The Gardens of Digby Green: Sikes Underfoot
As Marquez heard Sikes run down the list of crime locations, he grew glum. Odds that his Indiana boys would get any glory from this case were vanishing like exhaust fumes in a stiff breeze. Sikes muttered something about contacting a fellow agent in Iowa, and Marquez lost both hope, and interest in the case. He clicked the tab for the message program. No reported sightings. Did it mean he’d have Sikes underfoot until this thing resolved? He stifled a sigh. No way was he going to leave the federal agent the impression he didn’t care about his work.
Somebody knocked on the closed door. Marquez leaned sideways to glance through the blinds. Unfortunately, glimpsing an elbow gave no identifying clues. He got up. When he opened the door a crack, he found Frank Campanelli, the fireman in the Wednesday night poker group.
“Hey Frank, what’s up?”
“I’ve contacted nearly all the other guys about hosting the game at my place this week. I figured Ray would prefer not being at home. Thing is, he hasn’t answered my calls or my texts. I went over there, and his house is locked up tight. His car is in the garage, but his wife’s Chrysler isn’t.”
“Seems pretty obvious he’s not home.”
“Well, yeah, but there’s something about it that seems off.”
“Can you be specific?”
Frank rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ceiling. “Nothing I can put my finger on…”
“He’s on compassionate leave, right?” The man had had an emotional collapse at the Whistler’s Woods crime scene. “Did Ray mention for how long? Maybe he’s decided to go out of town.”
“I thought that leave was usually two weeks.” Campanelli shrugged.
“Have the other guys heard from Ray?”
“Both of them asked if I’d seen him.”
Behind Marquez, Sikes cleared his throat.
The Roseland detective shifted, twisting left to eye the federal agent.
Sikes smirked. “My colleagues in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa are happy to help.”
The Gardens of Digby Green: Sikes Underfoot is a serialized story that posts on Fridays. Find the first here.
Find a link to purchase Heartland Treasures anthology here.
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