sensitive that way. She wouldn’t want to cause me more pain.”
“I think you just need to hold your horses and give this time to play out.”
“How much time should I give it, Dad? Jay is missing too.”
“Just because he wasn’t home doesn’t mean he’s missin’.”
“Well, Abby is! Any time my kids are out of touch, I don’t see how I can afford to assume anything else.”
Dad pushed his glasses up higher on his nose. “I still think there’s a logical explanation for it. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We can’t afford to ask the sheriff for help until we’re sure it’s warranted.”
“As far as I’m concerned, it is. I’m going to call Virgil at home and ask his advice. He can be objective. We sure can’t.”
Virgil rinsed the roasting pan, dried it with a towel, and handed it to Jill Beth.
“There you go, you sweet thing.” He pressed his lips to hers. “Dishes done. Anything else I can do for you, ma’am?”
Jill Beth giggled. “Down, boy. You need to take out the trash, and you promised we could take Drake for a walk.”
Virgil looked over at the handsome mutt they had adopted from Animal Rescue last year—part German shepherd and part Australian sheepdog. Drake was like an overgrown kid and had already broken several picture frames with a swish of his happy tail.
“Why don’t we walk up to Icy’s and get frozen custard?” Jill Beth said.
Drake barked and ran in circles, then sat under the hook where his leash hung, his tail wagging beneath him as he whined, looking as if he would lunge at any moment.
Virgil laughed. “I swear this dog understands English.” He took the leash off the hook and attached it to Drake’s collar just as his cell phone vibrated. He looked at the screen. “Darlin’, it’s Kate Cummings. I need to take this.” He handed the leash to Jill Beth and hit the Talk button. “Kate, it’s Virgil. Anything wrong?”
“I’m not sure. I need your advice.”
“What is it?”
Kate exhaled into the receiver. “I don’t want you to think I’m crying wolf. I know we’ve cost your department a lot of time and money …”
“I’m a public servant, Kate. Tell me what you need. You sound stressed.”
“I can’t find Abby.”
“What do you mean—can’t find her?”
Virgil listened as Kate told him everything she knew about the slope and Abby’s plan to meet her friend Jay there, as well as about Jay’s calling in sick and the neighbor seeing him leave the apartment earlier in the afternoon.
“Virgil, I’m scared.”
“What time was Abby supposed to be home?” he said.
“Six. That’s when we have dinner. It’s the only time we’re all together. She would’ve called if she wasn’t coming. Something’s wrong.”
“Maybe not,” Virgil said calmly. “She wouldn’t be the first sixteen-year-old to go off with a friend and lose track of time. Maybe she’s out of cell range.”
“Dad and I have been up and down Summit Road. The cell signal is strong up there.”
Virgil glanced over at Jill Beth, who was struggling to restrain Drake and trying to keep from being dragged to the front door. “Where else have you looked?”
“I had Hawk check the pier, Sammie’s Subs, Sweet Stuff, and some of Abby’s other favorite places. No one has seen them.”
Virgil paused and cleared his throat. “You say Abby and Jay are just friends?”
“Best friends, according to Abby. It’s possible she’s not telling me the full extent of their relationship. But she had no reason to deceive me, especially since I’ve never objected to her seeing Jay.”
“Does she seem depressed to you?”
“Not at all,” Kate said. “Abby’s had a burst of new hope since spotting the girl I told you about and seems consumed with finding out more about her. I promised not to interfere if she agreed to go back and see her therapist. Abby’s running on false hope, but I don’t think she’s depressed.”
Drake began to bark, and Virgil motioned to Jill Beth that he was stepping out on the porch. “Kate, listen … I understand why you’re concerned, but it’s only been a couple hours. I have a feeling that Abby will be home soon and all this will get worked out.”
“So you don’t think I should file a missing-person report?”
Virgil switched the phone to his other ear. “It seems premature. But if you think Abby’s in trouble, we need to act on it.”
“That’s just it”—Kate began to cry—“I don’t know what I think right now. I just want her home.”