LITMIR.BIZ

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making the basket?”

      “It’s hard to tell from that angle, but it could be Sterling Seabright. They say she’s a good enough player to give the boys a run for their money. Her family owns an upscale dairy farm on Cloverdale Cut. If you want to run out there I’ll watch his lordship,” she says, nodding toward the dog.

      “I think I will. I owe you one.”

      “Two,” she says with a laugh.”

      “Let me run it by Mike and see what he thinks.”

      “Don’t forget my vacation starts tomorrow,” says Sherry.

      “I did forget. You guys going hunting?”

      “If there’s anything I hate, it’s bullets and blood. We’re going to Miami Beach to get a sunburn and drink pina coladas.”

      “I am so jealous. Drink one for me.”

      “Two,” she says. I give her a thumbs up.

      Mike sits listlessly at his desk staring at the computer screen, his hands stalled above the keyboard. He looks feverish and disoriented.”

      “Anything wrong, Mike?”

      “I’m dizzy and my ears are ringing like church bells. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. One thing’s for sure, I’m not getting anywhere on my report.”

      “Did you get your shot this year? They’re predicting a bad flu season.”

      “I got one last year,” he says, sheepishly.

      “You know that’s not good enough. Go home, Big Bear. You’re coming down with something. I’m going to check out a lead, then I’ll type up your report.”

      “You sure?”

      “You bet.”

      “I hate to flake on you, especially with Early in the hospital.”

      “If you don’t get out of here, we’re all going to be in the hospital.”

      “You’re right.” He stands and puts a hand on the desk to get his bearings.

      “I’ll call Tammy and tell her you’re on your way home. Are you okay to drive?”

      “I’ll be fine. It’s the walking I have trouble with.”

      * * * *

      I cross the bridge and park in front of the closed gate on Cloverdale Cut. The Seabrights have quite an operation, a fine herd of Brown Swiss, a big white house and well-maintained outbuildings. There’s a red tractor in front of the barn and a green John Deere near the house. A quality Arabian mare is frolicking along the fence line.

      I give my siren a few short chirps and set the light bar flashing. As soon as I see a man emerge from the barn I turn off the lights. He climbs on the mower and drives in my direction.”

      “What can I do for you?” he says, getting off the machine and approaching the gate. He’s fiftyish with stooped posture and thinning brown hair.

      “”I’m Deputy Danner. Are you Mr. Seabright?” I ask.

      “I’m Harvey Fry, the hired help,” he says, resting his arms on the top of the gate. “The Seabrights are up to the lake for the night, but they’ll be back tomorrow.”

      “Do they have a daughter named Sterling?”

      “They do.”

      “Is she with them?”

      “No, she’s staying with a friend for a few days.”

      “When did you see her last?”

      “Oh, let me think. That would be Wednesday when she drove off to school. Why, is something wrong?”

      “What was she driving?”

      “A new Kia Soul. Alien green.”

      “Alien green?”

      “It’s what we used to call chartreuse, but everything’s got to have a fancy name these days. You can see it coming for a mile. Did you find her stolen saddle? Is that what this is about?”

      “I just need a word with her. Do you know the name of the girl she’s with?”

      “I’ve heard it, but I don’t have a memory for names. She came to the house earlier in the day to pick up a text book.”

      “Her friend?”

      “Yes.”

      “And Miss Seabright wasn’t with her?”

      “That’s right.”

      “Do you know where she lives?”

      “On a farm I would imagine.”

      That certainly narrows it down.

      “If you want to leave your card, I’ll have someone call you. They paid over a thousand dollars for that saddle. It got swiped from the tack room at the fairgrounds.”

      I hand him my card, my cell phone number scribbled on the back. The photo can wait until I get a better grip on the situation. Besides, if Sterling is with her friend today, she’s not the girl in the woods. Nevertheless, I’d feel better if her family had seen her since Wednesday.

      CHAPTER 4

      Madison leans her bike against the barn and goes inside. Sunlight slices between the boards as she climbs the ladder to the loft and leans back against a bale of hay.

      Wednesday was the first time Sterling had spoken to her since mid-summer.

      “Can I tell Mom I’m staying with you for a few days?” she asked.

      “I don’t know. Until when?”

      “I’ll be back on Sunday and tell you everything.” Sterling touched her arm and smiled her warm blue-eyed smile. It was almost like they were best friends again.

      That of course, was before she caught Sterling at Eddie’s and lost her temper.

      Madison digs in her bag and tosses the school book aside. She removes the flared glass stopper from the perfume bottle and breathes in the warm, spicy scent. She shouldn’t have let her jealousy get the best of her. It would have been smarter if she’d waited until Sunday to hear what Sterling had to say.

      She returns the fancy bottle to the bag and removes the diary. It’s cloth-covered in a bright geometric design, one of those blank-page books you get in fancy bookstores. She flips randomly through the pages, reminded of the happy days of June and early July. Sterling describes her as clever and fun to be with, memorializing their carefree days of riding horses and skinny dipping in the Blue Hole back in the woods. They spent three days at The Dells with Sterling’s parents that summer, carried a 6-pack down to the river and got buzzed beneath the stars. Then around mid-July the Seabrights bought Sterling a car and everything changed. She was always out, didn’t accept or return calls and never returned to the Blue Hole.

      Madison turns to the second week of their senior year.

      Today when Social Studies let out I only had a few minutes before math class. I wanted to be alone, but Madison was right behind me, stuck to my sweater like a burr. She dropped her book and I made my escape when she bent to pick it up. I caught Cody coming out of Biology.

      Madison could never understand Sterling breaking up with the nicest boy in school. Cody was tall, blonde and movie star handsome. Every girl wanted to win him and every guy wanted to be him.

      We stood at his locker. I’d dumped him without explanation so he’s not overjoyed to see me. I barely open my mouth when I’m jostled from behind. I turn around and it’s HER! I wonder how long she’s been standing there. “Do you mind?” I snapped. She looks hurt, fails to understand I’m no longer the girl I was at the Blue Hole. “I’ll see you at lunchtime,” I tell her. I see a tear and a flash of controlled anger in her

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