Page 10 of Oz Wisdom

"I'm heading back to my office now.”

"We'll meet you there,” Oz offered and hung up.

They arrived just before Marcel and followed him inside. Behind his closed office door, they settled into the leather chairs.

"We're trying to locate Taylor Arison,” Nova explained.

"How can I help?”

"We're hitting walls.”

"The girl may not want to be found,” Marcel offered.

"We've considered that. But we don't believe it. Let's just say we had an encounter with her last weekend then she disappeared.”

"She steal from you?”

Nova cocked his head. "Why would you say that?”

"It's little-known knowledge, but if you dig enough, I have no doubt you'd find it."

"What's that?" Oz asked.

"According to Eddie she dated someone who began dropping into the bank almost daily. No big deal until he began snooping and making inappropriate inquiries. The bank manager accused her of allowing him access to privileged bank information and fired her.”

Oz leaned forward in his seat. "She was aiding a bank heist?"

"She was interrogated. The accusations were thoroughly investigated, finding nothing charge-worthy. Now, on the other hand, Drifter has multiple burglaries under his belt. That's public knowledge.”

"Do you think Edna may have any idea where she could have gone if she left town?"

"I believe she has family up North somewhere. Not sure if they’re close or not. Eddie wasn't that close to her." Marcel grinned. "I take it one of the women requested this little tracking expedition."

Oz stood. “You know how it is.”

Marcel laughed. "Keep the missus happy and she overlooks the imperfections.”

"You know it," Nova agreed, shaking Marcel's hand.

"We tracked women for years.” Walking back to their bikes, Nova reminded Oz of their early days when they targeted women for the skin trade. "What are we missing?"

Oz threw his leg over the seat, falling onto the black leather. "I don't know. We know she didn't go back, and we don't have her. If she doesn’t have the car and little money, she couldn't have gotten far.”

"Could've hitched a ride."

"Then she could be anywhere."

"But no money to pay for a hotel or rent a place," Oz reminded him.

"Cash?"

"I can't see Drifter leaving her with much cash."

"True," Nova agreed.

"Doesn't sound like she had friends, either. If she did, they were left behind.”

"That leaves nothing."

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