couldn’t find the blue SUV,” he said. “Because those two men are staying at H ank Dodd’s property. It’s how they’ve managed to stay out of sight, and it’s the reason they were able to get to the bar so quickly once he called them. They’re waiting at Dodd’s property to pick up the girls.”
“Then where are the girls?”
“I don’t know,” Stone rubbed his chin. “But if they were kidnapped last Wednesday, it’s most likely he has them somewhere close where he can get to them. They would need food and water – and drugs. Most likely he is overdosing them on every drug imaginable until they’re so far gone they can’t resist, can’t remember their name, can’t do anything. That’s when the men will take them. That’s when they will be lost forever.”
“But that could be anytime. It could be tomorrow. How will you know?”
“You’re right,” Stone said grimly. “And I don’t know how much longer those girls have. That’s why I have to go to Dodd’s property – tonight and try to find some convincing proof I can take to the authorities. What time does the bar close?”
“Midnight.”
Stone nodded. He glanced at his watch. It wasn’t yet 7pm.
“Is he married?”
“Of course. But his wife is in Phoenix. She’s been visiting her mother for the past few weeks. The old woman is recovering from heart surgery.”
Stone smiled slowly. “Can I borrow your car?”
Lilley nodded. “Sure. When?”
“Later tonight, maybe nine or ten o’clock.”
Lilley got up from the table and went into her bedroom. She came back with the car keys and handed them to Stone. Still on her feet, she went to the oven and removed the slices of pie. She brought the food back to the table on plates with cutlery on the side, smiled warmly just like she was back serving customers at the diner.
“I hope you like it,” she said.
They ate in silence. Outside, the residents of West Street were settling in for the night. Dogs were barking, and Stone heard the rumble of an occasional car cruising down the street as residents returned home from a day’s work. Through the open kitchen window he could hear a woman in one of the houses nearby chastising a child.
The pie was good. Stone cleaned his plate and sighed. Lilley beamed across the table at him, pleased.
“You want another Coke?”
Stone shook his head. “Coffee. Please.”
She took the plates to the sink and made fresh coffee, fussing busily at the counter. Stone watched her, yet again his eyes drawn to the firm curved shape of her hips, the narrowness of her waist in the tight shorts, and the long brown length of her legs.
“I said it before, Lilley. You’re too damned beautiful to be single. Have you ever thought of finding another man?”
She turned to face him, frozen in the attitude of pouring hot water into the coffee mugs. She smiled, a weary expression. “Around here?” she asked. “There are no good men around Windswept, Jack.”
“Then have you ever thought about moving on? Maybe selling the diner and moving to the city?”
She shook her head, like it was an argument she’d had before. Maybe lots of times. “I thought about it a few years back,” she sighed. “But I don’t want to start again. I’ve put too much blood and sweat and tears into the diner, building up the business on my own to ever sell it and walk away. I don’t want to start again.”
“Not even for the right man?”
She thought about that, her expression suddenly puzzled. “Is that some kind of invitation, Jack Stone?”
“No, sorry. I’m not the right man, Lilley. I’m not right for you, and I’m not right for any long term relationship. I am going to find my sister, no matter how long it takes. That makes me the wrong man in every possible way.”
“For now.”
“Maybe for a long time.”
“But not forever …?”
Stone didn’t answer and Lilley filled the silence. “I wouldn’t leave Windswept, Jack. But I’d wait here, until the
“Then where are the girls?”
“I don’t know,” Stone rubbed his chin. “But if they were kidnapped last Wednesday, it’s most likely he has them somewhere close where he can get to them. They would need food and water – and drugs. Most likely he is overdosing them on every drug imaginable until they’re so far gone they can’t resist, can’t remember their name, can’t do anything. That’s when the men will take them. That’s when they will be lost forever.”
“But that could be anytime. It could be tomorrow. How will you know?”
“You’re right,” Stone said grimly. “And I don’t know how much longer those girls have. That’s why I have to go to Dodd’s property – tonight and try to find some convincing proof I can take to the authorities. What time does the bar close?”
“Midnight.”
Stone nodded. He glanced at his watch. It wasn’t yet 7pm.
“Is he married?”
“Of course. But his wife is in Phoenix. She’s been visiting her mother for the past few weeks. The old woman is recovering from heart surgery.”
Stone smiled slowly. “Can I borrow your car?”
Lilley nodded. “Sure. When?”
“Later tonight, maybe nine or ten o’clock.”
Lilley got up from the table and went into her bedroom. She came back with the car keys and handed them to Stone. Still on her feet, she went to the oven and removed the slices of pie. She brought the food back to the table on plates with cutlery on the side, smiled warmly just like she was back serving customers at the diner.
“I hope you like it,” she said.
They ate in silence. Outside, the residents of West Street were settling in for the night. Dogs were barking, and Stone heard the rumble of an occasional car cruising down the street as residents returned home from a day’s work. Through the open kitchen window he could hear a woman in one of the houses nearby chastising a child.
The pie was good. Stone cleaned his plate and sighed. Lilley beamed across the table at him, pleased.
“You want another Coke?”
Stone shook his head. “Coffee. Please.”
She took the plates to the sink and made fresh coffee, fussing busily at the counter. Stone watched her, yet again his eyes drawn to the firm curved shape of her hips, the narrowness of her waist in the tight shorts, and the long brown length of her legs.
“I said it before, Lilley. You’re too damned beautiful to be single. Have you ever thought of finding another man?”
She turned to face him, frozen in the attitude of pouring hot water into the coffee mugs. She smiled, a weary expression. “Around here?” she asked. “There are no good men around Windswept, Jack.”
“Then have you ever thought about moving on? Maybe selling the diner and moving to the city?”
She shook her head, like it was an argument she’d had before. Maybe lots of times. “I thought about it a few years back,” she sighed. “But I don’t want to start again. I’ve put too much blood and sweat and tears into the diner, building up the business on my own to ever sell it and walk away. I don’t want to start again.”
“Not even for the right man?”
She thought about that, her expression suddenly puzzled. “Is that some kind of invitation, Jack Stone?”
“No, sorry. I’m not the right man, Lilley. I’m not right for you, and I’m not right for any long term relationship. I am going to find my sister, no matter how long it takes. That makes me the wrong man in every possible way.”
“For now.”
“Maybe for a long time.”
“But not forever …?”
Stone didn’t answer and Lilley filled the silence. “I wouldn’t leave Windswept, Jack. But I’d wait here, until the
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