Read Online ESCAPE FROM AMBERGRIS CAYE by Joan Mauch - Free Book Online
Authors: Joan Mauch
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pristine condition. Parking his old car next to hers, he got
out to have a closer look.
As he expected, the car was locked. Putting his
hands up to the driver’s side window, he looked inside. Everything seemed fine.
In fact, there was nothing to be seen at all—no fast-food wrappers or pop cans,
nothing. Unlike his car, it was immaculate.
With a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach,
Jackson headed toward Izzie’s apartment. It was a second floor walkup. Taking
the steps two at a time, he rang the bell, then when no one answered, he began
pounding on the door and finally shouting, “Izzie. Izzie. It’s Jackson. Open
up.”
A few seconds later, a woman next door poked her
head out and said, “She’s not home. Haven’t seen her for about a week.”
“Do you know where she’s gone?” Jackson said.
When the woman hesitated, he added, “We work
together and she hasn’t shown up for several days, I’m beginning to worry. Do
you have any idea where she is?”
Scrutinizing him with her dark eyes, the woman
shook her head. “I’m sorry but we keep pretty much to ourselves around here.
Why don’t you go over to the office and see if they know anything?” She started
to go back into her apartment, then turned and said, “I hope she’s all right. I
enjoy watching her on the news. She’s so pretty.”
“That she is. Thanks for your help.”
Ten minutes later, a grumpy apartment manager
asked him to tell “that girl to pick up her mail. Her box is overflowing and
UPS dropped off several packages. Tell her that despite her impressions to the
contrary, we are not—I emphasize not —her secretaries. Besides, you’re
not the first person to come looking for her, you know. Several people have
been around asking for her. Well, lemme tell you this:
She might have servants at that TV station but I assure you she doesn’t have
them here. And you can tell her that Mavis said so.” When she’d finished her
tirade, her face was crimson, her hands twisting a tissue.
“So, you haven’t seen her then?” Jackson said,
deliberately keeping his cool. Stupid bitch! There was nothing to be
gained losing his temper with the only person who might know where to find
Izzie.
“You got that right.”
“If you happen to see her, would you mind having
her call me?” He offered his card.
“No, I’d be mighty happy to hold onto your card
and ask her to give you a call if and when I see her next. With only two
hundred residents, I don’t have another damned thing on my mind except to watch
out for her.” With that she took Jackson’s card, tossed it in the wastebasket
and went back to her desk.
Not knowing where else to look for his partner,
Jackson headed home, a prickle of dread in the back of his throat
****
“So, you have a tough day?” Zac threw the question
at Jackson over a supper of fried chicken, pasta, mixed peas and carrots and a
tossed salad.
“Not especially. Why?”
“You’re so quiet. I thought maybe something was
wrong. Wanna talk about it?”
Jackson was surprised at Zac’s concern. Maybe Mom
was right, the change of scenery seemed to actually be doing his brother some
good. Not wanting to interrupt the good vibes between them, Jackson decided to
share.
“It’s probably nothing, but while I was back
home, my reporter seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. She
hasn’t been at work for over a week now and nobody knows where she is. What’s
worse, at least in my opinion, is that no one but me seems concerned. I mean,
what if she’s sick or something happened to her?”
He stopped talking and waited for his brother to
make some kind of sarcastic remark, reminding him how he always jumped to
conclusions which invariably turned out to be wrong.
Much to his surprise, Zac listened intently, then
leaned in and said, “Anyone report it to the police?”
Jackson thought for a moment. “Now that you
mention it, I don’t think so. My boss assumed she walked off the job. Said
out to have a closer look.
As he expected, the car was locked. Putting his
hands up to the driver’s side window, he looked inside. Everything seemed fine.
In fact, there was nothing to be seen at all—no fast-food wrappers or pop cans,
nothing. Unlike his car, it was immaculate.
With a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach,
Jackson headed toward Izzie’s apartment. It was a second floor walkup. Taking
the steps two at a time, he rang the bell, then when no one answered, he began
pounding on the door and finally shouting, “Izzie. Izzie. It’s Jackson. Open
up.”
A few seconds later, a woman next door poked her
head out and said, “She’s not home. Haven’t seen her for about a week.”
“Do you know where she’s gone?” Jackson said.
When the woman hesitated, he added, “We work
together and she hasn’t shown up for several days, I’m beginning to worry. Do
you have any idea where she is?”
Scrutinizing him with her dark eyes, the woman
shook her head. “I’m sorry but we keep pretty much to ourselves around here.
Why don’t you go over to the office and see if they know anything?” She started
to go back into her apartment, then turned and said, “I hope she’s all right. I
enjoy watching her on the news. She’s so pretty.”
“That she is. Thanks for your help.”
Ten minutes later, a grumpy apartment manager
asked him to tell “that girl to pick up her mail. Her box is overflowing and
UPS dropped off several packages. Tell her that despite her impressions to the
contrary, we are not—I emphasize not —her secretaries. Besides, you’re
not the first person to come looking for her, you know. Several people have
been around asking for her. Well, lemme tell you this:
She might have servants at that TV station but I assure you she doesn’t have
them here. And you can tell her that Mavis said so.” When she’d finished her
tirade, her face was crimson, her hands twisting a tissue.
“So, you haven’t seen her then?” Jackson said,
deliberately keeping his cool. Stupid bitch! There was nothing to be
gained losing his temper with the only person who might know where to find
Izzie.
“You got that right.”
“If you happen to see her, would you mind having
her call me?” He offered his card.
“No, I’d be mighty happy to hold onto your card
and ask her to give you a call if and when I see her next. With only two
hundred residents, I don’t have another damned thing on my mind except to watch
out for her.” With that she took Jackson’s card, tossed it in the wastebasket
and went back to her desk.
Not knowing where else to look for his partner,
Jackson headed home, a prickle of dread in the back of his throat
****
“So, you have a tough day?” Zac threw the question
at Jackson over a supper of fried chicken, pasta, mixed peas and carrots and a
tossed salad.
“Not especially. Why?”
“You’re so quiet. I thought maybe something was
wrong. Wanna talk about it?”
Jackson was surprised at Zac’s concern. Maybe Mom
was right, the change of scenery seemed to actually be doing his brother some
good. Not wanting to interrupt the good vibes between them, Jackson decided to
share.
“It’s probably nothing, but while I was back
home, my reporter seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. She
hasn’t been at work for over a week now and nobody knows where she is. What’s
worse, at least in my opinion, is that no one but me seems concerned. I mean,
what if she’s sick or something happened to her?”
He stopped talking and waited for his brother to
make some kind of sarcastic remark, reminding him how he always jumped to
conclusions which invariably turned out to be wrong.
Much to his surprise, Zac listened intently, then
leaned in and said, “Anyone report it to the police?”
Jackson thought for a moment. “Now that you
mention it, I don’t think so. My boss assumed she walked off the job. Said
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