Page 18 of Once Hidden
“Did she seem normal?Anxious about anything?”Ann Marie asked.
“She seemed fine.Same as always—efficient, polite.”Myrtle’s eyes grew distant with memory.“I asked how her mother was getting along.She said about the same.”
“How long did the delivery take?”Riley asked.
“Not long.Five minutes, maybe?I signed for the package, and she went back to her truck.Last I saw, she was driving toward the main road.”Myrtle’s voice wavered slightly.“If I’d known it might be the last time...”
Milton placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder.“You couldn’t have known, Myrtle.”
Riley leaned forward.“You mentioned Amanda’s mother.You know the family well?”
“Our daughter Mary and Amanda grew up together.They played soccer on the same team, though they weren’t exactly friends—more like rivals.Amanda’s mother Ida and I were on the PTA together years ago, before Curt passed.”
“Curt was Amanda’s father?”Ann Marie clarified.
“Yes.Died suddenly three years back—heart attack.Ida hasn’t been the same since.”Myrtle shook her head sadly.“She barely leaves the house anymore.Amanda moved back home to take care of her.”
Milton huffed.“I told Curt before he died that delivery driving wasn’t a proper job for a girl like Amanda.She was bright, could have done better for herself.But she never did have good sense about things like that.”
Riley noticed Myrtle’s slight wince at her husband’s words but kept her expression neutral.“What kind of person was Amanda, from your perspective?”
“Independent,” Myrtle said firmly, before Milton could answer.“Always was, even as a child.Preferred climbing trees to playing with dolls.Grew up to be responsible, though.Especially after her father died.”
“She bore a lot,” Milton admitted grudgingly.“Taking care of Ida isn’t easy.That woman’s been fading for years, and Amanda was the only lifeline she had.”
Myrtle’s eyes filled with fresh tears.“That’s what worries me so much.What will happen to Ida now?She can barely function with Amanda there to help.Without her...”She trailed off, unable to complete the thought.
Riley exchanged a glance with Ann Marie, whose expression remained composed but whose eyes reflected understanding.The ripple effects of Amanda’s disappearance were already spreading outward, claiming secondary victims.
“Is there anything else you can tell us?”Riley asked.“Did Amanda mention meeting anyone, or did she seem concerned about anything in particular recently?”
Myrtle shook her head.“No.Nothing like that.She seemed...normal.The same as always.Cheerful even,”
“And you didn’t notice anyone else around at that time?”
“No, there was nothing…” Myrtle came to a halt, as trying to remember something.“Wait, I think maybe …” Then she gave a brief laugh and said, “No, that can’t be important,”
Riley gave Ann Marie a quick glance, encouraging her to pick up the questioning.
“But you just remembered something,” Ann Marie said gently.“Please tell us whatever that was.”
“Just a car that passed by really slowly when Amanda was making her delivery.Probably nothing.”
“Thank you for mentioning that,” Ann Marie said.“We never know what matters until later.Can you also tell us why you noticed that car in particular?”
“Well, I didn’t recognize it,” Myrtle replied slowly, her gaze drifting toward the window as if seeing it again.“But it was going so slowly—like a prowling cat— it did make me wonder…”
“What did it look like?”
“Oh, just an old sedan, probably a Ford,” Myrtle said, frowning in concentration.““dark blue or maybe black under all that dust.”
After a few more questions yielded no more information, Riley thanked the Sprouses for their time.As they walked back to their vehicles, Rawley and Hodge fell into step beside Riley and Ann Marie.
“I assume you’ll want to talk to Ida Lindeen next,” Rawley said.
“Yes,” Riley confirmed.“We need to understand Amanda’s life, her routines, anyone who might have been watching her.”
“I should warn you,” Rawley replied, “Ida’s not going to be easy to talk to.When I visited earlier, she barely acknowledged my presence.Her mind is really slipping, I’m afraid.She doesn’t really know what’s going on.”
