Read Online Daddy's Little Girl by Ed Gorman, Daniel Ransom - Free Book Online

easier—
    Guilt stabbed through his bucolic thoughts as he realized that he still had to call Janet, Deirdre’s mother, and tell her what happened.
    A terrible phone call to make ...
    “I’m sorry if I made you angry.”
    The voice was as gentle as the breeze.
    Carnes turned to find the dark-haired woman who had introduced herself as a newspaperwoman.
    “I don’t have anything to say,” he said. “Talk to the sheriff. He can tell you what’s going on.”
    She looked at him levelly. “I came to apologize.”
    “For what? I don’t blame you for doing your job. Just don’t blame me for not wanting to talk to you.”
    “Well, I’ve had personal losses of my own. I should have been more sensitive about just showing up and walking into the diner. I could’ve gotten ahold of the sheriff first and talked to him, I guess. My husband was the real reporter. I just kind of followed him around and picked up what I could.”
    When she spoke about her husband a kind of injury came into her voice. He liked her better after this, a kind of kinship being established.
    “I’m just kind of crazy, I guess,” he said. “She just vanished.”
    “Have you had breakfast?”
    “I’ve tried. I’m just not hungry.”
    He stared out at the interstate beyond the swell of a close-by hill.
    She was out there.
    Somewhere.
    “She could turn up, you know, safe and sound.”
    “Yeah, I know,” Carnes said.
    She put a hand on his arm again. Despite himself, despite his preoccupations of the moment, the touch was exactly the right tender feeling he needed.
    “I’m sorry to have bothered you,” she said. “I’ll leave you alone.”
    But as she turned to go, Carnes found himself reaching out, touching her on the arm.
    She turned around.
    “How about you?” Carnes said. “Have you had breakfast?”
    She smiled. “As a matter of fact, no, I haven’t.”
    “Do you know anyplace in town where we could get something good?”
    Suddenly he needed to be away from here, from the motel where Deirdre had disappeared. If he didn’t give his mind and body a rest, he was afraid of the consequences.
    “Sure,” she smiled. “The best place in town.”
    “Where would that be?”
    “The kitchen in my apartment. I was about to go over there and make some eggs and ham slices. How does that sound?”
    It sounded wonderful, though immediately Carnes hated himself for the pleasure he felt. There should be no pleasure with his daughter gone.
    He had still not given her his answer when she put out her hand and said. “I’m Beth Daye, by the way.”
    He introduced himself.
    Sheriff Wayman left the diner, walked across the macadam. He studied their faces, saw that they were getting along much better than when he’d last seen them, and smiled.
    “I see you’re in good company,” Wayman said. “Beth’s actually a real nice lady, even if she is a member of the press.” Wayman nodded to his patrol car. “I’ve got to be heading into town, Mr. Carnes. If you need anything, just call my office. They’ll put us in touch in no time.”
    “Anything more we can do?”
    “I’ve put an APB out along with her description. The Highway Patrol is stopping at truck stops and asking the drivers if they saw anybody meeting her description on the interstate last night.” Wayman shrugged. “Right now, I’m afraid that’s about the best we can do.”
    He put out a big hand.
    Carnes shook it.
    Nodding, the sheriff turned back to his car, got in, drove off.
    “Shall we?” Beth Daye said.
    Carnes stared a long moment at his car and at the memory of his daughter who’d been riding in it.
    Beth’s gentle touch on his arm urged him away. He gave in to her.
    The ride into Burton was pleasant. The blooming sights of spring reassured Carnes that maybe things would turn out to be all right, after all. From half a mile before the city limits sign he could see two different church steeples plus a handful of taller brick buildings that looked clean against the