“Hello.”
“Mrs. Hughes, this is Devin James. Is your husband at home?”
“No. In fact he didn’t come home last night.”
“Is that unusual?”
“Hell yes, it’s unusual.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Hughes. I didn’t mean to offend. I think you should call the police.”
“I already did but they said it needed to be 48 hours before anything could be done.”
“Do you have a pen and paper?”
“Yes.”
“Call Detective Jason Strong. I know him and he’ll listen to you. You can tell him I gave you his name. Tell Detective Strong I believe your husband’s disappearance may be tied to the cases he is working on.”
“What cases?”
“I’m sorry maam, I can’t say more.”
“Jason Strong?”
“Yes Maam.”
“Okay. Thank you, Mr. James.”
The phone went dead and James felt a queasiness in his stomach. He hated to find out he was right. Dexter Hughes is missing.
Chapter 16
Donnie pulled up at ‘Gates of Heaven’ cemetery before sunrise. Today was the day he and Billy had been planning. Over ten years since that awful day and now they were going to make things right. It was going to be so sweet to see all their work pay off.
Donnie couldn’t sleep anyway, so he’d got up early and come to visit Billy for the last time before they played out the final step. Parking the van, he walked through the damp morning grass to his big brother’s grave. He felt a peace inside knowing he had accomplished the most important task his brother could ever give him. To help him rest.
“Good Morning, Billy.”
Donnie crouched down, listening intently.
“I know you’re ready. I’m sure going to miss our talks when you’re gone.”
Donnie smiled.
“Thanks. I did it all for you. You deserve it.”
Donnie brushed the leaves off his brother’s name.
“Don’t worry about me, Billy. I don’t think they know who I am and, if anyone survives, I’ll make sure they don’t know where to find me.”
Donnie stayed by his brother for a little while. It reminded him of the visits he made with Momma when she was alive. They would just enjoy being with Billy. But the events planned for this day would not let Donnie linger as they had those many days. Today was a day for action.
“I’ve gotta go now, Billy.”
Tears welled up in his eyes.
“I love you, too. You’re the best brother a kid could ever have and I’m gonna miss you.”
He stood up.
“You’re welcome. Tell Momma ‘hi’ when you see her. Make sure she knows I miss her.”
Donnie hesitated a moment or two longer.
“Bye, Billy. I love you.”
Donnie walked away with the usual sadness but now it was mixed with anticipation. He was coming to the end of a decade long journey. He fired up the van and sped for home.
****
Jason arrived at work around his usual time. Waiting for him on his desk was a note.
Call Mrs. Hughes. Urgent. 555-230-4210.
Jason got himself a cup of coffee and sat down. He dialed the number.
“Hello?”
“Yes. Mrs. Hughes?”
“Yes. Is this Detective Strong?”
“Yes Maam; I had a note to call you?”
“Devin James, the reporter, he gave me your name and said I should call you.”
Jason did his best not to sound irritated but he didn’t like James using him as an inside contact. He would have to talk to him about it.
“Okay. What can I help you with?”
“My husband is missing.”
“How long has he been gone?”
“It’s been since yesterday morning when I talked to him and they told me at his work he’d never checked in yesterday.”
“Well Mrs. Hughes, we don’t consider a person missing for at least…”
“48 hours, I know. Mr. James said you would help me. He said to tell you my husband missing is connected to some cases you’re working on.”
Jason had been leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed but now he sat upright and put down his coffee.
“Did he say what cases he was referring to?”
“I assume missing persons but I’m not sure.”
Nina came in and gave a nod before sitting down at her desk. Jason grabbed a pad and wrote down the name Hughes.
“Mrs. Hughes, what is your husband’s first name?”
“Dexter.”
Jason wrote it in front of Hughes.
“Okay. Can you hold on for a minute?”
“Sure.”
Jason punched the hold button and gave the note to Nina.
“Check and see if that name is on our reunion list.”
Jason watched her intently as she scanned the sheets. It wasn’t long before she looked up at him.
“Yes. Dexter Hughes. Why?”
“I’ll tell you in a minute.”
He punched the hold button again.
“Mrs. Hughes?”
“Yes.”
“If you’ll give me your address, my partner and I would like to come by and talk to you.”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
Jason wrote down the address and hung up. Nina was watching him, waiting for an explanation.
“I found a note on my desk this morning to call a Mrs. Hughes. When I called her, she said her husband was missing an officer she spoke with told her it had to be 48 hours before they could do anything. Apparently, she has somehow got hooked up with Devin James and he told her to call me.”
“Oh, wasn’t that nice of him!”
“Wait, there’s more. James told her to tell me that her husband missing was connected to the cases we’re working on.”
“You’re kidding! How would he know that?”
“A very good question, one I intend to ask him as soon as I get a hold of him. Anyway, that’s when you came in and confirmed the name on the list.”
“So we’re going over to talk to her?”
“Yes, but first I have a call to make.”
Jason picked up his phone and found the reporters number in his contacts. He pushed ‘call’.
“You have reached the phone of Devin James, crime reporter for the San Antonio News. Please leave a message and I will return your call as soon possible. Thank you.”
Jason waited for the beep.
“Devin, this is Jason Strong. I received a call today from a Mrs. Dexter Hughes. Please call me; I have some questions for you. Thanks.”
He hung up and looked at Nina.
“Ready to ride?”
“Of course.”
****
Devin James recognized the phone number of Jason Strong and let it go to voice mail. Devin figured Jason had talked to Mrs. Hughes and knew the detective had questions that James wasn’t prepared to answer. He would call Jason back when he got a handle on the situation at the Jarvis farm.
The reporter turned down the gravel lane that led up to the farmhouse. He could see a van parked up by the front porch but no sign of anyone moving around outside. He crossed an old cattle guard and slowed to a stop next to the van. Devin shut his car off but didn’t have time to get out before a young man appeared at his side window.
He was maybe twenty, tall and thin and James wasn’t sure where he’d snuck up on him from. Perhaps he was in the van. Devin rolled the window down and felt the blast of the late morning heat. The boy appeared tense.
“You lost?”
James put on his best reporters smile.
“No, I don’t think so. I wanted to talk to Betty Jarvis. Is she here?”
“Nope. She’s gone to town. Are you the reporter who called the other day?”