Dangerous Tidings. Dana Mentink

Dangerous Tidings - Dana  Mentink


Скачать книгу
His stomach tightened. “When did she leave a message?”

      His look grew suddenly wary. “Oh. I figured she might have shared that with you. Actually, I’m not sure I should talk about Pauline’s private business. I told the other man who asked. We try to keep everything professional around here.”

      “What other man?”

      “Private detective, name of Bruce Gallagher. I told him she was on vacation and he could talk to her when she returned. Figured he was mixed up, looking for another person maybe.”

      No, and now Brent knew he was also on the right trail. “I’m worried about my sister. I haven’t heard from her in three weeks. The police are likely going to come and ask you the same questions I am.”

      His eyebrows shot up in alarm. “Police? I’m sure she’s just extended her trip. It was supposed to be a few weeks. She promised she’d be back to lead the Christmas excursion to the Del.”

      A few more weeks of vacation and she’d show up? Brent couldn’t bring himself to believe it, as much as he wanted to. And if it had been her in the basement, how could she stay on the run for that long? And why?

      “Something is wrong, Mr. Carpenter. Please tell me what you know. When did she call?”

      He pulled at his mustache. “It was a weekend, around Thanksgiving. She left a phone message that she was planning a trip. It seemed abrupt. Her voice was stuffy, like she had a bad cold. I was surprised she didn’t talk to me face-to-face, but she had plenty of vacation time coming. She promised she’d be back by the Christmas excursion, but I kind of expected her to show up anytime. She’s never been one to stay away from Open Vistas. Always brimming with energy, that girl, and she honestly loves her work here, I’m sure of it. She and Radar are permanent fixtures even when she’s not on duty.”

      Brent heard the throb of an approaching car. A squad car pulled onto the main road. Brent had no desire to run into Ridley again.

      “Here’s my number,” he said, sliding a card across the counter. “Call me if you think of anything that might help find her, okay?”

      “Sure. We all love Pauline. I’m going to pray that nothing has happened to her.”

      Wasted effort, Brent thought. Prayers were easily ignored, in his experience. He nodded. “Okay if I look around?”

      Kevin handed him a name badge. “Sure, but don’t bother any of our residents. This is their home.”

      Brent let himself out and took the nearest path under the spreading pine canopy. Fortunately, Ridley had stopped to answer his phone before going inside the office, so Brent was spared that encounter.

      A group of people ranging in age from early twenties to much older sat at a picnic table. A staff member wearing the white Open Vistas T-shirt led them in some sort of book discussion. He walked on to the farthest building in the rear. Wreaths hung on most doors and some had twinkle lights outlining them.

      A man with thinning hair and wire-rimmed glasses sat on the porch, examining a calendar. He traced the numbers with a felt tipped pen over and over.

      Brent did not want to startle the man, who looked up abruptly from his work. “It’s Thursday, isn’t it?” he asked.

      “Yes,” Brent said. “It’s Thursday.”

      The man traced the numbers on his calendar. “Almost Christmas.”

      “Oh, yes. That’s right. Are you looking forward to Christmas?”

      “I’m going to the Hotel Del.” He blinked, eyes magnified by the thick lenses. “Miss Pauline is taking me. We get hot cocoa and watch the fireworks.”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAABQAAD/4QNxaHR0cDov L25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wLwA8P3hwYWNrZXQgYmVnaW49Iu+7vyIgaWQ9Ilc1TTBNcENl aGlIenJlU3pOVGN6a2M5ZCI/PiA8eDp4bXBtZXRhIHhtbG5zOng9ImFkb2JlOm5zOm1ldGEvIiB4 OnhtcHRrPSJBZG9iZSBYTVAgQ29yZSA1LjAtYzA2MSA2NC4xNDA5NDksIDIwMTAvMTIvMDctMTA6 NTc6MDEgICAgICAgICI+IDxyZGY6UkRGIHhtbG5zOnJkZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5 OS8wMi8yMi1yZGYtc3ludGF4LW5zIyI+IDxyZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24gcmRmOmFib3V0PSIiIHht bG5zOnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0i aHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1sbnM6eG1w PSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvIiB4bXBNTTpPcmlnaW5hbERvY3VtZW50SUQ9 InhtcC5kaWQ6RUNGQzRERDAzNDIwNjgxMUE3MkNCOTJCNkFCMDlCMDAiIHhtcE1NOkRvY3VtZW50 SUQ9InhtcC5kaWQ6M0Q4MUUxNUU5NDdGMTFFNkIxNjNEMkZDMzUyNjIyQTgiIHhtcE1NOkluc3Rh bmNlSUQ9InhtcC5paWQ6MzNFNTZEMzI5NDdGMTFFNkIxNjNEMkZDMzUyNjIyQTgiIHhtcDpDcmVh dG9yVG9vbD0iQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNS4xIE1hY2ludG9zaCI+IDx4bXBNTTpEZXJpdmVk RnJvbSBzdFJlZjppbnN0YW5jZUlEPSJ4bXAuaWlkOkVERkM0REQwMzQyMDY4MTFBNzJDQjkyQjZB QjA5QjAwIiBzdFJlZjpkb2N1bWVudElEPSJ4bXAuZGlkOkVDRkM0REQwMzQyMDY4MTFBNzJDQjky QjZBQjA5QjAwIi8+IDwvcmRmOkRlc2NyaXB0aW9uPiA8L3JkZjpSREY+IDwveDp4bXBtZXRhPiA8 P3hwYWNrZXQgZW5kPSJyIj8+/+IIJElDQ19QUk9GSUxFAAEBAAAIFEFEQkUCQAAAbW50clJHQiBY WVogB9cAAwACAAoABwApYWNzcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAPbWAAEAAAAA 0y1iSUNDnG00pa2kRfYUbZiwUQwSbQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAJY3By dAAABsQAAADJZGVzYwAAB5AAAACDd3RwdAAAAPAAAAAUclRSQwAAAQQAAAWEZ1RSQwAAAQQAAAWE YlRSQwAAAQQAAAWEclhZWgAABogAAAAUZ1hZWgAABpwAAAAUYlhZWgAABrAAAAAUWFlaIAAAAAAA APbWAAEAAAAA0y1jdXJ2AAAAAAAAArwAAAAKABUAHwAqADQAPgBJAFMAXQBoAHIAfQCHAJEAnACm ALAAuwDFANAA2gDkAO8A+QEDAQ4BGAEjAS0BNwFCAUwBVwFhAWsBdgGAAYoBlQGfAaoBtAG+AckB 0wHdAegB8gH9AgcCEQIcAiYCMAI7AkUCUAJaAmUCcAJ7AoYCkQKcAqgCswK/AssC1wLjAu8C/AMI AxUDIgMvAzwDSQNWA2QDcgN/A40DmwOqA7gDxgPVA+QD8wQCBBEEIQQwBEAEUARgBHAEgASRBKEE sgTDBNQE5QT3BQgFGgUsBT4FUAVjBXUFiAWbBa4FwQXVBegF/AYQBiQGOAZNBmEGdgaLBqAGtQbL BuAG9gcMByMHOQdPB2YHfQeUB6wHwwfbB/MICwgjCDsIVAhtCIYInwi4CNII7AkGCSAJOglVCW8J igmlCcEJ3An4ChQKMApNCmkKhgqjCsAK3gr7CxkLNwtVC3QLkguxC9AL8AwPDC8MTwxvDI8MsAzR DPINEw01DVYNeA2aDb0N3w4CDiUOSQ5sDpAOtA7YDv0PIQ9GD2sPkQ+2D9wQAhAoEE8QdhCdEMQQ 7BETETsRZBGMEbUR3hIHEjESWhKEEq4S2RMEEy8TWhOFE7ET3RQJFDYUYxSQFL0U6hUYFUYVdBWj FdIWARYwFmAWkBbAFvAXIRdSF4MXtRfmGBkYSxh9GLAY4xkXGUoZfhmzGecaHBpRGoYavBryGygb XxuVG8wcBBw7HHMcqxzkHR0dVh2PHckeAx49Hncesh7tHykfZB+gH90gGSBWIJMg0SEPIU0hiyHK IgkiSCKIIsgjCCNJI4kjyyQMJE4kkCTSJRUlWCWbJd8mIyZnJqwm8Sc2J3wnwigIKE4olSjcKSQp bCm0KfwqRSqOKtgrIitsK7YsASxMLJgs4y0wLXwtyS4WLmMusS7/L04vnS/sMDswizDcMSwxfTHO MiAycjLEMxczajO9NBE0ZTS5NQ41YzW4Ng42ZDa7NxI3aTfAOBg4cTjJOSI5fDnWOjA6ijrlO0A7 nDv4PFQ8sT0OPWs9yT4nPoY+5T9EP6RABEBkQMVBJkGIQepCTEKvQxJDdUPZRD1EokUHRW1F0kY4 Rp9HBkdtR9VIPUimSQ9JeEniSkxKtkshS4xL+ExkTNFNPU2rThhOhk71T2RP01BDULNRI1GUUgZS d1LqU1xTz1RCVLZVKlWfVhRWilb/V3ZX7FhkWNtZU1nLWkRavls3W7FcLFynXSJdnl4aXpdfFF+R YA9gjmEMYYxiC2KLYwxjjWQOZJBlEmWVZhhmnGcgZ6RoKWivaTRpu2pBashr

Скачать книгу