When Tabitha saw Charline Long in the kitchen, she was struck by the look of relief on her face. “Has something happened?”
“I was just a little worried. You were gone longer than I anticipated.” Charline looked past her at Roger. “I was a bit concerned that my nephew might have driven you away.”
Roger only laughed. “Aunt Charline, you’ve said many times I can be charming.”
Her smile was tinged with relief. “And you certainly can. You can also be an arrogant ass. I know both faces you wear.”
Tabitha laughed, and for the first time in several weeks, she enjoyed the sensation. “Roger has been very kind to me,” she said. “We have some common interests. In fact, he’s going to show me some work on his computer. I’ll see if I can get any positive feelings about his proposed plans.” She didn’t turn around to see how Roger was taking her explanation.
“Wonderful. When can I plan on a session?”
“After lunch?”
“That would be lovely. Cook is making salmon croquettes, which I think these cats will love.” She looked pointedly at Roger. “You brought home more stray cats?”
“I don’t think they’re actually strays,” Tabitha stepped in. She didn’t want Charline to get too attached to Vesta because when Trudy came home, she would want her kitty back. “The plumper black one belongs to Sarah Booth Delaney.”
“The private investigator? What’s he doing here?”
“Visiting Trouble and,” Tabitha pointed to the yellow cat, “Vesta. It seems they’re all…friends.”
“Are you pulling my leg?” Charline asked.
“She wouldn’t think of it,” Roger said, swooping his aunt up in a hug. “Vesta belongs to the young woman who hasn’t shown up for work lately.”
“How did the cat get here from town?”
“I’m looking into that,” Roger said. “Just enjoy them while they’re here and when they’re returned to their owners, we can go to the shelter and get you half a dozen cats if that’s what you’d like.”
Charline frowned at Roger and gave him a sidelong look. “What drugs are you taking? I’ve never seen you so agreeable. And cats! Who would ever have thought a cat could turn your head.”
“I am learning many things, especially about cats,” Roger said with a grin. “I may be mellowing.”
“Nancy, Nancy!” Charline called to the cook. “Put some champagne in the refrigerator to chill. Raj is mellowing. We must celebrate while we can. He’s liable to revert back any minute.”
Tabitha burst into laughter, and even Roger chuckled. “Am I that much a tyrant?”
“Yes, you are,” Charline said, “but I love you anyway.” She faced Tabitha. “I’m glad you’ve gotten to see the side of Roger we love. Perhaps he won’t have to spend the rest of his life alone if he shows more of that side.”
Tabitha couldn’t stop the shock. Charline Long was match-making between her and her nephew. Roger’s response was a long, loud laugh. “You are something else, Aunt Charline. About as subtle as a ton of rocks. I do believe I can manage my romantic future without any help.”
“Then get busy and do it,” Charline said, completely unperturbed. “Let’s see some of that famous Roger Long action.” She stepped closer to him and whispered very loudly, “Or else I’ll think you’re a coward.”
Roger turned to Tabitha. “Run for the hills. Aunt Charline is looking to add you to the family.”
“I think I can handle myself,” Tabitha said archly. She knew she was flirting but she couldn’t resist. “Now, Roger, the question is, can you?”
Charline applauded. “Oh, yes, she can hold her own. Now you two go finish whatever you had planned. Lunch is served at noon.” She shooed them out the back door with the three cats following.
“I should apologize. I was caught up in the moment,” Tabitha said. The moment she was alone with Roger, she felt self-conscious.
“No apology necessary. A bit of harmless banter makes the day go faster. How about we head to my office so we can look at that recording?”
“A wise plan.” Tabitha tried to keep her gaze from following Roger’s back as they both got in the truck, the cats leaping in after her. She was more acutely aware of his good looks and physicality with each passing hour. And also more aware of his kindness in helping her find her sister. That was where her focus had to be. They drove to the agriculture offices in silence.
Roger called the fourteen office workers into the reception area. They were a diverse group of men and women of all ages and they stood silently as Roger introduced Tabitha.
“This is a serious matter and I need your help,” Roger told them. “As you know, Trudy hasn’t been to work for two weeks. We fear something has happened to her, that she’s fallen into the wrong hands.” He motioned to Tabitha. “This is Trudy’s sister. She’s looking for some clue where Trudy might have gone. I’m asking you all to cooperate. If you know something, even something that may seem insignificant, please tell us. Did Trudy mention to anyone where she might be going?”
A young woman who worked in filing came forward. “She said she’d found a problem with some of the orders. She was talking on the phone about it just before she went home the evening she…disappeared. She was upset. Maybe even angry.”
“What kind of problem?” Tabitha asked.
The girl, Felicity Montgomery, shook her head. “Trudy was too smart. She caught on to things very quickly. She’d been studying those new seeds and plants you told her to research and she found some things she was concerned about. She was meeting that seed and chemical representative, Lisa East. They were going to look into some tests or something of that nature.”
Roger felt a surge of hope and deeper worry. Many of the chemical companies and seed developers had been under fire from environmental protesters. The claims against the companies were more than troubling, and Roger had only reluctantly agreed to try the new strain of cotton. A cotton plant resistant to pests and fungus that wouldn’t require mass chemical spraying would be a godsend to farmers, but not at the cost of environmental damage or repercussions to humans and animals. The stakes were high, and if Trudy and her friend had found something damaging to DayZSeed, he could easily assume why Lisa East was now dead.
“Where were they meeting up?” Roger asked.
“At some field to take pictures of the plants that were coming up. They said something about soil samples too.”
“Did they give any hint about where this field might be?” Tabitha asked.
Felicity teared up. “I’m sorry. I was trying not to snoop into Trudy’s business. She was always super nice to me but she made it clear she didn’t like people prying into her business.”
“That’s my sister,” Tabitha said, but not unkindly.
Roger thought back over the other farmers who’d been approached to try the new cotton. Only one other had agreed. What field had Trudy been investigating? Was that where she’d disappeared from? Was her car still parked in a brake between fields?
“Do you know what happened at Lisa’s house?” an older woman asked. “I heard on the radio that the police were there.”
Roger wasn’t the kind to sugarcoat bad news. “Someone murdered Lisa.”
“Oh, my, god,” Felicity said. “What about Trudy? Is she okay?”
“We don’t know. There’s no indication that she’s been…harmed.” Tabitha inhaled sharply. “Right now she’s just missing. And please don’t mention this to anyone. The fewer people who know, the better our chances of getting her back safely. If this becomes town gossip, and if she is being held hostage, the talk might provoke her captors to kill her.” Her voice broke but she managed not to cry. Roger knew how hard that was for her, and he almost went to comfort her. But he barely knew her—and had no idea if she’d welcome any solace he could offer. His aunt was right—he was becoming soft, and all for a woman he hardly knew.
“Felicity, you’re positive they didn’t meet at Lisa’s place?” Tabitha clarified. This was good news only because it meant Trudy probably wasn’t there when Lisa was killed. “Do you know which field? Whose property?”
“I can’t say for sure because I didn’t go with them,” Felicity said. “But I think it was some field planted with G9-14. I think that’s what they were talking about.”
“Did Trudy ever say what was wrong with the plants?” Tabitha asked.
“Only that she was concerned about devastating the entire cotton crop if what she suspected was true.”
“Anyone else know anything that could help us?” Roger asked the whole group. Folks shook their heads.
Roger motioned to include everyone in the room. “Please keep this to yourself. Trudy’s life could depend on your ability to stay quiet. We’ve always been like a family here, and I hope you care enough about each other to do as I ask. And if you think of anything or hear anything, please come forward.”
Felicity made fists of her hands, but then spoke. “Trudy was dating some guy she was afraid of. She was secretive about it, but I overheard her. She said she thought someone was stalking her. She was afraid.”
“How afraid?” Roger asked. He grasped Tabitha’s hand and held it, signaling her to let him ask the questions. The gentle squeeze he gave her fingers was meant to comfort her.
Felicity looked like she wanted to cry. “Trudy said he manhandled her once. She was mad about it. She stood up for herself, but she saw him parked across the street from her place, watching her. She mentioned that the day before she disappeared and she didn’t like it.”
Roger saw Tabitha’s reaction, the look of fear and the blanched face. “Who was she dating? Did she say?”
Felicity sighed. “She never said his name. She did say he owned a lot of land in Sunflower County.” Felicity threw an apologetic glance at Tabitha. “Trudy liked nice things. Cars, clothes, going out. She wasn’t interested in dating an average guy who owned a local furniture store or anything like that. She and this man liked to take his private plane to Memphis for dinner. That kind of thing. A lot of the big land owners have planes and their own landing strips.”
Tabitha wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. Trudy had always loved the finer things in life. She was willing to work for them and earn them, but she also liked men who could bring those things into the equation.
“Thank you all,” Roger said. “Please don’t hesitate to come to me if you think of anything else.”
One of the male staffers cleared his throat. “I heard Trudy was having a hard time with some guy and I offered to help her, but she said she had it under control. I got the sense she was afraid of him, but that she felt confident she could keep herself safe. I should have insisted.”
“Trudy didn’t care for people poking around in her business,” Roger said. “You offered. You did the right thing. Thank you.” He opened his inner office door and swept Tabitha inside.