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Chapter Thirty-Nine

At breakfast the next morning, Alan and I discussed those details about our case that stymied us. First, we couldn’t understand why Lindsey was so evasive about the time she spoke to Liz on the Saturday evening before Clare arrived; then, what did Damien Sterling have to do with our missing person.

“Do you think we should call Janice Walker this morning?” I asked. “It’s rather rude that she never called us back.”

“Later,” Alan said after sipping his coffee. “Damien might not have answered his house phone last night. If you recall, he doesn’t have a cell phone.”

“Well, she could have let us know.” I dabbed jelly on my toast while I thought through the particulars. “We should focus on the J.W.s, and eliminate those who couldn’t have anything to do with Liz’s disappearance.”

Alan gave me his attention. “Okay. I’d say we don’t worry about Jane Windsor because she’s old and frail. Besides, Liz took her out to eat and bought her groceries each week.”

“True,” I agreed. “What about Jim Withers?”

“He went above and beyond to search his property for Liz. What motive would he have to kidnap her?”

“I can’t think of any reason, other than the accounts Ed managed for him. If I recall, he mentioned money being tight.”

“Detaining Liz wouldn’t help his income stream,” Alan said. “He needed her out raising funds, so I’d take him off our list.”

I agreed with a twinge of reluctance because it led us to the next person. “That leaves us with Janice Walker.”

“Don’t forget about Joe Wiley,” Alan cautioned.

“A respected doctor in the community wouldn’t risk his reputation by doing anything nefarious,” I said. “Initially, I didn’t trust him because Jane called him “spyly Wiley,” but he’s not the type to get his hands dirty, if you know what I mean.”

Alan nodded. “I agree, which is the reason why Lindsey was so evasive.” He smiled at my confused expression. “She didn’t know what time Liz returned her call because she hadn’t received it. I’d say “spyly Wiley” intercepted it.”

“There’s no missing bracelet?” I questioned.

“I don’t know. Lindsey may have been the one to call, but she didn’t receive the call back.”

I leaned in to think, but didn’t fully buy Alan’s rationale. “It makes perfect sense that someone wants Clare to leave so he or she can search the house for something. Do you really think Joe Wiley is the type to throw a rock into her second floor window?”

He shook his head. “No, but I’m guessing Lindsey could, especially since she’d have a strong arm from golfing.”

“Hmmm,” I murmured. “Do we eliminate Janice Walker?”

“I believe she knows something, so she’s not off the hook.”

I took a deep breath. “According to the phone records, did Liz make any calls on Sunday?”

“No, she didn’t use her phone after the two I mentioned.”

“Were there any calls from Clare?”

Alan nodded. “Numerous ones, but I don’t think she ever received them. That’s what makes me believe she was kidnapped on Saturday night.”

“How’d you get so good at this?” I asked.

He laughed. “How many years have I served on a police force?”

“Were you just pretending I solved those other cases?”

“No. You have a remarkable ability to make connections, and I don’t have that gift. You’ve said it’s like finding the missing puzzle piece, so get looking, pal.”

I ate my last half of toast while Alan took his dishes to the sink. This case seemed impossible but, somehow, I had to urge my brain into overdrive. What important element had I missed? Liz’s life could be at stake.

^^^

Alan called me into the sunroom to read an email that arrived in the SAJ Detective Agency inbox during the wee hours of morning. It was from “Anonymous Tipster” who saw a person who looked like Liz Sterling getting gas at the Xpress Station on route 690 about a week ago.

“Where’s that located?” I queried.

Alan opened the map app on his phone. “Not too far from Sterling Lane. I think we need to take a ride out there.”

“I want Sophie to come with us.”

“That’s fine,” he agreed. “First, give Janice a call to ask why she didn’t report back to us about whether or not Liz brought food to Damien that Saturday night. If we can trust the anonymous tip, she did.”

I pressed Janice’s number, but it went right to voicemail. I left a message for her to return my call.

Alan looked annoyed about her lack of response, but shook it off before reaching out to Clare. When she connected, he asked, “Would you like to pay a visit to Damien Sterling this morning?”

She agreed without hesitation, saying she’d walk over with Sophie in a few minutes.

In the meantime, Alan called another number. “Cyber Unit, please.” He waited for the transfer, then identified himself, as well as his badge number. “I’d like the name for the following IP address, please.” A moment later, he thanked the person and disconnected.

I caught his astonished expression. “What was that about?”

“I called the county police’s cyber unit.”

“I figured that much,” I said with a chuckle.

“Our anonymous tipster is Janice Walker.”

I gasped. “Are you serious?”

“Very much so.” He kept shaking his head.

I sat next to him on the loveseat, trying to make sense of everything, at least until Clare arrived with our dog. Sophie jumped on me, giving me wet doggy kisses, even as she worked to unhook the leash.

Clare apologized. “I think she missed you.”

I wrapped my arms around my sixty-pound love bug. “We missed her, too. Did you have a good night?”

“We slept well, but didn’t find any bracelet. Did we, girl?”

Sophie wagged her tail. In fact, she seemed to have a new mission of helping Clare.

“I wouldn’t worry about the bracelet,” Alan said. “It might have been a red herring.”

She looked confused. “What does that mean?”

Alan replied, “Something to throw us off. We’ve had a few of those lately. In fact, we just learned that a credible witness who recently saw your sister was none other than Liz’s sister-in-law.”

“Janice Walker?”

“You’ve got it,” Alan muttered.

“I thought we were going to see Damien,” she remarked.

Alan nodded. “We are, but I doubt he knows anything.”

I contradicted him. “I think he does.”

She stared at the two of us. “Is this how the SAJ Detective Agency works? The two of you bounce ideas back and forth?”

I nodded. “I hadn’t thought about it like that, but I guess we do.”

Alan smiled cunningly. “Just wait until Sue’s intuition kicks in. She’ll solve the mystery, and all will be well.”

“I’m not even close on this one,” I said begrudgingly.

Alan grinned. “Just you wait,” he told Clare.