look in the hall closet revealed Jenna had left without her matching set of luggage. Neither Eric nor the manager knew enough about Jenna’s wardrobe to determine if clothes were missing, but they agreed that if Jenna had gone somewhere, she’d packed lightly.
The bathroom bothered them the most. Toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, everything a person would use on a daily basis was there on the countertop. A magazine was open on the floor.
“I think we should call the police,” Dottie said as she bent down to see what Jenna had been reading.
“I talked to a detective yesterday. He’s a friend of mine.” Eric picked up the deodorant. It was a generic, unscented brand. “He seemed to think I was overreacting.” The soap by the sink was the clear, see-through kind. He picked it up and sniffed; also unscented.
You could learn a lot about a person in their bathroom, he decided. Jenna didn’t seem to have any curlers, blow dryers, or other hair gizmos, meaning her curly hair was probably natural. The amount of make-up seemed minimal too. Eric realized Dottie had been talking to him.
“What if she was kidnapped? Did you file a missing person report?”
“Not yet. Do you have her mother’s name or address in her rental application?”
“Only if she used her for a reference.” Dottie twisted her hands nervously. “Should we look through her address book for it?”
“Maybe we won’t have to.” Eric headed back to the kitchen where he’d seen a cordless phone. Next to it was a list of names and numbers with “Mom” right on top. Eric picked up the phone and started to dial.
“Wait!” Dottie grabbed his hand. “You can’t just call her up and say ‘I think your daughter’s missing, have you seen her?’ If Jenna’s not there, her poor mother will worry herself to death, and we don’t know anything for sure.”
“You’re right.” Eric set the phone down. He hadn’t thought about how Mrs. McClure might react. He could get around that. The survey ploy usually worked. “I have an idea.” He dialed the number again. A woman’s voice answered on the second ring. The voice was high-pitched and uptight, completely unlike Jenna’s warm, friendly alto.
Eric jumped right into his spiel. “Hello. This is Michael Fish with KVAL. We’re conducting a survey to find out what your favorite programs are. Do you have a minute?”
“I don’t watch KVAL. That guy that does the weather is a weirdo.” Mrs. McClure seemed irritated.
“What station do you watch?”
“I like the Discovery Channel. Most of that other stuff is garbage.”
“Are there any other viewers in your household?”
“Nope.”
“What about guests? Will anyone in your household be watching one of the three major networks tonight?” Eric remembered Jenna didn’t have a TV and might not watch even if she was at her mother’s.
“Well,” Mrs. McClure pretended to consider the question. “I’d have to say no. I’m going out to play bingo, and the cats haven’t figured out how to turn the TV on.”
The dial tone buzzed in Eric’s ear. He turned to Dottie. “I don’t think Jenna’s at her mother’s.”
“Are you going to file a missing person report or should I?” Dottie twisted the rings on her fat little fingers and blinked back tears.
“I will.” Eric wanted to say something kind, but couldn’t think of anything that sounded sincere. He was just as worried as Dottie. “I’m going to copy some of these names and numbers. The police might want them for their investigation.”
“Do it quickly, please. I want to get out of here. It feels creepy to be in the apartment with Jenna gone.”
Eric wanted to snoop more, but he pulled out his notebook and copied the list, skipping entries like Tsunami Books and Dr. Lovell (dentist). He did another quick tour of the spacious apartment, hoping to see something obvious he’d missed, like airline tickets or travel brochures. Nothing caught his eye except a large collection
The bathroom bothered them the most. Toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, everything a person would use on a daily basis was there on the countertop. A magazine was open on the floor.
“I think we should call the police,” Dottie said as she bent down to see what Jenna had been reading.
“I talked to a detective yesterday. He’s a friend of mine.” Eric picked up the deodorant. It was a generic, unscented brand. “He seemed to think I was overreacting.” The soap by the sink was the clear, see-through kind. He picked it up and sniffed; also unscented.
You could learn a lot about a person in their bathroom, he decided. Jenna didn’t seem to have any curlers, blow dryers, or other hair gizmos, meaning her curly hair was probably natural. The amount of make-up seemed minimal too. Eric realized Dottie had been talking to him.
“What if she was kidnapped? Did you file a missing person report?”
“Not yet. Do you have her mother’s name or address in her rental application?”
“Only if she used her for a reference.” Dottie twisted her hands nervously. “Should we look through her address book for it?”
“Maybe we won’t have to.” Eric headed back to the kitchen where he’d seen a cordless phone. Next to it was a list of names and numbers with “Mom” right on top. Eric picked up the phone and started to dial.
“Wait!” Dottie grabbed his hand. “You can’t just call her up and say ‘I think your daughter’s missing, have you seen her?’ If Jenna’s not there, her poor mother will worry herself to death, and we don’t know anything for sure.”
“You’re right.” Eric set the phone down. He hadn’t thought about how Mrs. McClure might react. He could get around that. The survey ploy usually worked. “I have an idea.” He dialed the number again. A woman’s voice answered on the second ring. The voice was high-pitched and uptight, completely unlike Jenna’s warm, friendly alto.
Eric jumped right into his spiel. “Hello. This is Michael Fish with KVAL. We’re conducting a survey to find out what your favorite programs are. Do you have a minute?”
“I don’t watch KVAL. That guy that does the weather is a weirdo.” Mrs. McClure seemed irritated.
“What station do you watch?”
“I like the Discovery Channel. Most of that other stuff is garbage.”
“Are there any other viewers in your household?”
“Nope.”
“What about guests? Will anyone in your household be watching one of the three major networks tonight?” Eric remembered Jenna didn’t have a TV and might not watch even if she was at her mother’s.
“Well,” Mrs. McClure pretended to consider the question. “I’d have to say no. I’m going out to play bingo, and the cats haven’t figured out how to turn the TV on.”
The dial tone buzzed in Eric’s ear. He turned to Dottie. “I don’t think Jenna’s at her mother’s.”
“Are you going to file a missing person report or should I?” Dottie twisted the rings on her fat little fingers and blinked back tears.
“I will.” Eric wanted to say something kind, but couldn’t think of anything that sounded sincere. He was just as worried as Dottie. “I’m going to copy some of these names and numbers. The police might want them for their investigation.”
“Do it quickly, please. I want to get out of here. It feels creepy to be in the apartment with Jenna gone.”
Eric wanted to snoop more, but he pulled out his notebook and copied the list, skipping entries like Tsunami Books and Dr. Lovell (dentist). He did another quick tour of the spacious apartment, hoping to see something obvious he’d missed, like airline tickets or travel brochures. Nothing caught his eye except a large collection
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