four

“Good news. We found Brenda Detweiler’s Camry. Unfortunately, Brenda wasn’t in it.” After delivering a courtesy knock on my door, Police Chief Robbie Holmes strode into my hospital room, carrying his police cap in his big hands, his presence foreshadowed by his Aramis cologne. He pulled up the visitor’s chair, a beige molded plastic seat with metal legs.

“I’m confused. The Post Dispatch says Brenda is in custody,” I said. I had given in and read the article after Amanda left.

“The reporter got it wrong.” Robbie’s large frame dwarfed the chair.

“Does it matter?” Now that he didn’t have my daughter in tow, I could give full vent to my anger. He’d ignored my warning that Brenda Detweiler’s behavior was getting more and more erratic by the day. If he’d have listened to me, this could have been prevented. Instead, he’d passed over my worries with a patronizing platitude that the problem was between the two of us “girls,” treating the violent incidents involving Brenda like small discourtesies.

“I suppose I deserved that. You tried to tell me she was dangerous. I didn’t listen. I made a mistake. Will you accept my apology?”

His quick admission of guilt surprised me, and so impressed me that I rolled toward him and quickly answered, “Yes. Of course.”

“Good. A farmer found Brenda’s car in a field a few miles from here. Seems she’d run out of gas. Probably walked home after leaving it behind.” Robbie’s voice, always booming, dropped to a near whisper.

“So you think you’ve found her?”

“No, but she couldn’t have gone far. And she isn’t at her parents’ house. Her mother, Carla, claims she hasn’t seen her. The woman is hysterical and had to be sedated. We’ll get her in for questioning. Maybe give her a lie detector test. I’m not sure I believe they weren’t in contact. But I would guess that Brenda’s hiding out at a friend’s house. Seeing as how she’s from southern Illinois, she has all sorts of resources. But law enforcement officials on both sides of the river are actively looking for her, and she doesn’t have any money. Chad notified the bank to cut off her funds. Even if she hitchhikes, she won’t get far. Besides, as you know, she’s high most of the time. Either she’ll need to visit a dealer to get more drugs or she’ll run out of dope and do something stupid and obvious. Then we’ll catch her.”

“Did you check with the Detweiler family? Detweiler’s sister Patty Kressig and Brenda are BFF.”

“BFF ? What does that mean?”

“Best Friends Forever.” I looked past him to study the spindly maple tree planted outside my window. Four stakes held the sapling upright. I might need similar help returning to a vertical position. Especially since I wasn’t getting any rest.

“Right. I think it’s safe to say that Patricia Detweiler Kressig isn’t interested in continuing their relationship. Not after the stunt Brenda pulled, drugging her brother and kidnapping you. We’ve been in contact with Brenda’s father, Milton Kloss. He’s been up in Chicago this whole time for meetings with the Republican Party. You know, he’s running for State Representative, and he’s been attending a mandatory get together to discuss campaign strategy for would-be candidates. The Illinois authorities are checking cell phone records on both parents as we speak.”

“What do you plan to do when you find Brenda? Treat her with kid gloves like the princess she is?” The lack of sleep and the pain made me snippy. “Or are you planning to bring Brenda here so she and I can ‘talk it out’? Isn’t that what you suggested we do when I warned you she’d lost her mind?”

After the words were out, I marveled at my own audacity. It was not like me to give Robbie Holmes grief. I liked the man. Liked him a lot. I had watched his love change Sheila Lowenstein from a cold, bitter woman into a loving one. As he’d become a fixture in her household, I’d learned how seriously Robbie took his responsibilities. I gained insight into the difficult political arena in which he carried out his duties. Watching him with Anya, I’d heard about how kind he was, how warm and caring, to a pre-teen who was his “new granddaughter”—at least that was how Robbie introduced people to my daughter.

I’m rarely nasty to anyone, but then again, I’ve never had to shoot a man in cold blood. I was certainly turning over a new leaf ! At this rate, I was becoming a whole new species of plant life.

“No. I’m not planning to bring her here.” His sigh was audible. “In fact, we’ve posted fliers with her photo at every local hospital and convenience store. Your caregivers know not to let her anywhere near you.”

“Thanks.”

“Since this is a continuation of your husband’s murder case, I’ll be taking your statement.” Reaching into his back pocket, he removed a Steno pad. Where he found one I’ll never know because they’re a scarce commodity these days, but the greenish cover was familiar to me from my two years in college as a journalist major. His pen poised over the lined pages.

“Now start at the beginning.”