The Lucky Elephant Restaurant

Monday, October 12
Chapter 5

HARPER PRESSED “PLAY.”

Bobbie’s radio voice was smooth as butter on a fresh-from-the-oven muffin. “Vivaldi. Four Seasons. One of my favorites.” A three second pause. “As some of you already know, my daughter has been abducted. This morning’s show will be devoted to the topic of missing children. I’m Bobbie. Speak to me.”

Harper hit “Stop.” The scent of coffee filled the air between them. Lane leaned forward to listen more carefully to the voice. They were in a room with space for a table, four chairs, and two people. Harper pressed “Play” again.

“We’re back. This morning’s topic is missing children. My daughter disappeared a few days ago. We had her birthday party recently. My ex-husband was there. He demanded he be allowed to take the children on a camping holiday. I declined. Now, my daughter is gone. The police have yet to find my ex-husband or my Kaylie.”

Harper hit “Pause.” “Her ratings have been increasing since she started up a little over a year ago. She sounds sincere.” He sipped coffee.

“Think so?” Lane stared at the white wall.

“You don’t?”

“No.”

“You may be the only person in the city who thinks that way. She’s very popular.” Harper released the pause button.

Bobbie said, “This is a direct appeal to my exhusband. Charles! Bring our daughter back. Cole misses her desperately. Bring our child home.” A three second pause. “I know I’m not the only woman who has gone through this. I want to hear from others like me. What happens to mothers who go through what I’m going through? How do I cope?”

Lane stabbed the “Pause” button. “What else do we know about her?”

“You want me to find out, right?” Harper asked.

“Yes,” Lane said.

“What about the father?”

“That’s my job.” Lane leaned back.

“What do you need to know about Bobbie?”

“Her past. People who’ve known her for a long time,” Lane said.

“Why, in particular?” Harper opened his laptop. It chimed after he pressed the power button.

“Just curious,” Lane said.

Harper looked over the laptop at his partner.

Lane asked, “How come we never see her face anywhere? The promos show her hands or the back of her head. Never a face. How come? I want to hear from the people who know her best.”

“Maybe a little mystery helps sell the show.” Harper tapped they keyboard.

“Maybe. Maybe not,” Lane said.

“Why aren’t we looking for the father?”

“Every cop in Canada and the US is looking for him. His camper is missing. I don’t think we’ll find them in the city, so we have to rely on someone else,” Lane said.

“You’re assuming they’ll be found together.”

“Yes,” Lane said.

“So, why am I looking into Bobbie’s past?” Harper asked.

“I’ve lost objectivity when it comes to Ms. Reddie. We’ve got to have as much information as possible about her when dad and daughter are found.”

“What happens if they’re never found?”

“We have to work on the assumption that they will be,” Lane said.

Harper shook his head. “I still think we should check into the father’s background.”

“That’s my job,” Lane said before leaving the room.