Read Fear the Dark for Free Online

several adults in the town who looked out for the kids who got either bad parenting or no parenting at all.
    A safe place to spend an evening, a good hot meal, and a little cash in their pockets from odd jobs could make all the difference in the world, as did a little time and attention from a good adult role model.
    There were advantages to small-town life.
    Usually.
    â€”
    IT WASN’T THE crack of dawn on Sunday morning when the phone rang, but Jonah was still conscious of a tickle of déjà vu as he fought his way out of the tangled covers to answer. And a cold, hard pit of something he didn’t want to acknowledge settled in the base of his belly.
    â€œYeah?”
    Without prevaricating, Sarah said, “Looks like another one, Jonah.”
    â€œShit. More kids?”
    â€œNo. It’s the judge. He didn’t show up for his usual Sunday breakfast at Clyde’s, and we all know he’s a creature of habit. Clyde called me early, as soon as he started to feel uneasy. I went out and checked the judge’s fishing spot.” She paused, audibly drew a breath, and finished, “Everything looked absolutely normal and undisturbed. His chair, his tackle box, a string with half a dozen fish he’d caught just at the water’s edge. His fishing rod leaning up against the chair with what looked like fresh bait on the hook.”
    â€œBut no judge.”
    â€œNo. It’s a grassy path most of the way down from the road to the water, you know that, and we haven’t had any rain since that gully washer the day the kids disappeared. No sign of footprints, his or anybody else’s, except for one clear print just where he put the string with his catch in the water.”
    â€œString tied to the stake?”
    â€œYeah. As always. Nobody ever bothers that, not even the kids. Nobody else was out there, or had been, far as I could tell. Haven’t seen another soul since I got back here. I took a chance and made the hike back to the judge’s place, and everything looked normal. Key was in the normal place, so I went inside and took a quick look. Normal. Absolutely normal.”
    Jonah knew she was repeating the word deliberately. And they both knew why. The pit in his stomach was making him feel queasy, and not only because he considered Phillip Carson a good friend.
    â€œOne thing,” Sarah added. “His cell was on his kitchen counter. Whether he forgot it or—”
    â€œProbably just left it there. Whenever he doesn’t expect to be called, or doesn’t want to be, he just leaves the cell at home.”
    â€œThought so. But we still need to take a look at his records and see when the phone was last used. I suppose the warrant he signed is good for his phone records too?”
    Jonah honestly had no idea, but he knew the judge in the neighboring district, and made a mental note to call him and find out what they needed to observe the legalities.
    â€œOkay, I’ll take care of that a bit later. You talk to Clyde?”
    â€œAsked him to keep his questions to himself, that you’d come talkto him later. We both know nobody else is likely to miss the judge unless we start shouting about it, at least for a day or two. Might not be such a bad idea for us to have that day or two without . . .”
    â€œWithout panicking the town?”
    â€œSomething like that. Missing kids with a clear intention of eloping is one thing; the judge is a fixture here. He goes missing, nobody is going to believe he just ran off.”
    â€œProbably right.” Jonah fumbled for his alarm clock and squinted at the time. “It’s after ten.”
    â€œWell, there really wasn’t much for you to do here anyway. I figured you needed the rest, and I could take care of the preliminary look-see. Even went ahead and got pictures, for all the good it’ll do us.”
    â€œI appreciate it.” He swung his legs off the bed, absently noting that