Page 42 of Chasing Creed

Lydia glanced over at Creed’s half-eaten plate and said, “Grits, please.”

Creed waited until Lydia sipped her coffee before he started eating again.

“I didn’t mean to be so rude. I’m not a rude person. You know that, Frances. I’m just worried sick about my boy. I know this was a big deal for you to even make any of this search happen. Ever since Kyle got involved with that woman from Starkville, he’s not been himself.”

Creed caught Norwich’s eyes again. She was thinking what he was thinking. The woman from Starkville could be the dead woman. And it sounded like Lydia didn’t know about any of what they’d found. He’d leave it to Norwich to navigate the conversation.

“You didn’t tell me there might be a girlfriend accompanying him.”

“I don’t know if they were together. Or if she had anything to do with his disappearing.”

“Have you tried contacting her?” Norwich asked.

“No, I barely know her first name. Mandy. That’s all I know. But I knew she was trouble from the first time I met her.”

“Why is that?”

“Just between us,” she whispered, leaning over the table. She looked over at Creed to include him and said, “I think she’s involved in selling drugs.”

“Now that would have been an important piece of information to tell me, Lydia.”

“I know, I know. But it’s just my gut instinct, and I didn’t want it to influence whether you looked for Kyle or not. Because he’s not involved.”

“How did he meet this woman?”

“He bartends part-time on Pensacola Beach. It's that really nice, upscale hotel. Margaritaville. I’m guessing that’s where they met. Probably, not at college. He says he’s crazy about her, but I think he feels bad for her. You know, her past and what she’s gone through. It’s almost as if he wants to save her or protect her.”

She waved her hand as if it was impossible to know. Like it was an argument they’d had several times.

“He bought that girl’s story: hook, line, and sinker. And truthfully, I think she made up the whole damned thing just to make him feel sorry for her.”

“What makes you say that?”

“To start with, it’s just such a fantastical story. She claims she was kidnapped when she was a little girl. Taken from some truck stop. While her family was on vacation.”

Creed stopped chewing. His stomach flipped a notch. Norwich glanced at him, but her eyes darted back to Lydia. He made himself swallow the bite he’d just taken.

“I can tell you,” Norwich said, “as a law enforcement veteran, things like that happen, Lydia. Why would this woman make up something like that?”

“I don’t know. It sounded wild, you know. She said she was held captive for years, and now, she still can’t get rid of those people. Doing errands. Delivering packages. And I don’t mean grocery or fast food, mind you. I think she’s connected to some very bad people, and she’s dragged my boy into her mess.”

“Is that what Kyle told you?”

“He wouldn’t dare say a negative thing about her. But I heard them arguing a few times. And now, it makes sense that he’s running away from something or someone. Why else would his vehicle end up abandoned in the middle of a pasture? In Mississippi?”

She caught her breath. This time grabbed her water glass and took several sips before she looked back up at Norwich. “You still haven’t found any signs of him?”

When Norwich didn’t respond, the woman added, “It can’t just be a coincidence that his vehicle is found only fifty miles from Starkville? My boy has a wonderful apartment in Gulf Breeze. The only reason he’d be here is because of her.”

The waitress named Rita interrupted to deliver Lydia’s food. Before Rita refilled the coffee cups and left, Lydia sliced her breakfast sausages into bite-sized pieces. Her nervous energy finally had something to keep her fingers busy. Her eyes continued to dart back and forth from Norwich to Creed as she salted then peppered her scrambled eggs and grits.

Creed avoided eye contact with Norwich while they were under Lydia’s quiet scrutiny. The diner grew louder as breakfast overlapped the lunch hour. A buzz invaded Creed’s head like a constant ringing in his ears. He wanted to ask questions about the girlfriend named Mandy and her “fantastical” kidnapping story, but his mind kept returning to yesterday’s search.

Grace and Scout had followed instructions and found the scent from the steering wheel and the socks. Evidently, both scents belonged to someone other than the vehicle’s owner. And possibly it was his girlfriend.

Which led to yet another question. Where was Kyle?

“Lydia,” Creed asked, breaking his silence and startling the woman. She stopped and stared at him. “Do you have anything of Kyle’s with you? Maybe in your vehicle?”