“As far as we know, yes,” Charlie assured him. “However, we do need to find her. We’ve got a few questions.”
“Who is it, Bill?”
Molly’s father opened the door as a petite blonde woman approached. She had on what Charlie referred to as her Sunday best, and either they were about to go out, or they had recently returned.
“Police officers,” Bill answered.
“No, sir,” Charlie corrected. “We aren’t police officers. We’re with a private security company,” she told Molly’s mother. “Do you happen to know where Liz is?”
Susan’s eyes lit up. “She’s supposed to come by tonight. For dinner.”
“That was last night,” Bill told his wife.
Susan frowned. “Oh, that’s right.”
Bill shook his head. “Liz always promises to come by. She forgets sometimes.”
Well, that was disappointing.
Susan prompted. “Have you gone by her apartment?”
“We’re in the process of doing that,” Charlie explained. “In case she’s not there, do you know of anywhere else she might be? A friend’s house, maybe?”
“Liz doesn’t tell us those things.”
Charlie took that to mean Molly hadn’t called up her parents to ask for tips on how to kidnap a pregnant woman, either.
“I’m sorry we can’t help you,” Bill said, and he sounded sincere.
“Could you call her?” Charlie implored. “If we can talk to her, I’m sure we can get this cleared up.”
Bill was shaking his head. “I’m sorry, no.”
Why was he being so difficult? Charlie didn’t understand.
Her cell phone chimed as she was about to ask whether they knew the redheaded man they believed Molly to be with. A second later, Holly’s did.
Holly quickly looked at her phone, then flashed the screen at Charlie. There was the sketch Baz and Darius had been working on before she left.
Charlie nodded her chin toward Molly’s parents. “Do either of you know this man?”
Holly showed them the picture.
“He has red hair and braces,” Charlie explained since it wasn’t evident from the sketch.
Both parents frowned, but they gave the photo their full attention.
“He doesn’t look familiar,” Bill said.
“He looks like—”
“No,” Bill stated, cutting off his wife. “We don’t know him.”
Charlie wanted to ask Susan what she was going to say, but it was clear Bill Ryan was no longer in a talkative mood.
Charlie pulled a card from the small case she kept them in and passed one to Molly’s father. “If you hear from Liz, would you please ask her to call me?”
Bill looked at the card for a moment before he finally took it.
