Semi-Psychic Life (Glimmer Lake #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,19
know he didn’t treat Val well and he’s disappointed Jackson and Andy over and over.”
Val said, “I honestly don’t know what I can do other than file a report, Mom.”
“All I’m saying”—Marie looked at her pointedly—“is that that is all you need to do. Focus on your boys. Josh has made his own bed over and over. You don’t have to sleep in it. It’s far past time for everyone to stop expecting you to clean up his messes.”
Marie’s fiery proclamation soothed a wound in Val’s heart she hadn’t even realized was there. She’d been frustrated with her parents more than once for their steady hope that Josh would eventually get his act together and he and Val could be a family again. Her parents were traditional and very, very Catholic.
She understood her mom and understood what her parents thought she was losing with the divorce. They adored each other and had been joined at the hip for over fifty years. One of the hardest parts of her divorce was feeling like she’d disappointed them.
But Josh was not her father. And she was not her mother.
“Thanks, Mom.” She managed to force the words out. “I know he’s not my problem. But he is the boys’ father. Whether I like it or not, we are still family.” The rebellious, contrary part of her mind snarled a little, then lay down and settled. “I’m not sure what Robin and Monica and I can do to help, but we’ll do what we can.” She looked at her dad. “Okay?”
Vincent nodded. “That’s all you can do. But you’ll be angry with yourself if you don’t.”
“I know.” She glanced at the computer and the log-in screen had popped up. “I think I fixed it.”
“Oh, that’s good.” Vincent lowered the reading glasses that were sitting on his head and angled the computer. He typed in his password and the home screen jumped on the monitor. “Look at that. What a genius our girl is.”
“Time for bear claws.” Marie opened the box. “Oh, and turnovers. That’s nice, isn’t it?”
All Val had done was load and install the updates that had been slowing things down, but she’d take it. Especially if it netted her good-daughter points and a bear claw.
She walked into the sheriff’s office a little after three o’clock, then leaned on the counter until a deputy came up to help her. It was Jarrod Richardson, who’d been a few years behind her in school.
“Hey, Val.” His smile was unnecessarily cheerful. “How are you? What can I help you with?”
“I need to file a missing-person report for my ex-husband,” Val said. “Other than that, I’m doing okay. How about you?”
Jarrod’s smile fell. “A what?”
“Missing person. Joshua Mason. Has a warrant out in Bridger City?”
Jarrod’s eyes were the size of coffee saucers. “Sorry?”
“Richardson,” a voice barked. “Send Val back, will you?”
Jarrod lifted the flip-up counter and waved Val in. “You know where his office is?”
“Yep.”
Val walked through the main room of the sheriff’s department in Glimmer Lake. It wasn’t a large building because the county seat was in Koso Junction, but since Glimmer Lake had the most tourists and the most activity, Sully spent the most time at the lake.
His office was tucked into the back corner of an old building that had been expanded in the 1970s when the ski resort was built. It was hardly the stuff of grandeur or television drama. The only window was no more than a foot across, and it was covered in spiderwebs from the outside. It smelled like pine air freshener and coffee. Half a dozen certificates were framed on the wall behind the desk, but Val didn’t bother to read them. She sat across from Sully in the red-upholstered armchairs with cigarette burns on the arms.
“Hey,” he said. “You want to file a missing-person report?”
“Yes.”
Sully rocked back in his seat, watching her with suspicious eyes. His hair still needed to be cut, and she was pretty sure he had a grease stain on his collar, but his blue eyes were intent on Val. “Why?”
“Because it’s not like him to be out of contact for this long,” she said. “He is missing.”
“He’s an adult and he’s your ex-husband. It’s not illegal for him not to return your calls.”
“He missed his weekend visit with our sons.”
“And he’s never done that before?”
Val looked away and shook her head. “You know he has.”
“Does your ex-husband have any friends he might be visiting? Does he normally inform you of his movements?”