Page 35 of Final Escape
“Logan,” Penny said after listening to her messages. She glanced up and down the sidewalk. “He got a late start out of Billings, but hoped he’d get back in time to meet us at Francie’s Ice Cream Parlor after the show. I don’t see him yet, but maybe he’s already there.”
Their shoes thunking on the old-fashioned wooden boardwalk, they fell in step and headed toward the end of the next block, to where a whimsical pink-and-green neon ice cream cone hung out over the sidewalk and a mom and two children sat on the bench out in front. A trio of teenagers leaned against the hood of an old Chevy truck parked nearby, and a few stragglers from the theater were following Penny and Carrie toward Francie’s.
“Francie’s is the hottest place in town,” Penny said. “Wait till you try their hot fudge, triple-scoop peppermint bonbon sundae with mixed nuts and real whipped cream.”
“Sounds decadent.” Carrie checked her own list of missed calls as they walked. “Just Trace and Kris, probably wondering when I can get back to look for my maid of honor dress. I’ll follow up with them tomorrow.”
“That’s sweet. How big of a wedding party will it be?”
“Intimate...just me and one of Trace’s friends. Kris and her sister were orphaned as kids, but Emma disappeared into the foster care system years ago. I don’t know what happened to the records, but Kris says it’s as if she never existed.”
“That’s so sad.”
“It is. Kris has never given up on her search, but hasn’t found so much as a clue. My guess is that Emma probably died years ago.”
“Kris doesn’t believe it?”
“Nope. She says she would know, deep in her heart, if her sister had died. She says she’s been praying for just one hint of where to look next.”
“How could someone drop from sight like that? It’s pretty tough to disappear.”
“I know, and Kris has tried everything. These days, you can look up names on the internet and find birth dates, addresses, phone numbers—even legal records with the click of a button and your credit card number.”
“The people who decided all that should be available are idiots. It’s scary, knowing what’s out there.”
Carrie nodded. “My next guess is that if Emma is still alive, she doesn’twantto be found. What a blow that would be, to find out she’d ended up on the wrong side of the law.”
They reached the corner of Main and Pine, a dark cross street leading just several blocks in either direction. On the opposite side, along the shadowed wall of Goode’s Drug Store, a broad-shouldered masculine form shifted, then moved forward to meet them.
“Logan? I—” Penny’s cheerful greeting faltered to a stop.
At the same moment, Carrie felt a prickle of apprehension crawl on spider’s feet up the back of her neck. “Billy,” she managed to whisper on a resigned sigh.
The moviegoers behind them swung wide and continued on toward the ice cream parlor. Carrie grabbed Penny’s sleeve and tugged her back into the brighter light of the streetlamp at the corner.
Billy stepped into their path, his face backlit by the light, but Carrie had no doubt that his mouth was lifted in his familiar, faint sneer.
“You’re hard to find, sugar,” he drawled. “Imagine your poor husband trying all this time—”
“Ex-husband.”
“Imagine me, turning up in Battle Creek, looking forward to seeing you. Only you’ve disappeared.” His voice took on a harder edge. “So I had to start hunting. Why’d you do it, just take off like that? We havehistory,babe. We oughta stay in touch.”
“I have no plans for that, Billy. You know better.”
His hand snaked out to grab her wrist, but she’d expected it and sidestepped his grasp. “Don’t touch me.”
“Come on, Carrie,” he wheedled. “Let’s get out of here.”
“No. Penny’s brother is waiting for us up ahead.”
He gave a hard laugh. “Who, Logan? I don’t think he’s in town. His truck sure isn’t.”
“How would you know that—or even know who he is?”
Penny shot a startled glance at Carrie and gave Billy a wide berth. No wonder. But just one more block, and they’d be at the only store open at this hour, with other people close by. Witnesses.Safe.
Billy moved even quicker, and once again stood in their way, and this time he grabbed Carrie’s shoulder, shoving her away from the crosswalk and toward the darkened side street. “I came all this way, and you’re being rude. Your little friend can go on home, but you and I need to talk. Now.”
