Page 62 of The Attercop

“Still, it can’t hurt to see if he’s seen anything.”

Sam punched Gary’s number into his phone and the others waited for a response.

After a few seconds, Sam grunted into the receiver. “Gary, it’s me. Anything?… Uh- huh… All right. Thanks.”

Everyone held their breath.

Sam shrugged and disconnected. “Nothing.”

“Maybe I missed something,” Charlie said. “I want to go back to the van.”

Mrs B looked at Charlie. “Sam and Gary can take care of this. Don’t you haveotherthings to look after?”

Charlie resisted the urge to cry. “Sam, I have another case I’m working on, and that person has also gone missing.”

“When?” Sam asked.

Charlie shrugged. “Around the same time as Declan. Like you said, until someone is missing for twenty-four hours, there’s not much the police can do. I’ve followed up on all of my leads, and I’m waiting for some information to come back. And as for Declan, I can’t sit here and wait around. And my gut is telling me that I have to go back to that van now.”

Sam looked Charlie up and down. “Well, I suppose there’s no harm. I’d like to see where the van was parked. Oh, and grab me that list. If Declan doesn’t show up soon, maybe Gary and I can start contacting Declan’s enemies and have them account for their whereabouts.”

“Great,” Charlie said.

He quickly went to Declan’s office and grabbed the paper from the desk, pausing to take a picture of the list using Declan’s phone. He wanted to make sure that he had a copy. Charlie returned to the main room and gave the list to Sam. “I’m ready to go.”

Duck howled.

“Not you, boy. You stay here,” Charlie said.

Duck ran to the door and scratched at it.

“Come here, boy,” Mrs B called, but to no avail. Duck was running in circles.

Charlie and Sam started to descend the stairs. Duck continued baying and howling. They made it to the street, and were turning into the alleyway that led to the parking lot, when the street-level door to the office opened. Duck emerged on a leash, dragging Mrs B behind him.

“You’re taking him,” she said. “If you leave him here, he’ll either demolish the place or drop from a stroke.” She thrust the leash into Charlie’s hands.

Mrs B didn’t wait for a response, she just turned and went back to the door.

Charlie looked at Sam, hoping he’d step up to the plate and say that they couldn’t take him. All he said was, “Pick your battles, Charlie.”

Once Duck was in the back seat of the car, he calmed down. He stood with his front legs on the console, looking out of the front window like he was going for a pleasant country drive.

They drove in silence for a few kilometres. Charlie glanced over beside him. Duck had edged his way further forward along the console. He stood between him and Sam, who stared straight ahead as he gently stroked the dog’s head.

“What are you thinking about?” Charlie asked.

Sam kept his gaze forward. “Declan. He was always a tough kid,” Sam started. “He had to be. Things weren’t exactly happy between his mom and me when he was young. We fought over everything—the way she was raising him, how little time I spent with him.”

Charlie could sense Sam was looking at him now.

Sam continued. “I was afraid he’d grow up…soft. And then, after his mom died, I wasn’t easy on him. I knew he was gay. I knew if he was going to survive, I had to toughen him up so he’d be able to handle himself. We haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but I’m proud of the man he’s become, and I’m just hoping he’s okay, ’cause I’d like a chance to tell him that in person.”

Charlie nodded. “Then let’s make sure he’s okay.”

They pulled onto a side street and Charlie pointed at the van. As they stepped out of the car, a figure approached them. It was Gary Sawchuck.

“Sam. Charlie,” Gary said. He was dressed in civvies and had come from his own car. “Thought I’d handle this off-the-record for the moment.”