Page 57 of Five for Silver

“He’s staying at a hotel close by,” Lucymumbled, “waiting for news.”

James stopped. “Then let’s hurry this up andget in there so we can give him some.”

“What hotel?” Chad asked.

“The Swan and Oak.”

“You’re all set,” Lynn said before gesturingto the officer behind the desk. The light switched from red togreen, and James raced down the corridor with Lynn demanding heslow down. Lucy went without tears, with her chin raised, and herlips firmly pressed together.

Lynn unlocked the door to the visiting room,huffing when James pushed ahead of Lucy and went inside. Hereclaimed the furthest chair, Lucy took the one closest to thedoor, leaving Chad in the middle, boxed in on both sides and in thedirect path of Vincent’s vacant glare.

Vincent looked greyer, and skinnier, and thewheeze and hiss of his oxygen tank tucked by his side droned on andon until it made Chad dizzy.

“We’re all here again, Vincent, just likeyou wanted,” James began. “We all want Harriet to be found.”

“Yes.” Vincent said into the corner with awein his voice. He looked at James. “She needs to be found. The truthneeds to be uncovered.”

Chad sat up straighter.

“She was a beautiful girl.” Vincentcontinued. “They all were.”

James nodded. “None of the others were asbeautiful as Harriet.”

Chad frowned, side-eyeing James.

“Do you remember what she looked like?”James asked.

Vincent nodded, but his movements werejerky, and it looked like a struggle. “Long brown hair. Dark browneyes.” His hand shook as he touched his throat. “Necklace. Redcoat.”

James dragged his chair impossibly closer.“Yes, yes, Vincent, that’s Harriet.”

Chad looked away. All Vincent had done wasrecall the bullet points of Harriet’s missing person poster. WhenChad glanced at Vincent again, his heart skipped over its next fewbeats. Vincent had that dark look in his eyes again. The one forChad. The one that told him this performance was all part of hispunishment.

“That’s her.” James’s breathing came fast.“Vincent, she went missing the 18thof April 1983—”

“Missing rib.”

Chad blinked. Vincent continued to stare athim.

“Sorry, what did you say?” James asked,first glancing at Chad, then at Lucy.

“Missing rib.” Vincent repeated, popping hislips with the B.

Lucy took a deep breath and let it outslowly against the glass. “Harriet had a rib removed when she wasfourteen. She fell off her bike onto the curb, broke her ribs.”

Shit.

Chad curled his toes in his shoes and keptup his poker face. Vincent slid his gaze skyward again. His browcontorted as if he was thinking, and they all waited on him.

“Dolphin tattoo.”

Lucy gasped, covering her mouth.

James turned to her. “What is it?”

“She had a dolphin tattoo on her—”

“Don’t say anything else,” Chad interrupted.“LetVincenttell us where it was.”

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