Chapter 169
847 Words
Emma walked into the hair salon where Kat worked and looked around. No sign of her, so she stuck her head into the staff room. She saw Kat’s boss back there drinking a cup of coffee and she smiled at him.
“Hey, Benny.”
“Hey, girl,” Benny said. “You here to get a cut?”
Emma laughed and ran her fingers through her still-short hair. “Not yet, but soon enough, believe me.”
“Yeah, it’s just as well.” Benny shrugged. “Your favorite stylist isn’t here today.”
Emma’s heart jumped. “No?”
“Nope. She hasn’t been in all week. Took four days off.”
“Starting when?”
“Uh. Three days ago.”
Goddammit, Kat. Where are you?
“Thanks,” she said. “Take care.”
“I always do, sweetie.”
Emma went to the café next door and ordered a cup of green tea. She sat near the windows and collected her thoughts, trying to decide what to do first. She thought about it, and then picked up her cell phone and called him. He answered on the second ring.
“Emma? You OK?”
“Jim.” She took a deep breath. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”
“OK,” he said. “So what’s up, sweetheart?”
“I was wondering if you’d talked to Kat lately,” Emma said.
“Kat? No. Not for a week or so, I guess. Why?”
“Because none of us have.”
Emma could actually feel Jim’s energy shift and focus, even over the phone. “What?”
“Yeah.” Emma sipped her tea.
“Is she at work?”
“I just left there. Benny says she took four days off, starting three days ago.”
“f**k. None of this is like her.”
“I know.”
They were both silent.
“OK,” Jim said. “I’ll go over to her place right now, check it out.”
“You’d do that?” she asked.
“Yeah. I don’t work until this evening, so it’s no big hassle.”
“God, Jim. Thank you.”
“No problem. I’ll call you once I’m there. OK?”
“Yes,” Emma said. “OK.”
****
Jim pulled up in front of Kat’s building, grateful to have found a parking spot for his motorbike so close to the door. He raised his collar against the drizzle, and ducked into the lobby. He waited for the elevator, feeling an odd combination of fury and worry in the pit of his stomach.
If you’re up there, girl, I’ll kick your ass for scaring us all like this. Or I may kiss you for being OK after all. Damn you.
He stalked down the hall to the door of Kat’s apartment. He pounded on it, waited. There was no answer so he knocked again, louder.
“Kat!” he said. “Open up. Right now.”
Silence, and no movement inside.
“Kat? You in there?” He paused. “I swear to God… if you’re hiding out in there and not talking to me, I’ll be seriously pissed, I promise you.”
Still nothing.
At a loss, he looked around. He didn’t know any of Kat’s neighbors, had never even heard her mention anyone’s name. Undaunted, he walked next door and knocked there, then on the next door down. He kept trying until someone finally answered.
It was a young woman holding a baby on her hip. She kept the chain on the door and stood well back, her eyes widening at Jim’s size and scowl. He tried to look smaller and less-terrifying than he actually was.
“Hi,” he said. “I’m looking for my friend. Kat. She lives down the hall… you seen her lately?”
The woman looked puzzled. “Kat?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s she look like?”
“Uh, well, that’s hard to say.” Jim ran his hand over the back of his neck. “Her hair changes almost constantly. God only knows what color or length it is now.”
“Oh!” The woman looked enlightened. “Oh, yeah. Her.”
“So you do know her.”
“Sure. Me and my husband always bet what color her hair will be from week to week.”
Jim grinned.
“Anyway, no,” she said.
“No what?”
“No, I haven’t seen Kat lately. Not for a few days, for sure.”
Jim’s gut twisted, with fear now. “You sure?”
“Yeah, totally. Sorry.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Take care.”
He went back to the lobby and debated calling Emma, then decided against it. He knew he was being a f*****g sexist jerk, but he didn’t want to worry her. He thought for another minute, then he called Dallas. And Jim was interested to notice that Dallas didn’t sound the slightest bit surprised at the news that Kat had gone missing.
- Writer
