Bruno’s face went from hostile to friendly in the blink of an eye. “I’m glad you’re on the case, then, pal.” He clapped Tom on the arm before heading to his desk. Tom noticed his boots were caked with dried mud. He motioned for the detective to have a seat, and after a few seconds, Tom obliged. Just what the hell was this man playing at?
“Why didn’t you call me back? I wanted to speak to you about the case before I trudged around town asking questions,” Tom said.
“I’m sorry. Something came up, and it needed my attention,” Tyler said, as if that was the only necessary answer.
“That’s not good enough. I’m here for the sake of the county. We’re supposed to work together,” Tom said.
The sheriff looked at him and ran a hand through his thinning blond-gray hair. “Where you from initially? You’ve only been in Gilden a couple years, right?”
“Chicago. Homicide detective.”
“So you have a lot of experience with bad guys, then.”
“Sure. I’ve seen a little of everything. It’s not a quiet town,” Tom said, wondering what the other man’s point was.
“Red Creek isn’t your run-of-the-mill town. I’m sure you’ve heard a few stories over at the Gilden PD?”
Tom shifted in his seat and glanced at his watch. Six thirty. He was getting hungry and looked forward to getting home for the night, but the search parties were already out, and he needed to join them.
“I’ve heard some crazy tales, all right. Ghosts, demons, werewolves, hell, even shadow creatures from nightmares. Witches too. I’m sure I missed a few, but those were the first to mind,” Tom said, forcing a smile.
“And what do you think of those rumors?” the sheriff asked.
“I think that people like to blame crap on the mysterious because it’s hard to believe humans are capable of doing such terrible things. I read up on the missing kids, and the Smiths. Dozens taken over the years. If that fire hadn’t destroyed their ‘trophy room’ underground, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’d have found over a hundred sets of bones inside.
“I think the Smiths were a terrible family, and they were the real monsters around here. If the town population needs to keep their kids safe by telling them to watch out for shadows, and to be home before dark, then so be it, but I don’t believe in that kind of thing.”
“That’s what I thought. Good. I wanted to see what kind of person I was dealing with here,” Sheriff Tyler said.
“Right. You going to join the search party?” Tom asked.
“I always do,” the man muttered.
“If this is the first disappearance in twelve years, who do you think took her?” Tom asked, wondering at the response.
The sheriff was concentrating hard. His eyes squinted, and he tapped his chin subconsciously. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t have asked for you to take the case. I’m over my head. I only got the job because Cliff ran a one-man show back in the day. Even with all the shit that occurred, he never got funding because the whole damn county was so deprived of income. I was there to help when we took down the Smiths, and when no one else raised their hand afterwards, I offered to take over. I’ve been lucky enough so far, and while I do think I’m good for the community now, I don’t have the skills to find a missing girl.”
Tom was surprised at his transparency. “You requested me? Specifically?”
“Sure did. I read up on your track record and knew you were the man for the job. If she’s got a hope in hell of getting home alive, I think it’s because of you,” the sheriff said, but Tom caught something in his eye, a look that told him the other man didn’t expect anything of the sort to happen.
“Come on. Let’s go out there together,” the sheriff said, and Tom moved for the door as the sheriff flipped his light switch off.
_______________
Paul watched the fireplace as the flames licked the glass. Soft classical music played from his ceiling speakers as he crossed the living room.
“What is it?” Terri asked, eyeing him from over the top of her book.
Stevie was in bed, and Paul had the sudden urge to go check on his son. He pushed it away. “Everything. Talking to Tyler about the missing girl made it all real. It made everything that happened to me real again.”
He noticed his wife’s glass of wine was empty, and he nodded to it, asking if she wanted a top-up. Paul wanted something stronger, but he added some of the Bordeaux into his own glass after he half-filled Terri’s.
“Kids go missing all the time, across the country. I think it’s isolated, Paul, plus there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re gone from there, your mom’s no longer with us, and Taylor is all grown up, and she’s never even been back to Red Creek.”
Paul didn’t even like hearing the town’s name. “Why did Beth have to stay? We could have helped them move anywhere.”
“They don’t want our help, Paul. Do you know how hard it is for them to take money from you? I’m glad they do, but I doubt Darrel even knows just how much his wife has accepted. Imagine if the shoe was on the other foot and you were taking money from your sister.” Terri always made good points, and Paul’s shoulders slumped as he stared out the window.
The trees in Central Park were springing to life. It was his favorite time of year. The streetlights cast shadows over the ground, and couples walked along the wide sidewalks, going home after dinner, or heading out for late night drinks.
“You’re right, as usual. Either way, I’m glad we’re going to see Taylor tomorrow. I miss
