He looked around the table. “Will and Dex, you’re up next. I promised Elena Morales that someone would check up on a client of hers. Ryker, why don’t you take that one? Touch base with Elena this week.”
Ryker nodded.
Caleb listened, contributed where needed, but his thoughts kept drifting back to a car sitting where it shouldn’t be.
And a phone that hadn’t been answered.
The meeting finished early, and Caleb was glad. He was anxious to get to the Whitmore farm, check on his team and Mia.
Caleb didn’t waste another minute. He was out the door and in his truck before the thought fully formed.
It didn’t take long to reach the farm. His guys were already there, tools out, voices carrying as they started the repairs on the damage.
And Mia’s van sat parked near the barn.
Caleb exhaled. Good. She must be here. He’d talk to her and maybe drive her back to his place to get her car.
He pulled on the kitchen barn door.
Locked.
He knocked once. Then again.
No answer.
Okay then, she was still at the farmhouse. He crossed the yard and knocked on the door, waiting until her father shouted, “Come in.”
They talked for a few minutes about the repairs. The kitchen felt too quiet. No clatter of pans. No Mia.
Finally Caleb asked, “Is Mia around?”
Her father cocked his head. “I thought she was with you. She left last night. Said she was going to pick up her car.”
Caleb’s pulse picked up. “How was she getting there?”
“I believe Roy was giving her a ride.”
Something cold stabbed straight through his heart.
He hesitated, caught in a quandary. He didn’t want to panic Hal, but something was off. Horribly off.
“Do you have Roy’s phone number and address?” he asked, keeping his voice even. “She’s not at my place. Maybe she stayed with a girlfriend?”
“Yes, I’ve got it.” Hal frowned, confusion settling in. “I’m surprised she didn’t tell me.”
Caleb nodded, even as every instinct he had screamed that this was no misunderstanding.
Something was wrong.
He thanked Hal and promised to let him know what he learned.
Outside, he dialed Roy’s number.
Straight to voicemail.
He left a brief message. Then muttered, “Screw this,” and headed for his truck.
Roy’s apartment wasn’t far. Downtown was just starting to wake up. A few shops had lights on. People were on the sidewalkwith coffee cups in hand. Caleb found a parking space in front of the old hardware store Hal used to own and walked around back to the entrance to Roy’s apartment.
