getting married? Does your sister … hold on, I have another call.”
I listened to the music while I waited for her to return.
“Hello, listen, I really can’t talk. I’m sorry.”
“But you don’t think my sister should marry Maury?”
“He’s not so bad. He brought me roses for Secretary’s Day.”
“So you think he’s an okay guy?”
“He brings lots of girls roses. He’s a little creepy. I have to go. Bye.”
A little creepy. That wasn’t news. That was the way Erica had felt about him in high school. She’d wanted to like him, because he’d always been so nice to her. But he was so persistent in his pursuit of her that he’d freaked her out.
It didn’t help me to know he wasn’t employed by In-house Textiles anymore, either. Now he wouldn’t be showing up at the Coachman Inn tomorrow, where I’d been hoping to meet him.
Maybe the manager of the Coachman Inn could help me. Maybe he knew more about Maury, like where he lived. I headed back across the street.
The hostess summoned the manager, who I knew ever so slightly from the Wachobe Business Association meetings. He and I both appeared at those meetings sporadically.
I explained about Erica’s disappearance and the connection to Maury.
“Gee, Jolene, I’m sorry, but I don’t really talk to the guy. He brings in our order and takes away the laundry. That’s about it. I don’t think any of the guys in the kitchen really talked to him. He’s in and out of here pretty fast.”
Another dead end. I thanked him for his time and stepped outside onto the sidewalk, holding Maury’s picture in my hand.
I tried to think of all the places in town that might utilize In-house Textiles’ services. The yacht club and a couple other upscale restaurants came to mind. Given the warm day and the sunshine, I decided to walk from place to place and ask about Maury.
By two-thirty, I had pink cheeks from the sun’s rays and no more answers than when I started. My last stop was The Lincoln House. I didn’t hold out much hope there, because Bernie, the owner and bartender, already said he didn’t know Maury. If he was delivering linens to the restaurant, surely Bernie would know him.
I took a seat at the bar and waited for Bernie to spot me.
“Hey, Jolene, are you here for lunch?”
“No, but I could use a Pepsi.”
“Coming right up.” He filled a glass and set it in front of me. “I haven’t seen or heard from Erica, if that’s what you’re here to ask. I hired a new girl to take over Erica’s shifts this morning. I haven’t seen that guy again, either.”
I sucked down half the Pepsi through my straw, then pulled out Maury Boor’s picture.
“Is this him?”
Bernie accepted the photo. “That’s him. A little younger.”
I explained what I had learned about Maury. “I also found out Maury worked for In-house Textiles. Do you use them?”
“We use somebody else less expensive. Sorry.” Bernie filled a bowl with pretzels and set it in front of me. “Hey, my son Jacob is in the same class as your boy Danny.”
Danny wasn’t my boy and he never would be, but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to check up on him. “Did Jacob give you any idea how Danny was fitting in?”
“I heard he has a good arm for football. They played at lunch yesterday.”
“That’s good.”
“You should have him try out for the team in the fall. I’m a coach.”
“We’re not really sure how long Danny will be with us.”
Bernie popped one of the pretzels in his mouth and chewed. “Is it true his father is in jail for car theft?”
I finished my soda and pulled out a five. “Yes. Where’d you hear that?”
Bernie waved off the money. “Jacob told me. He heard it on the bus. One of the other kids’ mothers knew.”
Word traveled fast in Wachobe. Some of the deputies had wives and mothers who didn’t know when to keep their mouths shut. “I hope that doesn’t cause problems for Danny at school.”
“I’ll tell Jacob that Danny needs a friend. Jacob’s a good kid.”
“Thanks, Bernie.” I gathered my purse and stood. “Call me if you hear anything else, about my sister or Danny, okay?”
He swiped my glass from the counter and dunked it in the sink below the bar. “Sure thing, Jolene. Don’t worry.”
But worrying was one of the things I did best.
____
I called Ray on my cell phone as I walked back to the shop. My feet had started