Chapter Nineteen
Wes was happy for Tommy and Sharise, but he was exhausted. He wanted to head home, but being the best man didn't give him that luxury. It had been a hard week, and he didn't feel like he had accomplished much. He had his suspicions, but he didn't have anything new on Melanie Stowe to bring back to his producer. He knew that first thing on Monday morning, Alan would be on him to dig deeper.
“Hey, man, you're not supposed to be looking glum. I'm the one who just got married.” Tommy came up beside him and sat down.
Wes looked at him. “You should be the happiest man in here. What are you doing over here? Where's Sharise?”
“She went to talk to her best friend. So, I decided to see mine.”
“Okay, y'all are going to have to do a little bit better.”
“Oh, we will as soon as we get out of here. I'm happy to be married, but planning this wedding has been one big ordeal. I'm happy everything turned out great.”
“Sharise was a beautiful bride, and I'm sure you two are going to be great. So, when are the kids coming?”
Tommy widened his eyes. “What? No. No. Don't start talking about that yet. Let us get to the honeymoon first.”
Wes laughed. “I can't wait to see the first little versions of you and Sharise.”
“Okay, now you are scaring me. That's coming just no time soon. Hey, there is my lovely bride. I'm going to get her away from her friend, and I will catch you later.”
Wes nodded. “All right.” As Tommy walked away, Wes turned his attention to the corner of the room. He had noticed Angel earlier but didn't know what to say or do. She hadn't returned any of his messages. Right now she appeared to be upset with the guy standing next to her. Wes couldn't remember his name, but he was at the bachelor party last night. The guy was a real jerk. He was the kind of guy who demanded attention, despite the evening not being about him.
Wes got up from his seat and weaved his way around tables toward Angel. He figured he might do a bit better than this guy with getting a conversation going. As he approached, Angel looked up. Was that relief in her eyes, or maybe it was his imagination?
“Hello, Angel.”
She was definitely smiling at him with her mouth and her eyes. Once again he was reminded how much he loved her eyes.
Angel stepped away from the guy. “Hello, Wes. I didn't realize you were in the wedding party.”
“Oh yeah, I've known Tommy and Sharise for years. Tommy since high school. Sharise and I met in college. They met each other and have been a couple ever since.” He turned to the man. “You were at the bachelor party last night. Looked like you were having a good time. What was your name again?”
Kenneth looked from Angel to Wes. “Kenneth. Kenneth Morgan. It was a great party. So, you and Angel are friends?”
Seeing the question in Kenneth's eyes, Wes couldn't resist. “Yes, we have become fast friends.” Wes was happy to be rewarded with a smile from Angel. He had done something right for a change.
“I will leave you two. Good to see you again, Angel.”
As Kenneth walked off, Wes turned to Angel. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt.”
Angel shook her head. “Believe me, you saved me.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Ex-boyfriend. Long time ago.”
“Weddings bring out the romantic side of people.”
“Not. He's going to be getting married this summer. To my exâbest friend.”
She smiled, but Wes could tell the attempted humor didn't reach her eyes. “I'm surprised you said he's going to be getting married soon. He didn't appear to be tied down to anyone last night. I would say he was the life of the party.”
“Kenneth likes attention. So you said you went to high school with the groom?”
“Yes, we both had the honor of being church boys.”
She raised her eyebrow. “Church boys?”
“Let's just say that Wanda and Tommy's mom enjoyed keeping us in church and out of trouble. We, of course, would find a way to cut up and get into foolishness, anyway.”
Angel giggled. “I bet.”
To keep the conversation going, he asked, “How's your grandmother doing?”
“She's been transferred to a rehabilitation facility. It's hard to see her, but she is trying hard. It can be really frustrating for her. She was so energetic before.”
“I can imagine.”
She asked, “How's Detective Cade doing?”
“Last I talked to my mom, he seemed in good spirits. It's kind of sad to be around him. We used to hang out all the time, and then . . . some days he doesn't know me or Mom. It's like we don't exist. In his mind he could be back thirty or forty years.”
Angel said, “That must be difficult. I read a bit about Alzheimer's. It affects the short-term memory first.”
“Yes, it's hard. Mom is a nurse, and she mainly takes care of him. Lately, I think it's taken a toll on her, though. She seems older, and I don't mean age-wise. She is just tired. She would have attended the wedding today, but someone has to watch him. She doesn't want to put him in a nursing home, but he has run away a couple of times. It's just scary when he goes missing.” He looked at Angel's face. “Oh, I shouldn't have brought that up.”
Angel frowned. “What do you mean? You were saying he can get lost. It can happen when he gets confused.”
“Sorry. I just thought about . . . Well, I have been working on the Melanie Stowe case and . . . you know, your mother.”
“It's fine. Do you know if the police have any clues about what happened to Melanie? It's been a week and a half now. I've been trying to follow her case a little.”
“No. It's pretty cut and dry. Someone snatched her up in the parking lot on the way to her car, and no one saw it. It could be a crazed fan that became obsessed with her on
American Voices.
There are not a lot of clues.”
Angel responded, “When I saw the story on the news, it reminded me of my mother's disappearance. I guess because they both had these singing careers they were pursuing.”
Something about what Angel said struck a chord somewhere in Wes. Possibly because he was investigating both cases at the same time, he, too, thought the similarity was interesting. Still, the missing person cases were twenty years apart.
Wes noticed the band had started to play a slow number. The conversation between him and Angel, along with the other conversations at the reception, came to a halt as all eyes were on Tommy and Sharise on the dance floor. Wes wondered what that felt like. To stare into the eyes of the woman you would spend the rest of your life with. He looked over at Angel, who had directed her attention to the camera on the tripod.
She turned to look at him, and they just stared at each other for a brief moment, until Angel looked away to focus on the camera with a slight smile on her face. Wes forgot that only about twenty minutes ago he had felt exhausted and had been ready to call it a night. Now staying for a little while longer was a bit more appealing. He just needed to keep the reporter's hat off so he wouldn't spoil the growing friendship he had with Angel Roberts.
Chapter Twenty
A noise from behind the door startled her from sleep. Melanie slept all the time, but it was more like dozing off in a car or on a plane. Her head nodded and jerked at any odd sound. This time she knew she had heard something for sure. She focused on a sliver of light under the door. Then she saw a shadow at the threshold.
He's back!
She turned her back to the door and shut her eyes tight. Her heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of her chest.
As light pushed away the darkness, she told herself,
Don't move.
This was the second time he'd come. The first time, she'd stood and faced him. Melanie's questions had caught in her throat as she noticed the flicker of steel emerge from the switchblade in his hand. Against the light of the door, she hadn't been able to see his face clearly. It hadn't mattered; she knew he'd come to end her exile and send her away for eternity. She had curled up on the bed, pleading with him not to hurt her.
He hadn't touched her. Instead he had brought her more food, this time including a banana and two apples. She wasn't sure if she should be grateful or alarmed. How long was he planning to keep her here?
Now he was back. He always smelled like he'd just taken a shower. Though she was scared of his presence, the scent of his cologne was a pleasant alternative to the constant mustiness of the room. The floorboards crackled as he drew near her. A few seconds later, she felt his breath across the side of her face.
Her gut instinct told her to reach toward him and fight for her life, but knowing his switchblade was nearby, she didn't dare. It was best to attack him upon his arrival, catch him off guard. If only she knew when he would come.
Melanie heard him walk over to the wall across from the bed. She slowly opened her eyes while his back was turned, and watched him pull out more water and food from a bag. He took his time arranging the items on the table. When he turned back around, she closed her eyes. She had yet to get a good look at him. He wasn't young. That was all she could tell. The man moved very deliberately, like he was thinking with every movement. Then, as stealthily as he'd come in, he was gone, the door locked. She kept her eyes closed awhile longer.
Melanie scooted off the bed and walked over to the table. She stared at the assortment of food. Water, peanuts, and more fruit. She amused herself by saying, “Well, most of the food groups are represented.”
Her humor died when she noticed he had left her something else.
Not many people knew how much she loved this candy bar
.
Maybe it was a coincidence. She knew it wasn't.
Chapter Twenty-one
Angel followed Jennifer into her office at the Bring Them Home Foundation. The offices were in a house. When Angel entered, she was enamored of the cozy living room that served as a waiting area. Jennifer's office was a former bedroom and was filled with filing cabinets. There was a large couch with a blanket on one side of the room. Angel had a feeling Jennifer was really dedicated to her nonprofit, so much so that she pulled all-nighters. On Jennifer's desk were flyers with a photo of Melanie Stowe from a performance on
American Voices.
“Jennifer, thank you for letting me interview you for my film. We can shoot a segment for a PSA if you would like, but are you sure this is still a good time?”
Jennifer was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. She had been out early with a group of searchers looking for Melanie. She pulled her hat off and ran her hands across her short red hair. “This works for me. Please no formalities here. I'm so excited that you are going to document your mother's life. So many adults go missing each year, whether it's foul play, mental illness, or circumstances that have led to homelessness. I think what you are doing will garner attention for other missing people.”
As Angel pulled her camera and tripod out of the bag, she responded, “I thought the film could be a way to help other families with missing persons.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe they don't know about your organization.” Angel had determined that she wanted to tell Elisa's story whether or not she was ever found.
“We do appreciate it. This week we have workshops going on with law enforcement. We are excited about agencies working together toward a common goal.”
Angel sat the camera on the tripod and then turned it on. She asked, “Law enforcement workshops? That sounds like a perfect place to start. Hold on just one moment.” Angel looked into her camera to check the lighting. Since there was a window on the left side of Jennifer, Angel took the time to adjust the light meter. Jennifer wore a bright green T-shirt, which provided great color balance.
Satisfied with her camera setting, Angel grabbed her notebook and turned to the questions she had prepared. “So, why are you doing workshops for law enforcement?”
Jennifer sighed. “Well, as you probably know, when an adult goes missing, it's not always taken quite as seriously as when a child disappears. When a person is eighteen, they can come and go as they please. Oftentimes these cases are not handled with care, especially when it comes to family members in search of their loved ones. So we train law enforcement and the investigators on how to interact with families and also the media.”
Angel scribbled in her notebook and then looked up at Jennifer. “You know, the investigator in my mom's case was also a family friend. I believe he tried his best, but my granddad didn't think he did enough.”
Jennifer shook her head. “Yes, I'm aware of Nick's feelings. He came to us because he just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that your mother couldn't be found. He really just wanted to bring her home, even if it was just her body.”
Angel swallowed.
“Are you okay? This is hard, and it's admirable that you are doing this.”
Angel smiled and shook her head. “I'm fine. Let's continue. When did you start your foundation? Are you the only one devoted to missing persons?”
“Oh no, there are many foundations and organizations doing this work, but we are connected. Meaning we, along with law enforcement, forensic scientists, the families of missing loved ones, we all have access to and the ability to add information to NamUs. NamUs is the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. It's the main database for missing persons and unidentified decedent records.”
Angel responded, “It's an incredible database. I searched there last night and, of course, found my mother's profile.”
“It's one of the most important tools we have. There is also The Doe Network, which provides information too. Many unidentified persons have been identified by family members who diligently searched for them.”
“Thanks. I'd like to look into the Web sites more.”
“I'm sure you will find it to be very helpful. Your grandfather was of an older generation, so he didn't seem to take to computers too well.”
Angel laughed. “No, neither of my grandparents cared too much about computers. Anytime they wanted to see something, I was their Internet guide.” Angel looked at her notes. “Jennifer, I just have a few more questions, and I will be out of your way. Now, tell me, is it true that you have to wait twenty-four hours, and sometimes up to seventy-two hours, to report a missing person?”
“Not necessarily true. If the missing person fits the Bring Them Home Foundation criteria, we like to report them missing as soon as possible. We have an investigator on staff who will immediately focus on the missing person. The sooner an adult is reported missing, the sooner the investigators can help find them. In fact, in many cases missing persons are found and returned home in a few days. It's sad, but sometimes a person is reported missing when he or she has simply chosen not to go to work and avoid friends and family.”
“But the longer they are missing, the greater the chance that foul play is involved, right? I mean, in my mother's case, she walked out of the house and didn't tell anyone where she was going.”
Jennifer shook her head. “Yes, your mother's case is a tricky one. Her car was never recovered. There is no evidence of her stopping by a bank or spending money. Back then there were no cell phones to be traced. No one has come forward with decent information. There were people who claimed to have seen her, but they were all over the place. Your mother couldn't be in so many places at once.”
“Agreed.” Angel wanted to be able to pick Detective Cade's memories about those call-ins. “Would you say if there is foul play involved in a missing persons case that the person responsible could easily have been someone the missing person knew?” she asked. “I mean, I can't imagine someone harming another person and just keeping it a secret.”
“That's pretty scary, Angel.” Jennifer clasped her hands. “Unfortunately, if there was an abduction or some type of foul play, the victim usually knows the person, but maybe not personally. But there was some interaction. Oftentimes family and close friends are looked at first.”
That explained why everyone looked so hard at Angel's father. “Thanks, Jennifer. Is there anything you want to add to the interview?”
“Certainly, I want to stress the importance of immediately notifying the police when someone goes missing. You should dial nine-one-one. Be sure to note their physical features and what they were wearing. Having a recent photo really helps the process too.”
“Awesome.” Angel stood and shook Jennifer's hand. “I really appreciate your time. I can see why my granddad liked to keep in touch with you. I think he had some peace in knowing someone was still looking for my mother.”
“That's what we are here for. Now, the police did all they could do as well. I remember Detective . . . um . . . What was his name?”
“Detective Cade.”
“Yes. He never gave up looking. In fact, we kept in touch periodically. He had a wealth of details and information about Elisa's case. I don't think I had ever seen such compassion from an investigator. It sounds like your mother was well loved and dearly missed by many people.”
“I see that now more as an adult. You know, speaking of missing persons, what are your thoughts about Melanie Stowe? She is getting a lot of coverage in the media. Do you think it will help?”
Jennifer picked up a flyer off her desk. “I hope so. Melanie is an unusual case with her celebrity status from
American Voices.
Many, many adults go missing with nowhere near the media attention locally, and certainly not nationally. You can't turn on the news these days without hearing about her. That's going to be good if she has been spotted.”
A blond-haired girl peeked in the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt, but, Jennifer, we will need you in the conference room soon.”
Jennifer answered, “I will be right there.” She stood and stretched her arm out toward Angel. “Angel, it's been a pleasure. Let me know how the documentary goes, and if you can pull a PSA from the interview, that would be fantastic. I would love to include it with our workshop material.”
“Certainly. I will be in touch.”
As Angel packed up her camera and equipment, she thought about Melanie. It had been almost two weeks since she vanished. She wondered if the young singer would fare better than her mother had. Angel hoped so. She entered the hallway and headed out toward her car. The sunshine warmed her, but she wasn't thinking warm thoughts. In her heart, she knew she needed to conquer a fear that had been eating away at her the past few days.
Her interview with Jennifer was for a double purpose
.
Angel wanted to help spread the word about the foundation, but she also wanted to trace what happened to her mother twenty years ago. Jennifer's words haunted Angel.
Oftentimes family and close friends are looked at first.
Should she really try to reach out to her father? If he did have something to do with her mother going missing, how would he feel about his long-lost daughter showing up at his front door?