The next morning, Kiara awoke to loud, incessant knocking on the door to her walled-in winter porch. She noticed several cars parked erratically outside on the snowy driveway as she rose and got dressed, preparing to answer the knocks.
"I know, boy, just calm down," Kiara urged Rochester as he whined and pawed at the screen door. She pushed his wriggling fulvous body out of the doorway and opened the door. Rusty Lewencheck, Egret Lake's resident sheriff, and several grave-looking men in dark suits, promptly greeted her.
"Sorry to wake you this early, Miss Andërson, but I'm afraid we have an emergency on our hands," Sheriff Lewencheck apologized, drawling slightly. He took off his hat and motioned at the men standing stiff behind him.
"These men are from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We have good reason to believe that Charles Adam Edwards, an escaped inmate from Denver, has kidnapped a young woman and is hiding out somewhere around this lake." One of the dark-suited men stepped forward and opened his shiny patent leather briefcase, revealing two glossy black and white photos; one of a gruff older man, and another of smiling girl who appeared to be in her late teens.
"I, uh, what is it that you need, gentlemen?" Kiara stuttered as she stared at the gleaming badge the man with the briefcase flashed at her.
"Simply to know whether or not you have seen anyone or anything out of the ordinary lately," he answered without a single change in his grayish countenance. His steel eyes remained unblinking and cold, even as he spoke.
"Well," Kiara began, stooping to pet Rochester's head for comfort, "I did see someone rowing out on the far side of the lake last night. I noticed because rarely do any of us who live here on the lake go boating at night; that's too dangerous. Plus, whoever it was was out around Duncan's Point, where all the kids used to jump off. No one goes there anymore, so "Ro" and I mused over the little dinghy's presence most of the night. I'm afraid that's all I can tell you, gentlemen." The tall man in the charcoal suit looked up at her on the porch steps.
"Thank you. If you have any additional information, call this number," he advised, handing her a card. Kiara nodded and went back inside while the sizable troop of men paraded down the stony, snow-covered walk to their cars.
"Intriguing," remarked Kiara as she let the curtain fall back into place after the last vehicle had filed out of her driveway.