Novak, Brenda - Before We Were Strangers by Novak Brenda

Author:Novak, Brenda
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2018-09-20T12:14:18+00:00

* * *

“What do you mean, no?” Micah said.

His police chief continued clipping his nails into the trash can he’d pulled out from under the desk. “I have to explain that answer?” He didn’t bother to glance up.

“I’d appreciate a reason, sir. I said I’d look into it on my own time, that it doesn’t have to be anything official, which shouldn’t be a problem. I’m only asking for the file, so I can see what’s been done so far, who’s been interviewed and what they said. It’s been a while, might be time to go back and interview everyone again.”

“I looked at the file myself day before yesterday. There’s nothing of any merit in there.”

Micah stepped forward. “You have the file? That’s why I haven’t been able to find it here at the station?”

Adler shoved his trash can back under the desk and scooted forward. “I took it home with me right after I heard that Sloane was back in town.”

“And?”

“Like I said, there’s nothing in it that warrants a closer look.”

Micah threw up his hands. “So who’s been interviewed?”

“Everyone who should’ve been.”

Micah had a hard time believing that. “And? What did they say? Where’s Clara McBride?”

“They didn’t know, and neither do I. But I have no reason to believe this is a police matter.”

“No one has seen or heard from Sloane’s mother since the night she disappeared. How often does a woman go missing without any further word and still be alive?”

“It happens.”

“Not as often as she turns up dead.”

“That’s the thing. There’ve been no reports of a body, no notable amount of blood or sign of a struggle, and no witnesses have come forward with any accusations.”

Because there was no one other than Sloane in her parents’ house that night! “A devoted mother like Clara wouldn’t walk off and leave her kids.”

“Depends on how badly she might want to get away from her domineering husband, right? Clara knew Ed would never allow her to take the children. Leaving alone would be her only escape.”

“So you’re admitting he was domineering.”

“Anyone who’s been around Ed for five minutes could tell you that.”

“You’re also acknowledging that she was unhappy in the marriage.”

“Ed’ll tell you himself that they were struggling. He thinks she was having an affair and that she ran off to be with the other guy.”

“She wasn’t having an affair, but she was falling in love with Brian Judd, who taught kindergarten right here at Millcreek Elementary.”

Adler’s eyes narrowed. “Who told you that?”

“You mean to say Ed never mentioned the name of the guy she was supposedly cheating with? That’s pretty pertinent information, a detail most people would want to know. But I can see why he might leave it out—since it also happens to contradict the whole ‘she ran away to be with her lover’ excuse, seeing as her lover never went anywhere. She walked away from the man she was getting involved with here in Millcreek along with everyone else, which is even more unusual.”

Adler scowled, clearly not pleased by Micah’s rebuttal.

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