Page 10 of The Missing Couple

Died. Charly had learned to look at what happened to her parents that way because it did no good to anyone, especially her, to be reminded that her father and her mother had been murdered by a cold-blooded killer. One who had shot and killed them and just walked away. Her parents had been on the way home together that night. No doubt she and Jen would have been murdered, too, if they’d been with them. But Jen was already off at college and Charly had gone to Birmingham to visit her. Charly was just weeks away from high school graduation and was slated to attend the same university.

But everything changed after that night.

Charly snapped from the memory as the sheriff’s deep voice filtered through the haze of the past.

“Our people will go over the vehicle carefully,” Malone was saying. “We’ll keep you advised of any details we find.”

Charly looked from Sheriff Malone to Billie. She was surprised that the sheriff had chosen to be so forthcoming about an investigation that was obviously not just about a stolen vehicle. It certainly wouldn’t be because he considered Charly a good friend. Although she couldn’t deny that he seemed to be a decent sheriff, there remained a thread of tension between them. Mostly due to her behavior after the murders of her parents.

She had been in shock, clearly. But in her earlier years she had followed her father around and hung on his every word enough to know the whole thing didn’t feel right. Why couldn’t a single shred of evidence be found? Why was the killer never discovered? It was as if the whole thing never happened. The murders of her parents remained unsolved to this day. No rumors. No nothing.

Once more, she kicked the past back to its place. Just in time to notice Billie and the sheriff shaking hands.

“We will keep you informed,” Sheriff Malone assured him. “We’ll give you a look at the handbag as soon as our people have had time to process it. If our hotline turns up anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

“I appreciate that, Sheriff,” Billie said.

“The head of your agency called,” the sheriff explained. “I assured her that my department would provide any additional support you need. We all want the same thing here—to find your sister and her husband.”

Surprise registered and Charly resisted the impulse to ask what the sheriff meant. It was better to wait and ask Billie when they were out of here.

Billie thanked him again and turned to Charly. Since she had nothing to add that concerned the sheriff, they headed for the exit.

She glanced at the white SUV sequestered to one of the three bays in the shed. They hadn’t been allowed to look inside or even get close but there was nothing to see. Prints and most other potential evidence would be long gone considering the windows had been opened before sending the vehicle into the murky water.

Once she and Billie were back in his high-end black SUV, she turned in the passenger seat to study his profile. “What did Sheriff Malone mean when he said the head of your agency?”

Wouldn’t be the FBI; it was a bureau. Wouldn’t be DEA; that was an administration.

He hesitated before starting the engine. He turned to her. “I’m a private investigator. I work with the Colby Agency. But that’s not why I’m here. I’m here because my sister and her husband are missing. If the identity of my employer provides some amount of leverage toward that end, I’m grateful.”

Charly nodded. “I see.” Now she felt like a total idiot for taking the lead in those woods when a real, honest-to-God, probably highly trained, PI had been right next to her.

He started the engine and pulled out onto the street.

“I guess your boss is pretty important to have captured Sheriff Malone’s attention with a single phone call.”

Billie glanced at her as he navigated traffic. “She’s not your average boss.”

Charly pulled out her phone and started to google this Colby Agency. She felt his eyes in her direction a couple of times but that didn’t deter her. Line after line of results filled the screen. She started with the top hit. The more she read the more startled she became. He was not kidding when he said his boss wasn’t the average sort. Neither was the agency.

She stared at him, and he glanced her way. “Told you,” he said with a slight smile.

“Your agency is no run-of-the-mill private investigations firm,” she said before she could stop herself. “Your boss…” Charly wasn’t even sure how to frame what she’d just read about Victoria Colby-Camp. The woman was known all over the world. “She’s an icon, it seems.”

“I’m very fortunate,” he said, sending another look her way, “to be a part of the Colby Agency. But I’m on leave and this investigation is personal.”

Charly reminded herself to close her mouth, which had been gaping since she started reading the results from her search.

Apparently taking her silence as a need for further explanation, he went on. “I didn’t mention my work because I didn’t want you to feel you couldn’t speak freely or do what you normally do around me here.”

Might be a little late for that. But she got it. His sister was missing, and he didn’t want to make this about him.

“FYI,” she explained, “I have never felt the need to suppress whatever I had to say when it was relevant. No need to worry about me.”

He gave her a nod. “Good.”

She thought about what to pass along next. Sometimes it was extra important to weigh words before they were spoken. Not exactly her best quality.