Page 109 of Half Baked

In a stupor, I climbed into his passenger seat.

“Don’t think the worst, man,” he said as he peeled out of his parking spot.

He was right. Maybe Maddie had gone to the bathroom and Deidre had gotten out then. Or maybe they’d both lain down for a nap. I tried to focus on those possibilities as I called her number. It went straight to voicemail, and panic flooded me again. I felt like I was going to be sick.

“I never should have left her this morning. I should have stayed with her.”

“She’ll be fine,” Lance said. “She’s resourceful.”

I started to hyperventilate. If the man who’d killed Bergan tried to smother Maddie, could she stop him? Lance was right, shewasresourceful, but if she had gotten away from her attacker, why was her phone going to voicemail?

“Her phone’s going straight to voicemail,” I said, blankly realizing Lance needed to know that piece of information. “Which means it’s turned off. She doesn’t turn off her phone. Ever. She keeps it close by in case someone calls about Deidre.”

“Take some slow deep breaths. I’m sure she’s okay.”

“I told her I love her,” I said, my vision tunneling again. “What if I cursed her?”

“You didn’t curse her,” he said. “And thank God you finally manned up and admitted to your feelings. I’ve been hoping for it.” When I didn’t answer, he said, “You can have your freakout. You’re due, but as soon as I pull up to her house, you have to snap out of it. I need you to focus. I’m good, but I’m not as good as you.”

When I didn’t respond, he shook his head. “You’re in worse shape than I thought if you didn’t take that bone I just threw you.” He sped around a corner then turned to me. “Noah. Will you be able to get it together?”

Leaning forward, I covered my lower face with my hands. “Yeah.”

“She’s not dead, Noah. I promise.”

I sat up, outraged. “You can’t promise me that.”

“Well, too damn bad because I just did.”

I took deep breaths, trying to focus. Reminding myself if Maddie was in trouble and I wanted to help her, I had to pull it together.

When Lance pulled up to the curb across the street, two cruisers were already parked in front of the house, their lights flashing. One officer stood in the middle of the yard, and another was on the porch. The front door was closed.

I hopped out of the car, relieved when my control slipped back into place. The first thing I noticed was the open garage door. The second was that Maddie’s car wasn’t in the same place it had been when I’d left this morning. “Have either of you been in the house yet?” I asked the officers.

“No,” they said in unison.

“Did either of you do any drive-bys earlier?” Lance asked. “Was the garage door open?”

“I did the drive-bys,” one of them said. “At least one an hour, sometimes more often. The garage door was open when I drove by around one.”

“And you didn’t think to let us know?” Lance shouted.

I ignored them as I reached the porch, pulling out my gun. I had no idea what I’d find, but I planned to be prepared. But first I had to get through the front door. I lifted my foot to try to kick it in, but Margarete hurried over. “Wait! Wait! I’ve got a key!”

Lance took it from her and bounded up the steps. It took him all of a second to unlock the door and push it open.

I took the lead, shouting inside, “Maddie?”

No answer.

Lance followed me in. “I’ll take the upstairs.”

“Okay,” I forced out, my mouth dry, then entered the living room. “The living room’s clear.”

And so was the dining room and kitchen, but the back door was wide open.

That answered how Deidre had gotten out.

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