2

The short slightly plump woman walked up to Nate Goodman’s desk. “I need to talk to a co…policeman.”

He smiled at her blunder. Some thought the word “cop” was an insult, but he wasn’t one of them. He motioned for her to sit in a chair in front of his desk. “Then it’s your lucky day because I happen to be one. What can I do for you, Miss…”

“I’m Keren Strong. K-E-R-E-N.” She gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Sorry, force of habit. That’s how I always introduce myself. I don’t suppose you need to know how to spell by name.”

“Not a problem, K-E-R-E-N.” A little humor went a long way in putting people at ease. And this woman was anxious. “What can I do for you?”

She leaned forward in the chair, her fingers drumming on his desk. “I think my cousin’s been kidnapped. I can’t find her. Anywhere. She’s simply disappeared, and I’m very worried about her.”

Kidnapping wasn’t a usual part of Nate’s duties on the Mount Pleasant Police Department, population 17, 000, give or take a few hundred. He stared. “Excuse me?”

“I said I think my cousin’s been kidnapped. Her name is Ange Matthews. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, right? Everybody has.”

If anyone in Mt. Pleasant was to be kidnapped, it would be Ange Matthews, their most famous and wealthy resident.

This woman didn’t look as if she traveled in the same social circles as her glamorous, celebrity cousin. She was pretty but wore no makeup and her brown hair was a curly mess. A simple T-shirt with blue jeans completed her look.

“Really? What makes you think that?” He motioned to his boss and ex-fiancé, Leslie, the Chief of Police, to come over. “I think you better hear this. Go ahead; tell her what you told me.”

“I think my cousin was kidnapped. Her name is Ange Matthews.”

Leslie’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you think she’s been kidnapped?”

Keren clasped her hands together. “We were supposed to have lunch a week or so ago on Saturday, but she didn’t show up. I haven’t been able to get hold of her since then. Something’s definitely wrong.”

“And you say this is Ange Matthews?” Leslie asked.

“Yes, I’m sure you know she’s very rich. Someone probably kidnapped her for her money. You’ve got to help her. I’m sure she’s in trouble.”

“How do you know she needs help? Has there been a ransom demand?” Leslie asked. “When was she kidnapped?”

“I don’t really know if she was kidnapped, but something’s wrong. I just…if not, why isn’t she answering her phone?” She looked at Nate as if wanting him to step into the conversation. “Ange loves her phone, you know. She always has it with her. And even my husband is worried. He told me to come talk with you today.”

“So you haven’t received a ransom demand? Or any other type of communication that would indicate she’s been kidnapped? That she’s being held against her will?” Leslie asked as she sat down facing Keren.

“No but—”

“Then that probably means she’s not been kidnapped. With her kind of money that would have been the first thing to happen. I’m sure she’s fine.” Leslie smiled at Keren. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to say she’s been kidnapped when you have no such proof.”

“Maybe there was a ransom but just not to me. How would I know? I’m only her cousin, and I’m sure not rich. The money’s from her mother’s side of the family. I’m from her father’s side.”

“Well, I’m sure if someone, anyone, had received a ransom demand, we would have been contacted about it.” Leslie’s tone told Nate she was no longer interested. “Besides, isn’t she sort of known for traveling here and there all the time? She goes to New York and LA and other hot spots.”

“Well, yes, but I can always get hold of her. But I can’t this time. She’s not answering her phone. And she always answers her phone. For me.”

Leslie sighed. “Are the two of you close?”

“We see each other now and then. And we talk on the phone at least a few times a month. We were getting together for lunch a few Saturdays ago, and she never showed up. It was my birthday, so I don’t think she’d just skip out without contacting me.”

Nate hid his smile, understanding the situation a little bit better. Her rich, famous cousin had forgotten her birthday.

Leslie gave him a glance and a smirk. She was probably thinking the same thing. Leslie looked back at the cousin. “Has she ever just left before? Without telling you.”

“Well, sure, but—”

“So it is plausible she just left and isn’t returning your calls. Because she’s busy.”

Leslie didn’t have an ounce of concern for Ange Matthews or Keren, the cousin. Compassion was not her strong suit. That didn’t surprise him.

Ange had probably thoughtlessly gone off somewhere, involved in her own pursuits, and had forgotten her cousin’s birthday. The wealthy often had an entitlement personality, forgetting mere mortals who had to work for a living. He chided himself for making such a judgment. He didn’t know her.

Keren’s face was splotched with frustration. “Sure, it’s plausible, but—”

“Then there’s no case. We can’t really help you.” Leslie stood, dismissing the woman. “But be sure to contact us if you do get a ransom demand. Or have some real proof that she’s missing.” She walked away.

The woman looked at Nate. “I would have thought she’d be a little more concerned about Ange. Considering how rich and famous she is. And she does live in your town. I thought this was a friendly place.”

“I’m sure she’s concerned.” He tried to be diplomatic. “But she’s a busy woman. And I believe the Matthews Estate isn’t actually within the city limits.”

“Still. She wasn’t very nice about it. And how busy could she really be? In this tiny town. It’s not like it’s Cleveland where there’s real crime.”

He couldn’t disagree with her assessment about the town or Leslie so he said nothing.

“If she doesn’t live right in town, does that mean it’s not in your jurisdiction? Should I go someplace else?” She looked at him, obviously still wanting him to do something.

Nate thought about that for a moment. “Actually, I think this is the right place. It seems I remember something about the town expanding their city limits out past her house. Have you gone to her house?”

She nodded. “She wasn’t there. Called her fiancé. He hadn’t talked to her either.”

“Didn’t I read somewhere that she broke up with him?”

“Yea, I read that, too, but he didn’t mention it when I called him. So I don’t know if it really happened that way or that’s just people blowing up an argument into more than it really was.”

That was interesting. Keren had Ange’s fiancé’s phone number. So perhaps, her relationship was closer than he’d first thought. “Was he worried about her?”

“Not really. You know who he is, right? He’s a Cleveland Browns player, and they’re in training camp right now so he’s been really busy. He probably hasn’t had time to worry about her being gone.”

“See, there you have it. I’m sure she’s fine. If her fiancé isn’t concerned, then there’s probably nothing to worry about.”

“Then why won’t she return my calls? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Well maybe the two of them did break up. And that’s probably why she hasn’t wanted to talk to anyone. She’s nursing a broken heart.”

Her cousin laughed. “Nursing a broken heart? That doesn’t sound like Ange at all. It’s not her first broken engagement. She loves to get engaged, but marriage is a different story. I think she can’t believe anyone wants to marry her unless it’s for her money. Besides, it was my birthday. She wouldn’t just blow me off like that.”

Ange Matthews probably would do just that. Even though he’d never met her, her reputation was well-known. And it wasn’t exactly a good one. “Look, I’ll check into it a little, and if I find anything suspicious, I’ll let you know. OK?”

She stood. “Thanks. Do you want my phone number?”

“Sure. And while you’re at it, the fiancé’s number as well. Hold on a minute.” He walked over to a file cabinet and came back with a paper. “We might as well make this official. Fill this out and on the backside give me any information that might be helpful. Names and numbers of friends, including the fiancé. I don’t know if you have access to any of her credit cards or such but that would be helpful as well.”

“Oh, I don’t have access to that at all. Like I said, I come from the other side of her family. Not the rich side.”

What might that be like—having a very rich cousin who was also glamorous and famous? Keren obviously didn’t have any of those things herself. Could this woman have led to her cousin disappearing? Stop it. Not everyone is a suspect. You don’t even know if the woman’s really in trouble.

After Keren left, he pulled his keyboard closer. He had an obligation to help. Ange Matthews deserved the same consideration as any one of the other citizens of Mt. Pleasant. It couldn’t hurt to spend a few minutes checking out the situation.

Famous and rich. That probably added up to lots of technology and social media. After twenty minutes at the keyboard, Nate had a good idea of Ange’s life before she disappeared.

And he wasn’t so sure Ange Matthew’s cousin wasn’t right.

Ange hadn’t been on her public social media for more than a week. Before that, her posts were consistent. Since the Friday before she was to have lunch with Keren. Before that she was everywhere, the woman loved her social media. Her name was on all the major sites along with lots of news stories. She posted about anything and everything. And her followers seemed to love it. He didn’t get why anyone would care what Ange Matthews had for breakfast, but they seemed to.

He stared out the window, his gaze focused on the bank. Did Ange Matthews use the town’s only bank? Less than a minute later, he walked into that financial institution.

“Hey, Nate.” Clint Smith gave him a wave from where he stood talking with one of the tellers.

“Just the man I’m looking for. Can we talk in your office?” Clint was the bank manager—or whatever his title was these days. It seemed to change from time to time, depending on what big bank had purchased it that week.

“Sure. Is there a problem?’

“Not a problem. I just have a question.” He answered as they walked into the office.

Clint shut the door and motioned for him to sit.

Nate shook his head. “This won’t take much time. I was wondering if Ange Matthews uses this bank.”

Clint’s eyes widened. “It’s probably not legal for me to give you the answer to that question.”

“Yeah, I sort of thought that’s what you might say. But let me ask you this hypothetically.”

Clint arched an orange-red brow. “Hypothetically?”

“I’m not just asking out of curiosity, you know.”

“Then why are you asking?”

“Her cousin’s worried about her. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I figured one of the ways I could establish that it was, indeed, nothing was to see if her credit card transactions have been normal for the past week or so. So does she bank here?”

“I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you I have met her on more than one occasion. If that helps.” Clint walked around the desk and sat down at his computer. He looked up at Nate. “The last week or so? Hypothetically, of course.”

“Of course.”

A moment later Clint looked up with a worried expression. “Hypothetically speaking, it would be most unusual for someone like her to have no transactions for the past nine days.”

“No transactions as in zero?”

Clint nodded. “What’s going on, Nate?”

“I’m not at liberty to say. I was really hoping you’d tell me she went on a trip to some exotic location to nurse a broken heart, and she’s there spending lots of her money.”

“Well, I’m also sure our hypothetical person would have credit cards from other banks. That said, that someone likes our card. A lot.”

“Can you access the info for me? About other cards?”

“Sorry. I can’t do that even hypothetically.”

“That’s OK. I think I got what I needed. If you hear from her or her cards are accessed, let me know.”

“Hypothetically.”

“Of course.”

Nate walked across the street. It didn’t appear as if Ange Matthews had gone on a last-minute trip somewhere. The last time she’d been on social media was the night she’d broken up with her fiancé. He needed to talk to the man.

He went to Leslie’s office and knocked even though the door was open.

She motioned him in.

“There might be something to the cousin’s concern about Ange Matthews.”

“Really?” She arched a brow. “Why do you think that?”

“She hasn’t been on social media or had a credit card charge since the night she broke up with her fiancé nine days ago. The Friday night before she was to have lunch with her cousin.”

“Credit card? You have no right to access that info.”

“I didn’t. I just asked hypothetically. And got answered hypothetically.”

She rolled her eyes. “Spare me the small-town bonding. You just said she broke up with her fiancé. She’s probably off nursing a broken heart.”

“Or maybe he wasn’t happy that she broke it off with him in such a public way. Nobody likes to be humiliated. Didn’t you see the news?”

“The football player, right?”

“Right.”

She flipped a pencil back and forth. “Let it go, Nate. Ange Matthews is just off on another one of her trips somewhere. Everyone knows how she is. She’s a spoiled brat who comes and goes as she pleases, without considering her cousin’s feelings or her birthday.”

“Then why hasn’t she used her credit card or been on social media?”

“How would I know?”

“People don’t just disappear without a reason. I think we have an obligation to at least check out the situation.”

“Not true. It happens all the time, and you know it.”

“She hasn’t posted anything on her social media in more than a week. Before that, she was all over it. Dozens of times every day.”

Leslie rolled her eyes. “You’re just trying to figure out a way to meet the beautiful, rich girl now that you’re an eligible bachelor again.”

“You say that as if it’s what I wanted. Remember, you’re the one who broke it off and gave me back the ring. Because you have other things you want to do before you settle down. And this wasn’t the place you wanted to settle down in anyway. Remember?”

Ignoring his words, she tapped her manicured nails on her desktop. “There’s no case here, Nate.”

“Her cousin thinks differently. And she drove all the way down here looking for her. That says something, doesn’t it?”

“I’m sure it’s not the first time Ange has been rude to her. Even the cousin admitted that she takes off on unscheduled jaunts without telling her.”

“You’re probably right, but I’m still going to look into it a little further.”

“No, you’re not. I said there’s no case. And I’m still your boss.”

“For the next few weeks anyway.” He met her gaze and then leaned closer. “What if I’m right and you’re wrong? What if Ange Matthews really is missing and you did nothing about it? It might mess up your meteoric rise at the FBI if they find out you didn’t follow up on a citizen’s complaint about her missing cousin.”

Leslie’s eyes narrowed. “Fine. You want to waste your time, waste it. What do I care?”

“Leslie, I really don’t understand where this animosity’s coming from. You broke up with me, not the other way around. I didn’t stand in your way when the FBI accepted your application.”

“For a cop, you are clueless.” She held up her hands in surrender. “Go do what you want. I have an appointment.” She made a grand exit from her office.

The others in the squad room pretended not to notice their argument.

He had a feeling she regretted giving back his ring, but it was a done deal. And he had no plans to undo the deal. She may have been the one to make the decision, but it was the right decision. For both of them. He was more than happy living here in his hometown. Not her—she’d never be happy living here permanently. Mount Pleasant was only a stepping stone to other places—more glamorous places with a lot more action. Leslie was also wrong about his interest in Ange Matthews. Beautiful and rich was way too high maintenance for his taste. Nate liked simple.

He’d learned that lesson from Leslie.

Well, there were two ways to work a case. Old-fashioned footwork or new-fashioned computer work. He’d found out what he could on the computer. Now, it was time for old-fashioned police work. There were things that could only be learned by talking to people. Technology helped, but people solved crimes.

First a trip to the Brown’s training facility in Berea and then to the last place she’d been seen: Cleveland. He hated big cities.