Parallel Secrets by M.L. Barrs

Author:M.L. Barrs [Barrs, ML]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC022000 Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General
ISBN: 9781509249794
Published: 2023-05-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Five

Saturday November 2008

Vicky paced around the campsite Saturday morning. “I’ve been thinking.”

Pete glanced up from making breakfast, bowl in one hand, fork in the other.

“Like, Don, for starters,” she said. “What’s with him? He tells me about his pop bootlegging, and he makes it sound like, nudge-nudge, this is more than a little tale about a family business, wink-wink. Then he gets all coy.”

He stirred the contents of the bowl and nodded.

“And Mike,” she went on. “Jesus, he’s like, Mr. Mysterious Swamp Dude. But boy, I know that guy has more to tell.”

Vicky made another trip from the picnic table to the awning and back, then paused next to the camp stove. “Mike, Joan, Rita, Sam. I swear, it feels like every single person I’ve talked to has something to hide.”

“You just met ‘em. They’re not going to tell you everything.” Pete pointed his egg-beating fork at the skillet, where strips of bacon were close to the point of perfect crispiness. “Ten minutes.”

Pete was precise. Competent. Deft, intuitive, and very, very thorough. In all ways. Everything would be delectable and ready at the same time. In ten.

“Yum.” Vicky paused to kiss him. “You’re growing a beard. Nice.” She ran her fingers along his still-scratchy stubble. Her skin was still a bit sensitive from last night. “Do you need me to do anything?”

He shook his head.

“Okay, I’m on cleanup.” She resumed pacing. Now might be a good time to talk about the Dallas job offer, but she was focused on the missing girl. “I really hope something comes out of the fundraiser tomorrow. We have to help find Rose. It breaks my heart that she’s still missing.”

“You are helping. This fundraiser is really coming together.”

“Feels like there are connections I’m not seeing.”

“What kind of connections?”

Mmm. She so loved that he asked. “For one, Joan. And her mystery woman, her bag, this human trafficking thing, which I still think makes sense…”

Pete flipped the bacon. “A woman with a hand-tooled bag and the levee girl escape from the same bunch who nine years later happen to see Rose and snatch her—it does seem a bit unlikely, doesn’t it?”

Ouch. True, but ouch. “Maybe not happened to see. Yeah. I know, I know. It sounds lame when you say it straight up, but I’m sure something connects them. Maybe not just like that.”

Vicky sat at the table. “Mmm, everything smells good. Making rolls tonight should be interesting. I’ll have hours to talk with people. And we’ll see who shows up at the fundraiser tomorrow.”

****

That afternoon, Vicky entered the back door of the diner, toting grocery bags in both hands. “Hi, I’m back.”

Sam, Rita, and Liz Ann paused their cinnamon roll-making-motions to greet her. Sam had closed early to prepare for the fundraiser which was scheduled to start at eleven o’clock sharp the next morning. One of the St. Louis TV stations—Kerry’s—was going to carry it live on their Sunday morning news.

“Mmm. Smells like cinnamon heaven.” Vicky opened the refrigerator to put away the groceries. “I bought up all the butter the store had.

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