Page 75 of Cougar Point

I say, “I saw the look on your face when you saw the picture of Thundercloud. What was that about?”

“He and Duke look very similar.”

“You’re thinking maybe he’s the guy who was hanging around Rebecca and your mom in Birch Bay?”

“Rebecca isn’t positive about Duke even. If we had shown her this photo before she saw Duke, she might have said Thundercloud looked like the man. She didn’t really get a good look.”

My phone dings and I hand it to Ronnie. She says, “It’s from Lucas.”

She opens the file and shows me a newer photo of Thundercloud from his personnel file at the casino. In this one his hair is a little shorter than Duke’s. His acne is more prominent. “I’m going to send this to Rebecca. The hair’s more of what Rebecca described.” Ronnie sends the photo to her sister, and my phone rings almost immediately.

Ronnie says, “Hold on, sis,” and puts it on the handsfree link.

Rebecca’s voice comes from the car speakers. “That’s him. I’m almost sure. He has the same sneer on his face, and I remember the rotted teeth. Who is it?”

“His name is Len Thundercloud, sis. He used to work at the resort. He’s connected to Missy and to Duke.”

Rebecca says, “I want to be there when you talk to Duke.”

Ronnie says, “Duke’s missing and can’t be found.”

“He escaped?”

I say, “The jail isn’t considering his absence as an escape yet. They’re trying to find him. They said it’s not unusual for a trusty to be late coming back from an outside errand.”

Rebecca’s voice drips with sarcasm. “My tax dollars at work. So what do we do now?”

“We’re coming home, Rebecca,” Ronnie says. “We’ll pick up dinner on the way.”

“Dad had dinner delivered. Pizza. I’ll heat it up when you get here.”

Ronnie ends the call and hands my phone back. “Rebecca can operate the oven, Megan.”

“I didn’t say anything, Ronnie.”

I’m starving. I’ll eat anything. Cold or hot. I plan to get some sleep if nothing happens. Ronnie will most likely be on her iPad until late. The plan is to get up early and start looking for Duke. If he’s not around, I’ll settle for Missy or even Roger Whiting. Someone is going to talk. Someone always does.

It’s already dark by the time we get to Cougar Point. We eat warmed pizza and wine, and I tell Ronnie I’m going to turn in. I want to leave the sisters alone to discuss sister stuff.

In my room I take another shower, shampoo my hair with this great product Rebecca must use, brush my hair and teeth, and slip on a new nightshirt and shorts Rebecca has laid out on the bed. I need her at my apartment.

FORTY-NINE

WEDNESDAY

I’m up before the sun. Ronnie and Rebecca have beat me to the kitchen and I can smell coffee brewing. I’m not fit to be around anyone until I have a caffeine fix. Or two. I pour a mug and wear an expression I hope warns them not to talk to me. There’s no need. Rebecca’s holding a mug in her hands and staring down between her feet with a blank expression. I sip the very hot and strong brew and wait for her to realize I’m in the room with her.

“Sis, tell Megan what you dreamed about.”

Rebecca’s blank stare doesn’t change and I wonder if she’s heard Ronnie, but her lips begin to tremble.

“Go on. We need to discuss this,” Ronnie says.

Rebecca says, “There’s nothing to discuss. It was a dream. I shouldn’t have told you.”

Ronnie is not to be deterred. “She dreamed Mom and Dad were fighting. She was accusing him of having an affair. He slapped her and told her to get out.” She stops and looks at Rebecca before she continues. “Mom told him she was leaving. She’d found someone else and was going to take everything from him. He told her he’d kill her before he let her break up the family.”

Rebecca adds, “It seemed so real.” Her eyes brim with tears, and Ronnie looks at me, beseeching me to tell Rebecca it was just a dream. But dreams have a way of letting our minds explore things our waking self won’t consider. Not that dreams are always true. But the feelings behind them are, just the same.

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