He watched me with suspicion but luckily didn’t press the matter. “Is there anyone else we can speak with?”
I nodded. “Eliot.”
“Fitzgerald? Hayden said that he was clean.”
Eliot was anything but clean.
“I’ll speak with him,” I said, knowing I was the only one who could get anything out of him.
The Chief nodded. “Do you know how to reach him?”
“Yes. I should also try to speak with Amanda, but I’ll do that as a last resort if she’s that crazy.”
The Chief was about to stand when an idea popped into my head. “Wait. Hayden’s aunt worked for the FBI. Maybe she can help us.”
He snorted. “Have you ever met that woman?”
“No. Why?” Hayden had always been vague about her.
“She was let go years ago, or rather kicked out. I met her once or twice, and God help us if we need to count on her for anything.”
I wasn’t willing to give up on any option, but I didn't push the matter. “Please keep me updated. I’ll do the same.”
We exchanged numbers, and before he opened the door to leave, he turned around and said, “A missing detective can easily make headlines, but I can’t let that happen.”
The wheels in my head began to race. Could this be my way of getting the truth out in the open? The police would have to get more cops involved if people knew about what happened to Hayden.
As if he could read my mind, the Chief took a step toward me. “If news of this goes out to the public, what do you think those people will do? A missing person can spark interest for a long time, while a murder investigation will fade out much faster.”
I crossed my arms, hating the logic in his words. “I hear you.”
*
Eliot,
I know this is your email address. I need to speak with you. You know why. When and where can we meet?
Dear Jonah,
I’d be happy to see you this evening at seven o’clock where we first met.
*
I couldn’t stay in my house any longer, so I drove to the ocean to wait until evening. I sat on the beach, the music in my headphones loud enough to drown out the sounds of bystanders, seagulls, and the waves.
I had zero appetite, but I couldn’t afford to face Eliot when I wasn’t at my sharpest, so I bought a sandwich and absently chewed it. If there was ever a time to wake up from a bad dream, this was it.They should have taken me instead. Maybe they’d thought that by getting Hayden out of the way, they were leaving me powerless, a non-threat.
The hours passed, and the air grew colder with the setting sun. When it was time to leave, I wiped the sand from my pants and returned to my car. Since the Chief had turned my life upside down that morning, the world seemed to move slower, with a fuzzy haze wherever I looked. I might have been in shock, but shock wouldn’t bring Hayden back.
When I parked in front of Avalon, formerly known as Pickles, I realized I had no recollection of the drive from the beach. I shook my head and slapped myself.Focus.I couldn’t face Eliot's sharp mind when I was out of my element.
I walked toward the entrance, noticing the restaurants that had opened since I was last here. I used to come to Pickles often, though Eliot and I used the club as a meeting spot before driving off to quieter places.
“You’re a bit early,” the bouncer said, standing up to his full six feet. He gave me a once-over, unimpressed by my plain jeans and blue flannel shirt.
“I’m here to see Eliot. He’s expecting me.”
The bouncer nodded. “Yeah, he told me you’d come. He should be here soon. You can go have a drink at the bar in the meantime. On the house.”
