The Missing, Part 1
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2024 7:37 pm
I don't know why, but when Paula left I had an immediate urge to engage in some financial protection. So I used my bank's app to freeze our account.
And just after I did, I got a text from Amber complaining that she couldn't use her credit card. I texted her back telling her that I'm concerned about the account getting hacked or somebody using stolen checks to clean us out.
"Just get Kim to front you," I messaged her, "and I'll pay her back."
I just knew that Paula had done something. Paula knew where I kept the business checks. I looked, and none were missing, but all you need is the account and routing numbers and you can do a lot of damage.
Half an hour later, my phone rang. It was Kim.
"Amber's missing," she said.
"What do you mean, missing?"
"I mean, she went to use the ladies' room at Forever 21 and she never came back."
"Kim, I thought we agreed you wouldn't let her out of your sight."
"I know. I'm sorry. I swear, she wasn't gone long at all."
So I hopped in the car and went over to the mall, and Kim and I scoured the place.
Amber had vanished without a trace.
Back at the house...
"Oscar, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."
"It's not your fault, Kim. This is Cole's doing."
"What are you going to do?"
"Go over there and get her, obviously."
"Wait. That's what you did last time, right?"
"Yeah. You know it is."
"It seems like he'd be prepared for that. I'd be really careful if I were you, based on what you told me."
"Well, I can't just do nothing."
Just then the phone rang. It was Rachel. I told her about Amber.
"I'm on the way over," she said. "I have news on Cole from my connections."
"Oscar, I hate to say it - if you go to war with Dan Cole, you're going to get hurt."
"Why would you say that to me, Kim?"
"Because I care about you. And I think you could be in a lot of danger."
"You know something you're not telling me."
"My father had a friend who was in the construction business a few years ago, and Cole approached him about merging the companies. My dad's friend wouldn't sell. For two months Cole kept harassing him about selling. And then his pretty young wife just disappeared."
"Sounds familiar."
"My dad's friend went to see Cole. They fought. He beat Cole up. But his wife wasn't there. The police came and arrested Terry. And then he hung himself in jail, or so they say."
"Jesus."
"I know. And I'm really scared that something like that could happen now."
"Well, what would you have me do, Kim?"
"I don't know."
"I can't file a missing person's report until tomorrow, so going to the cops right now isn't available. But I guess I need to do that."
"Are you sure you want to go that route?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because she's a Factory Girl, Oscar. They won't treat it as a missing person. They'll treat it as lost goods."
"Oh, shit. You might be right."
And just after I did, I got a text from Amber complaining that she couldn't use her credit card. I texted her back telling her that I'm concerned about the account getting hacked or somebody using stolen checks to clean us out.
"Just get Kim to front you," I messaged her, "and I'll pay her back."
I just knew that Paula had done something. Paula knew where I kept the business checks. I looked, and none were missing, but all you need is the account and routing numbers and you can do a lot of damage.
Half an hour later, my phone rang. It was Kim.
"Amber's missing," she said.
"What do you mean, missing?"
"I mean, she went to use the ladies' room at Forever 21 and she never came back."
"Kim, I thought we agreed you wouldn't let her out of your sight."
"I know. I'm sorry. I swear, she wasn't gone long at all."
So I hopped in the car and went over to the mall, and Kim and I scoured the place.
Amber had vanished without a trace.
Back at the house...
"Oscar, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."
"It's not your fault, Kim. This is Cole's doing."
"What are you going to do?"
"Go over there and get her, obviously."
"Wait. That's what you did last time, right?"
"Yeah. You know it is."
"It seems like he'd be prepared for that. I'd be really careful if I were you, based on what you told me."
"Well, I can't just do nothing."
Just then the phone rang. It was Rachel. I told her about Amber.
"I'm on the way over," she said. "I have news on Cole from my connections."
"Oscar, I hate to say it - if you go to war with Dan Cole, you're going to get hurt."
"Why would you say that to me, Kim?"
"Because I care about you. And I think you could be in a lot of danger."
"You know something you're not telling me."
"My father had a friend who was in the construction business a few years ago, and Cole approached him about merging the companies. My dad's friend wouldn't sell. For two months Cole kept harassing him about selling. And then his pretty young wife just disappeared."
"Sounds familiar."
"My dad's friend went to see Cole. They fought. He beat Cole up. But his wife wasn't there. The police came and arrested Terry. And then he hung himself in jail, or so they say."
"Jesus."
"I know. And I'm really scared that something like that could happen now."
"Well, what would you have me do, Kim?"
"I don't know."
"I can't file a missing person's report until tomorrow, so going to the cops right now isn't available. But I guess I need to do that."
"Are you sure you want to go that route?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because she's a Factory Girl, Oscar. They won't treat it as a missing person. They'll treat it as lost goods."
"Oh, shit. You might be right."