Level Five Read Online Free PDF Page B

talked to all her friends and relatives.  We’ve tried to re-trace her activities the last couple of days before she disappeared, but the trail is cold.”
    “I’ve got another one for you,” Decker said. “Her name is Maggie Black.  Nineteen years old.  She works as a waitress at the McDonald’s on 210 Highway.  Two days ago she went to work as usual.  According to her mother she never came home after her shift ended at midnight.  At two the mother drove to the McDonald’s and found her car parked there, but no sign of her.  I want you on it.  Mother’s name is Danielle Black and here’s her address.”  He handed a sheet of paper to Teddy.
    “We’re on it,” Teddy said as both men stood.  Jake was just grateful for anything that would get them out of the squad room for the rest of the afternoon.
    Minutes later they were headed toward Danielle Black’s house.  Jake cranked the air conditioner on high as Teddy popped the top to a diet cola he’d bought from a vending machine on the way out of the station. 
    By the time Jake had the car cooled, Teddy had downed the soda and burped a quick rendition of Blueberry Hill.  “Did somebody tell you that was cute at some point in time?” Jake asked in disgust as he pulled out of the lot.
    Teddy dropped his seat back to a nearly prone position.  “I wish that woman would marry you and get you permanently out of your foul mood.”
    “I’m not in a foul mood,” Jake replied.
    “Yes you are,” Teddy countered.  “Every Monday you’re in a foul mood.  I know it’s because you’ve spent the weekend with Edie. Sunday nights she kicks you out and makes you go back to your place.” 
    Teddy adjusted the air-conditioner vent to blow more fully on his face.  “Most guys would envy your arrangement with Edie.  Three nights a week you get to have sex with a smoking hot woman who requires nothing more from you the other four nights a week.  Buddy, you’re living a single man’s wet dream.”
    “I’m not twenty-two years old anymore,” Jake replied.  “I’m thirty-four and I want more from life than a part-time girlfriend and my job.” 
    “Do you think she’s seeing somebody else when she isn’t with you?”
    How many nights had Jake lay in his bed and wondered? What was Edie doing? Who was she talking to when he wasn’t around?  Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights she seemed positively devoted to him, but when Sunday evening arrived she kicked him to the curb, maintaining that she needed her personal time. 
    “No,” he finally replied.  “Whatever is keeping her from marrying me, I don’t believe it’s somebody else.  I know the kind of woman she is and she’s definitely not the two-timing type.  What was that address again?”
    “7107, there it is, up ahead on the left.”
    Jake shoved aside thoughts of Edie.  He had a missing young woman to find and needed to concentrate on that for now.
    Danielle Black was an attractive forty-something woman with short dark hair and blue eyes that radiated a simmering alarm.  After they’d introduced themselves she led them into a neat and tidy living room where Jake and Teddy sat on the sofa and she perched on the edge of a chair as if ready to take action at any moment.
    “Maggie is a good girl,” she said before a single question had been asked.  “She’d never just take off with friends or go to stay with a boy or do anything like that without contacting me and letting me know.”
    “You haven’t seen or heard from her since Friday?” Jake asked as Teddy pulled a notepad and pen from his pocket.
    “I spoke to her Friday around five before she left here for work and I haven’t heard from her since then.”  She swallowed hard as her eyes glazed with a hint of tears.  “I tried to file a missing persons report yesterday, but they told me since she was an adult I had to wait forty-eight hours. We never fought.  It’s just the two of us and we got along great.  She was