Cindy had spent a mostly sleepless night on the couch in Joyce’s apartment. She tried to watch television, but her mind couldn’t focus on anything but the fact that Joyce was missing. Where could she be? She tried Joyce’s cell phone a number of times, not expecting an answer, and not getting one.
What am I going to tell her mother? Cindy worried. She hasn’t been well. She went on the cruise for a little rest and relaxation. Sure she was laid-back, but she’d been having health problems and she always worried about Joyce. When Joyce had had the surgery on her foot last year and they’d given her too much medication, her mother had been frantic. Joyce was out of it for a couple of days. She couldn’t handle more than an aspirin. And last night Joyce probably had too much to drink. Who knows what could have happened to her?
At around eight thirty Cindy fell asleep. She awoke when Joyce’s phone rang. Racing into the kitchen, she grabbed the receiver. “Hello,” she said quickly.
“Who’s this?” a male voice asked.
“Who’s this?” Cindy answered tartly.
“This is Francis. I’m looking for Joyce.”
“Francis, this is Cindy.”
“Oh, hi, Cindy,” Francis answered, sounding guilty. “Is Joyce there?”
“No.”
“Where is she?”
Cindy clenched the phone. “I don’t know, Francis.” The call waiting beeped. “Hold on a second. Maybe this is Joyce.” Cindy pressed the flash button. “Hello.”
“Cindy, it’s Regan. You haven’t heard from Joyce have you?”
“No, I haven’t. Her boyfriend is on the other line.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know. He just called.”
“Cindy, I’m sorry to tell you that Joyce’s purse was found downtown.”
“Oh, no!” Tears stung Cindy’s eyes. “What could have happened to her?”
“I don’t know. The police are looking for her. We want to post her picture all over downtown where she was last seen. Are there any good photos of her at the house we could use?”
“Yes. Lots,” Cindy sniffled. “I’ll get a couple of them out.”
“Jack and I are on our way right now.” Regan then told Cindy about the adventure with Shauna and Tyler.
“I missed the show this morning,” Cindy said. “I finally fell asleep for a little while.”
“Thanks to that show we thwarted two jewel thieves. I’m going to see if the producer would be willing to run Joyce’s picture. Now that her purse has been found.”
“I understand,” Cindy said quietly. “What should I tell her boyfriend?”
“Tell him the truth. I’d like to talk to him. Tell him that I’ll call him back when we get to Joyce’s.”
“Okay, Regan.” Cindy clicked back. “Francis?”
“Yes, Cindy. What’s going on?”
“I hate to tell you this, but Joyce is missing. She went to the bathroom last night at a club we were at and never came back.” Cindy’s voice broke. “They just found her purse downtown.”
“What? Oh, my God!” Francis wailed.
“That was a private investigator on the phone. Her name is Regan Reilly and she was here last night. She’s investigating the stolen wedding dresses that everyone is talking about. Now she’s involved in this. Her boyfriend is the head of the Major Case Squad. They’re coming here in a few minutes to get a picture of Joyce. Regan wants to talk to you.”
Francis whimpered.
“Where are you?” Cindy asked.
There was no answer.
The line went dead.