“Is he working now?”
“I think he has the evening shift. I wish I could help you. Do you want me to have him give you a call?”
“No, don’t mention I was here, actually.”
“Okay, no problem. How’s your father doing?”
“He’s good. He came home yesterday, and of course he can’t wait to get back to work.”
“And I suppose your mother will be coming back to the city attorney’s office?”
“Actually, she won’t be. She’s going to retire.”
“Jade is retiring? I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Believe me, I didn’t either. Sorry to take up your time this afternoon.”
“Never a problem. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.” She smiles.
“Thank you. If there is, I’ll be in touch.”
I walk down the cobbled pathway and then turn and regard the small one-story house.
Does Carmelita Mayer know that my family holds a lien on her home?
Does anyone in Snow Creek know?
Surely they must. All those things are required to be disclosed at closing.
This is all so surreal.
But I can’t think about that now. Right now, Pat Lamone is my target. So he’s not home. But at least I got confirmation that he does live here.
I walk away from the house, through the residential area a couple blocks, until I hit Main Street.
Why not check the hotel? Maybe he’s covering someone’s shift. The red-brick building is down the street a ways, and I head straight toward it.
I open the door, and—
Who is manning the desk but yes, Pat Lamone.
“Donny,” he says, “you need a room?”
“No, I need some information.”
He nods to a stack of newspapers on the side table. “Today’s journal just arrived. Have at it.”
He thinks he’s being funny. He thinks he can outsmart Callie and me.
Yeah, right.
“You know exactly why I’m here. Why have you come back to Snow Creek?”
“Uh…because it’s my home.”
“You and your family left midway through your junior year at Snow Creek High. No one has seen or heard from you since then. Until now.”
“So?”