She shook her head. “Not outwardly. She was resigned. Like she knew people were going to talk no matter what she did.”
That answer bothered him more than anger would have.
“Who was talking the loudest?” he asked.
Heather thought for a moment. “Some of her competitors were grumbling. Jealousy. Anger. But Sabrina Masters is the most vocal.”
A chill settled over Caleb. “Anyone else?”
Heather hesitated. “Dana Cole is quieter. She frames everything as a concern. Like she hated seeing Mia treated unfairly.”
“Did that strike you as odd?” he asked.
Heather met his gaze. “Not really. Dana doesn’t usually do concern without a reason.”
Caleb leaned back slightly. “Did Mia ever mention Roy Spencer?”
“No. I think he helps around the farm, but that’s all I know.”
Caleb stood and handed her his card. “If you remember anything else, call me.”
“I will,” Heather said softly. Then, after a beat, “Caleb?”
“Yeah.”
“Find her.”
He nodded once and stepped away.
The knot in his chest tightened. The more people he spoke to, the clearer it became.
Mia hadn’t vanished suddenly.
She’d been surrounded long before she disappeared.
Caleb foundMia’s father at the kitchen table, staring into a mug that had gone cold.
He looked up when Caleb came in, hope flaring for a second before fading. “Any news?”
“Not yet,” Caleb said gently. He took the chair across from him. “But we’re working every angle.”
Her father nodded, fingers tightening around the mug. “She wouldn’t just disappear. Mia’s not like that.”
“I know,” Caleb said. He let the quiet sit for a beat. “So, she was here and left with Roy?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
Caleb nodded. “You trusted him.”
“Of course I did.” The response came fast. “That kid’s been around for years. He needed direction. Structure.” He sighed. “I took him under my wing. Thought I was helping him get his footing.”
The words landed heavier than they should have.
“She wouldn’t have gone with him if she didn’t feel safe,” Caleb said.
“I know,” her father replied softly. “That’s what scares me.”
He stared past Caleb, lost in a memory. “Roy isn’t perfect. But he isn’t cruel. He wouldn’t hurt her.”
