“Oh, yeah? Well, thanks. Look, I’m sorry to wake you. I know what time it is but...you said to call. I’m down on the riverfront, right near city hall. Dumb, I know. But I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t stand doing nothing. And I realize there are cops out here, too—I believe someone is on this 24/7—but I think I can see something out on the water. I think it’s a rowboat. There’s nothing else out there, but can you get here?”
“Yeah. Give me two minutes. I’m up and I’m close. I’ll be right there.” A rowboat. He thought of what Blue had said.
Roger turned; Malachi didn’t know how, but he seemed to home right in on his location.
He walked toward him. “Malachi?” he asked.
Malachi walked toward Roger at the same time. “You said it. People are watching the river.”
“Have you seen anything?” Roger asked.
Will and Abby came out of the shadows, coming over to join them. “Everybody’s watching the river?” Roger asked. Malachi wasn’t sure if he felt reassured, stalked or just mystified.
“What is it you saw?” Malachi asked.
“Come here. Come straight to the edge and you’ll see. It’s moving with the current,” Roger said.
“I’ll get Jackson.” Will stepped aside to make the call.
“Do you see it?” Roger demanded.
Malachi did; it was dark out on the water and the current was moving, but every few seconds, the moonlight touched down on something. He understood why Roger had stared out at the water for so long. It was there, and then it seemed to disappear in the darkness.
“We need to go out there and get it,” Roger said.
Abby put a hand on his arm. “Will’s calling for a boat to tow it in, to find out what’s going on. Maybe you should—”
“Should what?” Roger shouted. “Go home? I can’t, Abby. Come on—you know I can’t do that!”
“I’m sorry, Roger. You’re right. We’ll just stay here and wait.” She came to him as a friend and slipped an arm around him, standing by his side.
Only seconds later, they saw a marine patrol boat with lights flashing streak along the river. They saw it slow down and circle the object. The moon went behind a cloud and as it reappeared, they saw an officer tossing out a towrope.
Malachi’s phone rang. He answered immediately.
Roger stared at him.
“It’s a rowboat and there’s nothing in it,” he told Roger. “Possibly, it just broke away from a dock. They’ll tow it in. It might have no connection to the case.”
“Empty,” Roger repeated dully. Then he grew animated again. “That could mean that...she’s in the river. Tell them...tell them they have to search the water. They have to search the water until they find her! Like when Abby saw Helen. What if he threw her out of that rowboat? If he did, she’s in the water somewhere!”
“Roger,” Malachi said, placing his hands on the man’s shoulders and focusing on his eyes. “There had to be someone in the rowboat to throw someone else in the water. There was no one in the boat.”
Roger seemed to deflate. His shoulders slumped. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess you’re right. But...but she could be out there.”
“So is the patrol,” Malachi said.
“Yeah, I know,” Roger said. “I’ve got other people running my tours for me. I’m available if there’s anything I can do. I mean, hell, I’m here whether you want anything from me or not. I’ll be walking around. I’ll be looking. I can’t give up.”
“Rog, how well did you know Bianca?” Abby asked. “I mean, everyone’s on the lookout because of what’s been happening, but she could have lost her phone or decided not to...pursue the relationship.”
“I might’ve just met her,” Roger said, “but there was something there, Abby. I don’t believe Bianca blew me off and disappeared.”
“Okay, I’m sorry,” Abby murmured.
Mollified, Roger looked back at the river. “I guess...I guess I’ll go home for a while. Sleep.”
“Come on. Let’s all walk back,” Malachi said.
“You guys don’t need to babysit me,” Roger protested. “You sure don’t need to go out of your way.”
“I’m staying at Abby’s house on Chippewa,” Will told him. “I’ll walk back with you, Roger.”
“My place is just past Abby’s.”
“Yeah?” Will said. “Then we’re going the same way.”
The two of them started walking ahead, but Roger stopped and turned back. “I thought you all were watching the river?”
“Shift is over. New crew coming on,” Malachi said to him.
Roger nodded and then saw Abby. He came back and threw his arms around her in a warm hug. “Thank you,” he said.
“Love ya, Rog.”
“You, too.” He nodded, then turned, hurrying to catch up with Will. Malachi’s phone vibrated; he grabbed it quickly and heard Jackson’s voice. “When you get back in the Dragonslayer, take a look at the footage on the computer screens.”
“Anything wrong? Anything I should worry about?” Malachi asked.
“No, nothing wrong. But a little bizarre. Interesting. Have a look, then get some sleep.”
“What?” Abby asked as Malachi slipped his phone into his pocket.
“Nothing. Jackson’s just checking in,” he said.