Joey and Glenn arrived at the police station in the center of town, parking in the lot half a block from the front entrance. When they got inside Joey led the way to the chief’s office where the deputies who weren’t already out searching for Nate were assembled. Chief Leades nodded as Joey joined them.
“Here’s what we have so far,” the chief said. “Nate was last seen a block from ‘M and J’s Coffeeshop’. He was looking in the bookshop window according to the woman who saw him. That was at approximately four-forty five p.m. His roommate said they were supposed to meet at the coffeehouse at five.”
“Were there any cars parked close by?” Joey asked.
The chief consulted his notes. “None that didn’t belong to people who live here if that’s what you’re asking. At least according to Harv, and he should know. He says he stepped out of the garage to talk to Mrs. Tennor at about that time. He didn’t see Nate but he noticed there didn’t seem to be the normal number of parked cars. He put down to it’s being close to supper time, especially since there was a fair amount of traffic.”
Knowing Joey’s uncle Harv, Glenn was certain what he told the chief was accurate. So he asked, “Did he say there were any which weren’t from around here?”
The chief glanced at Glenn with a jaundiced eye. He accepted his presence at the meeting only because of his relationship with Joey and the rest of the Fairburn family, and because he’d shown up with Joey. “Harv didn’t say but come on; he was talking to someone, not paying any real attention to the surroundings. I figure we’re lucky he noticed as much as he did.”
Joey frowned. “So Nate must have gone into the bookshop or down the cut-through beside it to the next street.”
“The bookshop’s out. Mr. Michaels says no one came in after four-thirty.”
'Mr. Michaels is seventy and nearsighted,' Joey thought, though he didn’t say it aloud. 'Nate would have had to tap him on the shoulder before the man would have known he was there.'
Just then Eck, the chief deputy and Joey’s sister Mary’s boyfriend, came in. He cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “So far no one within a five block radius of the coffeehouse has seen Nate since he was reported missing. Mr. Samson let us into Nate’s apartment. Everything’s in order there. No clothes missing according to Samson.”
Joey nodded. “Rory should know.”
“Expand the search,” chief Leades ordered. “The boy can’t have just disappeared. Someone has to have seen him, or something suspicious.”
“What’s along the cut-through?” Glenn asked Joey sotto voce, “Any doors leading into shops or their basements?”
“A couple, yes.” Joey turned back to the discussion, suggesting what Glenn had hinted at, that someone check the cut-through doors to see if any were unlocked.
The chief sort of smiled. “Sounds like a good job for you. We need every hand which is why I called all of you in. Unless anyone has something to add I suggest you all get moving. Eck, tell them where you want them to go, please, since you’re in charge of the search.”
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