Page 72 of What She Saw
“He left her before the baby was born. But he came in the diner a few months ago. He made a fuss. But a customer chased him off.”
“Does he have contact with the baby?”
She straightened. “No. Hasn’t sent her a nickel to support that child.”
Women fell prey to former boyfriends too often. “Is Patty dating anyone else?”
“She wouldn’t tell me if she was. She knew I wouldn’t approve. The last thing she needs is a man.”
He thought about the young woman who always had a smile on her face when he saw her. “Was she meeting any friends at the festival?”
“She never told me.” Sara shook her head. “I need her back. The baby only responds to Patty. She’s hard to handle. She doesn’t like people. She smiles when she wants something, but she’s often very quiet. I think she’s got more of her father in her than Patty is willing to admit.”
“Can you write down your contact information? Also, any numbers you have for Larry Summers?”
“Last I heard he was working in a garage near Staunton. But you can check Patty’s trailer and see if she has any numbers for him.”
“Write down her address.” Patty was an adult. She was free to take off with friends or vanish for a day or two. If not for her baby, he’d give her a week or two before he chased her down.
Sara scribbled down Patty’s address. He recognized the trailer park. It was located on the south side of town. There’d been a report of abreak-in there a week ago. It was on the verge of becoming a dive. No telling who lived near Patty and had been keeping an eye on her.
Sara removed a key from her ring. “This is the key to her trailer. I was just there, but there’s no sign that she came home.”
“You went inside her place?”
“Yes. I needed more diapers and formula.”
“You’ll need to file a missing person report.”
“Why? I just told you.”
“We need formal notification. There are laws I must follow.”
“What kind of laws?”
“Patty is an adult. She’s not broken the law. And I need twenty-four hours after this report is filed before I can open an investigation.”
“You aren’t going to do anything?” Sara demanded.
Rules like that one irritated him. When anyone went missing, the first hour was the golden hour. The more time that passed, the less chance the missing person would be found alive. He took the key. “I didn’t say that. Fill out the paperwork, and I’ll call you as soon as I find anything.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll have Brenda bring in the forms.”
“Right.”
He left Sara staring at her untouched cup of coffee. “Brenda.”
“I have the missing person forms,” she said. “What else?”
“Where’s Paxton?”
“He went home to grab a few hours of sleep. Want me to wake him up?”
“No. Let him sleep.”
“Where are you headed?”
