lifted his head and bayed.
“Can’t you shut him up?” Octavia snapped.
“The alarm probably hurts his ears,” Linda said, but rubbed his head to quiet him.
A security officer arrived on the scene first, then a police car. The alarm continued to wail. The police
talked to a bystander who waved in the direction the teenagers had gone. Notes were taken. Much head-
scratching ensued. More gawkers arrived.
But no Richard.
At length, the alarm stopped. A repairman showed up with a toolbox and a piece of plywood to cover
the broken window. Within forty-five minutes, everyone was gone.
Linda could tell that Octavia was bitterly disappointed.
“We can wait a few more minutes,” she offered, although they’d be cutting it close to get home before
the kids.
“No.” Octavia sat back in the seat. “Let’s go.”
Linda started the van and pulled out. “Would any of his friends know where he is, or maybe his
secretary?”
“I called them and no. His secretary said he told her he had a family emergency, and needed to close the
office for a couple of weeks. His friends haven’t heard from him.”
“Have you contacted his family?”
“There’s only his brother in Denver, and they’re not close. I called him and he hasn’t talked to Richard
since the holidays.”
She decided this wasn’t the best time to point out that the two of them usually only spoke during the
holidays. “Are you going to report him missing? I can ask Detective Hall to make some inquiries.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
From the utter despair in her voice, Linda knew Octavia was referring to more than Richard. She
glanced at her glamorous sister, who was accustomed to valet parking and personal shoppers, now reduced
to wearing discount clothes and sharing her seat in a minivan with a dog, and her heart contracted.
“I have a confession to make,” Linda said.
Octavia looked suspicious. “What?”
“This morning, when you said you’d done everything wrong...”
“You have to remind me?”
“No. I didn’t say anything because...that’s how I feel, too.” Linda wet her lips. “I chose a family over a
career, and I put all my energy into Sullivan and what he wanted out of life. And now...look at me.” She
blinked back tears. “I don’t know what I’m going to do either.”
Octavia gave a little laugh. “We’re a fine pair. I wish I could help you financially, Linda, but I can’t.”
“And I wish — ” Linda stopped. “Wait...maybe I can help you.”
“You’re giving me a place to stay.”
“No, I mean I have Sullivan’s agency.”
“What about it?”
“Well, I’ll have to shut it down, of course. But I know the agency has access to information that’s not
available to the average citizen. Maybe we can use those resources to find Richard.”
Octavia sat up. “Really?”
Linda shrugged. “We can try. I have to go by the agency tomorrow to talk to the office manager about
closing out the books and ending the lease.”
“Okay...it’s a start.”
Linda’s phone rang, and it was just out of reach. Her heart jumped to her throat — had one of the kids
changed their mind about school and wanted to come home? “Can you see who’s calling?”
Octavia picked it up and glanced at the screen. “Oakley Hall.”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “Let it roll over to voice mail.”
Octavia arched a brow. “He seems very...attentive.”
Linda shifted in her seat. “He’s Sullivan’s best friend. He’s just concerned.”
“Oakley Hall...why is he familiar to me?”
“I, uh...might’ve dated him once.”
“Only once?”
“Maybe twice.”
“Do tell,” Octavia said, leaning close. Even Max perked an ear.
“Nothing to tell,” Linda said breezily. “I met Oakley first, but as it turned out, Sullivan and I were more
suited.”
“Hm.”
“How long have you lived in your house?” Linda asked to change the subject.
As expected, Octavia’s face lit
“Can’t you shut him up?” Octavia snapped.
“The alarm probably hurts his ears,” Linda said, but rubbed his head to quiet him.
A security officer arrived on the scene first, then a police car. The alarm continued to wail. The police
talked to a bystander who waved in the direction the teenagers had gone. Notes were taken. Much head-
scratching ensued. More gawkers arrived.
But no Richard.
At length, the alarm stopped. A repairman showed up with a toolbox and a piece of plywood to cover
the broken window. Within forty-five minutes, everyone was gone.
Linda could tell that Octavia was bitterly disappointed.
“We can wait a few more minutes,” she offered, although they’d be cutting it close to get home before
the kids.
“No.” Octavia sat back in the seat. “Let’s go.”
Linda started the van and pulled out. “Would any of his friends know where he is, or maybe his
secretary?”
“I called them and no. His secretary said he told her he had a family emergency, and needed to close the
office for a couple of weeks. His friends haven’t heard from him.”
“Have you contacted his family?”
“There’s only his brother in Denver, and they’re not close. I called him and he hasn’t talked to Richard
since the holidays.”
She decided this wasn’t the best time to point out that the two of them usually only spoke during the
holidays. “Are you going to report him missing? I can ask Detective Hall to make some inquiries.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
From the utter despair in her voice, Linda knew Octavia was referring to more than Richard. She
glanced at her glamorous sister, who was accustomed to valet parking and personal shoppers, now reduced
to wearing discount clothes and sharing her seat in a minivan with a dog, and her heart contracted.
“I have a confession to make,” Linda said.
Octavia looked suspicious. “What?”
“This morning, when you said you’d done everything wrong...”
“You have to remind me?”
“No. I didn’t say anything because...that’s how I feel, too.” Linda wet her lips. “I chose a family over a
career, and I put all my energy into Sullivan and what he wanted out of life. And now...look at me.” She
blinked back tears. “I don’t know what I’m going to do either.”
Octavia gave a little laugh. “We’re a fine pair. I wish I could help you financially, Linda, but I can’t.”
“And I wish — ” Linda stopped. “Wait...maybe I can help you.”
“You’re giving me a place to stay.”
“No, I mean I have Sullivan’s agency.”
“What about it?”
“Well, I’ll have to shut it down, of course. But I know the agency has access to information that’s not
available to the average citizen. Maybe we can use those resources to find Richard.”
Octavia sat up. “Really?”
Linda shrugged. “We can try. I have to go by the agency tomorrow to talk to the office manager about
closing out the books and ending the lease.”
“Okay...it’s a start.”
Linda’s phone rang, and it was just out of reach. Her heart jumped to her throat — had one of the kids
changed their mind about school and wanted to come home? “Can you see who’s calling?”
Octavia picked it up and glanced at the screen. “Oakley Hall.”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “Let it roll over to voice mail.”
Octavia arched a brow. “He seems very...attentive.”
Linda shifted in her seat. “He’s Sullivan’s best friend. He’s just concerned.”
“Oakley Hall...why is he familiar to me?”
“I, uh...might’ve dated him once.”
“Only once?”
“Maybe twice.”
“Do tell,” Octavia said, leaning close. Even Max perked an ear.
“Nothing to tell,” Linda said breezily. “I met Oakley first, but as it turned out, Sullivan and I were more
suited.”
“Hm.”
“How long have you lived in your house?” Linda asked to change the subject.
As expected, Octavia’s face lit
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