Chapter 11

SIT AND WAIT

The police wouldn't let Carol file a missing person's report until Monday morning. someone called her late in the afternoon.

By Sunday morning Carol had called Jack's apartment a thousand times. She'd found Alice's cell phone on the table. There was no number in there for David or Hatter. She'd even walked back down to the park and found it bare. Not a trace of the party remained.

She never had gotten Glenna's last name or anyone else's from the party.

The policeman asked if she had any more information than what was on the form. No. she hadn't. He said a detective would call tomorrow with any results. Carol spent a sleepless night staring out the window. First Robert and now Alice. She couldn't take it anymore.

On Tuesday, Carol wandered around the loft, staring at their things, waiting for the detective to call. He showed up a little after noon.

"Hello Carol." he filled the doorway. Tall and familiar and safe.

Carol stared at him in surprise. "Frankie? I didn't know you were a detective?"

"Yeah, few years now. I …I asked for this case when your name came through."

"Have you found Alice?" She motioned him inside.

"No, but I do have some questions I need your help with." He came in and stood looking down at her. "I know you're upset, but it would really help. It's good to see you."

Carol nodded and motioned him to sit on the sofa.

"Thanks." He nodded and opened the folder in his hand. "No one claims to have seen Alice after she left the party. No one has used her credit cards. We did find a cabbie who reportedly dropped someone fitting her description at the building where Jack Chase has several condos on the top floor. Not too many girls running around in a wedding dress."

"Jack Chase is very puzzling. He also goes by the name of Jack Heart. He has a past, a very expensive false identity." The detective looked at Carol who was staring at him with her mouth open, shaking her head.

"Jack was a fake? He seemed so nice. Alice had been seeing him for almost a couple months. Were you able to find anything on David?"

"We ran a search on David and found only one thing. And that was very recent. He doesn't exist. There was nothing under the alias, Hatter."

Carol bit her lip. She knew it. He was a fake. "We were at an engagement party last night in the park. They said David was mugged. Lucas … I thought Lucas called the police. He promised Alice he would find him. Is this some kind of gang thing?"

"You don't have Lucas's last name? It doesn't look like a gang thing." Frank made notes on the file. "There was no police report of a mugging filed in that area last night. And none anywhere for David" Frank shook his head. "I'm sorry Carol."

"Frankie, I just don't understand any of this. Jack came for dinner Friday night and Alice was all excited about me meeting him. Then he offered her a ring and she made him leave. Then David found her unconscious in an abandoned building. And the very next day they both shows up and argue over her. Next thing I know she's having an engagement party. It makes no sense."

"There's no telling with kids anymore." Frank shook his head, "are you sure there's nothing else?"

"Wait, Lucas said he was David's cousin!" Carol remembered

"Ok. I'll check that out." Frank smiled.

"The doorman comes on duty soon and I'll be talking with him. It's possible that he'll remember Alice if as you say she was dressed in a wedding gown and had flowers in her hair. Do you have a recent picture?"

"Yes." Carol handed him a couple 5x7 photos of Alice in the wedding gown she had taken when the boxes first arrived. "I printed these out for you."

"She's very pretty. Don't worry, Carol, I'll do my best to find your daughter." He smiled at her. He was still a nice looking man with very gentle brown eyes.

"Thank you. She's all I have."

"Ok. One piece of information on David is a deed to a warehouse not far from here. It was signed on Saturday and recorded on Monday." Frank watched Carol closely. "It was immediately signed over to Alice."

"What? What do you mean?" Carol shook her head.

"David bought a warehouse and signed the deed over to your daughter."

Carol stood and paced the room "Why would he do that? What kind of warehouse?"

"I hoped you might know. I'm stopping by there when I leave here." Frank stood.

"I want to go with you. I … need to see this. I just don't understand." Carol stood and faced him.

"Carol, that's not a good idea. I will let you know as soon as I know something." He smiled at her.

"This is my daughter, and I'm sorry Frankie, but she's just another case to you."

"Your daughter is not just another case to me Carol. She might have been my daughter you know." He touched her shoulder. Carol's face crumpled and she bit her lip to keep from crying.

"It's good to see you again, Frankie. How's Marilyn?"

"She died a few years back. And Robert? Why isn't he here?"

"He disappeared about ten years ago. Not a word since." Tears spilled out of her eyes and rolled down her face. Frank pulled her into his arms.

"Carol. Carol. Don't cry. I'll find her." He promised holding her.

Carol pulled out of his arms, under control again. "Thank you Frankie, but I am coming with you to this warehouse. And to see the doorman."

Frank sighed. He had never been able to refuse Carol anything. He made a note to start searching for Robert. He wasn't certain what he would do when he found him….but find him he would.

"Ok, but I want to go on the record that this is a bad idea." Frank smiled at her.

"Thank you Frankie. You know I appreciate it. She's my baby." Carol put on her jacket and grabbed her purse.

Frank opened the door. One good thing, he was sure he could get her to eat dinner afterward. They could talk over the case. And lots of other things.