Read Online When Memories Fade by Tyora Moody - Free Book Online Page B

assigned to Serena for the previous interviews.
    Rick answered, “About two miles. You want to head there next? Do you think they will want to do another interview?”
    Rick had a point. Due to Melanie’s fame from being on American Voices, there was national media hanging out all the time at the Stowes’ house. “I’d like to try. I want to see if we can find out where the father is hiding. Don’t you think it’s odd that he hasn’t shown his face at all?”
    â€œYeah! If it was my kid, I would be out there searching for her. You know it’s crazy that she was snatched up just like that and no one saw a thing.”
    Wes pondered out loud. “I know. She had to be heading toward her car. Somebody must have been watching her all night.”
    When Melanie’s friends finally came out of the club, they noticed her car was still in the parking lot, but there was no sign of Melanie. They didn’t waste any time calling the police, which was a good thing. Did Melanie have some kind of stalker? With her being on a national television show, who knows what overzealous fan had fixated on her.
    Wes often wondered what happened later to people who had the infamous fifteen minutes of fame from being on reality shows and in talent contests. Melanie was talented. Did offers come in for her even though she wasn’t a winner? She had made it to being the fourth finalist. Really, if she had had more votes, Wes gathered, like others, she could have won the competition that season.
    Both men finished loading the car. While Rick drove to the Stowes’ home, Wes looked at his notes. Melanie had had her own apartment up until a month before she disappeared. Maybe for financial reasons, she’d moved back home. A home where, according to Mrs. Yarber, Melanie was at odds with or not really cared for by her stepmother. The more he read about Mrs. Gladys Stowe, the more he wanted to meet her for himself. After her husband had gone to prison, Gladys had raised his daughter until she graduated. Melanie had moved out right after her high school graduation. Why did she return? Had the relationship between the two women improved?
    Wes could tell as they drew closer to the Stowes’ home that there was a crowd of reporters staked out around the house. It had been almost a week since the twenty-one-year-old went missing. If Melanie had been an average woman of color, one without the national spotlight, the news story would have been reported locally, but not nationally, and certainly not almost a week later.
    Rick asked, “What do you want to do?”
    â€œLet’s regroup. It might be better to focus on the boyfriend, Jay Strong.” Wes had a few contacts that used to work with Pops. They might be willing to share some details. In the case of a missing person, it was important to relay any clues or details to the public.
    Wes pulled out his phone and clicked through a few e-mails. One message caught his attention. Mainly because it was a notification e-mail from Facebook. He had received some great tips from social media and always anticipated coming across something good. To his surprise, the message was from Angel Roberts. She wanted to meet with him tomorrow for lunch at Southern Soul Café. Well, this was good. At least he hoped it was. He was certainly looking forward to seeing her again.

Chapter Thirteen
    Angel had spent the morning with her grandmother. Hard to believe it had been almost a week since Fredricka had her stroke. She still was having trouble talking, but Angel thanked the Lord for every sign of improvement. To see some of the spark back in Grams’s eyes gave Angel hope. She is going to be okay.
    A bundle of nerves, Angel entered Southern Soul Café. She still couldn’t believe she’d invited Wes to lunch. The Wes Cade. Showing up at the Cades’ house on Sunday and now this . . . She’d had a surge of forwardness that she couldn’t