spent hours on the airboat, returning at last to Jesse’s place deep in a hammock off the Trail. A private, unmarked road led to the house, so only those who’d been invited even knew there was a dwelling behind the trees.
Jesse offered him food and drink, since they’d been out a long time.
“What have you got?” Jake asked him.
Jesse laughed. “What are you expecting? Finger porridge—koonti root goop? Nope, sorry, nothing ethnic. I’ve got ham and cheese, salami and cheese, or corn flakes. I think there’s some fruit.”
Jake opted for a sandwich over corn flakes, and made it himself while Jesse dragged out maps of the tip of the state.