NINE
THAT FRIDAY, DANNY made himself known the moment he entered the trailer. “Where’s my dinner, woman!”
After finishing with the buckle of her sandal, Tess sprang to her feet. “Make it yourself, hick,” she said, striding down the trailer.
When he noticed her outfit, his head tilted. Throughout the week, of the two of them, he’d cooked most often. Always something quick and easy, which was just fine. Her priorities lay elsewhere.
Each day, she buried herself in her notes and lost track of time. The infuriating mystery remained unsolved. Her mother’s workplaces had yielded no results. Russell Figgs had disappeared. Snap. Just like that. Gone. Every day that week, his office was locked up. Empty. Abandoned. She’d tried to trace his home address, only to find he was unlisted.
Her mess o
