The Girl With No Name

Chapter Twenty-Eight

In Rockview’s lobby, Gretchen waited, leaning against the front desk in her signature leather jacket, looking more like a biker than a police detective. Josie wondered idly if she should institute some kind of dress code for her senior investigative officers. She pushed the thought aside because it didn’t matter. The case was what mattered.

“What’s up?” Josie asked. She passed by Gretchen and out the front doors.

Gretchen followed. “Kavolis was in Denton in May. The concierge at the Eudora wasn’t any help at all, but the housekeeping staff confirmed it. Also, I can’t find any evidence that Dunn or his company own any land in Alcott County. I’m sorry, boss.”

The cool September air felt good on Josie’s face. She stopped at her driver’s side door and looked at Gretchen. “You came all the way out here to tell me that?”

Gretchen squinted against the sun. “I came out here to see how you were holding up.”

“Holding up? Did Noah ask you to talk to me?”

“Lieutenant Fraley? No. I’m here of my own accord.”

Josie opened her door but didn’t get in. “Is there something you want to say to me?”

Gretchen hesitated, a grimace working its way onto her face. “It’s just that, you know, I’ve been at this a long time.”

“Longer than me, I’m aware of that,” Josie said. “Do you have an issue with the way I run my department?”

“No, not at all. That’s not what I’m getting at.”

“Just say it, Detective Palmer,” Josie said. “I’ve got work to do.”

“Well, that’s just it. Most departments don’t let their officers work their own cases.”

Josie closed her car door and took a step toward Gretchen, folding her arms across her chest. “I don’t have a case.”

“Your fiancé is missing.”

“Yes, that’s his case, not mine.”

Gretchen smiled, a sardonic twist to her mouth. “You’re splitting hairs there, boss.”

“You think I’m not doing a very good job?”

“I didn’t say that. I think the stress of having a missing loved one and running two major investigations can be a lot on a person, that’s all. I’m just saying, we can handle this. You’ve got a lot of good people around you, and we wouldn’t let you down.”

Josie felt her annoyance slip a little.

“Sleep is good,” Gretchen added.

“I’m fine, I really am,” Josie said. “You have some experience with this?”

Something dark passed over Gretchen’s face and she subconsciously tugged the lapels of her jacket tighter around her. Without answering Josie’s question, she went on, “Your sister-in-law—I’m sorry, your soon-to-be sister-in-law—is in town. I met her out at Luke’s house. Maybe the two of you could hang out.”

Josie thought of the long, torturous hours that she and Carrieann had spent together in the waiting room of Geisinger’s ICU almost two years ago. She had no desire to recreate that time in her life. She needed to keep moving. Forward movement was the only thing standing between her and an emotional breakdown.

She opened her door once more. “I have to go,” she told Gretchen.

Gretchen simply nodded. “I’ll be helping with the search for Jane Doe,” she said.

“Kimberly Conway,” Josie corrected. “I got confirmation from a family member. Could you pass that along?”

“Of course. Where are you going?”

“There’s something I need to do,” Josie said. She didn’t give Gretchen a chance to ask what. Instead, she got into her car and quickly turned it on, pulling away and watching Gretchen shrink in her rearview mirror.

Josie was almost to Bowersville when Noah called her. “Any news?” she asked.

Noah’s voice sounded strained. “There’s been an accident,” he said, rattling off an address. “You need to see this. We need you here now.”