Page 22 of Girl, Undone
‘No, but I can spot a psycho a mile off.’Ella turned a corner and found a young man stacking dog food.She clocked his nametag.Jake.‘Excuse me.Is Ken here today?’
The young man paused and wiped his hands on his apron.‘Ken?The manager?’
‘If that’s his title, sure.’
The young man looked up and down the aisle.‘Ken was supposed to be here at two this afternoon, but he never showed.’
Ella's instincts, already on high alert, tingled with the new information.‘He didn't show up for work?’
‘Yeah, it's not like him.Ken’s usually pretty reliable.Is something wrong?’
‘We just need to speak with him,’ Ella replied, not wanting to reveal too much.She exchanged a quick glance with Ripley, transmitting her unease.
‘I could try and call him,’ the young man said.
Ella held up a palm.‘No, it’s okay, thank you.We’ll try again later.’She nudged Ripley to take their leave, but then she turned back to the store worker.‘One last question.Do you sell rats here?’
The question seemed to catch Jake off guard.‘Yeah, we do sell rats.Mostly as feeders, you know, for snakes and stuff, but someone bought all four we had in stock a couple of days ago.’
‘Oh really?Do you remember who bought them?’
‘I don't,’ Jake admitted.‘Ken handles most of the sales.’
Ella turned to Ripley.She motioned for them to leave and Ella agreed.If she couldn’t catch Ken here, she’d make the trip to his home address.
‘Thank you, Jake,’ Ella said.‘You’ve been a great help.’
The detectives made their way out of PetPatrol, accompanied by the shrill jingle above the door.Ella took in the fresh air as she scanned the parking lot, and there she saw a weary gentleman leaning against his car, lost in his smartphone.
The man seemed agitated, drained, lost in a state of despair.He wore grey trousers, a baggy white shirt, and a thin tie that resembled a rattlesnake hanging from his neck.It was a look that seemed desperately managerial, but somehow missed the necessary elements by a wide margin.
Instinct kicked in.The man matched the mental image Ella had of Ken Myers; correct age, a certain boyish charm that could attract someone but not keep them.His demeanor, the weary, agitated look, suggested a man carrying a heavy burden or caught in a web of stress.
‘Ripley,’ Ella whispered.She nodded subtly towards the man.‘Over there.’
Ripley followed her gaze.‘You think that’s Ken?’
‘My head says yes.’
‘Only one way to find out.’
Ella led the way across the parking lot, preparing herself for the encounter, running through the questions she needed to ask.And of course, preparing for a runner.
As they drew closer, the man seemed to sense their approach and looked up.His eyes, tired and wary, met Ella's.In that instant, Ella saw a spark of recognition followed by a guarded wariness.
‘Ken Myers?’Ella flashed her badge.
The man straightened up and fiddled with his tie.A cautious alertness took center stage.‘Yes?’
'I'm Agent Dark, and this is Agent Ripley.Is there somewhere we could talk to you?'
Ken’s idle stare flickered between the two detectives.‘About what?I’m really late for work.’
Ella eyed the man from head to toe, trying to picture him abducting someone, driving them to a cabin, leaving them for dead.‘How come so late?’
‘Exhaustion.College work.Real work.I overslept.’
Ella scrutinized him for any signs of deception.She saw nothing that suggested he wasn’t telling the truth.No facial ticks, no sudden movements of the hands.But of course, psychopaths made the best actors.She decided to go for the kill shot.‘We need to speak to you about Julia Dawson.’
