Page 44 of Code Violation

“I’m afraid Mr. Fernsby isn’t here at the moment. His absence is causing quite a strain on our staffing, I might add.” The last was said with a decided sniff.

Ah yes, one of those people who couldn’t bring themselves to be sympathetic. Whatever happened was all about how it impacted them.

“That’s odd.” Nero frowned. “I got an email from him maybe an hour ago saying he’d be here.”

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t help you with that. He was supposed to be here but, as you can see, he is not.”

Nero couldn’t help himself. He glanced around and, unless Fernsby was hiding underneath a table or in the restroom, he really wasn’t there.

“Well,” said Nero when they reached Forrest’s truck, “he must have changed his mind. Mr. Peacock certainly wasn’t very pleasant.”

“I don’t think his name’s Mr. Peacock,” said Forrest.

“Well, that’s what I’m calling him. Shall we track down Rufus?”

SIXTEEN

Nero - Saturday

“Here we are.”

Forrest stopped the truck in front of a white clapboard house that looked very typical for Cooper Springs: about a thousand square feet total, shutters on either side of the windows guarding the front door, everything covered with a slightly green tinge from moss or just the sea air. There was—unsurprisingly—a seven-foot wood carving of Bigfoot in the front yard, and a live raven was currently perched on his head. The bird watched them get out of the truck, then cawed and flew off when Nero and Forrest approached the front walkway.

“That’s his car,” Forrest said, pointing to a car parked not quite directly in front of the home. “The black Prius.”

Nero knocked and stepped back, waiting for Rufus to come to the door.

“Do you hear anything? Footsteps?” Forrest asked.

“Nothing.”

“Maybe he walked over to the pub. He often does. Or he could be helping Wanda at her shop.”

Nero knocked again and received the same silent result. Forrest grumbled something under his breath and drove them the four blocks to the Steam Donkey.

“Forrest… Nero.” Magnus nodded as they entered the pub, one eyebrow raised. “What can I get you two?”

“You can get your mind out of the gutter,” Forrest said so only Nero heard him.

“What was that?” Magnus asked.

“I said we’re trying to find, ah…” he stalled out and shot Nero a panicked glance.

“Is Rufus around?” Nero asked, leaning against the bar. “We have some questions for him.”

Magnus’s eyebrows drew together. “I haven’t seen my old man this morning. Not since the town meeting. Like you noticed, Forrest, he seemed shaken up when I caught up to him. He told me to give him some space. I figured I’d stop over at his place once Garth gets here tonight.”

“We were just over there. He’s not home.”

“Probably at Wanda’s, then.”

But when they stopped by the thrift shop, Wanda hadn’t seen Rufus either. “He stopped in after the town meeting about the girls but left after a few minutes. We usually talk at night, but I knew he was shocked by the news so when he didn’t call, I wasn’t worried. Should I be worried now?”

“He wasn’t home,” explained Forrest. “Or at least, he isn’t answering the door. Magnus is going to go over and check on him once Garth gets in.”

“To hell with waiting. I’m going over there right now. He could have fallen or something.”

Something that none of them wanted to consider. In a flurry of motion, Wanda grabbed her purse and a set of keys from underneath the cash register, then headed for the door.

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