Page 95 of Vanish From Sight

“McKenzie wants to do the least amount of work. Driving an hour to see a young girl who’s no longer at the Academy, is a waste of time in his mind.”

“And you?”

She shrugged. “Before Charlie, Isabella was frequently seeing Katherine.”

“Why not just phone her?” Noah asked.

“She isn’t picking up. I got hold of her parents. Told me she works at a gentleman’s club. She cut off communication from them last year.”

“A graduate of the prestigious High Peaks Academy and she’s working there?”

“Seems so.”

Twenty minutes later, as the Bronco wound its way up the highway through the Adirondacks, the sound of the engine was the dominant force. The rumble of the motor echoed off the trees, growing louder and more insistent as it snaked throughthe mountains. The vibrations thrummed, making the whole vehicle shake.

“You really should get this in for a service.”

“It’s new.”

“Even more reason,” she said as they navigated through the wild and rugged landscape. “How are you doing?”

“What?”

“How are you doing?” she asked.

“Staying focused on this keeps my mind from it. My worry is my kids.”

“You really should take time off.”

“Savannah said the same thing.”

“If not for you, Noah, do it for them.”

“That’s the thing. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. The last real vacation I took, found me here dealing with Luke’s murder. It’s like even when I try to take time, some shit happens and pulls me away. And, me. I know how to deal with loss, regret and pain, I just bury myself in my work and ignore it. But them. Those kids. I don’t even know where to begin to help them.”

“Just being there is a start. Trust me, they don’t expect more than that.”

“What worries me the most,” he stared blankly out the window, “is that I’m going to let them down. I feel like I’m becoming like my father every day and I hate it. I used to wonder why he spent so much time away from us working, but I get it now. This is the easy part. This we know what to do. But that… back home… Lena was always good at that.”

“Well, now you get to learn, right?”

The air filtering in grew cooler and the smells of pine and woodsmoke were left behind as they got closer to the city.

The Crimson Lounge was nestled in the heart of downtown Plattsburgh, located inside a historic building that had been beautifully restored. The premises were situated on a bustlingstreet, flanked by other restaurants and cafes. However, unlike the rest, the Crimson Lounge stood out with its deep red brick, which contrasted with the more muted colors of the surrounding buildings.

It wasn’t a flea-ridden strip joint that might have attracted middle-aged drunks looking to get their jollies. It was clear that it catered to a higher-class clientele, those with deep pockets and hefty trust funds.

Noah took a narrow alley down the side of the building to make it into the lot at the back.

The entrance was discreet, a small hand-engraved wooden door that could have easily been missed if you weren’t searching for it. The front of the building was very different, however, with crimson accents on its awnings, signage and window frames. It almost resembled a lawyer’s office, or maybe that was the façade they wanted to convey. Sharing buildings had become the norm. It made sense, especially if most of the clientele came from the business district.

“You ever been in one of these?”

“Only for work.”

“I expect that’s what they all say,” she said as she got out.

The door was adorned with a brass handle and a small gold plaque that read “The Crimson Lounge” in elegant script. Two tall lamps were on either side, casting a warm amber light on the sidewalk, as the tall building blocked out what little light made it into the alley.