Page 103 of Nash Falls

“So what did the police say?” asked Rhett.

“They searched all over the area for him, but as of thirty minutes ago they hadn’t found him.”

“Weird that he could just vanish like that.” He put his arm around her quaking shoulders. “Anything you need, just let me know, okay?”

“Okay, Rhett, thank you.”

“Can I make you some tea, coffee?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“I watched the video, Judith. The things Maggie said about Walter. Did you ever suspect?”

She said angrily, “Do you think if I had I wouldn’t have put a stop to it?”

“Right, right, sorry, I didn’t mean that,” Rhett said quickly. “It’s just all so… messed up. Walt just seemed so… normal.”

“I… didn’t believe it, at first. I didn’twantto believe it.”

“What made you change your mind?” asked Rhett.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m a woman. And a mother. And I could not believe that my daughter would ever say those things unless they were true.”

“And Maggie mentioned a Billy Adams. Didn’t I read about him dying?”

Judith dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Detective Ramos came by early this morning. He’s working on Maggie’s disappearance.”

“What did he say?”

Judith shuddered. “It’s just unbelievable.”

“What is?”

“Walt’s Range Rover.”

“What about it?”

“Walt told me he had taken it in for service. But the police impounded it.”

“What! Why?”

She looked at him. “It was damaged. And it had paint on it. Paint they matched to Billy Adams’s car. They think Walter ran Billy off the road and killed him because Maggie had told him about what Walt had done to her.”

“Jesus. This is truly unbelievable. Walt a child molesterandmurderer.”

Judith let out a sob and bent her chest to her thighs.

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry, babe. Let me get you some coffee. Only take a minute.”

Rhett left her there and walked quickly into the kitchen. He had been to the Nashes’ for dinners and parties, so he knew where everything was. While the coffee was brewing he popped a pill to calm his nerves. He opened the door to the garage and saw Judith’s Benz and Maggie’s BMW and then the empty bay where Nash’s Rover would usually be. He shook his head, closed the door, made the coffees, and returned to the family room. Judith was sitting with her head pitched back against the sofa and her eyes closed.

“Drink some of the coffee, babe, it’ll be good for you.”

She opened her eyes, thanked him, and took a few sips.

“So, any idea where Walt could have gone?”

“No. I didn’t even know that hehadgone until I got off the phone with the police. I looked through the whole house for him. He had to have left on foot. My car and Maggie’s are still here. And the police said they checked Uber and Lyft and the taxi services. He didn’t call any of them.”