LITMIR.BIZ

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aggravation level exponentially.

      “We just got word that a colleague of Vega’s has been going around asking people about Lisa, using the man’s name as an unofficial police badge.” He turned to her, nostrils flared. “That’s impeding an investigation.”

      Sophia jumped up and down in her seat once. It caught Thatcher off guard but she didn’t care. She repeated her recent conversation with Vega. It didn’t improve his mood. When they pulled into the station’s parking lot, he turned to her with a silent ferocity.

      “I want you to go in there and answer every question we have about your sister.” Having been given the instruction made her want to run the other way, but she knew it had to be done. “And, Sophia.” He grabbed her hand. “I swear to you that I’ll find your sister and bring her back safely.”

      The station seemed to stand at attention when Richard Vega walked in with Thatcher close behind, watching with expressions of interest mixed with disbelief. Even Cara looked up from her computer as the two men marched into the interrogation room.

      Sophia wanted to follow them but doubted Richard would say anything else without an attorney—one dressed to the nines and with a bank statement that would be too good for the town of Culpepper. She instead was guided into Thatcher’s office where she sat with a sigh. Back to the drawing board, she thought, crossing her legs like the dignified woman she hoped she appeared to be.

      “Give us a minute,” Detective Langdon said, popping out of the room before she could object. It wasn’t as if she had any pressing matters to deal with or anything. Just because she had bonded with Thatcher during their field trip didn’t mean her impatience would keep its head down. She waited for a few minutes, with tried calmness, until only Thatcher breezed in.

      His thick eyebrows were furrowed—his lips thinned in contained anger. He sat down behind his desk and ran a hand through the dark mass of hair. The obvious frustration he was feeling put Sophia further on edge.

      “Well?” she prompted. “What did Richard have to say?”

      “That he won’t say anything else until his attorney arrives.” Well, she called that one. “But, I hadn’t expected anything different. With the amount of money that man has, I’m surprised he even talked to us as much as he did.” A sigh rumbled out.

      “So, what now? Do you want me to go talk to him? I can try to—”

      Thatcher held up his hand to silence her.

      “Right now you need to answer some questions about your sister.”

      “Fine.”

      They were able to slip into the civil roles of detective and citizen as Thatcher asked a series of questions that would help him form a “psychological profile” on Lisa. Even though they believed Lisa hadn’t disappeared on her own accord, Thatcher had to still get a feel for the woman’s mental and emotional states as well as any health issues she might be experiencing. Sophia did her best to answer each question in an objective manner, but, the truth was, she couldn’t be sure how happy Lisa had been before the disappearance. Nor could she tell the man in full confidence that her sister had been upset.

      “In general Lisa has always been an optimist,” she confessed. “She always smiled and had something nice to say growing up—compliments on the tip of her tongue at all times. It’s part of the reason why she charms everyone she meets.” Thatcher raised an eyebrow but lowered it before she continued. “Like I said before, the times I did talk with her she seemed genuinely happy while here in Culpepper.”

      “Was there a particular reason she moved to Culpepper?” Sophia sent him a questioning look. “I only ask because you said the two of you were very close until this past year.”

      A smile crept across her lips before she could stop it.

      “Her moving to Culpepper had nothing to do with our relationship. Lisa and I were the best of friends—annoyingly inseparable.” Sophia hesitated on the past tense and sobered. “But Lisa hated Atlanta. I couldn’t blame her for leaving. She was passing through Culpepper on the way to a wedding almost two years ago when she said she fell in love with the town. She moved a few months later.”

      “And you didn’t follow?”

      “No, but she tried really hard to get me to.” Lisa had in fact boxed up Sophia’s room while she’d been at work. She’d just smiled when Sophia had started yelling.

       I’m not moving, Lisa!

      Why not? Your stuff is already packed! she’d reasoned. Sophia had found it annoying then, but now she couldn’t stop the ache in her heart.

      “I don’t blame her,” Thatcher said under his breath.

      “Excuse me?”

      “Sorry, I meant I don’t blame her for not liking the city. I’m not a big fan, either,” he said with conviction.

      “It’s not too bad,” Sophia defended. “It can be lonely at times and the traffic leaves more to be desired, but the opportunities are great.”

      “Lonely, huh? I take it you aren’t married, then.” It wasn’t a question and his eyes stayed down on his notes. Sophia picked at invisible lint on her pant leg and tried to keep her voice even.

      “Not that it matters to this investigation but, no, I’m single.” A blush rose fast to her cheeks. Thatcher looked up. She had only meant to say she wasn’t married, not divulge that she was single and had bouts of loneliness.

      “What about you?” Sophia wanted to stick her head in the sand. She had blurted the question in an attempt to save face. She had to give it to the detective, he answered without skipping a beat.

      “No, I’m not married. Now, are there any health issues Lisa has that we should be worried about?” The change in subjects left her speechless for a moment, but still able to feel the heat in her cheeks, she finished the rest of his questions without any more awkward outbursts.

      “The other two women who are missing...” she started after he closed his notebook.

      “Amanda and Trixie.”

      “Are their families being asked the same questions?”

      Thatcher nodded.

      “Amanda’s mother and Trixie’s boss are in the other rooms with Tom and Cara.” His cell phone started to vibrate against the desktop. The noise made Sophia jump. He didn’t notice as he read the message.

      “What happens now that I’ve answered your questions?”

      “Now we are going to go to each missing woman’s house and place of work.” He stood and stretched, his biceps rippling at the motion.

      “All right.” She started to stand but he stopped her.

      “By ‘we’ I mean Detective Langdon and myself. You can’t come this time and that’s final.”

      “Then what do you want me to do? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs?”

      “We have an all-points bulletin out on all three women. We have good men and women on the job, Miss Hardwick. You need to stay out of Lisa’s house until we’re done with the search but after that you can go wherever you please. There’s a diner down the road that has a great dinner special or you can stay here until we’re done with each search. It’s really up to you at this point.”

      Sophia chewed the inside of her lip. Thatcher took her silence as compliance.

      “I’ll let you know when we’re done at Lisa’s.”

      The detectives left soon after while Sophia remained behind. She wanted to snoop to fill the void of helplessness within her but decided against it—she was in a police station after all. Cara, as she was told once again to call the officer, showed her to the restroom and then the break room. Unlike the many cop-related clichés found on TV, there were no doughnuts or

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