hand stilled. “How did you know?”
“I’m your dad remember? I can hear what you’re not telling me. Even halfway across the state. What happened?”
“He thinks I’m pampered. He thinks I…” her voice trailed off. He thinks I’m a daddy’s girl. Sheriff Justice’s opinion shouldn’t matter. But it did.
“Pampered? Is that what he said?”
“Not exactly. But he got me thinking about how much you and Mom have helped me out. With my job. With life. I just wonder where I’d be if I hadn’t had so much support.”
“So much support?” He let out a short laugh. “Honey, you’ve been the one supporting me for the last several years. Without you, this paper wouldn’t sell half as well as it does. Did you know our circulation increased by thirteen percent this past quarter?”
“That’s probably because Mrs. Welsby has stirred up trouble over the advice column. People are buying the paper to see what’s gotten her hose tied in knots.”
A raspy chuckle reverberated across the line. “Could be. But I think it has something to do with the new direction you’ve taken with your articles. We’ve had great feedback regarding the new human interest stories you’ve written in recent months.”
“You always know how to make me feel better.”
“I love you, hon’.”
“I love you too, Dad.” She took a breath, preparing to change the direction of the conversation. “I came across some new information today. Seems Serena’s not the only one who’s been abducted on Coral Isle recently.”
“No kidding?”
“No kidding.” Cali stood to pace the room as anxiety filled her once again. “I went to the library and checked out past issues of the local paper. There’s not much information, but I did find out two other women have been abducted recently. One in May, the other in July. One woman was in her mid-forties, the other was a teenager. They don’t appear to be connected in any way, except they were both on the island alone.”
“The teenaged girl was on the island alone?”
“She’d run away from home.”
“I see.”
“But listen to this. They both turned up after exactly two weeks.”
“Turned up?”
“Yes. The abductor released them. The victims said they have very few memories of what happened. Drugs are suspected.”
“What kind of drugs?”
“The paper didn’t specify.”
“They don’t remember what happened to them?”
“I don’t know. The paper was extremely vague. If I’d written the articles, they would’ve been much more detailed.”
“I don’t doubt it. Cali, maybe you should come back home. Let the sheriff handle it. It doesn’t sound safe to be there.”
She gritted her teeth and stopped pacing. Taking in a deep breath she said, “I have to find her.”
“I knew you were gonna say that. Listen, your mom just came in. Want to say hi?”
Cali didn’t have a chance to respond before her mother said, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were leaving. What’s going on with Serena?”
“I know I should’ve called. I’m sorry. About Serena? It’s complicated. I’ll let Dad fill you in on it.” She didn’t have the energy to go into the details with her mother, or to deal with her reaction when she found out about the abductions. Guilt nibbled at her for leaving her father with the arduous task, but it was not enough to make her change her mind.
“Oh, I’ll never stop worrying about you. Are you eating enough? You don’t sound like it. You know how worn down you get when you don’t eat properly.”
“Mom. I’m fine.”
“Are you getting enough sleep?”
“Yes.” Cali listened to her mother’s worries and advice for a few more minutes before saying goodnight.
She flipped her phone closed and sank onto the bed, wondering if Sheriff Justice was right about her expectations. After living her whole life in a small town, around people who cared about her, maybe she did take certain things in life for granted.
Her thoughts
“I’m your dad remember? I can hear what you’re not telling me. Even halfway across the state. What happened?”
“He thinks I’m pampered. He thinks I…” her voice trailed off. He thinks I’m a daddy’s girl. Sheriff Justice’s opinion shouldn’t matter. But it did.
“Pampered? Is that what he said?”
“Not exactly. But he got me thinking about how much you and Mom have helped me out. With my job. With life. I just wonder where I’d be if I hadn’t had so much support.”
“So much support?” He let out a short laugh. “Honey, you’ve been the one supporting me for the last several years. Without you, this paper wouldn’t sell half as well as it does. Did you know our circulation increased by thirteen percent this past quarter?”
“That’s probably because Mrs. Welsby has stirred up trouble over the advice column. People are buying the paper to see what’s gotten her hose tied in knots.”
A raspy chuckle reverberated across the line. “Could be. But I think it has something to do with the new direction you’ve taken with your articles. We’ve had great feedback regarding the new human interest stories you’ve written in recent months.”
“You always know how to make me feel better.”
“I love you, hon’.”
“I love you too, Dad.” She took a breath, preparing to change the direction of the conversation. “I came across some new information today. Seems Serena’s not the only one who’s been abducted on Coral Isle recently.”
“No kidding?”
“No kidding.” Cali stood to pace the room as anxiety filled her once again. “I went to the library and checked out past issues of the local paper. There’s not much information, but I did find out two other women have been abducted recently. One in May, the other in July. One woman was in her mid-forties, the other was a teenager. They don’t appear to be connected in any way, except they were both on the island alone.”
“The teenaged girl was on the island alone?”
“She’d run away from home.”
“I see.”
“But listen to this. They both turned up after exactly two weeks.”
“Turned up?”
“Yes. The abductor released them. The victims said they have very few memories of what happened. Drugs are suspected.”
“What kind of drugs?”
“The paper didn’t specify.”
“They don’t remember what happened to them?”
“I don’t know. The paper was extremely vague. If I’d written the articles, they would’ve been much more detailed.”
“I don’t doubt it. Cali, maybe you should come back home. Let the sheriff handle it. It doesn’t sound safe to be there.”
She gritted her teeth and stopped pacing. Taking in a deep breath she said, “I have to find her.”
“I knew you were gonna say that. Listen, your mom just came in. Want to say hi?”
Cali didn’t have a chance to respond before her mother said, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were leaving. What’s going on with Serena?”
“I know I should’ve called. I’m sorry. About Serena? It’s complicated. I’ll let Dad fill you in on it.” She didn’t have the energy to go into the details with her mother, or to deal with her reaction when she found out about the abductions. Guilt nibbled at her for leaving her father with the arduous task, but it was not enough to make her change her mind.
“Oh, I’ll never stop worrying about you. Are you eating enough? You don’t sound like it. You know how worn down you get when you don’t eat properly.”
“Mom. I’m fine.”
“Are you getting enough sleep?”
“Yes.” Cali listened to her mother’s worries and advice for a few more minutes before saying goodnight.
She flipped her phone closed and sank onto the bed, wondering if Sheriff Justice was right about her expectations. After living her whole life in a small town, around people who cared about her, maybe she did take certain things in life for granted.
Her thoughts
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