Dr. Seth Hazlitt believed he fell down the rabbit hole. His mind couldn't capture what was happening and for someone that always knew how to process the facts, his mind was blank. He had awakened early, showered and dressed, ate breakfast, did his hospital rounds, and drove to Portland. Jessica was returning home and he had the honor of picking her up.
He had pulled up to the arrival terminal with plenty of time to spare. She wasn't due to land for another ten minutes. She had warned him she wasn't going to check any baggage and would be out without going to baggage claim so he arrived early. Of course, he wasn't allowed to park in the loading zone so he drove around slowly and returned a few minutes after her plane touched down. He got out of the car and popped the trunk hoping no police officer happened by seeking to dispense tickets to violators.
After ten minutes he closed the trunk and sighed. He would have to park in the lot and risk having to pay. The first half hour was free so there was a good chance he wouldn't have to pay at all. He locked the car and walked inside the terminal expecting to find her immediately. When he didn't see her he walked toward baggage claim. Perhaps she had more than she anticipated and had to check a bag.
Only she wasn't a part of the crowd waiting for their luggage to come down the ramp and onto the conveyor belt. He waited ten minutes. She might have gone to the restroom or to check with ticketing. He pushed down his worry. She would show up soon.
Half an hour later, he was pacing. He checked outside to see if she was standing near the curb waiting on him but most of the crowd from her flight had left the area. He approached a police officer who wasn't very helpful but suggested he check with the airline to make sure she actually got on the flight.
With renewed hope he walked over to ticketing. It might be as easy as missing her flight. It wasn't. She was on the flight. She wouldn't have made her own way home, he mused. He decided to call the sheriff, Mort Metzger.
If anyone was going to take things seriously, it was the Cabot Cove sheriff. He was Jessica's biggest fan. Not of all the books she's written but for all the help she has given him over the years. He grumbles and gets sarcastic with her but everyone knew how much he liked the assistance with his cases. He told Mort to check with the airlines to make sure she hadn't fallen ill and was taken to the hospital. Official channels were much faster than his trying to get answers.
Another half hour passed, more than a full hour since her plane landed. He hadn't heard back from Mort yet. He knew it could take time but he was worried now. He took a seat at the bench near the loading zone and watched the cars passing by. He scrutinized every pedestrian that walked by too.
He sat on the bench for over an hour just thinking about her. Once more he was wishing he had confessed his feelings for her to her. He knew the gossip around town that proclaimed he was devoted to her while she was devoted to her late husband. He sighed. The sky had darkened which suited his mood and the fine drizzle that began settled on his clothing making him slightly damp. He wondered where she was and what she was doing. He felt a presence near him and his heart lifted only to sink when he saw it was Mort.
"I didn't want to startle you," began Mort. "She isn't in any of the area hospitals and according to the airline, she deplaned along with all the other passengers." It began to rain harder and Mort motioned for him to get up.
Seth walked with him inside the terminal again. The two of them searched every inch of the area. Mort's badge got them into areas denied to Seth if he had been alone but they didn't find him.
"It's been three hours, Mort. She would have called my cell phone by now," grumbled Seth. Better to appear irritated than to show fear but it didn't fool the lawman at all.
"I can't do an official missing person report, Doc, but my men are checking. They spoke with the ladies in town, they checked her house, your house, I called the cops in New York to check her apartment but she wasn't there."
"Thanks, Mort."
Seth turned and went outside again. It was raining harder now and there were very few pedestrians. Most hurried inside as quickly as possible to get out of the rain. He stood near the building, protected from the rain and looking closely at every vehicle that passed.
"Doc, why don't you call her cell phone?" asked Mort. "Leave a message if there's no answer. I already put in a request to subpoena her phone records for yesterday and today but it hasn't come through yet."
Seth was already punching in her number. He listened to the sound of her voice as the recording told him she wasn't available but please leave a message and she promised to get back to him eventually. He left a brief message and disconnected.
They waited four more hours. It was dinner time but Seth wasn't hungry. They retraced their steps, made phone calls. The entire town of Cabot Cove was on alert. Several residents were on their way to Portland to help start a search for her. Even though no one saw her get off the plane, it was still at the airport and had been searched. She wasn't on the plane and Mort even checked the overhead bins.
The Portland Police Department was quietly helping as well. They didn't want to be responsible for the possible abduction of the famous JB Fletcher on their turf.
Neither man spoke much or often but the other one's presence helped. Mort worried that Mrs. F was hurt while Seth worried she wouldn't be found. Why hadn't he told her how much she meant to him? How much he loved her? Seth felt a hand settle on his shoulder and looked up.
Mort's serious eyes were staring into his eyes. "Airport security is searching the terminals and have search dogs with them. I thought it would be a good idea to start a perimeter search from here and a five mile radius."
Seth stood there, undecided. He didn't want to leave the place they were supposed to meet but he didn't want to remain inactive either.
"She might have gotten caught up in a murder, Doc. She might need our help."
Seth nodded. "She told me a couple of days ago that someone was murdered in the building next door to hers. I was so happy she was coming home for a month."
Mort led Seth toward his squad car. "I have maps inside the glove compartment." Mort's phone rang and Seth listened to his grunts and then he disconnected. "The FBI is involved now. Thank goodness she's famous. No one wants to wait another twenty-four hours."
Seth sighed. He was happy there was more involvement but the waiting was wearing him down. It was nearly nine o'clock now. It was dark and raining and hardly anyone was out and about.
He followed Mort over to a staging area and assignments were given out. It was unlikely that Jessica was outside if she was alive and well but if she had been injured, wandered around and got lost, she might be in one of the many fields and grassy areas outside of the airport. Many Cabot Cove residents were in attendance and Seth felt his heart swell with pride. His Jessica was loved by many in town. Several of the volunteer searchers were former students of hers and he was happy so many young people were seeking and not just the older citizens.
The search was called off at two am but at least every inch of ground near the airport had been covered and eliminated. Mort urged Seth to go home and they could decide what else to do in the morning.
Seth pulled his car away from the airport and headed for home. Weariness seeped into his bones and caused his body to slump. The rain was pouring down hard making him drive slowly. He let the tears fall as he finally released the hold on his emotions. Mort's headlights in his rearview mirror was reassuring. He complained about the sheriff a lot but the man had a good heart.
Seth drove straight into his carport and Mort flashed his headlights as he continued home. Seth trudged through the back door and locked it. He went upstairs, stripped off his clothes, and stepped into a hot shower. Once again he broke down sobbing. He couldn't bear the thought of Jessica hurt or worse. He didn't even allow himself to consider 'worse'.
He didn't think he would fall asleep but he drifted into a troubled dimension between wakefulness and slumber. He dozed lightly after a while but by six am he was awake again. He made coffee and waited. He wasn't a praying man but he had been pleading to whatever higher being existed for her safety. He promised all sorts of things if only she was returned safely and especially unharmed. He paced his front room for a couple of hours, only pausing when his phone rang over and over. It was never Jessica, only residents and patients wanting to know if anything had been discovered.
The media picked up on the news and soon he was seeing Jessica's picture on television channels until he flipped it off again.
He was filled with regrets. If he ever saw her again, she would know how much he loved her. It hadn't escaped his notice that the weather agreed with him. The continuous downpour was disheartening and hampering efforts to find her.
Mort called him before lunch to let him know what was happening. Everyone who traveled on the plane was being interviewed although most hadn't known she was on the plane. Those in first class were brought on the plane first and their cabin was separate from business and coach class. First class had thirty-two seats and since the flight had been full, interviewing the thirty-one other passengers in the compartment was taking a little time.
"Mort, what's the prevailing thoughts on whether Jessica is…how she's doing?" Seth couldn't bring himself to ask whether she was dead or alive.
"There's hope, Doc. We'll know more within the next twenty-four hours." Mort didn' want to give false hope but he wanted to be as honest as he could. "They're calling a press conference in Portland at four o'clock. I'm driving down if you'd like to go with me."
"I was thinking of heading down there so I'd appreciate not having to deal with the weather. What time should I be ready?"
Seth hung up after another few moments and went to change his clothes. He wasn't planning on giving any interviews if asked but if Jessica was located he wanted to look spiffy. He adjusted his bow tie and went to make use of the facilities before leaving. His appetite had still deserted him but he managed a piece of toast with his coffee.
Mort parked in front of Seth's home and waited. He knew the Doc would be out shortly and he tried to figure out what encouraging news he could give the medical man. Multiple agencies were searching now and the chances of Mrs. F being alive dwindled with every passing hour.
He knew Mrs. F and the Doc were close friends, how close no one really knew but it was obvious they enjoyed each other's company. He knew how worried the doctor was and also knew he would worry more as time passed.
The gossip mongers in Cabot Cove were having a field day spreading facts and fiction throughout the town. They kept it amongst themselves though and didn't give interviews to the press or news stations. He left his deputies in charge of the town while he was going to Portland and they were tasked with keeping the media from disrupting local life as much as possible. The rain helped.
Seth left his house and locked up. He asked Mort to stop at Jessica's house on the way out of town so he could make sure everything was fine. Mort thought it was a good idea.
They entered through the back door and Seth walked through the downstairs, checking windows.
"Mort, her answering machine is full." He removed the tape and gave it to the sheriff and pulled another tape from a drawer and loaded it into the device. "You might want to listen in case someone left a message about her."
Mort nodded. "Good idea. Since she disappeared in Portland, no one considered looking here, at least not yet."
Seth finished pulling the shades down on the windows. He didn't want anyone peeking in through the windows. "Did anyone locate her overnight bag? She didn't check any luggage but she must have had a carry-on bag and her purse."
"All the trash cans were checked. Whatever items she had weren't dumped at the airport," answered Mort. He watched Seth check the front door and secured it before they left the kitchen. He didn't comment when Seth took a look around the homey room as they exited.
He kept up a steady string of conversation during the drive. The Doc seemed preoccupied but he answered every question presented and even commented on occasion.
"I know it doesn't help much but we're doing all we can," said Mort.
"I know and it does help. I just can't stop thinking of her being hurt somewhere," remarked Seth. "She gets into situations and I've cautioned her over and over but nothing like this has ever happened before. Do you think someone was seeking revenge?"
"They're checking into it, Doc."
Both men fell silent, thinking. Jessica had solved dozens of murders or at least assisted and probably had several enemies because of it. While innocently accused people would be grateful, many murderers or their families wouldn't.
The press conference lasted over an hour. Reporters from various news agencies had a lot of questions. Seth listened carefully to all the questions and answers but most remained unanswered. Nothing was discussed that he didn't already know. In fact, he knew a bit more but Mort assured him the investigators kept a few things to themselves in order to weed out the crackpots.
Mort insisted on grabbing a bite to eat, not because he was hungry but because he didn't think the Doc was eating. Mort ate his bacon double cheeseburger, fries, and strawberry milkshake quickly but Seth only picked at his food. He consumed more when he realized Mort wasn't leaving until his plate was cleared but he barely tasted the food.
By nightfall Seth was pacing at home again. Jessica's disappearance was the top story on the news and supposedly tips and leads were coming in but it was taking too long. Feeling unable to remain at his house, he grabbed his keys and went over to Jessica's house. There was a patrol car out in front and Deputy Floyd sat inside.
"Evening Floyd," grumbled Seth.
"Evening Doc," returned Floyd. "Sheriff said someone needed to be at the house at all times to stop people trying to get inside."
"I had the same idea," admitted Seth. "Let him know I'll be at the house tonight so you can do something useful."
Floyd saluted him and drove away. Seth entered Jessica's house and walked inside without turning on any lights. He knew the doorbell would start ringing if the lights were on. People would assume Jessica had returned. Instead he maneuvered his way through the house stopping to touch a picture or sigh in the dark. He was used to being in her house when she was out of town but he always felt her presence before.
He went upstairs. He rarely entered her bedroom and never when she wasn't home. Tonight though he needed her. He stepped inside her closet and turned on the light after closing the door. Dresses, suits, pants, hung neatly on the rods. Her shoes were lined up uniformly. He smelled the fragrance she wore and inhaled deeply. It brought a little comfort, just a little.
Jessica had been missing more than thirty-six hours and he felt it acutely. He looked at a trunk on the floor of her closet. Curious about what was inside, he lifted the lid. He nearly groaned. Nightgowns were inside. Flimsy, sheer, short, sexy, nightgowns. He imagined her wearing them. Perhaps she packed them away after Frank died. He hoped so. He wasn't sure there had been men in her life since his passing but seeing them in the trunk made him happy.
Scolding himself not to snoop, he peeked in a few drawers. Everything was so tidy and organized. He didn't know what he was looking for as he sifted through sweaters and nylons. Good Lord she had a lot of clothing. He turned to another dresser and opened the top drawer. Bras. This wasn't doing him any good. He turned off the light and stepped outside of the closet.
Grabbing a blanket and pillow from the guest room he went downstairs and made up a bed on the couch. He listened to her phone messages but it was nosy Parkers asking if she was home yet or telling her how worried they were. He snorted. People are useless. He walked over to the picture of her and Frank at the shore. It was Jessica's second most favorite picture of them. He let out a puff of air remembering how he promised to take care of her so Frank's passing would be peaceful or as peaceful as possible. He used to think he was doing a decent job but the last couple of years had turned his hair gray.
He went into the bathroom and groaned after he turned on the light. Her robe was hanging behind the door. He buried his face in it and began to cry. It smelled of soap with a hint of her shampoo. He took it off the hook and carried it to the couch. Snuggling up with it he began reciting the only prayer he remembered from his childhood. The fear that was clawing inside him was threatening to overwhelm him. He wanted to howl in misery but how would that look if she walked through the door in a few minutes?
Seth fell into a fitful sleep but exhaustion had taken over and he couldn't stay awake even if he wanted.
Day three and the tension increased. The town had plenty of reporters and Portland authorities were demanding they keep their distance from the airport. There would be an announcement each afternoon with a press release. The FBI as well as other government agencies were working the case. Her publishing house, agent, marketing director, and publicist confessed they hired a private detective agency as well. Fans of her books were clubbing together to see if they could solve the 'mystery' of the missing mystery writer. There was even speculation that it was a hoax or publicity stunt but that was shot down immediately by many sources.
Seth was staying at her house every evening and spending the night so it wasn't empty. Mort dropped by to check in with him and pass on any news he didn't get from the television. Mort worried. Seth looked as if he aged a decade in three days. His face was gray and pale, his eyes red rimmed. He didn't bother trying to hide his emotions any longer. Where normally he would rail and shout, he was subdued. He went to work in the mornings and saw patients but told his nurse, Beverly, to reschedule his afternoon appointments for morning ones and not to add any new ones.
Days four, five, and six and he was beginning to feel hopeless. Jessica was still mentioned in the news but other stories were getting top billing since there was no new information to report. Women were dropping food off for Seth at his office. As soon as he saw the last patient of the morning, he would get in his car and drive to Portland. He had a map and he drove up and down streets looking for her. He knocked on doors and stopped strangers on the street. Everyone was aware of who she was and that she was missing but no one had seen her.
A week went by. Seth wasn't eating or sleeping much. His shoulders were becoming too frail to carry the weight of his burdens. Mort watched him carefully. Doc wasn't drinking, even when offered. He wanted to be sober when Jess came home. He was irritable and his weight loss was beginning to show.
Another week passed. Life moved on for most people. There was still gossip but the reporters left and there weren't many mentions of her in the news any longer. The citizens in town began to murmur that Jessica might be gone forever and they gave him pitying looks or didn't make eye contact.
Seth was consumed with despair. After Ruth died, he consoled himself by thinking he would never feel as bad as he did then but this was much worse. Not finding answers was eating him up. Worrying about her being injured kept him constantly searching. He agonized about her being gone forever.
A month after she went missing, the news did a follow up piece but admitted there was no new information. No sightings, no body found, no new leads.
Mort drove up to Mrs. F's house and knocked on the front door. It was nine o'clock at night and he knew Doc was inside. Seth motioned him inside but Mort shook his head. "Let's take a ride." He didn't look at Doc.
Seth walked like an old man as he approached the patrol car. He didn't speak as Mort drove south toward Portland. He had given up hope and thought it would be another pointless press conference.
He looked up at the sky. The stars were shining brightly. He wondered if Jess could see them. He hoped so. Seth felt himself turning numb. It was better than feeling pain. Pain meant he was still living and he didn't want to live without her. He didn't say it to anyone though. It was just how he felt. He didn't comment when Mort stopped the car, or when they entered the hospital. He didn't bother looking around.
They entered a cool room and Seth looked up at Mort. He could tell by the smell that they were in the morgue. Mort's eyes were sad. "There were two bodies found today. Women. You need to look at them."
Seth walked out into the night air. Mort kept his distance but remained close in case he was needed. He was. Seth nearly collapsed before Mort grabbed him and held him. He sobbed in relief. Neither one was Jessica.
"I should have told her how important she was to me," lamented Seth.
"She knew, Doc. Everyone knew."
Seth sighed. All he could do was hope that one day he could tell her.
"They interviewed everyone on the plane, they're tracking down all airport employees as well. There are so many and the turnover is high," claimed Mort. "People go missing all the time. Most of them turn up again, dead or alive."
Seth nodded. He knew this. He covered for the medical examiner many times. He did autopsies too. His hand trembled as he tried to open the door and Mort reached over and opened it for him.
"Thanks Mort."
Both men wondered if she would ever be found, and if she was, would she be alive?
Weeks passed and seasons changed. Seth threw himself into his work trying to keep busy, trying not to think about anything except work. And Jessica. He began going to church. He wasn't sure he believed but he would do whatever it took to bring Jessica home safely. But would it be enough?
For years there has been a billboard of a missing woman in my town. One day she just disappeared and has never been found. It's been 19 years. Her mother told me the worst part was not knowing.