Page 72 of Vanish From Sight

“Listen, can you have someone check her computer, find out if she told anyone in the office where she was going?”

“I’m on my way there now. I’ll see what I can dig up and get back to you.”

Noah hung up and took a breath before pushing out of theBronco into the arms of his kids. There were no tears yet but the worry was evident. “It’s all right. I’m sure we’ll find her.” He looked over the top of their heads at Aiden who didn’t seem as convinced.

“Give me and Aiden a moment,” he said. Mia nodded, and she and Ethan went back into the house. He waited until the door groaned shut before Noah asked.

“Why didn’t you call me last night?”

“Because it wasn’t anything out of the usual.”

“So, she usually doesn’t come home?”

“No. I mean, sometimes she rolls in late and…”

“And?”

“Well, then when she didn’t come back, I thought it was about us.”

“You?”

Aiden glanced off toward the house. He sighed. “Lena has been having second thoughts about us getting married. She said she’s not sure if she wants to go through with it, that it felt a little rushed.” He shook his head. “I asked her if it was because of you.”

“Me?”

“Returning to the area.”

“How would that change anything?”

He shrugged. “It shouldn’t have but I got a sense it did. The past two weeks she’s been different. Distant, you could say. I mean you’re an investigator. If everything is good then suddenly it’s not, more often than not, something’s changed.” He paused. “The only change is you.”

Noah’s gaze drifted away. “In the last two years, Aiden. Has she ever not come home?”

“No.”

“Then we treat it for what it is,” he said, making his way toward the house.

“Which is?”

“She’s gone missing. I’ve checked the hospitals. No sign of her. So, unless she’s had an accident and…” His mind went back to the two dead women and how their deaths were made to look like suicides.

“And?” Aiden asked.

“This isn’t like her. Regardless of you or me, one thing Lena would never do is leave her kids worrying about her.” Noah went into the house. Mia and Ethan were upstairs. The TV was on in the living room. The volume low. Local news. It was a tactic Mia had used to keep her brother calm when there had been tension at home. The two of them would retreat to a room, close the door and allow Noah and Lena to hash it out.

“Mia!” Noah yelled. She appeared at the top of the stairs. “Just to be clear, mom never texted you or Ethan to say where she was going?”

“No.”

He turned to Aiden. “What about friends, family?”

“Already called them. No one has seen or heard from her.”

“What did Doug or Jack have to say?”

“They’re out there looking for her as we speak, which is where I think we need to be,” Aiden said, collecting his coat as there was a cool breeze blowing in across the county. With evenings getting darker and sunset around 4:30 p.m., the chances of finding her by driving the streets were slim to none. “I’m taking out my car, probably best we have as many of us out there as possible,” Aiden said.

“Sure… keep me updated.”