Page 4 of More than a Memory

“Bye now!” Annie wiggled her fingers at her big sister as she drove off in her cherry red Mazda Miata.

“Love you!” Darcy called to the retreating car. Sighing, she pulled onto the road, heading to her office and hoping to gain a new client for her trouble. Having recently closed several cases, she was anxious to get another signed contract.

* * *

“OK, Jessica, let me see if I have this straight.”

Darcy was sitting across from a woman in her early twenties with mascara streaked and running down her cheeks from crying.

“Your estranged husband was supposed to drop your two kids off at 6:00 pm yesterday and he never showed up. You went over to his house and he wasn’t there. You have contacted the police and they, too, tried to pay him a visit but he wasn’t at home. The police talked to the girlfriend, who said he took them on a little getaway but would be returning soon. Have I got that right?”

“Yes, that’s right, and the police are unwilling to get any more involved than that at this point because they are not seeing it as a kidnapping. They said that he is obviously violating child custody orders, but there is no evidence that he has skipped town with them,” Jessica said angrily. “They have no idea who they are dealing with here. Jared is evil! He has been threatening to take my children for months!”

“Is it possible that the girlfriend was telling the truth and that he just took them for a short trip? I know it is still a terrible thing to do to you, but it would be better than the alternative,” Darcy said reasonably.

“I know him. He didn’t want the separation and he will use any means to get at me. He says he misses the kids. I know how resentful he is that he has to pay child support and that he doesn’t feel he gets enough time with them.”

“Is he capable of violence?” Darcy asked.

“Absolutely! That is just one of the reasons why I had to leave him. He has a temper. He laid his hands on me several times, not a beating, but physically throwing me out of the house, bruising my arms by yanking me around. So far, he has never directed it at the children though, thank God!” Jessica added. “Jealousy issues, control issues, insecurity. I was constantly reassuring him that I wasn’t seeing anyone else, that I loved him, you know?” she asked, wanting Darcy to understand.

“I know the type. Okay, what I need for you to do is to get a list of all of Jared’s family and friends, with their addresses and phone numbers. If you could e-mail me that information once you’ve gathered it, I’ll take it from there. Call me immediately if he contacts you or returns the kids. I usually ask for a retainer fee and I can work with you on a payment plan,” Darcy offered, sensing that money might be a little tight.

“How much do I have to come up with?” Jessica asked anxiously, wringing her hands.

“Can you come up with a five-hundred-dollar deposit?” Darcy asked.

“I think I can probably borrow that from my folks,” Jessica said.

“Great. Get that information I requested as soon as possible. In the meantime, I’ll go meet with the girlfriend and his mother. I’ll need the girlfriend’s address and phone number as well as your mother-in-law’s contact info now, if you have it. Before you leave, fill out this client information form, and jot down any details you already know.”

“Thank you, Darcy. I am terrified. What if we can’t find my babies?” Jessica asked with panic in her voice.

Darcy advised, “You must try not to go there. It won’t do you any good. Unless he is a millionaire with unlimited resources, the odds are greatly in our favor. I am assuming that is not the case?”

“Heck no! His parents have money, but they haven’t helped us at all. He can barely keep up with his car payments and child support, so I guess you’re right. That will make it a little more difficult for him to get very far. That’s a good way to look at it. I feel better now, but please hurry!” Jessica implored.

“I’ll make this a priority; however, it is not instantaneous. You have to let go a little or you will drive yourself crazy. The good news is he has never been violent with the children,” Darcy said.

After finishing her paperwork, Jessica left the office with Darcy’s reassurance that she would do her best to find the children as quickly as possible. The oldest child, Jared Jr., was five years old and Ella was three, which made the children much harder to hide. It was easier to keep an infant incognito. They had that going for them, and the fact that he had limited means didn’t hurt.

Darcy got started immediately, making lists and mapping out her route beginning with Jessica’s in-laws. She decided to use the element of surprise and show up at their doorstep unannounced. She stuffed the file into her briefcase and headed out the door.

3

After parking outside the Ward’s home in an affluent area of the city, Darcy thought, maybe Jared was broke, but his parents certainly were not. Jessica had correctly called that one. She sat there observing for several minutes to see whether there was any suspicious activity before deciding to knock on the door. After ringing the bell and knocking for several minutes, the front door cracked and a pair of eyes warily stared out at her.

“Hello, I’m Darcy Morgan. Are you Kathleen Ward?”

“Didn’t you see our sign? We don’t deal with solicitors,” the woman said, already closing the door in Darcy’s face.

“No, wait a minute, here is my card,” Darcy said, thrusting her card through the crack in the door.

“I’m a private investigator and I’ve been hired by your daughter-in-law to locate her missing children. Would you happen to know anything about that, Mrs. Ward?”

“Missing? HA! That is the first I’ve heard anything about missing children. Jessica has a way of dramatizing everything. Especially when it comes to my son,” Mrs. Ward said dismissively.

“So, are you saying you haven’t seen or spoken to your son in the last two days?” Darcy continued.

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