Gone Before Goodbye (Love &Mystery in the--6-oh-3 Book 1) Read Free

without a glance at the date. Bud held the annual July eighth firework sale in the barn behind his business.
    Noah entered the rear of the hundred-year-old station house. The city’s twenty-five thousand taxpayers had refused to renovate the building at the past three municipal meetings. Heat and body odors from the holding pen greeted him as he passed through to the large squad room. Vacant desks alerted him that the chief had assigned most of his full and part time department of forty-five men to search for the missing teenager. The few remaining uniforms paused to greet Noah. He saw the wariness and the big question in their eyes. How had he handled the second anniversary of his family’s deaths?
    They were scrutinizing him for warning signs of stress or a meltdown. He’d be the first to admit he’d been unable to function when the date rolled around last year. This anniversary, he’d kept it together. Too bad, guys. You’ll have to find your entertainment somewhere else. I’m back from vacation and I’m going to solve my case . You’ll see.
    He acknowledged them and continued onward. The sound of tapping on keyboards and the buzz of voices on phones returned. Paul, the newest patrolman with the baby face and large glasses, spun away from his desk as Noah approached. The officer was young and inexperienced, but eager.
    “Hey, Cassidy. Good to see you.” The man paused and blinked several times as if he felt the awkwardness of the situation.
    “Thanks.” The tight sensation in Noah’s chest grew. “What’s up here? Any news on your bored teenagers feeding the expired meters?” he asked, turning the subject to work and Paul.
    “They’re leaving printed cards on windshields. The message informs drivers they’ve been saved from the tyranny of Prince John’s traffic tickets by the Merry Men who added time to their parking meters. When the chief learned how few fines we’d collected and how many dollars the kids’ actions drained from the traffic school fund, he doubled his ulcer meds.” The patrolman glanced around as though he expected to discover someone listening over his shoulder. “Don’t use the word merry unless you want to pull the night beat.”
    “We’d be in real trouble if it were Christmas. Thanks for the warning.” Noah strode across the scuffed wooden floor to the quieter space of Chief Banks’ office. The compass in the pocket of his blue-black BDU pants pressed against his thigh. He reached up and straightened his collar. The sooner he was back at work, the sooner his days would return to normal.
    He was ready for inspection and his meeting with the chief. Noah’s blond hair was trimmed short, and his clothes were clean and ironed. He needed a case to get his mind off his past family troubles. His job provided him a place to belong, unlike when he was a kid.
    Back then, he’d tried to hide his shame over his father’s drinking. Noah still shuddered over the memory. After his mother left them, dear old Dad insisted on proving he was the good parent. He attended school conferences slurring his words or not showing up at all. At night, he needed help to get himself into his bed, and the next day, he staggered around town trying to find someone who’d sell him more beer. There was a whole list of his father’s offenses.
    Noah had sworn growing up he’d prove he was nothing like his old man. People would respect Noah Cassidy, and he’d help those who’d been wronged by others the way he’d been. Once he’d made that decision, his path to law enforcement was unavoidable.
    Yeah, he’d almost blown it once and regretted the incident. People seemed to have an easier time remembering the bad about you. Noah raised a hand to the door and saw his gray cuff was frayed.
    His wife, June, had insisted on shopping for his clothes even when he protested he’d buy his own. “You always buy the first shirt that fits. A detective should dress to impress.” Her face beamed as she held up