Eye of the Beholder (17 page)

Ellen smiled. “How thoughtful of them.” She laid the three sacks on the counter. “Add Gordy’s fish and chips to that. Also clam chowder.”

“We’ll never eat all that food,” Guy said.

Ellen didn’t make eye contact. “It’ll keep. We’ll get several meals out of it.”

“You have the nicest friends,” Hailey said. “I can’t believe they
drove all the way over here just to bring us food.”

“So how was your Bible study with Billy and Lisa?” Guy said.

“Fine. Hailey, why don’t I help you get this food sorted so we can decide what to serve when.”

Thanks for the public brush off
. Guy felt his cell phone vibrating. He left the kitchen and took it out of his pocket. “Hello.”

“Guy, it’s Brent. Have you heard from Kinsey since we talked this morning?”

“No, why?”

“She hasn’t been in the office. Hasn’t called in. Isn’t answering her home or cell phone.”

“Maybe she got more involved in the research than she intended.”

“But surely she would’ve called in?”

Guy went in the living room and sat on the couch. “I encouraged her to stay with a friend till we figure all this out. Maybe she did.”

“Then why didn’t she just call and tell me that?”

“I don’t know, Brent. People react differently to stress. Maybe she spaced it out.”

“Doesn’t she keep an extra house key in her desk?”

“Yeah, it’s attached to a magnet in her top file drawer. You going over there?”

“I’ll feel better if I take a look. I’ll call you back and let you know what I find out.”

Ellen sat with Owen and Hailey, watching “Regional News at Six,” all too aware of Guy brooding out on the porch swing. She wasn’t ready to ease his guilt just because she believed he was telling the truth. How could he have exercised such poor judgment and, at the same time, had the nerve to suggest that
her
friends were having a negative effect on his professional image? The news anchor’s voice stole her attention.

“This just in … Seaport police have been dispatched to Bougainvillea Park where a volatile situation developed a short time ago between what appears to be a Muslim family and a group of teenagers. WRGL-TV’s Jared Downing is at the scene. Jared …”

“Shannon, what started out as a stroll in the park for one local family has turned into an evening of terror. According to eyewitnesses, the family, whose name we don’t yet know, brought their three children to the park and had sat down to eat a picnic dinner when they were confronted by a group of teenage boys. The teens began heckling the family and shouting ethnic slurs.

“Eyewitness Emily Jensen said the family appeared to ignore the heckling until one of the teenagers approached them, wielding a knife, and suggested maybe he should, quote, ‘Behead
your
kids to even the score for those beheadings in Iraq.’ End quote.

“According to Jensen, the father got up and stood between his children and the teenagers, shouting for someone to call the police. By then Jensen had already placed a 911 call.

“Minutes later, police began arriving on the scene. The troublemakers took off running but were quickly apprehended. These bystanders you see behind me said the teens acted as if they’d been drinking and told police they just meant it as a joke. We don’t know yet if any arrests have been made, but we’ll bring you the facts as we get them. This is Jared Downing on the scene in Bougainvillea Park. Shannon …”

Ellen threw her hands up. “That’s all we need—American youth behaving like terrorists! I hope the police do more than slap those boys on the wrist!”

Hailey put the TV on mute. “I can’t believe they’d even threaten something like that in jest.”

“It’s sad,” Owen said. “But it’s just a symptom of the fear people have about Muslims. It’s only going to get worse.”

Guy came in the front door and walked in the living room. “Why do you all look so glum?”

“Because the news is such a downer,” Owen said.

“Well, I’ve got some potentially bad news to add to it. I just got off the phone with Brent. Kinsey didn’t show up for work today and no one’s heard from her.”

“Oh, no …” Ellen closed her eyes and laid her head against the back of the couch.

“Brent went over to her condo and looked around. Her car’s there, but she’s not. It’s completely out of character for her not to have called.”

“Did he report it to the police?” Ellen said.

“Not yet. When I left last night, I suggested Kinsey stay with a friend till the police figure out what’s going on. We’re hoping maybe she did, though it’s odd she wouldn’t have called the office and told someone. Then again, she was pretty rattled.”

“Did Brent see anything at Kinsey’s that looked suspicious?”

Guy sat on the couch next to Ellen. “No. There was no sign of a struggle. Nothing out of place—at least nothing that stood out.”

“I wonder if she took her purse with her?”

“Why is that important?”

“Because if she took her purse, she probably left by choice.”

Guy patted Ellen’s hand. “Good point. I’ll call Brent back and tell him to check.”

Ellen went into the guest room and closed the door. She sat on the bed, got her cell phone out of her purse, and hit the autodial.

“Hello.”

“Julie, it’s Ellen. Thanks for bringing the wonderful lasagna. How thoughtful of you.”

“I still can’t believe what happened. Have you found out anything since we talked this morning?”

“No, other than Guy’s legal secretary didn’t show up for work today and hasn’t returned any of her messages. Apparently, Guy suggested to her that she stay with a friend until the police got to
the bottom of this. She probably did and just neglected to call the office and let them know. But we’ll all feel better when we know where she is.”

“Well, just know Ross and I are praying for you. I called the church and put you and Guy on the prayer list.”

“Thanks. Blanche told me you had. Oh, darn, I forgot to ask her if she found someone to take her to the eye doctor on Monday. Her car was in the shop.”

“Actually, I took her. Sarah Beth and I played in the park across the street from the eye clinic till she was done.”

“You’re a good friend, Julie. I love and appreciate you so much.”

“You know I feel the same about you. Oops, someone’s at my door. I’ve gotta run. Ellen, please be careful. I’m so concerned about this threat.”

“We are, too. But we know whose hands we’re in. Go answer the door. I’ll talk to you later.”

Ellen disconnected the call and redialed.

“Hello.”

“Mina, it’s Ellen. Thank you for bringing us the delicious casserole. It must’ve taken your entire lunch hour for you to drive over here and back. How thoughtful, especially with all you’ve got going on. I appreciate not having to think about cooking right now.”

“It was my pleasure to return kindness. What did police find out about your situation?”

“They definitely think it’s someone’s angry response to a recent case Guy won. But they haven’t begun to narrow down who’s responsible. We’re a little edgy, but we’ve got a lot of prayer support. I suppose you heard on the evening news about the incident at Bougainvillea Park?”

Mina exhaled into the receiver. “Yes, and my stomach is sick. If our children start paying back hate with hate, how will hate ever leave us?”

“There’s no excuse for those boys terrifying that family like that. I’m sure they’ll be punished.”

“Punishment is not cure for hate, my friend.”

Ellen drew hearts on the comforter with her finger. “I suppose not. How did Ali do today?”

“You did not see him on news?”

“No, Guy interrupted us, and we didn’t finish watching the news. Is the media still following him?”

“Yes, but Ali walks away from them and will not answer questions. All they want is big story. Truth does not matter. Why does life have to be so complicated? Why cannot people just get along? All this hate and violence. It is too much for me.”

Guy sat on the porch swing waiting for Brent to call him back, his mind racing with the details of the past two days. He couldn’t imagine anyone connected to the Brinkmont case being angry enough with Kinsey to hurt her. Which of the plaintiffs would even understand a legal secretary’s role in a case?

He tried to remember exactly what he had said to Kinsey as they parted ways the night before, but his memory of it was a blur. He did remember telling her to keep her doors locked.

His words to Investigator Hamlin echoed in his head:
They were expecting to win a huge sum and got nothing. Maybe someone wanted to get even
.

Guy swatted a mosquito on the back of his neck and scratched the bite on his arm and another on his hand. He started to go back in the house when Ellen came out on the porch and sat next to him in the swing. He could almost hear her thoughts churning.

“I believe what you said about Kinsey spending the night,” she said. “I’m sure you know that.”

“I had hoped.”

“I’m not through feeling angry, but I can’t let my anger get in the way of supporting you through this. I’m scared for you, and as concerned about Kinsey as you are. I do like her, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Ellen reached over and slid her hand under his. “A lot of good it did me to quit the newspaper business. We’re right back in the danger zone.”

Guy managed a weak smile. “It’s not really funny, is it?”

“No, I’m terrified. At least I have a better understanding of how you felt when I was threatened.”

“I could always retire.”

“Right. And do what?”

“I don’t know … buy a banana plantation in Puerto Rico or something. And you could write books to support us.” He enjoyed the smile that appeared on Ellen’s face.

“I’m afraid at my current rate of publishing success, we’d have to live solely on bananas.”

“I love bananas,” he said.

“So do I.”

“Especially frozen on a stick with that crunchy chocolate coating.”

“Or sliced on ice cream with hot butterscotch syrup.”

Guy turned to her, his eyebrows raised. “Homemade banana cream pie.”

“Warm banana nut bread.”

“Creamy banana pudding.”

“Bananas sliced on oatmeal smothered with brown sugar.” Ellen laughed. “Help, we’re going bananas!”

Guy brought her hand to his lips and relished the moment. “I’ve missed this. Laughing, just being together.”

“Me, too. It hasn’t been much fun being with you lately.”

“I know I’ve seemed critical. It’s difficult when we disagree.”

“Only because
you’re
difficult when we disagree,” Ellen said. “This probably isn’t a good time to resume this argument. We’ve got a lot to deal with and should put this on hold for a while.”

“What? Before you’ve had a chance to throw it up to me that your friends rallied to bring us meals?”

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. “Ah, I guess actions
do
speak louder than words or education or social class or—”

“I get it, Ellen. You don’t have to draw me a picture. It was nice of them. There, I said it. But I still don’t know what it is you have in common with them.”

Guy’s cell phone vibrated and he took it out of his pocket. “Yeah, Brent.”

“Donna and I are at Kinsey’s place. We’ve looked everywhere and can’t find a purse—except for some empty beaded ones on a shelf in her closet.”

“Did you look in her car?”

“Yeah, we did. Her briefcase is there. Cell phone’s not in it. Not in the house either. We probably should start phoning her family and friends and find out where she is. Any idea where to begin?”

“Not really.” Guy glanced over at Ellen and shook his head. “Kinsey’s mother’s in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s, and her father’s deceased. As far as I know, she’s an only child. And she really hasn’t mentioned any of her friends to me by name.”

“What about a boyfriend?”

“No one special that I know of. She hung out at the Starlight Lounge when she was dating a saxophone player—some guy named Vincent. But that was a few months ago. I get the feeling Kinsey goes through men like most of us go though paper towels. It’s not something we talk about.”

“Maybe her neighbors know who she hangs out with,” Brent said. “Donna and I will knock on a few doors. But if that doesn’t yield anything, we should probably report it to the police.”

“Why don’t you check and see if there’s an address book near her telephone? That might lead to something. You think I should come up there and help you?”

“No, sit tight. Let me pursue this a little more and call you back. I’m not ready to panic, but I’m getting really bad vibes.”

 17