Daddy's Little Girls by Dan Padavona

Author:Dan Padavona [Padavona, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-19T13:00:00+00:00

24

Thomas Shepherd climbed out of the cruiser and waited for Deputy Aguilar to join him. Full dark lay over the village, interrupted by porch lights and skeletal figures with glowing eyes. The scent of dead leaves clung to the air, and somewhere a haunted-house soundtrack played ghostly moans and the cackles of witches.

“This used to be my least favorite holiday,” Thomas said.

“You’re not into dressing up like an action hero or a goblin? Or is it because your parents didn’t want you to eat candy all night?”

“It was more about the loud soundtracks and the lights. Our neighbor used to run a strobe light on Halloween night.”

“The lights and sounds disturbed you,” Aguilar said in understanding. “Not anymore?”

“I’m not a fan of flashing lights and howling werewolves, but I can cope.”

Their shoes crunched on the unraked sidewalk. Aguilar held an iPad that listed every house within a three-block radius of the Farris family. Red highlights marked the homes where no one had answered the first time the deputies visited.

“Should we start with houses where nobody was home last time?” Aguilar asked.

“We’ll knock on every door as long as we’re here. Sometimes people see things without realizing they might provide key evidence in a case. You take the north side of the street; I’ll take the south.”

Aguilar crossed the road.

Thomas approached a brick mini-mansion with a wrought-iron gate guarding the walkway. He pushed the unlocked gate open and climbed the steps. No holiday decorations welcomed him, and the porch light was off to discourage trick-or-treaters. He rang the doorbell. Chimes echoed through the house, reminding him of his mother’s home in Poplar Hill Estates.

The gray-haired man who answered the door wore a sweater and dress slacks.

“No candy. I don’t recognize Halloween.” The man stopped short. “Oh, it’s you, Sheriff. I caught your conference on the five-o’clock news.”

Thomas could tell by the man’s indignant posture that he’d bought Heath Elledge’s claims—the sheriff was blowing the investigation out of proportion and couldn’t prove a kidnapper threatened the village.

“I understand my deputies spoke to you Thursday evening.”

“That’s right.”

“You didn’t see Bailey Farris walking home or a silver Ford Transit driving through the neighborhood?”

“As I told your deputies, the answers are no and no. Now if you will excuse me, my dinner guests are waiting.”

As the man closed the door, Thomas blocked it with his palm.

“Please, sir. Think back to Thursday afternoon. Did you notice anyone driving slowly down the street or asking for directions? Maybe someone acting a little too friendly?”

“No, Sheriff, and if you keep badgering me, I might change my vote the next time you’re up for election.”

The door closed. Thomas scratched his face. How much damage had Elledge caused? Across the street, Aguilar shook her head to show she’d experienced no luck so far.

The sheriff’s mood brightened when four rug rats dressed as kittens scurried toward him, meowing and pawing at the air. He couldn’t tell whether boys or girls hid inside the homemade costumes. Black markings formed fake whiskers, and each dragged tails over the buckled sidewalk.

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