Read Online Vanishing Act by Barbara Block - Free Book Online Page B

girl with short blond hair sitting at a table piled high with books.
    Beth Wright was fine-featured, small-boned, and very pretty in a classic, understated way. Her only flaw, a nose that was ever so slightly pushed over to one side, served to underline the regularity of her other features. The color on her cheeks rose, making her even prettier, when she saw Chris coming toward her. They held hands as he explained why I wanted to speak to her. She leaned against him as he talked, and when he left, her eyes followed his progress out the door.
    Watching them brought on an attack of nostalgia. I don’t think I will ever have that intensity of feeling for someone again. Then, while I was wondering if I wanted to, Beth rose and beckoned for me to follow her. She was even shorter and smaller than she appeared sitting down. She must have been five two and ninety-eight pounds at the most.
    She stopped in the hallway and turned and faced me. Her expression was worried. She began fingering the cardigan she was wearing. “I’ve already spoken to the police,” she said. “I don’t think there’s anything I can tell you that I haven’t told them.”
    â€œSometimes if you retell something you remember a small detail or two you might have forgotten before, something that’s more important than you realize,” I told her, hoping that that would indeed be the case.
    She frowned. “There are no details. That’s the problem. I have nothing to tell anyone.”
    â€œDon’t be too sure.”
    â€œBut I am.” Her voice rose slightly. “I’m sorry you had to waste your time coming, but I really have nothing to say.”
    â€œThat’s what Chris said.”
    â€œHe’s right.”
    She reminds me of a sparrow, I thought as I told her to let me be the judge of what was important and what wasn’t. “Unless, of course, you don’t want to help,” I added.
    â€œOh, I do, I do,” Beth cried. “It’s not that.” She fingered one of her buttons. “I just hate talking about it, that’s all. It’s so upsetting, thinking that someone can just disappear.” Her eyes misted over. “And I feel guilty. I mean, I thought she’d be back. I thought she just needed to get away from things for a while.”
    Watching her, I understood why Chris hadn’t wanted to bring me here. He wasn’t hiding anything. He’d known this conversation was going to upset her. He’d been trying to protect her.
    Beth straightened her shoulders and tried for a smile. “I’m such a dunce, I don’t know how Chris puts up with me.”
    â€œI don’t think he minds.”
    â€œI know.” She grinned. “Isn’t he great?”
    I agreed that he was, and guided the conversation back to Melissa. This time Beth was willing to answer my questions. I asked her to start by telling me what had happened that day. Once Beth began talking, she kept on going. Despite what she said, it was obvious to me she was eager to share her thoughts.
    â€œWell,” she began, “Melissa left the room before I did because she had a nine o‘clock and I had a ten o’clock class. ”
    â€œWhat class?”
    â€œClinical psych. She said she was going to get some breakfast and she grabbed her backpack and walked out the door.” The corners of Beth’s mouth twitched and were still. “That was the last time I saw her.”
    â€œDid you return to the dorm at any point during the day?”
    Beth shook her head. “I had classes all day. After I was done, I went to the library, then I hung out with some friends at the Rhino. I didn’t get back to my room till after five. Bryan was waiting for me when I walked in. He was really upset.” Beth nervously unbuttoned and then rebuttoned the bottom two buttons on her cardigan. “He got even more upset when I told him I didn’t know where