Missing with Bonus Material: The Secrets of Crittenden County, Book One Read Free Page B

by his friend’s reminiscing. The investigation needed to come first, not the guy’s reflections on the past.
    And though he’d at first let his buddy tell stories, Luke felt it was time to remind Mose which of them had a uniform full of medals and commendations and who was wasting away on the back roads of Kentucky. Speaking his mind, he said, “It’s comments like that that make me real glad you called me, Mose. You’re too close to the community. Lydia’s a suspect.”
    “I know but, shoot, I just can’t imagine her doing anything so evil.”
    “Everyone has the propensity for evil, Mose. Even the Bible states that.”
    As Mose grumbled, Luke stopped at a four-way, waited a bit for another horse and buggy to cross the intersection, then glanced at Mose’s hand-drawn map. He needed to get off of Fords Ferry Road and head into Marion. Crittenden County seemed to be made up of the most winding, hilly roads he’d ever seen in his life.
    “So . . . where do you plan to go after you visit with Walker?”
    Luke could just imagine his friend eyeing a map and practically charting his progress, mile by mile. “Mose, are you going to be making this a habit? Because I didn’t expect you to be checking up on me like I was a new recruit.”
    “I’m not checkin’,” he grumbled. “Just interested.”
    “Just really interested.”
    “Hey, you know I wanted to go with you today.”
    “And you know why I asked you to stay back. I’ll find out a whole lot more if I act new and dumb. I can ask questions about all this better than you.” Luke paused. “And you know I’m right, Mose. That’s why you called me on the case.”
    “I know. But these are my people.”
    Something about that phrase struck Luke in his heart. Had he ever felt like that in Cincinnati? That the people he’d sworn to serve and protect were his responsibility, not just a job?
    “So, Luke, do ya need any information about Walker Anderson?”
    His friend sounded so hopeful, Luke couldn’t help but grin as he clicked on his turn signal. “I think you’ve told me all I need to know. Walker’s working at Schrock’s Variety, right?”
    “He is.” His voice warmed. “He’s a good kid, Luke. Hardworking. Handsome. You’re going to be quite taken with the boy, mark my words.”
    “I don’t want to date him, Mose. I’m looking for information, right?”
    “Of course, right. Well, I’m sure you’ll soon find out plenty about Walker.” After a pause, he added, “Now, something that you might not know is that Walker quit that job a while back and only recently got back on board. I’d be curious as to why he did that.”
    After glancing at Mose’s directions again, and taking two quick right turns, he focused on his friend’s comment. “Isn’t he in college? Maybe he decided doing both was too much and then got a handle on things.”
    “Maybe, but that don’t seem likely. I’d bet money that there’s a story there.”
    “I’ll do some asking, then.”
    “And I’d also be curious about how well he knows Lydia. And maybe I’d even try to ask him about—”
    “Thanks, Mose,” he said quickly, cutting him off. “I’ll check in with you later.”
    “You sure you don’t—”
    “Positive.” He chuckled and disconnected, cutting off Mose’s comments. Taking a breath, he put both hands on the wheel and concentrated more fully as he turned right onto South Main Street, the main thoroughfare of Marion.
    He passed the Marion Café and the courthouse. Noticed a spring flower display in one of the small gift shops that lined the street. Stopped and smiled at a mother and her two children at a crosswalk.
    The streets were by no means crowded by city standards and he felt his mind drifting back to Lydia Plank. She was a pretty young woman, graced with wide-set eyes and a slim, willowy figure. Her manner had been sweet. Until he’d rattled her good. Then she’d become far more quiet and withdrawn. And far less talkative.
    He