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Chapter 3

Forty-five minutes can be an eternity or can fly by in a blink of an eye. Because I wanted to get them here and talk with them to find out more about Gary it took forever. Because I wanted to put my best foot forward, take the time to formulate what questions I should ask to get the information I needed, it was too short.

Coffee waited for Mr. Hanna and his guest whenever they arrived. I have no idea why I needed to be a hostess but I figured it couldn't hurt to be nice and maybe put a truce flag out to Mr. Hanna.

The bell finally rang and I opened the door to find a mountain of a man waiting there. Beside him was a shorter, petite woman. "I'm Sam Hanna, you called me, and I'd like to introduce Nell Jones."

I could see right away why Gary chose me last night. We both were petite women. She wore her hair long and it was a lovely shade of red. My hair was about the same length but dirty blond. So this was his Nell.

I motioned for them to enter. "Dolly Gales, please come in. Have a seat. May I offer you a cup of coffee?"

Both said yes and helped themselves to the coffee.

When the coffee had been served Mr. Hanna sat back looking mildly uncomfortable with this whole situation but Nell was more eager to proceed. We'd needed those moments to get to know one another over the coffee. Just from the way Mr. Hanna held his body I knew this made him uncomfortable but couldn't understand why.

All of a sudden Sam spoke. "Miss Gales, when you called this morning you used a name of a man who we thought had been missing and honestly presumed dead now for over a year. We found a burnt body and his duffle bag under the Santa Monica Pier thirteen months ago and we thought it was Gary. He was my best friend, my brother. The only reason I'm here is that you used his name." He looked around the room as if he hoped Gary would materialize from somewhere. "Nell and I have a few questions for you."

I nodded in response to his remarks. I could understand how having someone bring back your friend's name from the grave would make you feel. "I'll answer what I can and I hope it helps you, but I have questions as well and first and foremost who is Gary Wisnoski?"

Sam looked past me and out the window and then back to me. "When did you meet Mr. Wisnoski and where?"

Okay, he obviously didn't want to answer my question so I pushed on. "Last night a co-worker and I went to Club LA to dance. While on the dance floor I saw him leaning against the wall and the next thing I knew he was dancing with me."

Sam sat back to think and proceeded to think out loud. "Gary would never go to a dance club." He looked back at me. "What time would that have been?"

I looked from Sam to Nell and between the two of them I couldn't tell what they were thinking. "Around nine-thirty, I think. I'd been dancing for a while when he appeared."

I saw Sam tap his ear. "Eric, see if you can get into the security tapes for Club LA and around the club. G may have been there last night." He spoke to me again. "Did you stay there all night?"

Nell was taking notes and taping the conversation with her phone.

To my mind this looked more like an interrogation than two friends trying to find their buddy. "No, we went to Venice Beach. Gary said he needed some quiet and I hadn't been to any of the beaches since coming to live here so I agreed to go with him. Someone dropped him off at the club."

Sam leaned forward in his seat. "Miss Gales, what kind of car do you drive?"

I sensed concern for a friend but more and I too needed information. "I drive a red Volkswagen Beetle which still has Arizona plates on it. I just moved here six months ago and that was next to be next week's project."

Sam smiled but again he 'spoke' to the invisible Eric. "Eric, check traffic cams to Venice Beach from Club LA. Red Volkswagen Beetle, Arizona plates." His gaze never left mine. "How long did you stay at Venice Beach? Did you go on the boardwalk?"

I shook my head no. "We didn't go on the boardwalk. For some reason Gary didn't even try to go there. We just walked out onto the beach and walked for about twenty minutes. Then we sat and watched and listened to the waves. He seemed to need the quiet. It was almost like a restorative for him."

"Eric, when you're done with the security tapes and traffic cams, check the security tapes of the Venice Beach Boardwalk. G took us there for something. Yeah, I'll get her back soon." You could see his mind spinning with the information I'd given him. "What did you do then?"

I put my mug down on the table and rose from my chair going to the window and looking out. "We came back here. We were chilled and I made hot chocolate for the two of us. He'd become moody and we talked about seeing old friends." I looked at Nell and saw what Gary had seen last night: our similarities.

She nodded at me. She believed me at least. "Miss Gales, what else did he say?"

I smiled at them. "There really wasn't much conversation after that. We went to sleep after that." I know I left the personal parts out but did they really need to know that?

Sam leaned toward me, picking up the coffee pot and pouring a little more into his cup. "On the phone you said that Gary asked you to tell me two things, what were they?"

I took the note out of my pocket and read down to those lines. "One was to 'forgive Michelle because it really wasn't her choice' and the other was, 'find him and that you'd know how'."

Nell gasped and Sam put his cup down on the table. "Yes I do. May I see the letter? I just want to see the writing."

I handed it to him but hesitated before letting it go. It was personal and the last part of him I had. "May I have it back?"

Sam smiled at me nodding the affirmative. He took the letter and read it. I could see the gears turning in his head and questions forming. He just smiled some more. "It's G's handwriting. What do you think he meant by the last paragraph?"

I know what I hoped it meant but instead I shrugged my shoulders in response.

Nell looked down at the table. "Can I help you pick up before I go?"

I wanted to get to know her a little before she left and I'd never see her again. "Sure, I could use a little help."

Sam put the letter down on the table and nodded to Nell. She gave a small nod back to him. "I'll wait in the car." With that he let himself out.

I picked up the pot and three mugs and Nell got the spoons and the sugar bowl and creamer. When we got to the kitchen I turned to her and smiled. "Gary told me a little about you last night. He misses you."

Her breath caught for a second. "I miss him too. He was a mentor and a big brother when I needed one. I wanted him to give me away when I got married, he was supposed to and then we found his body, well what we thought was his body and his duffle. It almost killed all of us. We are that close to one another."

Again my curiosity was roused. "Just who is Gary anyway? I felt like I was being interrogated by Sam. Was I being questioned?"

She sort of giggled and it was a refreshing sound. "Gary's death was extremely hard on him and he swore he'd find who did it and…well you know? I've got to go he's waiting downstairs for me." She turned towards the door. "Oh, before I go can you tell me if this is Gary?" She took out her phone and showed me an older picture of him. It was him though he was thinner and wore his hair in a crew cut. It looked like it was close to five or six years ago. Those gorgeous blue eyes hadn't changed one iota in all this time.

I nodded that it was him and wished I knew what I could ask her to get more information about Gary. They're going to leave and I'd still be left not knowing anything about him. "Wait…will anyone get back to me if you find him?"

Nell wore a confused look on her face. "I'm not really sure how it will go through the ranks but I will ask and if I can, I will let you know. We may have to ask some more questions so we may be back, will that be alright?"

I nodded. "Of course you can return. I just don't know what else I could tell you. He's not exactly the world's greatest talker." I could see why he liked her. She was sweet.

Nell walked to the door and let herself out.

I still didn't know who Gary could be but it's alright. I now know someone else is looking for him and there are people who care for him.