Page 91 of Axe-identally Married
“We know,” Portnoy replied.
The other shook his head. Maybe he wasn’t allowed to speak?
“Should you call a lawyer?” I asked my brother as anxiety coursed through me.
Portnoy glared at me. “We’ve recently picked up a missing persons case. You’re not a suspect.”
I unclenched slightly, but the fear and apprehension remained. Who was missing? Jude mainly hung out with members of our family, and we were all accounted for as far as I knew.
“Have you had any recent contact with Mila Barrett?”
Jude tilted his head and frowned. “I’m sorry, I don’t know that person.”
Portnoy cocked a brow and hummed. “We’ve got several eyewitnesses that say you two were acquainted, and the security camera outside the local bar shows the two of you leaving the bar together on May 11th of last year.”
Portnoy held up his phone, displaying a photo of a young woman with chin-length hair and a bright smile.
In an instant, Jude went from loose limbed and laid-back to coiled tightly like a snake. His muscles bunched in a way that surprised me. I knew he was an active, outdoorsy guy, but the way he held himself made me wonder what he was capable of.
“I know her,” Jude said in a soft voice. “What happened? Is she okay?”
“She’s been reported missing. Have you heard from her? Has she contacted you recently? When was the last time you saw her?”
“That night. The one from the video. She came home with me and then left. I didn’t get her number, and she told me her name was Amy.”
Portnoy studied him for a long moment, as if determining whether he was telling the truth. Then, with a sigh, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a business card. “If she contacts you, call me immediately.” With that, he and his associate turned to go back to their black SUV.
Jude stepped forward. “She said she was from Portland. Why are you asking around up here? It’s been almost a year since I met her.”
Portnoy paused. “Mila Barrett is the older sister of Hugo Barrett.”
That name sounded vaguely familiar, but I wasn’t sure why.
“Oh fuck,” Jude hissed.
I looked from one man to another. All three were staring at one another. I was missing key information here, but Jude’s face looked stricken and he was gripping the business card so tightly I thought it might turn into dust.
Portnoy looked at me, his lip curled up in annoyance, clearly sensing my ignorance of this matter. “Hugo Barrett is an employee of the Maine Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was attacked on the campus of Hebert Timber back in April.”
I remembered the details now. It was around the time I’d been arrested for vandalism. Lila had found the guy almost beaten to death, and Owen and Gus had spent months working with law enforcement to figure out what had happened.
“He remains in a medically induced coma in Portland, under round-the-clock police protection.”
“So Amy—”
“Mila,” Portnoy corrected. “We have reason to believe she was spending time in Lovewell and Heartsborough before her disappearance.”
Jude took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. “God.”
“Call me if you hear anything at all.”
And then they were gone, climbing into their SUV and rolling down the wooded drive.
I put my hand on Jude’s shoulder, startling him out of a stupor. “Come inside, it’s freezing.”
I led him into the living room and gently pushed him onto the denim blue couch. Ripley was immediately by his side, nuzzling him for comfort.
“Are you okay?”
