Page 100 of Searching for Bristol
“Who came by?” Simon asked in a harsh tone. Then he took a breath. “Sorry. But it’s important.”
“Well…the mayor was one,” Silas said.
“Pompous ass,” Otto muttered.
“The principal of the high school. Then Hank Blackburn. Grogan came to pick up some packages for his store, said they were the samples of some of the Bigfoot stuff he ordered and he was too impatient to wait for them to be delivered. Let’s see…Agatha, Clara, Thomas. And Lance something or other…you know, that guy who looks a bit like that famous actor…you know which I’m taking about, Otto, right?”
“The guy in thatJurassic Parkmovie? Chris something?”
“Yes! That’s the one,” Silas said with a smile.
Rocky was stunned. These guys were better than any surveillance system, that was for sure. They might be old, but that didn’t mean their minds weren’t as sharp as ever.
Simon nodded. “And all the men you saw…what were they doing here?”
“What everyone does. Mailing stuff,” Silas retorted.
“Did you see how big any of the packages were that people brought by? Or see who they were addressed to?”
“Sorry, I didn’t. Did you, Otto?”
The other man shook his head. “No, but I think Art might’ve seen at least a few of the packages. He said something to someone, but Silas and I were arguing about the move he’d just made in the game and we missed it.”
“But come to think of it, Art left not too long after that,” Silas said.
“Come on,” Simon said abruptly to Rocky.
“But we need to talk to Guy or the postmaster.”
“No, we don’t. Trust me on this,” Simon retorted.
Without another word of protest, Rocky nodded.
“Stay put,” Simon told Silas and Otto. “Do not move from this spot. Hear me?”
Both men looked confused, but nodded.
“We’re going to go check on Art. I’m sure he’s fine…probably just overslept,” Simon said.
The hair on Rocky’s arms was standing straight up. The police chief knew something. He wasn’t sure what was going on yet, but if he thought it was more important to talk to Art than check with the postmaster, that’s what they were going to do.
“You drive,” Simon told Rocky as they headed for his Tahoe.
Rocky jogged around his vehicle and climbed in. “Want to tell me what’s going on?” he asked.
“No. I need you to stay calm and not lose your shit.”
And just like that, Rocky had a feeling Simon knew who’d taken Bristol. “Who is it?” he bit out.
“I’m not completely sure yet.”
“Bullshit. You know. I can’t believe you haven’t fucking told me before now.”
“That’s because Ididn’tknow. But after talking to Art, I’m guessing I’ll know for sure. My deputies are busy this morning. Bo got a call about a car window being broken last night, Robert’s checking up on some of the leads people have called in, Chad’s camping with his family, and Miguel just got off shift. I’m going to call Bo, Robert, and Miguel, but I don’t know how long it’ll take them to get here. I need some backup. I know everything in you is telling you to find Bristol, and we’ll do that as soon as we have more information, but in the meantime, I need you to have my back. Can you do that?”
Rocky glanced over at the police chief as they drove toward Art’s house. It was a small two-bedroom place not far from the square. Rocky was more sure than ever now that Simon knew who’d taken Bristol, but he wasn’t the kind of man to leave someone’s flank vulnerable. “Yes,” he said simply.
“Thank you. I swear on the badge I wear that I’ll tell you everything I know, as soon as we talk to Art.”
