Page 99 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

‘One sec, yeah?’ I looked up to Joe, ‘Jose you better not be bailing on me.’

‘No, boss,’ he said on the other end of the line.

‘Then what is it?’

‘There’s no one here,’ he told me and my heart stopped.

‘What do you mean?’ I demanded.

‘I’m at the front door that’s usually open, but it’s locked and no one is answering. I’ve knocked and rung the doorbell.’

Jessa was just entering her second trimester but still sometimes she got tired and napped during the day, however, she was never a heavy sleeper and I knew that the ringing of our doorbell would easily wake her up.

‘Go around back,’ I instructed.

‘Ok.’

‘Does she have music playing?’ I asked.

‘No, sir,’ he answered. ‘It’s really quiet, and all the curtains are still closed, I can’t see in.’

‘Try the sliding back doors.’ I was getting impatient. ‘Are you there yet?’

‘Almost,’ he told me. ‘It’s really muddy.’

‘Hurry the fuck up, kid,’ I yelled into the phone, getting a look from Joe. ‘Jose’s at the house, and Jessa’s not answering the door,’ I offered as a way of explanation, causing his eyes to go wide.

‘It’s not locked,’ he said, and I heard it sliding open. ‘Jessa?’ he called out but didn't hear any answer.

‘Look in the bedroom,’ I demanded, walking back to my truck, Joe at my side.

‘Empty, so is the bathroom. I'm heading upstairs,’ the kid said, and I heard his shoes pounding on the floor and him calling out Jessa’s name again, sounding out of breath.

As I reached my truck I turned to Joe. ‘I gotta go.’

He nodded, ‘Of course, what do you need from me?’

‘Just take over…’

‘Not the job…’

‘I don’t know, I'll keep you posted.’

He nodded as I closed the door and started the engine in one quick move. Once the Bluetooth was enabled, I put the truck in reverse. ‘Jose, talk to me.’

‘She’s not upstairs either,’ he said in a low voice.

‘Keep looking, I’m on my way, I’ll be about a half-hour.’

‘Do you want me to stay on the line?’ he asked for clarification.

‘Yes, and keep looking. Is she on the beach, garage, office, backyard, next door?’ I listed off places. ‘Is there a note?’

I heard a door close. ‘She’s not in the garage, and I’ll check the bedroom again.’

Over Bluetooth, Jose's breath was labored through the speakers as he walked me through the house, having checked in the bathroom again, under the bed, behind curtains, in the Audi in the garage. ‘She has half a carrot cut up with pita and hummus on the kitchen counter,’ he told me. ‘Looks like she was making something to eat.’

That made no sense, why would she make a snack and not eat it? She ate anything and everything lately, likely ate half the snack while still preparing it.

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