Page 90 of Making Home with You
“Well,” Detective Greenwood says, bringing me back to the present.“That’s the bad news,” he adds.
My heart sinks as my brain runs through all the possible scenarios for what he’s about to tell me.“What?”
He lets out a long breath.“We can’t find her,” he says.
“What?What do you mean you can’t find her?”I practically shout.“This town is fucking tiny, you must be able to.”
“She’s not at home, she’s not answering her phone, and she hasn’t shown up to work for the last two days,” he says.“No one has seen or heard from her.”
“Fuck,” I murmur, shoving a hand through my hair.“So what the hell do we do now?”
“Well, you don’t do anything,” he says.I open my mouth to speak but before I can, he continues, as though he senses I was about to interrupt him.“But, given the new evidence from the video and the fact your girlfriend is willing to go on record about her interaction with Carla…”
“And my house getting trashed,” I add.
“And,” he says, the tone in his voice suggesting he doesn’t appreciate the interruption.“The coincidence with your house and the photos we found, which would appear to corroborate your story.”
He pauses and I force myself to not say anything, even though his words still imply that what I’m saying is only a story and not fact.
“I’ve taken it to my boss,” he continues.“And he’s agreed that we have grounds to execute a search warrant on her house.”
All at once my body sags in relief, a long breath falling out of me as a weight feels like it’s being lifted off my chest.Even though there’s no reason to suggest they’ll find anything at Carla’s house, the fact that everything is now being taken seriously enough that they are willing to look is enough to reassure me that I’m finally being believed.That all of the things she’s said about me and what I supposedly did sixteen years ago is complete and utter bullshit.
Never in a million years would I ever treat a woman that way.Never would I do the things she’s alleged I have done.Because while I might not have ever been looking for a girlfriend, it doesn’t mean I’m the type of guy who treats a woman like that.Who disrespects her in that way as though she means nothing.
God, just the fucking idea that some people in this town might actually believe I did that, makes me feel sick.
“Finn,” Detective Greenwood says, the tone in his voice suggesting it’s not the first time he’s spoken my name.
“Yeah, sorry,” I breathe out.“What did you say?”
“I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear,” he says.“But it’s a start and the order’s been expedited, so we should be able to head over there sometime this afternoon.”
“I’m guessing I won’t be able to be there?”I ask, even knowing there’s not a chance in hell he’ll let me be involved.
“You know I can’t let you,” he says, his tone sympathetic even though he’s reminded me of this a hundred times already.
I nod, but say nothing.
“Look, I promise to keep you in the loop, okay?”he adds, as though this is some sort of peace offering.
“Thanks,” I say, scrubbing a hand down my face.“I appreciate it.”
Just before I leave work, I send Sarah a quick text to see how she’s doing and if she’s running on time today.She doesn’t respond, which isn’t entirely unusual, so after going home to get changed, I find myself back at the pub, sitting at the end of the bar.
I fill Beck in on the latest regarding the reflection of Carla in my living room window as she took the video of me and Sarah, the expedited search warrant given this new development, coupled with her accosting Sarah in front of my house and then the break-in.
While it’s not all nicely tied together just yet, it’s a start and I can only hope that it also means we’re getting closer to the end too.
Still, it all feels slightly surreal, the speed at which things are happening, the idea that this Greenwood guy might actually be starting to believe me, and that this might all be over soon.
“So what’s her excuse been in all of this?”Beck asks as he hands me another beer.
I shrug.“Dunno, apparently no one’s seen her for a few days,” I say.
“What?”he asks, surprised.“What do you mean they haven’t seen her?”
“Greenwood can’t get in touch with her,” I say, shrugging again.“Who the fuck knows.”
