Missing

1 Cold Case by a Hand From Above

Alex and Trey, her detective partner, were back in Cincinnati after pursuing a lunatic person in Mississippi. This person had destroyed Alex’s apartment with a rocket propelled grenade. They had almost been shot by this person with a shotgun during her apprehension and later at the local hospital this same woman managed to escape from her hospital bed, take a policeman’s gun, and shoot at Alex. Alex’s swift reflex and deadly aim ended the confrontation with the woman face down on the floor from a shot to the chest and one between her eyes.

During that case, Alex had survived two attacks in her own Cincinnati apartment.

The first was the rocket propelled grenade, launched by the lunatic that Alex had ultimately killed in Mississippi, had demolished her first apartment.

The second attack was on her return from Mississippi. The drug distributor involved in the case had gained access to her new apartment by climbing externally up two floors to her exterior apartment porch.

She had picked up a suitor in Mississippi that had followed her to Cincinnati. He was the EMT that she had met in Mississippi. His unexpected knock on her apartment door, when she was being held at gun point, had given her the opportunity to get help.

She had told him to go away and that solicitors were not allowed in the building. He had figured out that something was wrong. He called the Cincinnati Chief of police and asked for help. When help arrived and was breaking down the door, Alex dived at the intruder as he shot at her. In the ensuing struggle the intruder was shot by his own gun. He survived.

She had shot and killed two people in less than a month. Her swift actions and her swift and deadly shooting had earned her the handle of “the Cincinnati’s Black Annie Oakley.”

Alex leaned back in her chair and took in the few detectives that were currently sitting at their desks.

She and Trey were both stressed out.

He had moved to Cincinnati to get away from the stress of a similar situation during his tenure as a policeman in Milwaukee. Before taking a job in the Milwaukee police department, he had survived Afghanistan. He knew he had a case of PTSD, and he was also enrolled in Alcoholics Anonymous with Alex.

Trey recognized that he was now partnered at work with a person that seemed to be a magnet for violence, but who had gotten him help with his dependence on alcohol, who had become a close family friend and who was adored by his son, Nolan.

He knew he would have a lifetime of managing stress, but he had a work partner that he could look to for help, an adoring beautiful wife, and a son to greet him after each day’s work.

A few days after their return from Mississippi, Johnnie, the old Vietnam veteran that Alex had recruited to work for her and the police department, had surprised them both by coming into the office. He was excited and said he had the perfect case for them to handle. He was sure Alex could solve a long-standing cold case about a missing girl. He had gotten interested in her when the local news had highlighted the fifteenth anniversary of her disappearance. He had used his investigative skills on his personal computer and on the office police computer. He was sure he had some new leads for Alex to follow.

Alex thanked him and slowly reviewed his report. As always, Johnnie had a solid, thorough in-depth report. It was clear this case had somehow caught his interest because he had done an analysis of every individual mentioned in the original police report. The mother and father of the missing child still lived in Cincinnati Area.

The mother worked at a major food store. The father was a truck driver. They had two additional children ages nine and seven. It sounded like a case she might someday investigate. She again thanked Johnnie but said she was not ready to dig into the case now.

Johnnie let out a small groan and looked disappointed, but he said he would wait until she was ready. Then he would help her in any way possible. He got up and said he would see the two of them later.

Alex and Trey had been promised a couple of easy weeks by the Cincinnati’s Chief of detectives, Bruce Johnson, and he had delivered but he was now beckoning the two of them into his office.

Oh no, escaped from her mouth as she stood up.

Trey had heard her exclamation and just said Ditto.

The Chief’s office door leading to the detective work area had been left open and Alex, followed by Trey, walked slowly toward it in an apprehensive way. The hair on the back of her neck had automatically stood up when the Chief signaled to them. She hoped that he remembered that he had promised to go easy on the two of them for a few weeks.

As she and Trey walked in, Alex looked at the chief and then took in the mild-mannered woman with black hair sitting stiffly upright in the chair in front of the chief’s desk. The woman seemed nervous. Alex noted that the woman’s right hand kept clenching her left hand.

Alex let Trey go past her then closed the door. She took in the scene and noted Bruce’s nod for her to sit down.

The Chief introduced the woman as Martha Melville a librarian in the Cincinnati Library. He wanted Alex to listen to the story that Martha had to tell.

Alex asked if Martha happened to know Johnnie Lancaster. Martha smiled and said that if he was a black Vietnam veteran that constantly frequented the library and managed to get a few cookies from attending various presentation, then she knew Johnnie.

Alex shared that she had hired him as a computer analyst and had gotten him a job as a super for her apartment building.

Martha smiled and said that explained why she had seen less of Johnnie.

Alex noted that this simple interchange had changed the atmosphere in the room. Martha now seemed to relax as she leaned back in her chair.

The Chief asked Martha to tell her story to Alex and Trey.

Alex listened as Martha recalled the story of Annie Lorie Scots a young girl that had gone missing and had never been found. Martha told of an acquaintance that had told her of a young woman being held in the woods in southern New York state. The timing of the rumors and stories told about the situation seemed to coincide with Annie’s disappearance. Martha’s informant had not given her the name of the neighbor or the location where Annie might be.

Alex asked for a moment so she could get some information that had been given to her just a few days ago.

Alex walked out and retrieved Johnnie’s report. She pulled it from her file and walked back into the office.

Alex asked Martha if she knew anything about Annie’s parents.

Martha said she had done a little bit of an investigation on her own. The parents were library members and had two girls that were also members. She said she had written down some of the information that she had dug up.

After rummaging for moment through her purse, she pulled out a folded sheet of paper and put it on the desk.

Alex thanked her and leaned forward to read the information on the paper. She was stunned when it matched the one in Johnnie’s report.

She thanked Martha and told her that she would be looking into the case. She set up a time that she could speak to Martha at the library.

The Chief escorted Martha out to the front door and thanked her for coming forward. He stood and watched as Martha walked out in the direction of the library.

He was taken aback by the fact that Alex had a quarter inch thick report on a case that he knew nothing about. He then turned and hurried back to his office. He wanted to know how Alex had a report on this specific case.

Alex had relaxed and quietly asked Trey to relax until the Chief came back. She knew he would want to know how she had a report on a cold case without his knowledge. She told Trey she would handle the Chief.

The Chief entered his office looked at Alex and asked her to clue him in. He asked how she had gotten the files of a cold case without him knowing it?

Alex explained that it was not an official police cold case file but a report that Johnnie had given her a few days ago. It had been his intention to give her an easy job. He had gotten into the case because of a Cincinnati television station that reported on the fifteenth anniversary of Annie’s disappearance.

The Chief took the report and quickly flipped through it. He looked at Alex and asked if she and Trey were ready to get back to work and that he was assigning her to investigate and solve the cold case. He said that to him it was no coincident that both Johnnie and Martha the librarian had come forward with the same case. To him it was a biblical sign, and he was going to make an official opening of Annie’s cold case.

Alex walked out to the copy machine and made a copy of Johnnie’s report. She returned and gave the Chief a copy. She told him to read it slowly and that it would raise the hair on the back of his neck and maybe put some hair on top of his head.

He gruffly told her to get to work. Personally, he had confidence that Alex would get to the bottom of the case. He gave a small prayer that she would do it without the fireworks and shootings of the last case.

She gave a salute and walked back to her desk.

She called Johnnie and asked if he would like to sit in as she and Trey developed a plan to investigate the case he had brought to her.

She suggested his apartment as the meeting place if he would provide coffee. The alternative would be the station and station house coffee.

Johnnie chose his apartment and offered to have some donuts or fruit. Alex replied that a banana would do.

She and Trey walked eight blocks to her apartment building where both she and Johnnie lived. She knocked on Johnnie’s apartment door and was quickly taken in.

The first thing Johnnie asked was why she had changed her mind about taking up the cold case.

Alex joked with him and told him that she had seen tears in his eyes and had felt so bad that she told Trey they would have to do it.

Johnnie knew immediately that Alex was joking with him and said that he had another tougher case handy if she was interested.

She told Johnnie about Martha’s visit to the station and the fact that her information reinforced the research he had done. Martha had been the catalyst in getting the cold case recognized but that his research was what opened it.

Johnnie let out a low whistle. He commented that the investigation had an invisible hand guiding it.

Alex smiled and shook her head up and down as she agreed with him. She commented that the Chief had said the same thing when he declared he was opening Annie’s cold case. She commented that a cold shiver had run down her back when she had listened to Martha and it had just done so again. She commented that this was a cold case that she was determined to solve.

She also joked that Martha had remembered Johnnie as a regular cookie thief.

Johnnie gave a small laugh and confessed that he had scrounged many a cookie by attending presentation sessions at the Library. It had been a dry, safe, and enjoyable place for him. He said that he would have to bake some cookies and take them to the library as a thank-you gesture.

The plan of how to get into the cold case slowly took shape. Alex asked Johnnie to do some additional on-line searches that might be needed. She and Trey would interview Martha again and go over everything they had to date.

She had identified the person who had closed the case. He was now the sheriff in Loveland. She planned to get him to take a lead role in looking into the case.

They would also see if they could interview the mother and father of the missing girl.

Alex closed the planning session and declared she was going to work out in the Gym. She told Trey to go home early and enjoy the last day of taking it easy.

She suggested they meet the following day at the station. They would begin by setting up appointments with Martha and the Loveland Sheriff.

Johnnie said that he would do the research that Alex had requested.

Alex had a surge of energy that came from the interaction she had with her team. Her team that functioned so smoothly, so efficiently, effectively and was becoming unstoppable. She hoped that they would break the cold case wide open.

Later she would learn that her hopes would be well short of the miracle that awaited but would take her into a lifelong relationship.

2 The Sheriff’s Albatross

Alex sat in her bed and read over Johnnies’ report on Annie. She carefully and thoroughly went through what had happened to Annie. It was 1987 when Annie Scots went out to play with a neighbor. Not much later the neighbor called to ask when Annie was coming over. Annie’s mother immediately went out and looked for Annie. She was never found.

For days and weeks, the local news and a few national channels featured the parents’ pleas for the return of their daughter. The pleas went unanswered and soon the coverage ended.

The Loveland police department kept the case open for five years. They questioned all neighbors and checked several of them out but had gotten no viable leads.

A yearly plea was still put out by her parents.

Alex got up and Googled Loveland.

In its early days, Loveland was known as a resort town, with its summer homes for the wealthy, earning it the nickname "Little Switzerland of the Miami Valley." It became known for being extremely safe with a very low crime rate and a family-friendly community.

She found the downtown area of Loveland to be charming. It had family-friendly restaurants, a park and the Loveland bike trail that ran from downtown Cincinnati past Loveland for some hundred miles. Alex had ridden through Loveland several times when she went on her long bike rides.

Loveland was about twenty-five miles by car from headquarters.

It can’t happen here was erased by Annie’s disappearance.

To Alex this incident reinforced her belief that bad things happened in the best communities.

The next morning, as usual, she biked to work. Her first stop after changing into her work outfit was the coffee machine. She was greeted by Bill and Travis who were sitting having coffee and a donut. Bill lifted the donut box and offered her one. She thanked him but shook her head to indicate she was passing on the offer.

Trey walked in a few moments later with his coffee in hand. He accepted the offer of a donut.

After a few moments of the four of them chatting, Trey led the way to one of the huddle rooms.

From there she called the Loveland Police office and set up an interview with their Sheriff. Years ago, he was the young deputy that had closed Annie’s case. He agreed to an interview but voiced his doubts about having any success in solving the case. She said that his information and recall was critical, and he might have an insight and know nuances that would not be in a written report. She wanted to interview him before interviewing Annie’s parents. She figured it was a necessary step of reopening the case that he had closed as a rooky police officer.

Alex was surprised at the initial response from the sheriff. He seemed offended that the Cincinnati police department was opening his cold case.

She put out an invitation for him to become part of the team. She knew that if he felt threatened, he might turn into the worst of adversaries. This was something she did not need.

The Scots, Annie’s parents, still lived in Loveland. They were second on Alex’s list as she set out to learn more about that fateful day.

Alex knew that usually abductions were done by someone close to the family. She planned to ask Johnny to apply his computer skills to learn all he could about relatives and neighbors. She was especially interested in any that lived along the border of New York state and northern Pennsylvania or had property there.

She was personally planning to interview every person that had lived in Annie’s neighborhood and still lived there. She would interview every relative that had been in the area when Annie disappeared. She was trying to control her bias about it being a male abductor. This was hard to do since more than eighty percent of abductions were by a male relative or someone close to the family.

Loveland Sheriff Evan Williams sat looking at the phone. He wondered why the Cincinnati Police were opening Annie’s cold case. He decided he wanted to know more and put in a call to one of his old buddies that was in the same office as the detective that had just called him.

He listened as his buddy Travis described the detective, he was curious about as “Cincinnati’s black Annie Oakley.” He was surprised at Travis’s enthusiastic support of a female police officer. This Alex Evercrest must be a powerful presence. The fact that she had overcome multiple extremely violent personal attacks gave him some hope that she would solve the case that had haunted him throughout his career.

He hung up and called for Annie’s cold case documents. He had not looked at them for several years and he wanted to refresh his memory. He always had bad memories when he reviewed the case. He considered it one of his top failures.

He decided that the best action was to first take a short bike ride along the Loveland bike trail and have a good lunch at his favorite sandwich shop. The ride would refresh him and give him new energy to once again relive the past that seemed like only yesterday. Once he got back, he would review the case that had been an albatross around his neck for his entire career.

Meanwhile Alex had invited Trey and Johnnie to have lunch at their favorite lunch spot. This was the restaurant where Alex had shot and killed the person who had thrown the young lady off an overpass onto the grill of a semitruck. This killer had made the mistake of confronting her and pulling a gun that he never got to use because Alex put a bullet into his forehead as he brought the gun out from its holster.

As she and her partner, Trey, got into the car she took a few moments to check that he was OK with her getting them into Annie’s cold case. She had become good friends with Trey. They both went to the same AA group each week. She often went to family dinners with Trey, his wife, and his son. She knew how the stress of getting into this case was already affecting her. She wanted to make sure Trey was OK.

Trey admitted that it did increase his stress but that for him it was different than before. He praised her for being a partner that recognized the stress but kept her cool. It inspired him and made things easier.

Alex thanked him and then led the way into the restaurant. She had gone there often enough that many of the staff knew her and always took her to the seat that she had when she had been attacked.

After lunch Alex took Trey up on his request to drive to Loveland. They had been issued a new car, and this was his first time to drive it.

She said she wanted to stop and buy some Toblerone and Ghirardelli chocolate on sale at Costgood. It would be a short stop on the way to Loveland.

When Trey asked what she had in mind, Alex replied that her mother had always told her that “you catch more flies with honey than with anything else.”

Trey looked at her and replied that he would watch and figure it out.

She took the car’s instruction book out of the glove compartment and read about the operating features. She learned that the car could be started remotely. This would be a nice feature on cold days.

Alex dozed for a few minutes but came to full attention when Trey exited seventy-one and proceeded to Costco.

Alex went in and bought three pentagon boxes of Toblerone and three bags of Ghirardelli chocolate. On the way back to the car, she told Trey how to start the car remotely. She also told him how to roll down the windows remotely.

She directed Trey to follow Union Cemetery Road toward Loveland.

A few moments later, Alex took in the Police building and expressed her opinion that the architect had used the windows to make the exterior look like the bars of a prison cell. The large parking lot was edged by a well-kept hedge and was almost empty. Parking would be no problem.

Sheriff Evan Williams watched as the car pulled into the parking lot. He knew immediately that it was a Cincinnati unmarked police car.

He closed Annie’s file and checked to see that he had a fresh pot of coffee ready.

Trey chose the parking spot closest to the entrance.

Alex took one box and one bag of chocolates and led the way in. Inside they were greeted by a tough looking deputy that sat behind an elevated counter. Alex and Trey, both showed him their badge.

The deputy asked if they were armed.

Both Alex and Trey responded that they were.

The sergeant momentarily turned off the metal detector and had them enter.

Alex and Trey followed the deputy’s instruction.

She stopped as she exited the scanner. She looked at the deputy and told him he needed a little sweetening. She gave him the five bar Toblerone box and asked him to share it with the other folks.

She took in his surprised look and his smile and quiet thank you.

She and Trey then turned to follow his instructions.

A female deputy met them as they turned toward the sheriff’s office. She introduced herself as Melony and greeted them. She asked them to follow her to the chief’s office.

Alex sensed that the escort by a female deputy was an intentional display by the Loveland sheriff. She asked Melony how long she had been on the force. Melony replied that the sheriff had hired her three years ago. Alex inferred that her guide was a signal by the sheriff that he supported equal treatment.

Alex was immediately on alert. She knew the sheriff had sounded unhappy that “his” cold case was being reopened by someone other than himself.

She was intent on enrolling him and making him a partner in the upcoming search for closure in Annie’s case. She wanted to have his support and be on the resolution team. She did not want him to be a barrier.

Sheriff Williams stood up and took in the young black and good-looking detective and her partner. He was immediately captured by her composure and her greeting and her extended hand in which she held a bag of Ghirardelli chocolate. He wondered if she knew that these were one of his favorite chocolates.

He chuckled and asked whether he needed sweetening. He liked her immediately.

He stepped around his desk and shook her hand and then the hand of her partner. He was curious and ready to listen to what she had to say.

Alex looked over at the coffee pot and asked if she might get a cup. Trey said he would love one as well.

She watched as the sheriff took three plain white mugs and poured the coffee. She took her cup and then sat down on one of the chairs in front of the sheriff’s desk. Trey did likewise.

The Sheriff took his mug in both hands and looked at Alex and asked why Annie’s case was being reopened and why he had not been notified before its reopening.

Alex expressed the fact that if she were in his shoes she would probably be upset. She went on to explain that she had just finished with a trying case and had really been looking forward to a couple of months of boredom. She shared the fact that her on-line investigator had given her an analysis on Annie that he thought she should investigate. She had turned him down. Then a few hours later her Chief had called her into the office to listen to a Cincinnati Librarian about a young woman being held captive in the mountains in either northern Pennsylvania or southern New York. It was almost immediately clear that the story given to her by her analyst and that of the librarian were the same.

She shared that she had agreed with her Chief’s opinion that having two sources identify the same case in the same week was a sign from above that she should investigate the case.

Alex stopped for a moment and then expressed her desire for the Sheriff to be an integral part of the investigation. Alex pointed out that he might remember details that were not on the official report. He had lived it whereas she had to dig through paperwork to establish some connection and context for the case.

She specifically said she felt that his partnership would have a significant positive impact and help in finding out what happened and help solve the case.

Sheriff Williams looked at Alex for a long time. He had been surprised by her explanation about why the cold case was being opened. At that moment he felt hope that finally the case would be solved.

He felt a shiver run down his back.

He looked at Alex and explained how this case had been an albatross around his neck. It had haunted him for his entire career. Every year he contacted Annie’s family to see how they were doing.

He admitted that he had been offended and that someone else had decided to open his cold case. He went on to say that Alex’s invitation for him to participate convinced him that she was the right person to take a crack at closing the case.

He voiced his doubts but said he would be on her side.

Alex thanked the sheriff for the compliment and went on to ask him to review the case.

She asked him to go step by step, day by day through the case. She was sure there would be additional information that had not been in the report.

She also asked the sheriff to arrange interviews with Annie’s parents and with each of the neighbors.

The sheriff asked her to call him Evan and agreed to set up the visits with everyone in the neighborhood.

Alex immediately sensed the emotional impact the case had on the sheriff. As he recalled the incident and added depth to the report, his voice often quavered, and he periodically got tears in his eyes. He had been describing the events for an hour when he asked if they could take a break. He said he needed to get outside for some fresh air. He invited Alex and Trey to go with him.

The sheriff led them to a tan SUV and invited them to take a drive with him. Alex and Trey looked at each other and then accepted the invitation.

The interior of the SUV had light brown leather seats and was immaculate and had the smell of a brand-new car.

Alex commented on the the quality of the ride.

The sheriff chuckled and thanked her and commented that the car was his wife’s car. He said that he drove a forteen year old Honda Accord that was in the shop for its one hundred forty thousand mile tune up. He commented that he had splurged on new tires at Costgood.

The sheriff drove to the down town district. He parked the car in the street in front of his favorite Grill. He looked at Alex and asked if she wanted to take a walk. He didn’t wait for a response but started a slow walk toward the river.

Alex wasn’t sure where the little adventure was taking her but she agreed as she got out of the car. The Sheriff led the way back along Loveland Avenue until he got to the bridge. He walked to the center and looked down to the Little Miami river.

He looked at Alex and commented that he came to this spot almost everyday and almost everyday he thought of Annie. Alex listened as he went on tell her that every time someone drove by and honked their horn and waved, it saved him from the remorse he felt about that long cold case.

He said he would do everything possible to help her close it.

As if on que, a car drove past and honked their horn.

The sheriff smiled and asked if the two of them were ready for a cup of coffee at the Grill.

He led the way back and led the way in.

Alex came to a stop as she absorbed the atmosphere. A hand-written sign welcoming the customer was at the end of the counter closest to the door. A guitar enclosed in a glass covered wooden case was mounted on the wall above the bar at the far end. She knew of the Loveland bike trail and wondered what the two bicycles with white lights mounted on the wall signified.

A series of pictures and paintings led her eyes from the red bicycle up on the wall to an area to her right where additional paintings and pictures decorated the walls. A small wooden boat with oars was the final item that caught her attention. After taking it all in she proceeded to the eight-sided black topped table where the sheriff and Trey were sitting. She liked the feel of the place.

The sheriff commented that the Grill always had an impact on him too.

Coffee was ordered and Alex turned down the offer of a donut and opted for a banana.

The sheriff commented that he was burnt out on the interview about Annie but would make additional notes to share. He went on to say that he had not made his annual visit to Annie’s parents and that he would arrange to do so. He invited both Alex and Trey to come with him.

Alex had accomplished what she had set out to do. Sheriff Evan Williams was now on her team, and he was taking the action that she needed him to.

The ride back to the Loveland police station was a quiet one. It was clear to Alex that they were all affected by the case.

A few moments later the Sheriff parked next to her car. He looked over at her and commented that he had his mind on some Ghirardelli chocolate and asked if she wanted one before leaving.

Alex thanked him and let him know that she had also bought a bag for she and Trey.

She remarked that it would be great to get to talk to Annie’s parents as soon as possible. She also requested his assistance in getting interviews set up with all the neighbors around and behind Annie’s home.

He replied that he had accepted the chocolates because they were his favorites and he now he realized she had succeeded in bribing him. After a small chuckle, he said he would make the arrangements with Annie’s parents and each of the neighbors that had lived there at the time when Annie went missing.

Alex commented that the candy approach was her mother’s idea and that her mother got smarter with each passing year.

She shook the sheriff’s hand and welcomed him onto the cold case solution team.

He replied that he would see her soon and that he felt they would make a good team.

She turned and opened the door to her car as Trey got into the driver’s seat.

Trey commented that the meeting with the sheriff had been a resounding success. He complimented her in the chocolate candy approach and said he would push for her handle to be ‘Cincinnati’s sweet Annie Oakley.”

Alex replied that he had done enough in getting her labeled as the black Annie Oakley and he should leave well enough alone. She then dialed Martha, the librarian, and set up a meeting at two.

Trey commented that she was moving fast.

Alex replied that she intended to dig as deep as possible as quickly as possible. She said she felt that the person responsible might react negatively and she did not want to give that person time to react. She wanted that person to panic and make mistakes.

She suggested they stop at the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. She made the point that it was her treat. She knew that Trey was trying to stay on a tight budget because he was saving to buy a house.

Trey thanked her and told her that he owed her. He invited her to a Sunday lunch at his house. He knew his son, Nolan, enjoyed playing with Alex.

His wife, Leslie, was also fond of Alex. She credited Alex with helping him get control of his drinking habit. He also credited Alex.

He had turned her down when she had first invited him to join her in her visits to her AA meetings, but she always let him know when she was attending the meeting and asked if he would like to as well.

She had never pressured him, but he finally realized that she would continue to invite him until he at least went once.

Alex had not pushed but always let him know when she was attending the meeting. Her approach worked.

He spontaneously agreed to go with her a few weeks after many invitations. They now attended the meetings together on a regular basis. He found that the meetings and his partnership with Alex both contributed to his staying sober.

Alex accepted his invitation to a Sunday dinner at his place and responded that she would buy the desert of his choice at the Cheesecake Factory if he would let her have a spoonful.

Too soon a great lunch was over, and Alex had her spoonful. They headed back to the station.

The next stop on their way back was the Library.

Trey parked the car on the street and followed Alex into the Library. He took note that she was again carrying a bag of Ghirardelli candy.

They went to the main desk at the entrance and inquired about Martha. They were told to take the elevator to the third floor. Martha would be waiting for them and would lead them to her office.

Alex greeted Martha and gave her the chocolates after a brief hug. It was immediately apparent that Martha was touched and pleased as she volunteered that Ghirardelli chocolates were one of her favorite weaknesses.

Martha led them back behind the third-floor reference desk to a small office where she opened her gift and offered them a choice of the gold, black, blue, or brown wrapped Ghirardelli. She picked one of the gold wrapped ones for herself.

Alex took a black wrapped one which she knew was plain dark chocolate. Trey took a blue wrapped one. The focus on the candy allowed Alex to lead the way into the discussion about Annie.

Martha recounted her story and as she went along, she remembered that the person who had shared the story about a mysterious cabin in the mountains had mentioned that it was north of the Pennsylvania finger lakes.

This piece of information excited Alex. She knew that Johnnie would be able to use the location to see if anyone in Annie’s neighborhood had any property in that area. She knew that this information might be the big break she was looking for.

As she thought about this possibility, she finally opened her Ghirardelli and let the sweet dark chocolate melt slowly in her mouth.

Thank you for reading this far – Hope you enjoyed it.