Tree Change by Cooper Tea

Author:Cooper, Tea [Cooper, Tea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781771018579
Publisher: Breathless Press
Published: 2012-11-29T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Jake pushed the door of the police station open with his shoulder. Lyle leaned against the counter, the flat of his palm beating incessantly as he spoke to the constable. He walked up and looped his arm around Lyle’s shoulders.

“Thank God you’re here. I am sick to death of this ridiculous rubbish,” Lyle said.

The constable cleared his throat. “Mr. Jamison, I’m simply following procedures.”

“Procedures? I tell you my wife is missing, and I am a crown witness. She is in danger. Here.” Lyle poked his finger sharply at the piece of paper on the desk. “Ring Coffs Harbour police and ask to speak to Inspector Whitman; he’ll fill you in. Ask my brother here. He’ll tell you.” He turned away and brushed the back of his hand across his eyes. Lyle was on the edge.

“Mr. Jamison…”

Frustration flickered across the constable’s face, and Jake offered him a tight smile of reassurance and followed his brother to the other side of the small room.

“Come on, mate. Let’s go and get a cup of coffee, and we can make a plan. Give these guys time to make a few calls and see what they can do.” Jake edged his brother to the door, nodding to the constable.

“They’re a bunch of jerks. Whoever heard of anything so ridiculous? We have to wait twenty-four hours before we can report a missing person. She could be dead by then, and Jade.” Lyle flopped down on a timber bench at the bus stop. The traffic screamed past on the busy road. “Man, I don’t know what to do.”

“How about you tell me what happened first? She could just be late or gone out for a walk.” He knew Lyle would see through his platitudes, but if she was just late, he’d have him to answer to. The image of Cass patting the sheets in the sunlight flashed through his mind, the wasted opportunity making his stomach clench.

“Don’t you start. It’s exactly what the fool in there said. She said she would meet me at eight.”

“She’s only been gone for an hour.” Jake looked down at his watch. “It’s only just nine o’clock. Let’s walk down to the pool, and you can tell me exactly what you know.”

Jake guided Lyle back across the road to the swimming pool and the beach. He could quite understand his brother’s concern, but the way he was carrying on wasn’t going to help anyone. “What was Maddy doing here anyway?”

“I told you when I saw you.” Lyle enunciated each word. “Maddy and Jade have been staying with her parents. I stayed last night at your place and drove down early this morning to miss the traffic.” Lyle’s deliberately slow speech annoyed the hell out of Jake—talking to him as if he were a brick short of a load. No wonder the cop was running out of patience. He gritted his teeth.

“Maddy, Jade, and I were going to meet here for breakfast at eight, but she didn’t show up.”

Jake looked at his watch again.

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