Case #1: Romeo

Chapter 9

Sleuths HQ

Atlanta, Georgia

Tuesday, October 8, 2002

2:37 PM

“She’s been missing for almost two days now, Toni!  Damn it –,” Logan slammed his hand, palm down, onto the side of Toni’s desk.  “I thought you had the situation under control.”

“There was only so much I could do, sir!”  Toni retorted, thick sarcasm tainting her voice.  “She didn’t want my help.  And I wasn’t going to force it down her throat!”  Toni pushed her chair back with her feet and stood up.

“No wonder they fired you in Washington!”  Logan shouted, in an attempt to anger her.  It worked, but she fought back her tears.  There was no way that she was going to let Logan see her cry.

Glaring at Logan through semi-blurred vision, due to the tears beginning to well in her eyes, she replied.  “Whatever happened to the man you used to be, Logan?  Did you divorce him too, along with you wife and kid?”  She knew that his divorce was a sore subject to touch on, but so was her being fired from her job in Washington, and she didn’t care; all she wanted was to teach him a lesson in kindness no matter how bad the situation at hand was beginning to look.  “I’m sorry, Logan.  I didn’t mean to-.”

He stopped her.  “Don’t be.”  He said calmly.  “I took a cheap shot at you.  All I could expect was for you to fire back, and I should be the one apologizing.  I’ve been acting like a jackass ever since Hope disappeared.”

“True! But if I were in your shoes…lets just say the word bitch comes to mind.”

Logan managed a short-lived chuckle.  “One question?  Did Hope mention where she was headed?”

“Yeah…she did actually.  But it was very cryptic.  Something about ‘visiting old ghosts’.”

Toni could practically see the light bulb appear over Logan’s head.  “I know exactly where she went.  Greenwood Cemetery!”

“Greenwood Cemetery?” Toni replied.  Why would Hope visit the cemetery?  She asked herself.

Sleuths HQ

Atlanta, Georgia

Tuesday, October 8, 2002

2:37 PM

“Where the hell are they?”  Rider demanded.  He couldn’t find Bryant Adams or Agent Morgan anywhere.

“I must have forgotten to tell you.  Agent Morgan left for Washington about three hours ago.”  Tamera Price responded.

“Gee thanks, but that still doesn’t tell me where Bryant Adams is.”

“Oh, Agent Morgan let him go.  He figured that since he was here when Hope went missing that he couldn’t possibly be this Romeo creep.”

“He let him go?”  The fury in Rider’s eyes was undeniable.

“What’s the big deal?  He wasn’t any help to us anyway.”

“No BIG deal?  Damn it!  He was our only fucking suspect!”

Tamera scribbled something onto a piece of paper.  “Here.”  She held the paper out to Rider.

“What’s this?”

“Agent Morgan’s cell number.  If you want to yell at someone call him.”  She held both of her hands up in a mock surrender.  “It’s out of my hands.”

Rider glared at Tamera and rolled his eyes.  What’s with this chick?  He thought.

Sleuths HQ

Atlanta, Georgia

Tuesday, October 8, 2002

2:37 PM

Toni stood just outside Logan’s office.  Who could he be calling?  She inched the door open just enough so she could listen in on his conversation, and not be detected.

“Thank you so much Victoria.  I’ve never really used a medium on a case before.  But I’ll try anything if it means getting Hope back safely.” 

Victoria?  Who’s Victoria?  All sorts of questions began to fill Toni’s mind.

“What’s the psychic’s name?”  Logan asked.  “Samantha McIver.”  He said aloud as he wrote the name on a piece of paper.