Second Strike

CHAPTER 30

^GEORGIA,

^{AUGUST 15, 4:43 P.M. EDT}

Ruth Ponder was beside herself.

In forty-four years of marriage she and Amos had been apart only two nights. Once when she had attended a cousin’s funeral in Columbus that Amos couldn’t attend because he had the flu. And another twelve years ago when his truck broke down in Savannah and he stayed overnight in a motel until the mechanic could finish his repairs.

He hadn’t called. By ten last night she’d already called their two daughters, who lived within twenty miles, as well as their son, who lived in Atlanta. None had heard from him.

She’d called the sheriff’s office, but they wouldn’t take a missing persons report unless twenty-four hours had elapsed. She didn’t care. She kept calling every hour and the last time made sure they took down the make and license number of his car. She called Amos’s best friend, Bob Lampley, but he hadn’t heard from him since the weekend. She called the local hospital, but since last night they had admitted only twin ten-year-olds with food poisoning.

Ruth hadn’t slept since the previous night. When she wasn’t pacing the kitchen floor she was sitting at the kitchen table wringing her hands, which she was doing at this very moment.

She looked at the clock above the sink. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.