“Maybe if he’d run more often and stay off the video games, he wouldn’t get so winded.” Douglas grinned.
“I know, right?” Brandon agreed.
“I’m standing right here,” Brian said, and it was several more minutes before he stood and took the bottle of water his father offered him. “And I ran all the way from the store in town. It only took ten minutes.”
“What store?” Brandon demanded.
“Mac’s.”
“Holy shit. That’s good.”
“Yeah. But Mac told me to come home as soon as possible and tell you what happened.”
“What happened?”
“There’s a guy in town that’s asking questions about the Perkins family. Wants to know where they live, how he could get ahold of them and he’s especially interested in Uncle Doug and Aunt Wanda.Been in town all week asking around. But won’t state his purpose.” He held up his hand when he finished his bottle of water. “Mac’s words. I overheard the guy before I came home, I stopped in after school. When I heard the guy ask about Uncle Doug, I hid in the aisle but listened, Mac knew I was there.”
“What did this guy ask for, or say specifically?”
“Wanted to know if Mac knew of a family by the name of Perkins that would have moved here fifteen to sixteen years ago. Parents and three kids. Two girls, one boy. Said the boy, was his best friend when they lived in the same neighborhood in California. But he wouldn’t give his own name. That’s why Mac sent me home quickly. Said if the guy was friends with Uncle Doug, then he should give him his own name.”
“Agreed,” both Brandon and Doug said as one.
“Did you get a description of the guy?” Doug asked.
“Got one or ten better.” He grinned and pulled his phone. He accessed his photos and handed it over. “They start from his back, and I have side views and full front.”
Brandon took the phone and together he and Doug looked at the pictures. “I don’t recognize the guy,” Doug said.
“He gave Mac a business card and said he was staying at some hotel, but I didn’t catch the name. Mac sent me home to tell you and to come to see him.”
“Where’s Sarah?”
“She went home with Beth, remember, it’s Friday, and she’s spending the night.”
“Oh, that’s right. You got time to run down there?” Brandon asked his brother-in-law.
“I do,” Doug said, and together the three of them left the Carmichael place and headed the three miles into town. They walked into the local store, and Mac nodded to them, but they wandered the aisle until the customers left the store.
“Sheriff. Deputy.” Mac nodded to Brandon and Doug. “You get my message?”
“We did. Is this the gentleman asking after my family?” Brandon asked, and nodded to his son to show him the pictures. Mac took the phone and looked.
“Yes.” He passed them a business card, and Brandon took it, but didn’t look at it. “Thanks, Mac. Know where he’s staying?”
“Down at Maisie’s, said he’d be there until he got answers.”
“Thanks, Mac.” They left and went over to Brandon’s office. In there they closed the door, and the first thing Brandon did was, “Don’t tell your mother about this. I know she and your grandparents are gone this weekend, but I don’t need her to know. Not until we get to the bottom of this.”
“Okay. Are you going to kick me out of your office now?” Brian asked.
“No, I don’t see why you can’t be a part of this, but you’re not to tell anyone, understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” Brian watched as his father pulled the business card from his pocket and turned it over and looked at it.
“Christopher Evans, Evans Investigations, with a phone number. Don’t recognize where it’s from.”
“Can I?” Brian pointed to the computer and at the nod of approval sat down and punched several keys, then asked what the number was.
