Page 16 of Forged in Secrets

Ben let out an exaggerated sigh and tossed the paper onto the shabby end table beside him. Truth was, Grace’s near-constant chatter was kind of endearing, not that he’d ever let her know he thought so.

“You do realize the police station is not a company, right?”

Grace shook her head and gestured toward their feet. “Doesn’t matter. The same principles apply. I mean, look at this place! The windows are filthy, the furniture is ancient, and there’s nothing welcoming about coming in here. First of all, if this station wants to convey trustworthiness and competence, they need to get rid of this giant, hideously ugly–”

A door swung open nearby, and an unfriendly-looking man entered the room.

“–er, crime wave,” Grace stammered.

Ben stifled a laugh, kicking at the edge of the green and orange patterned carpet she had been gesturing toward a moment prior. He didn’t know or care much about aesthetics, but Grace had a fair point. The thing really was ugly.

“Yes, our idyllic island is well known for its high levels of crime,” the man said flatly, offering Grace a raised,bushy eyebrow. “I’m Detective Hayles. I’m told you’re friends of the girl who allegedly disappeared from the Mistflower Resort.”

“That’s right,” Ben said, getting up from the potentially barf stained chair and extending a hand for the man to shake. He introduced himself along with Grace.

“I’m also a certified private security operative,” he added, looking into the man’s grizzled blue eyes in hopes of gauging his reaction. Back in San Antonio, Forge Brothers Security had a good relationship with the SAPD, especially their liaison, Allie Parker. But their interactions with other law enforcement agencies tended to be more hit or miss. “I’m hoping you can provide me and my colleague with some basic information on the case.”

The detective nodded, his expression revealing nothing.

“Can we speak in private?” Grace added.

A few minutes later, they were seated in an equally ugly–though much cleaner–office near the back of the station. Detective Hayles pushed his glasses up on his nose as he flipped through a thin file folder that had been resting on his desk.

“So. Katie Fairman, age twenty,” he started, squinting at the page of tight, handwritten notes.

“We got a call to the non-emergency line on Tuesday morning from one Donald Fairman. Apparently, his daughter’s best friend Jade Gorsky had not seen Katie since they finished dinner together around ten o’clock on Monday night.”

Detective Hayles tossed the folder down onto his desk.

“So… that’s it?” Grace asked.

“That’s it,” he said, nodding. “Took the report myself.”

Ben frowned. “You didn’t question Jade any further? She gave no other details about that night?”

“I’ve been doing this job longer than you’ve been alive, Mr. Forge,” the detective drawled. “And I can tell you that cases like this resolve on their own. I’m sure your friend will return in a day or two with a drained Blackberry battery and an explanation for where she’s been.”

“They don’t even make Blackberries anymore,” Grace muttered.

The detective smiled indulgently. “Miss Hinton, I’m telling you, there is nothing to worry about.”

Ben saw the man’s point. If Katie was anywhere near as thoughtless as the company she kept, it was very possible she had left of her own accord. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take the case seriously. Interviewing suspects was the bare minimum, and it irked him that Detective Hayles hadn’t even been willing to do that much.

“Did you speak to the security team at Mistflower Resort?” Grace asked. “Maybe there’s some relevant security footage that will confirm Jade’s story.”

“I’m sure they’ll be happy to help you with that, young lady,” the man said, hitching up his belt as he got to his feet. “Now, if you don’t mind–”

Grace was too polite to press him, but Ben wasn’t.

“Look, Detective,” he growled, standing to his full height of six foot three. “You don’t think there’s a crime here. You’re overworked and understaffed during spring break. Or maybe you want to go play golf. I get it. But you have a duty to the visitors as well as the residents of this island, and I need to trust that we’ll be able to come to you if we have to.”

Hayles raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Of course.”

“Glad we understand each other,” he said, watching out of the corner of his eye as Grace glanced at the case folder he’d left open on his desk. “One last thing before we get out of your hair.”

“What’s that?”

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