Blake’s. “Both of you.”
Blake nodded and wrapping his arm around Ally’s waist pulled her back against him while Shep turned to open the door. The shower wasn’t running so he knew Stace would be down soon. He held the door open while they walked in and led them over to the family-living room. It was almost laughable how comfortable he was in Stace’s home.
“All right, well bring us up to date on what’s going on,” Blake said taking a seat and pulling Ally down beside him. She just looked at Blake, shook her head and stood back up to cruise the room looking at the pictures and things in it.
“Missing woman,” Shep began. “Chloe Anders, age twenty-one. Five foot nine inches tall, approximately one hundred forty pounds with short brown hair and brown eyes.”
“Is this her?” Ally queried holding up a framed photo of Chloe and the friend he’d met earlier, Nicole.
“Yes,” Shep said.
“Attractive woman,” Ally said.
“Yes,” Shep answered and still the missing Chloe didn’t hold a candle to her sister.
“She’s been missing a little over four weeks now,” Shep continued. “Recorded 9-1-1 call shows she knew she’d been drugged or at least suspected she had and called for help. Help didn’t arrive in time. Call records at least two men’s voices and the sound of her being moved from the car.”
“The car is still here?” Ally asked.
“It is still with the police but Stace can pick it up any time,” Shep stated.
“Stace?” Blake asked and lifted a brow at Shep.
“Stace Anders,” Shep answered. “She is the sister of our missing woman.”
“And?” Ally prompted.
“Chloe is a nursing student in her third year,” Shep continued not answering what they were asking. How could he when he wasn’t sure yet either? “She stopped in unplanned, as far as we can learn, at Tark’s Tavern that night and sometime while there was given a Coke, which we suspect was drugged. Nothing left in or on the car. No one remembers seeing anything at the bar. Her best friend didn’t know she was stopping at Tark’s as it wasn’t a place they hung out at. Police searched, questioned and came up with a big fat nothing. It’s as if she just disappeared into thin air,” Shep said. “And so far we’ve found nothing either.”
“So really the only thing you even have to make you think she was taken was the 9-1-1 call?” Blake asked.
“Yeah,” Shep agreed. “Otherwise it would look like she just got out and walked away from her car.”
“I’d like to see the car,” Ally said. “I think that would be my best chance to connect with her.”
“I’m sure we can talk to Stace and see about picking it up tomorrow,” Shep said glancing at his watch. “I honestly didn’t think about it today when Stace and I were there or I would have suggested it then. The lot’s closed now.”
“So where is this Stace you keep referring to?” Blake asked.
“She took a run and then hit the shower,” Shep said. “I’m sure she’ll be down any minute. So did you two go to the birthday party?” He knew they had. Her cousin Ben was the dad and as the two cousins had only reunited in recent years Shep knew that Ally and Blake would have stopped in.
“Yes, I can’t believe that little Thomas is already a year old,” Ally smiled. “Katie had the house all decorated and the cake was so cute. She and her mom Katherine had everything perfect. Oh, and you missed the big announcement since you weren’t there.”
“What announcement?” Shep wanted to know. There was always something going on with one of them. The Danielses and the large extended Madigan family that he was part of seemed to always be in the middle of something.
“Well maybe we shouldn’t tell you. Maybe it would be better if you just learned about it when you head back home,” Ally said with a laugh.
“Just tell me that everything is okay,” Shep said.
“Yes, in fact things are wonderful,” Ally said with big grin.
Blake nodded and wrapping his arm around Ally’s waist pulled her back against him while Shep turned to open the door. The shower wasn’t running so he knew Stace would be down soon. He held the door open while they walked in and led them over to the family-living room. It was almost laughable how comfortable he was in Stace’s home.
“All right, well bring us up to date on what’s going on,” Blake said taking a seat and pulling Ally down beside him. She just looked at Blake, shook her head and stood back up to cruise the room looking at the pictures and things in it.
“Missing woman,” Shep began. “Chloe Anders, age twenty-one. Five foot nine inches tall, approximately one hundred forty pounds with short brown hair and brown eyes.”
“Is this her?” Ally queried holding up a framed photo of Chloe and the friend he’d met earlier, Nicole.
“Yes,” Shep said.
“Attractive woman,” Ally said.
“Yes,” Shep answered and still the missing Chloe didn’t hold a candle to her sister.
“She’s been missing a little over four weeks now,” Shep continued. “Recorded 9-1-1 call shows she knew she’d been drugged or at least suspected she had and called for help. Help didn’t arrive in time. Call records at least two men’s voices and the sound of her being moved from the car.”
“The car is still here?” Ally asked.
“It is still with the police but Stace can pick it up any time,” Shep stated.
“Stace?” Blake asked and lifted a brow at Shep.
“Stace Anders,” Shep answered. “She is the sister of our missing woman.”
“And?” Ally prompted.
“Chloe is a nursing student in her third year,” Shep continued not answering what they were asking. How could he when he wasn’t sure yet either? “She stopped in unplanned, as far as we can learn, at Tark’s Tavern that night and sometime while there was given a Coke, which we suspect was drugged. Nothing left in or on the car. No one remembers seeing anything at the bar. Her best friend didn’t know she was stopping at Tark’s as it wasn’t a place they hung out at. Police searched, questioned and came up with a big fat nothing. It’s as if she just disappeared into thin air,” Shep said. “And so far we’ve found nothing either.”
“So really the only thing you even have to make you think she was taken was the 9-1-1 call?” Blake asked.
“Yeah,” Shep agreed. “Otherwise it would look like she just got out and walked away from her car.”
“I’d like to see the car,” Ally said. “I think that would be my best chance to connect with her.”
“I’m sure we can talk to Stace and see about picking it up tomorrow,” Shep said glancing at his watch. “I honestly didn’t think about it today when Stace and I were there or I would have suggested it then. The lot’s closed now.”
“So where is this Stace you keep referring to?” Blake asked.
“She took a run and then hit the shower,” Shep said. “I’m sure she’ll be down any minute. So did you two go to the birthday party?” He knew they had. Her cousin Ben was the dad and as the two cousins had only reunited in recent years Shep knew that Ally and Blake would have stopped in.
“Yes, I can’t believe that little Thomas is already a year old,” Ally smiled. “Katie had the house all decorated and the cake was so cute. She and her mom Katherine had everything perfect. Oh, and you missed the big announcement since you weren’t there.”
“What announcement?” Shep wanted to know. There was always something going on with one of them. The Danielses and the large extended Madigan family that he was part of seemed to always be in the middle of something.
“Well maybe we shouldn’t tell you. Maybe it would be better if you just learned about it when you head back home,” Ally said with a laugh.
“Just tell me that everything is okay,” Shep said.
“Yes, in fact things are wonderful,” Ally said with big grin.
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