Read Among the Missing for Free Online Page B

away from Bill. "Stand over there," he said.
    Bill stepped aside. "Here?"
    "That's good. Okay, young lady. Please step down."
    Trink swept the blanket away and stood up. Her T-shirt was pink, fairly clean, and had no sayings or decorations. It might've fit her when she was nine years old. It hugged her body, clinging to her breasts. She didn't wear a bra, but she obviously wore nipple rings. The T-shirt didn't quite reach down to her navel. On purpose, Rusty supposed. So everyone would be able to admire the ring in her belly button. Down low on her hips, she wore a flower patterned skirt. Long and billowy, it reminded Rusty of the "granny dresses" that gals used to wear back in his college days.
    If I had a daughter and she looked like this . . .
    Straddling the pick-up's tailgate, Trink raised her skirt waist-high. She wore nothing beneath it. Except a few small, gold rings. "Give me a hand, Sheriff?" She laughed.
    "Go on, Sheriff," Bill added, sounding amused.
    Rusty turned to Bill. "You knock it off."
    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Trink leap. He didn't have time to get out of the way, so he braced himself for the impact. When she dropped onto him, he staggered sideways but didn't go down. She clung to him with her arms and legs.
    He twisted, trying to free himself.
    Bill, rushing in, threw a right cross.
    Rusty blocked it with one arm. At the same moment, teeth clamped down on his shoulder. He jabbed his elbow sideways into Trink's belly. With a whuff of escaping air, she collapsed.
    Rusty turned all his attention to Bill. He walked into the boy's punches, catching them on his wrists and forearms, brushing them away until he grabbed the boy's shirt front.
    "Hey, okay!"
    "Okay what?" Rusty swung him sideways and slammed him against the truck.
    "What do you want to know, man? Hey, just ask. Whatever you want, okay? I'll tell you anything. Just ask."
    "Who did you see this morning?"
    "Nobody."
    "The truth."
    "We heard a car start. That's what woke us up."
    "When was that?"
    "I don't know, maybe an hour ago."
    "What did the car look like?"
    "We didn't see it."
    "What about the driver?"
    "Didn't see him."
    "You're not being very helpful, Billy."
    "Well, shit . . ."
    "Okay. Fine. You have the right to remain silent."
    "Hey!"
    "If you choose to give up the right to . . ."
    "Hey, man! No! Don't bust me! Please! I saw the guy. Okay? Only not this morning."
    "When?"
    "Last night."
    "What time?"
    "I don't know. One or two, when we pulled in here."
    "What did you see?"
    "Not much. It was so dark. But there was this van parked . . ."
    Rusty heard movement behind him.
    Before he could turn, a fist swung up between his legs. A grenade seemed to explode, blasting up through his groin and bowels, tearing out his backbone, his lungs, his brain.
    Vaguely, he knew he was down. He heard voices. They didn't matter. He heard the truck engine start. He didn't care. He watched the truck drive away and didn't give a damn.
    He only cared about the pain.

Chapter Six
    Merton Drops In
    The man trotted up the porch stairs of the brightly painted house and jabbed his finger into the doorbell button. From inside came the ring of chimes. He wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans. He looked behind him. No cars were approaching on the quiet, sunny street. Two boys on bikes pedaled by, hunched low over their handlebars, racing. Across the street, a young woman was walking her dog.
    He hit the button again. Then two more times.
    Inside the house, a toilet flushed.
    So that's why he's making me wait, the man thought. I suppose I can't blame him for that.
    Somewhere behind him, a house door banged shut. He didn't turn around to look. He stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and waited.
    "Who's there?" asked a voice from inside the house.
    "It's me -- Merton," he answered, pulling open the aluminum framed screen door.
    A guard chain rattled. A dead bolt clacked. Then the wooden door swung open and Merton stepped into the house.
    He found Walter half