Read Online exposed (Twisted Cedar Mysteries Book 3) by CJ Carmichael - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: CJ Carmichael
Tags: General Fiction
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pain over mental.
It wasn’t even four o’clock. She didn’t know how much more of this she could take. She wished someone would phone, if not with good news, then with a tidbit of something positive. Surely a nine-year-old boy could not disappear without a trace.
And then, as if she had conjured it, the doorbell rang. And immediately hope and fear rose equally within her until she remembered the time. This would be Cory. Her best friend’s mother had offered to drive her home from school.
Charlotte raced down the stairs and flung open the door, suddenly anxious to make sure that, Cory, at least, remained unharmed.
And of course she was. Her niece, with her small, heart-shaped face so like her mother’s, looked at her with questioning eyes.
“No news on your brother, I’m afraid.” Charlotte pulled the girl in for a hug, then glanced up at Bailey Landax. It was hard not to resent the other woman’s well-groomed state, when she herself looked like hell.
But then Bailey was a Realtor. Looking attractive and professional was important to her success. With the closing of Quinpool Realty, business must be booming. Even Jamie had purchased her new home from Bailey.
“How are you doing Charlotte?”
“Is Chester home yet?” asked her daughter Paige.
“No.” Charlotte shook her head grimly. “I’m afraid not.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Bailey put a hand on Charlotte’s shoulder. She probably meant the touch to convey sympathy, but for some reason this woman had always struck a false note with Charlotte.
Still, Charlotte knew Cory really enjoyed Paige’s company, so she was glad to hear Baily say, “I’ll be glad to drive Cory to and from school tomorrow, as well, if—well, if you would like me to.”
In other words, if Chester was still missing.
“Thank you,” Charlotte said, barely managing to get out the words without crying.
“Oh, absolutely.” Bailey hesitated, then took a step forward and lowered her voice. “I did hear Cory talking about something with Paige. I thought it might be important and so I suggested she tell you.”
“Is it to do with Chester?”
“Yes, it is. Go on, Cory, tell your aunt the same thing you told Paige.”
Worried lines appeared on Cory’s forehead as she glanced from Bailey to Charlotte.
Charlotte gave her niece’s hand a squeeze. “It’s okay honey. Take your time.”
Cory swallowed. “W-well, it was after school a few days ago. We were walking home when the football coach told Chester he wanted to talk to him.”
Charlotte was confused. The school the twins went to had a gym teacher, but not a football coach per se. “Were you still on the school grounds?”
“Not anymore. We were walking past the pink house, the one with the bird houses.”
Charlotte nodded. “I know exactly the place you’re talking about. So this football coach—was he someone you knew?”
“No.”
“Are you saying a strange man just walked up to your brother and started talking to him?”
“I-I guess. But he looked like a coach, he had a ball cap and a whistle on a rope around his neck. He wanted to know if Chester was planning to play football when he was older. He said Chester looked like someone who would be a natural.”
Charlotte put out a hand to the doorframe, feeling suddenly unsteady. She took a deep breath then nodded at Bailey. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. We need to let the sheriff know right away.”
“Of course. I think driving by the house was what made Cory remember. I hope it helps.”
Charlotte thought she said thank you, again, before closing the door, but she wasn’t sure. She was too focused on Cory, trying to read from her expression if she realized how important her story might be.
“Come and sit down,” she told her niece. “I’m really glad you remembered this detail. It could be important so I’m going to phone Sheriff MacKay, all right?”
“Okay,” Cory said softly.
Charlotte kept a reassuring
It wasn’t even four o’clock. She didn’t know how much more of this she could take. She wished someone would phone, if not with good news, then with a tidbit of something positive. Surely a nine-year-old boy could not disappear without a trace.
And then, as if she had conjured it, the doorbell rang. And immediately hope and fear rose equally within her until she remembered the time. This would be Cory. Her best friend’s mother had offered to drive her home from school.
Charlotte raced down the stairs and flung open the door, suddenly anxious to make sure that, Cory, at least, remained unharmed.
And of course she was. Her niece, with her small, heart-shaped face so like her mother’s, looked at her with questioning eyes.
“No news on your brother, I’m afraid.” Charlotte pulled the girl in for a hug, then glanced up at Bailey Landax. It was hard not to resent the other woman’s well-groomed state, when she herself looked like hell.
But then Bailey was a Realtor. Looking attractive and professional was important to her success. With the closing of Quinpool Realty, business must be booming. Even Jamie had purchased her new home from Bailey.
“How are you doing Charlotte?”
“Is Chester home yet?” asked her daughter Paige.
“No.” Charlotte shook her head grimly. “I’m afraid not.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Bailey put a hand on Charlotte’s shoulder. She probably meant the touch to convey sympathy, but for some reason this woman had always struck a false note with Charlotte.
Still, Charlotte knew Cory really enjoyed Paige’s company, so she was glad to hear Baily say, “I’ll be glad to drive Cory to and from school tomorrow, as well, if—well, if you would like me to.”
In other words, if Chester was still missing.
“Thank you,” Charlotte said, barely managing to get out the words without crying.
“Oh, absolutely.” Bailey hesitated, then took a step forward and lowered her voice. “I did hear Cory talking about something with Paige. I thought it might be important and so I suggested she tell you.”
“Is it to do with Chester?”
“Yes, it is. Go on, Cory, tell your aunt the same thing you told Paige.”
Worried lines appeared on Cory’s forehead as she glanced from Bailey to Charlotte.
Charlotte gave her niece’s hand a squeeze. “It’s okay honey. Take your time.”
Cory swallowed. “W-well, it was after school a few days ago. We were walking home when the football coach told Chester he wanted to talk to him.”
Charlotte was confused. The school the twins went to had a gym teacher, but not a football coach per se. “Were you still on the school grounds?”
“Not anymore. We were walking past the pink house, the one with the bird houses.”
Charlotte nodded. “I know exactly the place you’re talking about. So this football coach—was he someone you knew?”
“No.”
“Are you saying a strange man just walked up to your brother and started talking to him?”
“I-I guess. But he looked like a coach, he had a ball cap and a whistle on a rope around his neck. He wanted to know if Chester was planning to play football when he was older. He said Chester looked like someone who would be a natural.”
Charlotte put out a hand to the doorframe, feeling suddenly unsteady. She took a deep breath then nodded at Bailey. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. We need to let the sheriff know right away.”
“Of course. I think driving by the house was what made Cory remember. I hope it helps.”
Charlotte thought she said thank you, again, before closing the door, but she wasn’t sure. She was too focused on Cory, trying to read from her expression if she realized how important her story might be.
“Come and sit down,” she told her niece. “I’m really glad you remembered this detail. It could be important so I’m going to phone Sheriff MacKay, all right?”
“Okay,” Cory said softly.
Charlotte kept a reassuring
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