Page 35 of In Her Grasp

“Carl always had a way about him,” Tommy said. “Loyal, you know? To Mike, Clive, and Jimmy. It was like they all shared their own language.” He seemed to hesitate, then continued. “They were inseparable since grade school—always up to some mischief or another. Then, all of a sudden, Carl just stoppedshowing up. One day he’s with them, the next, he’s busy elsewhere.”

“Do you remember when this happened?” Jenna prompted gently, encouraging him to continue.

“Must’ve been when they were about 14 or 15,” Tommy answered. “After that, Carl became a different kid altogether.” He paused, taking a comfort sip from the coffee that seemed less about thirst and more about buying time, perhaps to sort through the cobwebs of old gossip and half-forgotten confrontations.

“Do you know what caused the falling out?” Jake asked.

Tommy shook his head slowly, his gaze fixed on a knot in the wood grain of the table as if it might yield answers. “That’s the thing. Nobody really knew. There were rumors, of course. Small town and all.”

“Rumors,” Jenna repeated quietly. In places like these small towns of Genesius County, whispers could be both currency and condemnation. She watched Tommy closely, waiting for him to continue.

When he took another swallow of coffee, his hands wrapped around the mug conveyed a man accustomed to hard work, not the unraveling of teenage mysteries. “Some said there was a fight, others thought Carl had gotten into trouble and the others abandoned him. But the truth?” Tommy shrugged. “It was like a wall of silence came down. Whatever it was, none of them would talk about it. Not even Mike.”

“And Carl?” Jake prompted, looking up from his notebook.

“Carl just... withdrew. Stopped hanging around town much. When he did show up, he’d avoid the others. It was almost like he was scared of something.”

“Scared?” Jenna prompted.

“I thought he looked like he was haunted,” Tommy added. “You’d see him sometimes, avoiding them whenever he sawthem. Always looked over his shoulder, like he was expecting someone to jump out at him.”

Jenna absorbed the image Tommy painted. This behavior didn’t fit the profile of someone merely keeping old acquaintances at arm’s length; it reeked of dread and desperation.

“From that time on, it was just the three of them—Mike, Clive, and Jimmy.”

“And they never told you what happened?” Jake asked.

“No, I was never part of that gang. I was just a pesky kid as far as they were concerned, they didn’t want me around.”

“Interesting,” she murmured, filing away each detail with meticulous care. Fear could be a powerful motivator, and whatever had driven Carl into such isolation was likely a vital clue. What force could have been significant enough to sever ties so completely?

As Tommy’s account dwindled into silence, Jenna caught Jake’s eye. In that brief exchange, a silent conversation passed between them—recognition of an unexpected turn in their case.

“Thank you, Tommy,” Jenna said, her gratitude genuine. “You’ve given us quite a bit to consider. Now we need to be on our way.”

Across the table, Jake nodded in agreement.

Jenna rose from the kitchen chair, feeling Tommy Larson’s gaze follow her movements as she and Jake prepared to leave.

“Before you go, Sheriff,” Tommy said, his voice holding her in place. “Just one more thing. You came here asking about Jimmy. But how did you know about him? Who told you that name?”

She sensed something stirring in him beyond ordinary curiosity. She didn’t suppose she should be surprised. Her mention out of the blue of a certain ‘Jimmy’ whose last name she didn’t even know must have struck him as strange. Of course, that was the kind of source that Jenna couldn’t reveal – not thewhispers from her dreams or murmurs from beyond reality that guided her actions.

“We are following several leads in our investigation,” Jenna responded, filling each word with authority born from years of experience in office. “I’m afraid I can’t disclose more at this time.”

Tommy squinted hard and studied her face for a moment longer before slowly nodding and dropping his gaze.

“Alright then, Sheriff,” Tommy conceded, though it was clear that he wasn’t satisfied with her response.

Jenna nodded politely in thanks before leaving with Jake, their departure watched by Tommy’s unwavering eyes. Betty Larson followed them to the front door, then closed it firmly behind them as they stepped out onto the porch.

“We need to talk to Carl Reeves as soon as we can,” Jenna stated, her voice sharp with conviction.

“Agreed,” Jake responded immediately. “He could give us the breakthrough we’ve been chasing.”

“Let’s get back to the reservoir,” Jenna said. Jake gave a brief nod, his agreement silent but understood. As Jenna slid behind the wheel of her vehicle, she felt a familiar surge of focus. The engine roared to life at the turn of key; a steady purr filled the cab.

Jake spoke up, “I do have a question. You saw four boys in your dream, but could one of them actually have been Carl Reeves?”

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