Part 28 - Chapter 7 - The Morning After

"Eileen, where have you been?" Lawrence asked as he walked away from the Townsend's front door.

"I was about to ask you that," she replied quickly. She had felt sick with worry on the drive home, alternating between wanting to cry her eyes out and wanting to give Lawrence a piece of her mind. "I thought you were working late, so I went to the office to surprise you, but no one was there. What happened?"

"I finished work a little earlier than I expected, so I decided to come over."

"How did we miss each other?"

"I stopped off on the way here. I wanted to get you something to say I'm sorry for being late." He extended his hand forward revealing a long stemmed rose that he had been hiding behind his back.

"Oh, that's so sweet," Eileen said. On the verge of tears, she could barely find the words to speak.

"Is something wrong?"

"I- When I went to the office and you weren't there, I just didn't know what to think. All I could come up with is that you didn't really want to see me and you were using work as an excuse."

"Eileen, I could never do that to you," Lawrence said, his eyes conveying his sincerity and the hurt that she would come to that conclusion. "I always want to be with you. Always."

Eileen threw her arms around Lawrence's waist and with tears in her eyes held him close. "So do I."

It was past quitting time and Logan was about to leave the investigation to the night shift until morning, but before he could call it a day and go home, he had one more stop to make.

Calls to the McAllistar's residence had gone unanswered all day, but as he drove by the house, he saw the lights were on. Someone must be home now, so he decided to stop by.

Logan knocked on the door three or four times, before he heard noises from within and the front door finally opened.

"Mrs. McAllistar? May I come in?"

Evelyn hesitantly stepped aside and let Logan into the foyer. "Is there something I can do for you, officer?"

"Yes, ma'am. Our department has been trying to get in touch with you or your husband all day. Your daughter, Vanessa Summers, was reported missing this morning by the family members she was staying with. We were wondering if you've heard anything from your daughter."

"No, I'm afraid I haven't. My daughter and I don't keep in touch. We haven't been close for several years."

"Do you have any idea where she might have gone or anyone she might have gone to, if she left on her own accord?"

"No." Evelyn seemed hesitant as she answered and Logan could sense a hint of anxiety beneath her icy cool exterior.

"Do you know something you aren't telling me, Mrs. McAllistar? If you do, I need to know. Vanessa's life could depend on it."

"Yes," she reluctantly admitted. "Excuse me a moment."

Evelyn left the room. When she returned a few seconds later, she handed an envelope to Logan.

"My husband and I found this outside our front door this morning. We were told not to contact the police We had hoped it was a fake, but since you're here . . ." As Logan unfolded the letter, Evelyn continued to explain. "Our daughter has been kidnaped. Her captor wants us to pay a $500,000 ransom."