Read Online Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark - Free Book Online
Authors: Mary Higgins Clark
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we'll make the headlines tonight. You'd better have a statement ready.'
With numbed fingers, the Chief dug into his coat pocket. 'I've scribbled one down.' He read it quickly. 'We are conducting a massive effort to find the Eldredge children. Volunteers are making a block-by-block search of the immediate vicinity of their home as well as the neighbouring wooded areas. Helicopters are conducting an air reconnaissance. The search of Maushop Lake, because of its proximity to the Eldredge home, must be considered a normal extension of the investigation.'
But a few minutes later, when he delivered that statement to the growing assemblage of reporters, one of them asked, 'Is it true that Nancy Eldredge was found hysterical and drenched in this area of Maushop Lake this morning after her children disappeared?'
"That is true.'
A thin, sharp-eyed reporter who he knew was connected with Boston Channel 5's news team asked, 'In view of that fact and her past history, doesn't the search of the lake take on a new aspect?'
'We are exploring all possibilities.'
Now the questions came thick and fast, the reporters interrupting one another to ask them. 'In view of the past tragedy, wouldn't the disappearance of the Eldredge children be considered of suspicious origin?'
'To answer that question could prejudice Mrs Eldredge's rights.'
'When will you question her again?'
'As soon as possible.'
'Is it known whether Mrs Eldredge was aware of the article about her that came out this morning?'
'I believe she was.'
'What was her reaction to that article?'
'I can't say.'
'Isn't it a fact that most if not all of the people in this town were unaware of Mrs Eldredge's past?'
'That is true.'
'Were you aware of her identity?'
'No. I was not.' The Chief spoke through clenched teeth. 'No more questions.'
Then, before he could get away, another question came. A reporter from the Boston Herald blocked his path. All the other news personnel stopped trying to get the Chiefs attention when they heard him ask loudly, 'Sir, in the past six years haven't there been several unsolved deaths of young children both on the Cape and on the nearby mainland?'
'That is true.'
'Chief Coffin, how long has Nancy Harmon Eldredge been living on the Cape?'
'Six years, I believe.'
'Thank you, Chief.'
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jonathan Knowles did not realize how much time was slipping by. Neither was he aware of the activity in the area near Maushop Lake, His subconscious had registered the fact that heavier-than-usual traffic was passing on the road in front of his house. But his study was to the back of the house, and much of the sound was filtered out before it came to his ears.
After the first shock of realizing that Ray Eldredge's wife was the notorious Nancy Harmon, he'd got another cup of coffee and settled down at his desk. He resolved to stick to his schedule - to begin to study the Harmon murder case just as he'd planned. If he found that knowing Nancy Harmon personally in some way clouded his ability to write about her, he'd simply eliminate this chapter from his book.
He began his research by carefully studying the sensational article in the Cape paper. With grim detail that insidiously evoked horror in the reader, it reviewed Nancy Harmon's background as the young wife of a college professor . . . two children ... a home on the college campus. An ideal situation until the day Professor Harmon sent a student to his house to repair the oil burner. The student was good-looking, glib and experienced with women. And Nancy - barely twenty-five herself - had flipped over him.
Jonathan read excerpts from the trial testimony in the article. The student, Rob Legler, explained how he had met Nancy. 'When Professor Harmon got that call from his wife about the oil burner not working, I was in his office. There's just nothing mechanical I can't fix, so I volunteered to go over. He didn't want me to do it, but he couldn't get the regular maintenance service and had
With numbed fingers, the Chief dug into his coat pocket. 'I've scribbled one down.' He read it quickly. 'We are conducting a massive effort to find the Eldredge children. Volunteers are making a block-by-block search of the immediate vicinity of their home as well as the neighbouring wooded areas. Helicopters are conducting an air reconnaissance. The search of Maushop Lake, because of its proximity to the Eldredge home, must be considered a normal extension of the investigation.'
But a few minutes later, when he delivered that statement to the growing assemblage of reporters, one of them asked, 'Is it true that Nancy Eldredge was found hysterical and drenched in this area of Maushop Lake this morning after her children disappeared?'
"That is true.'
A thin, sharp-eyed reporter who he knew was connected with Boston Channel 5's news team asked, 'In view of that fact and her past history, doesn't the search of the lake take on a new aspect?'
'We are exploring all possibilities.'
Now the questions came thick and fast, the reporters interrupting one another to ask them. 'In view of the past tragedy, wouldn't the disappearance of the Eldredge children be considered of suspicious origin?'
'To answer that question could prejudice Mrs Eldredge's rights.'
'When will you question her again?'
'As soon as possible.'
'Is it known whether Mrs Eldredge was aware of the article about her that came out this morning?'
'I believe she was.'
'What was her reaction to that article?'
'I can't say.'
'Isn't it a fact that most if not all of the people in this town were unaware of Mrs Eldredge's past?'
'That is true.'
'Were you aware of her identity?'
'No. I was not.' The Chief spoke through clenched teeth. 'No more questions.'
Then, before he could get away, another question came. A reporter from the Boston Herald blocked his path. All the other news personnel stopped trying to get the Chiefs attention when they heard him ask loudly, 'Sir, in the past six years haven't there been several unsolved deaths of young children both on the Cape and on the nearby mainland?'
'That is true.'
'Chief Coffin, how long has Nancy Harmon Eldredge been living on the Cape?'
'Six years, I believe.'
'Thank you, Chief.'
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jonathan Knowles did not realize how much time was slipping by. Neither was he aware of the activity in the area near Maushop Lake, His subconscious had registered the fact that heavier-than-usual traffic was passing on the road in front of his house. But his study was to the back of the house, and much of the sound was filtered out before it came to his ears.
After the first shock of realizing that Ray Eldredge's wife was the notorious Nancy Harmon, he'd got another cup of coffee and settled down at his desk. He resolved to stick to his schedule - to begin to study the Harmon murder case just as he'd planned. If he found that knowing Nancy Harmon personally in some way clouded his ability to write about her, he'd simply eliminate this chapter from his book.
He began his research by carefully studying the sensational article in the Cape paper. With grim detail that insidiously evoked horror in the reader, it reviewed Nancy Harmon's background as the young wife of a college professor . . . two children ... a home on the college campus. An ideal situation until the day Professor Harmon sent a student to his house to repair the oil burner. The student was good-looking, glib and experienced with women. And Nancy - barely twenty-five herself - had flipped over him.
Jonathan read excerpts from the trial testimony in the article. The student, Rob Legler, explained how he had met Nancy. 'When Professor Harmon got that call from his wife about the oil burner not working, I was in his office. There's just nothing mechanical I can't fix, so I volunteered to go over. He didn't want me to do it, but he couldn't get the regular maintenance service and had
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