Page 110 of Veil of Silence

“Whether I knew of any other boys who disappeared while their families were connected to churches or traveling ministries.”

Austin’s pulse quickened. “Had you?”

Glen and Linda exchanged a look.

“After Zander disappeared, I started searching,” Glen said. “Newspaper archives. Missing person databases. Anything I could find.”

“Glen kept it quiet,” Linda added. “Even our children don’t know how much time he’s spent on it.”

“Why the secrecy?” Nora asked.

“Because we can’t prove anything.” Glen glanced toward the sanctuary doors as several church members entered. “The disappearances happened in different states and under different circumstances. Most of the boys were teenagers classified as runaways. Some traveled with singing families or evangelists. Others were local children who attended churches where traveling groups performed.”

Austin thought of Preston.

“My father believed the cases were connected?” he asked.

“I don’t know what he believed.” Regret tightened Glen’s expression. “He didn’t have time to explain. But he asked the right question.”

“How many missing person cases have you come across? And were any of these boys found?”

“I came across seven or eight cases that might fit. I’m not convinced they all do. And no, none of the boys were found.”

“Did you give the information to the police?”

“More than once.” Frustration captured Glen’s voice. “But these cases were all in different counties, and no one seemed to be talking to each other. I felt like no one was listening.”

Austin understood how easily that could happen.

“Do you still have the information?” he asked.

Glen nodded. “I keep a folder on the bus.”

“You travel with it?” Nora asked.

“I’ve carried it everywhere for twelve years.” His voice roughened slightly. “I keep thinking the next place we visit might give me something new.”

A microphone squealed from the stage. One of the daughters winced and lowered hers while the pianist stopped playing. More people had begun filling the sanctuary, moving into pews and greeting one another.

Glen grimaced. “We’re supposed to start in ten minutes.”

“Can we see the folder first?” Nora asked.

“There’s too much to explain quickly.” Glen looked at Austin. “Stay for the concert. I’ll show you everything afterward.”

Austin wanted the information now. But he could wait.

“We’ll stay,” he said.

Glen squeezed Linda’s shoulder before returning to the stage. The pianist tried the chorus again, and this time the daughters’ voices joined in harmony.

For the first time since his dad’s death, Austin knew one of the questions his father had been chasing.

He only wished he knew how close his dad had come to finding the answer.

Chapter

Forty-Four