Lily continued down the road a couple of miles and turned into a parking lot. She eyed the nondescript building that served as the local homeless shelter, on the edge of a small industrial area and separated from the nearest residential area by a wide swath of forested acreage.
She knew the police had probably already visited the shelter where Mel had stayed, but wanted to see it for herself. She made her way to the office. Behind the front desk, a young woman, with strands of once vibrant green lingering in her hair, lifted her eyes, giving Lily an uninterested glance.
Lily smiled at the apathetic receptionist. “Hi, I’m new in town and was wondering about volunteer opportunities here.” Organizations like this one protected their clients and might not share much information if she came right out and asked about Mel. Without changing her expression, the woman picked up the phone and escorted Lily to a small office tucked into a corner, with a nameplate labeling it the director’s office. Lily took in the papers and folders covering a desk and small table, and plastic bins stacked on two worn chairs in front of the desk.
A woman with dark circles under her eyes and her hair held back from her face in a messy ponytail smiled at Lily and extended her hand. “I’m Carly Morgan. You’ll have to excuse the mess. I’m in the midst of our annual fundraiser and it’s a busy time.” She leaned her head toward the front office and added, “Amber said you’re interested in volunteering?”
Lily nodded. “I’ve got some time on my hands and thought I’d make myself useful. I toured the library and wanted to do the same here before I make a decision on what would be the best fit.”
Carly blew out a breath that ruffled her bangs. “We run on a shoestring budget around here, so help is always welcome. We have beds for twenty-four people, do a meal service in cooperation with some other charities, and try to get these folks some help and set up to support themselves. Most of them can only stay here ninety days, so it’s a bit of a revolving door.”
Carly’s desk phone rang and she held up a finger to Lily as she plucked the receiver from the cradle. Lily turned her attention to the office and examined an evacuation map posted by the doorway. She studied the drawing noting a large common room, the kitchen, some classrooms, and the dormitory areas, separated for males and females, including shower and bathroom facilities.
Carly hung up the phone and said, “I’ll give you the nickel tour and explain a bit as we move through the building.” She motioned Lily to follow her and led her down the hallway toward the common room.
Lily concentrated on summing up the clients she saw as they traversed the hallway and nodded at Carly with an occasional word of understanding. Carly rambled on about grant funding and how they were always struggling to find money to keep the place going. Their quest for funding and locating permanent housing for their clients were her main worries.
A lecture was taking place in one of the classrooms. Lily scanned the residents seated at tables and noted they were all elderly. “One of the young women who volunteered at the library mentioned the shelter,” said Lily.
Carly nodded. “That had to be Mel. She’s a bookworm and volunteers there. Thankfully, she was able to find a permanent housing solution and a job, from what I understand. I was so glad for that. This is no place for a nice young woman like her.” Carly’s shoulders sagged. “Now, if only there was hope for Sally. She’s another young woman on her own that needs more help than we can offer.” Carly moved her eyes to the side and Lily saw a young woman walking toward them, a spiky shock of dark hair atop her pale face.
“Hey, Sally. How are you today?” Carly asked.
The girl shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. “Same as I always am. I’ll never be like your little pet, Mel.” Sally sneered at the director.
That tingle, deep in her gut that she had learned years ago not to ignore, drew Lily to take note of Sally.
Carly’s eyes narrowed. “I hope you’re on your way outside to work on those weeds and get those flowers in the ground. You also need to store your cellphone in the office. Remember, you lost your privilege to use it.”
She rolled her eyes. “You need to chill. I’ll get it done.” Sally smirked as she continued down the hall. “I heard Mel ran away. So, maybe she’s not such a good girl after all.”
Lily’s eyes stayed glued to the back of the brassy young woman. The only way Sally would know about Mel being gone was if she had been in contact with her recently. Carly let out a frustrated sigh, and they kept walking. “Some days are harder than others. She’s on thin ice for violating curfew again. Sally is on the verge of a forced transfer to Seattle. She needs services we just don’t have here in Driftwood Bay.”
They continued to the common room where a few people were watching television and one was on a computer, then back to the front office, where Lily looked at her watch. “Oh, my, I need to get moving. Thanks so much for the tour and I’ll be in touch once I make a decision on volunteering.”
Carly thanked her for coming, her tired eyes displaying her disappointment in not engaging Lily as a volunteer on the spot. Lily hurried outside, scanning the area for Sally. She spotted her next to a fence, leaning against a tree.
Lily made her way to her, coughing at the stench of cigarette smoke surrounding the young woman. “You mentioned Mel. She’s the one who told me about volunteer opportunities here. I met her at the library. Do you still see Mel often?”
Sally scoffed. “Like I would hang out with her? We don’t exactly run in the same circles.”
Lily nodded while taking note of the bulge of her cell phone in her pocket. “Ah, well, you mentioned she had run away, so it seems like you know quite a bit about her.”
Sally’s forehead creased as she glared at Lily. “I just heard about it. What’s it to you, anyway?”
“She doesn’t seem like the type to run away. She’s always at the library and enjoys volunteering there. Who told you she had run away?”
Carly turned and picked up the hoe that was resting against the tree. She shrugged as she buried it into the soil. “I can’t remember exactly. I need to get back to this or Ms. Carly will have a meltdown.”
Lily nodded. “Have a good day, Sally.” She met the young woman’s harsh eyes and held them, until Sally looked away and back at the ground.
Lily strolled back to her car, giving Sally a smile and a wave as she pulled onto the street. Everything about Sally screamed she was lying and Lily was certain she knew more about Mel than she was saying. She sped through the few miles to downtown and parked in front of the police station.
One thing Lily knew, after what she saw, she didn’t want to volunteer there and wasn’t surprised that they had a hard time finding volunteers. Between the apathetic receptionist and the lack of organization, she wanted nothing to do with the place and imagined any prospects would feel the same way.
She found Jeff in his office, glued to his computer screen. Lily raised her brows and slid into the chair in front of his desk. “Any luck?”
He frowned. “Not yet. We’re checking hospitals every shift.” He didn’t mention morgues, but Lily knew from all her years as a police officer that they would also be checking them.
“I may have something. A young woman at the shelter named Sally. I was just there and she has a chip on her shoulder when it comes to Mel. I’m certain she knows more than she’s saying. Sally knew Mel had run away and clammed up when I asked her about it. She also has a cell phone, which was supposed to be off limits and has a street-wise attitude. The director mentioned she needs more services than they can offer here and she violated curfew. I think she’s not only homeless, but possibly involved with something more serious.”
Jeff grinned. “I take it you just happened by the shelter?”
She shrugged. “I’m always looking for opportunities to volunteer.”
He scribbled on his notepad. “I’ll look into it straightaway.”
“I hate leaving with her missing, but I can’t miss this trip.” Lily’s heart ached for Mel. The last thing she needed was another person in her life abandoning her.
“I told you, Donna and I will take good care of Mel while you’re gone. We were going to anyway.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “This just adds an extra level of concern.”
Lily sighed and shook her head. “She seemed to be doing so well. I’m still not convinced she ran away. She’s excited about school and I didn’t notice her being upset. There’s something we’re missing.”
“I promise to keep in touch and update you with any news. The minute we find her, I’ll text you no matter what time it is.” Jeff’s intercom buzzed and he glanced at the telephone on his desk. “I’ve got to take this. You gonna be okay?”
Lily nodded. “Yep. I have to leave for the airport at four in the morning. I’ll text you when I land, but will be in the air until early afternoon your time.”
“Got it,” he said, picking up the phone.
Lily left the office with a heavy heart. With her mind focused on Mel, she drove the few blocks to the library and texted Donna to see if she could meet for a few minutes at the café. Lily didn’t want to draw attention to Mel’s absence or have anyone she worked with overhear their conversation.
Lily ordered each of them a bowl of soup and a pot of tea and soon after it arrived, Donna came through the door. She looked as tired as Lily felt, but her brows arched with curiosity. Lily shook her head. “I just left Jeff’s office and there’s still no word.” She motioned Donna to help herself to lunch.
“Ah, thanks for this. I haven’t felt like eating anything, but that soup looks delicious.”
Lily nodded. “Same with me. I wanted to give you a key to the house, just in case Mel needs to get back in to get her things.” Tears stung her eyes as she fumbled for the extra key in the pocket of her purse. “I’ve been meaning to give it to Mel and keep forgetting.”
Donna nodded. “Jeff’s doing all he can. I’m sure they’ll find her soon.”
“I’ll email you my itinerary, just in case you need it. I should have my cell phone with me at all times, but that way you’ll have my hotel and flight information. I’ll be home Tuesday afternoon.”
They finished their lunch, with only a few words of conversation. Lily didn’t have the energy to focus on small talk and Donna was in a rush to get back to work. Outside, Donna hugged Lily goodbye. “Try to enjoy your time with your son. I know it’s impossible not to worry about Mel, but trust we’ll do everything we can.”
Lily squeezed Donna’s hand and nodded. “I trust you. If you find her, make sure she knows I had to go for my mom’s memorial. I don’t want her to think I deserted her.”
Donna smiled. “I will. She’ll understand. Don’t worry.”
Despite the exhaustion from worrying and very little sleep, Lily tossed and turned all night. Mac had brought takeout over for dinner and spent a few hours visiting, before taking the dogs back to his house. It was the first night since she’d moved to Driftwood Bay that she didn’t have the comfort of her faithful companion, Fritz. He and Bodie were no doubt having a fun time on their adventure at Mac’s house, with Sherlock and Mac’s other animals.
She finally fell asleep close to midnight and when the shuttle driver picked her up at four o’clock, she was already exhausted and the day hadn’t even begun. The airport was teeming with people for early morning flights. While she waited in endless lines, she scanned faces in the crowd, hoping to find Mel.
Without money or a cell phone, Lily couldn’t imagine Mel would be at the airport with a ticket, but stranger things had happened. She couldn’t shake the possibility of human trafficking, which sent a chill through her. She scanned every face that walked by her and studied the posture and gait of anyone close to Mel’s age. She knew traffickers often disguised women as men, so scrutinized everyone. It gave her something to do while she stood in line waiting to make her way to her gate.
The whole process, while irritating and inefficient, was uneventful and soon she was seated in her cramped window seat, inserting her earbuds, hoping to drown out the noise of the plane and her fellow passengers and drift off to sleep for the next five hours. She texted Kevin to let him know she was on the plane and shut off her phone.
As the plane climbed higher into the clouds, she shut her eyes. The stress of the last few days caught up with her and before they reached their cruising altitude, she was fast asleep.