Page 13 of Vanish From Sight (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #2)

“I have no reason to think otherwise. Thoughts?” he asked, leaning against the vehicle on the driver’s side as she held the door open on the passenger side.

Callie glanced back at the building. “None right now but I’ve always had my doubts about private institutions.”

Keene was a small town southeast of High Peaks, a speck on the map with just over a thousand people.

It sat along the East Branch of the Ausable River and the foothills of Mount Marcy, the mountain with the highest peak in all of the Adirondacks and New York State.

The area included the hamlets of Keene, Keene Valley and St. Huberts.

Most locals agreed that Keene Valley had some of the best views of the region, so much so that it was referred to as “The Home of the High Peaks.” Noah recalled visiting the area with his school to go climbing.

With so much rock and ice on both sides of Route 73, and the famous Beer Walls, it drew in climbers from out of state, and was considered the go-to for avid outdoor enthusiasts.

“Have you seen Alicia since you’ve returned?” Callie asked, reaching forward and turning up the heat.

Noah adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. “Haven’t had the time between searching for a place and work.”

“I figured she would put you up.”

“How so?”

“Oh, you know, the history you have.”

He glanced over as they got nearer the Evans residence.

“What do you know of that?”

“A little. Mostly from what Luke told me.”

“You see her around much?”

“From time to time. She’s seeing someone.”

Noah cut her another glance. “And that would matter to me because…?”

“Oh, I just thought you two were an item.” Callie said it as if she didn’t care but Noah had a sense she was digging for information.

He chuckled. “Don’t let her ever catch you saying that.”

The Bronco rolled into a gorgeous property framed by acres of woodland.

It had 180-degree views of the highest peaks.

The home was mid-century modern with a steel roof and sleek, minimalist architecture that seamlessly blended in with its natural surroundings.

From the outside, the front of the home featured clean lines and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The exterior was a mixture of natural wood, stone and glass, creating a sense of harmony with the environment.

As they rolled up the driveway, Noah was taken aback. It had a spacious outdoor deck that was perfect for lounging or taking in the views. It was full of comfortable and stylish outdoor furniture and had a stainless-steel BBQ grill for cooking .

“Quite the property,” Noah muttered. Still, it faded in comparison to the five-million-dollar abode he’d been offered.

“Puts my place to shame,” she said.

Stepping out, Noah glanced off to his right toward lush greenery and towering trees. It all led away down a gently sloping hill toward a shimmering lake.

Noah knocked while Callie walked around the side, speaking into her radio to update dispatch on her whereabouts.

“Noah.”

He glanced her way and she motioned for him to follow. He came around and could see a man down near the lake, working away clearing weeds and tossing them into a wheelbarrow. Noah squinted as the light of the day shone in his eyes.

“Morning,” Noah said, taking in the sense of peace and serenity that could only be found far from the hustle of city living.

The man dumped the long weeds in his arms into the barrel.

He cupped a hand over his brow, squinting at them.

He was dressed in a faded T-shirt, well-worn jeans and gardening gloves, a change from the suit-and-tie attire that came with the hectic world of finance.

“Mr. Evans.”

“Yes?”

“I’m Senior Investigator Noah Sutherland, State Police, and this is Deputy Thorne. Could we speak with you inside?”

“Whatever you need to say, you can say it here.”

Noah caught an edge to his voice and nodded.

He glanced at Callie who raised her eyebrows.

It wasn’t uncommon to find folks who were leery of letting police inside their home, let alone speaking with them.

Then again, it depended on what they had to hide and what their past history of interactions had been with the law.

“What is this about?” he asked.

“Would you know where your wife, Katherine, is? ”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

“You’re saying you don’t know?”

“I’m saying she never told me.” He stared at them both, then scoffed before saying in a quiet voice, as he took off his gloves, “Let me guess. Katherine decided to file some bogus charge against me. Is that it? You know this isn’t the first time she’s done this — run away — but I didn’t think she would go this far. ”

“No charges have been filed against you, Mr. Evans.”

He gave them a confused look. Noah tended to hold back from releasing information because a lot could be gleaned from the reaction of someone before they found out the truth. Some would be quick to tell stories, to come up with alibis on the spot even when he hadn’t said a crime had been committed.

“Then what’s happened?”

“That’s what we were hoping you might tell us,” Noah said.

Again, he fed him a line, a last chance to see what he might say.

“She’s been gone for five or six days. I assume she is staying with a friend, her mother, or…” He looked away, a painful expression masking his face. “At the shelter.” He dropped his chin.

“A shelter?”

“For women. Like I said, this isn’t the first time she’s left without saying where she was going. Last time it happened, over a year ago, she didn’t even tell her parents. Of all places, I found out through her work. I figured she’d done the same again.”

“What was the reason for leaving last time?”

“Work stress, loss of someone in the family, and tension in our relationship. Look. Whatever she’s told you, take it with a grain of salt because I’ve never once laid a hand on her. Argue. Sure. We’ve done that. Who hasn’t. But I sure as hell know where to draw the line.”

He paused to wipe sweat from his brow and stretch his back .

“And this time?”

“I couldn’t tell you. I mean, things were good, as good as they could be between us. Her work. That was another thing entirely.”

“And that’s why you never filed a missing person report?”

“Why would I? She returned last time. A few months later, but she eventually came home.”

Noah glanced across the sparkling lake. “Last time. How long after she left was it before you found out she was at the shelter?”

“Within a day. I got worried. I called her parents. They hadn’t seen her. I phoned a few friends. No luck. I then got a call from her work. Alexander Hawthorne told me she was there and she didn’t want to see me but she wanted me to know she was safe.”

“And this time? You didn’t think to call the workplace?”

“Like I said. I figured it was the same.” He paused.

“Detective, do you know how humiliating it is to call a prestigious school and ask where your wife is because she hasn’t come home?

Then to find out that she was staying in a women’s shelter?

” He shook his head. “Even after she came back, it wasn’t the same.

The way people looked at me. Oh, they might have said they understood but somewhere in the back of their mind, I know they were thinking — did I lay a hand on her?

What did I do so terrible that she felt she had to go to a shelter?

The truth is, Mr. Sutherland, I don’t even know.

But one thing I do know, is I didn’t lay one finger on her.

I never even got up in her face. The only reason she didn’t go to her parents was because they would have sent her right back to me.

And she wasn’t in the frame of mind to be here.

I’m not excusing my contribution to her mental decline but I am saying that I wasn’t the sole reason why she upped and walked out that door.

Yet it was made to look that way because is she really going to blame her job or a loss in the family?

” He took a deep breath. “Look, has she told you when she might be back? Given you a number? I tried to contact her cell but never got a response.”

“Mr. Evans. You have a dog, yes?”

“Sonny?”

He nodded.

Noah continued. “Your wife never updated the registration.”

“Registration? I don’t know about that. It was her decision to bring the dog home. I was against it. You know — what with our busy schedule and all.”

“You work for the bank in High Peaks.”

“That’s right. And she…”

“Was at the Academy.”

Nicholas nodded, his gaze bouncing again.

“I mean if we had children, maybe I would have been all for keeping a dog. Especially if the kids were old enough to look after it but… look, what is going on and where is Sonny?”

“In good hands.”

He got this puzzled look on his face. “He’s not with Katherine?” There was a moment of confusion and then he staggered back as if a picture was forming in his mind. “Oh God. No. No. She didn’t.”

“Mr. Evans?”

“Did she do it?”

“Do what?”

“Harm herself. The woman recently pulled from the lake. Was that her?”

“What would make you think that?”

“Well, it’s been in the news. Please. Is it her?”

“We still need to confirm through dental records but… based on a photo from her work, we have reason to believe so.” Right there and then, Nicholas broke down. His legs buckled beneath him.