Page 30 of Missing White Woman

“You sure you don’t want me to drop you off?”

“I’ll walk.” Even if it was to the end of the world.

“Great,” she said.

“Great,” I said.

She reached over to hand me something. “In case you need anything.”

Her business card. The back was rose gold—my favorite color—with some generic legalese-looking graphic. She hadn’t been lying to the cops. She was a lawyer. A. Kristine McKinley, Esq. I wanted to rip it into a million pieces. She noticed me noticing the name. “I told you I was divorced.”

“Your husband give you the Kristine too?”

“That’s my middle name.”

I remembered. There was a pause as I twirled the cardstock between my fingers. It felt good. Smooth. Expensive. I continued to finger it as I finally flipped it over. The reverse side was white but with rose-gold lettering. Some foil print that I had to admit looked nice. Nicer than mine, and I worked at a stationery store.

I opened the car door to get out. Her voice followed me. “Bree, good luck.”

I didn’t say thanks, just stuck the card into the tiny pocket of my leggings as I walked down the sidewalk and stopped the first stranger I saw, my smile as bright and unthreatening as I could make it. I would tap-dance right then and there if I needed to. Adore and I used to call it Perky Black Girl. “Excuse me. You know where the JPMorgan building is?”

* * *

He sent me the scenic route, assuming I wanted skyline views when there was just one building I gave a crap about. I could make it out in the distance. Without a watch, I had no clue how long it took me to get there. It felt like I made good time, weaving past bicyclists and runners and awed tourists taking pics. When I finally got to it, the building loomed large—sleek and silver and shaped like a bullet.

And for a moment I thought of how Ty and I were supposed to see the Empire State Building today. Then I went inside.

The lobby was vast. Shiny woods and shinier floors. The elevator bank was dead center, protected by turnstiles and two old men who looked like they were using this job to supplement their retirement. There was a steady stream of people going in and out. I forgot what I was wearing until the man in the Security suite reminded me with his glance. I smiled anyway. Perky Black Girl. He was white and smelled like hard work and good body wash. Stray salt-and-pepper beard hair escaped from various parts of his blue surgical mask. The name tag said JERRY. No last name provided.

I was going to ask for a pen and paper, but seeing all these people gave me hope that Ty was among them. Maybe no one had seen him come in? It was a long shot, but still. “Hi, Jerry. I’m here to see Tyler Franklin at JPMorgan.”

His eyes creased to indicate a smile as he picked up the phone to call the office above. “ID, please.”

“Would you believe I forgot it, Jerry?”

He nodded. “That’s too bad. Unfortunately, I need it for you to go up.”

“Oh,” I said. “I don’t need to go up. I’m not exactly dressed for it. Ty’s my boyfriend. I wanted to surprise him. Please tell them Breanna’s here. Breanna Wright. Ask him to come down.”

He hesitated, then started to dial. I nodded encouragingly as he waited for someone to pick up. “Yes, hi, I have a guest here to see Tyler Franklin. Breanna Wright.”

“His girlfriend,” I said it with emphasis.

“His girlfriend.”

Good.

He listened. I waited. When he spoke again, it was to me. “Mr. Franklin isn’t in today. They’re not sure when he’ll be back.”

Calloway and Randle hadn’t been lying. It was like watching your favorite sad movie. You know the outcome. The mother will die. The couple won’t get together. The big, bad corporation will win the case. Yet you’re still hopeful that this one time you’ll get a happy ending.

I had known it was a long shot that Ty was there but still had been holding out hope. I managed to smile through my disappointment. No need for Jerry to know. “That’s no prob, Jerry.” I spoke like we were old friends. It was back to plan A. “Can I leave a note?”

“Don’t people your age text?”

“I’m old at heart,” I said. “I just need to borrow a piece of paper and an envelope to put it in. Oh. And a pen.”

He laughed then. Finally charmed. The rust was completely off Perky Black Girl now. It took him a few minutes to rustle it all up. I leaned against the counter as I waited, watching people coming in and out. They all wore business suits and were in a rush. They all also probably never paid attention to the view. The higher the floor, the harder they likely worked.

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