Read Second Chance for Free Online Page B

yet,
but if you could run her name through Illinois BMV, I'd appreciate
it. I'll check in Ohio myself to see if she registered the car
down there."
    "You want this to go out as an APB, Harry? You
want to make it official police business?"
    I didn't even have to think about it. "Yeah. I
want the kid found."
    "If we do locate her . . . ?"
    "Call me. I'll be checking into a hotel later
tonight. When I have a new number I'll let you know. Until then you
can get me here at the girl's apartment?
    After finishing with Brandt I called Al Foster at the
Cincinnati Police Department and asked him to run Kirsten's name
through the Ohio BMV computer. I told him it was urgent.
    I'd just hung up when the phone rang again. This time
it was Art Heldman.
    "I've talked to Jay," he said in a
guilty-sounding voice.
    " What did he have to say?"
    "He repeated the story that he told you—about
Ethan, Kirsty's brother." He cleared his throat dramatically.
"However, when I . . . pressured him, he admitted that hadn't
been the only focus of the conversation. He and Kirsty did talk about
their own relationship as well. Apparently Kirsty wanted to start
seeing Jay again—romantically."
    "What did Stein say to that?"
    "He claims he didn't commit himself either way.
He told her that he cared for her and that they would talk again
after the holidays. He's fully aware that Kirsten is still in love
with him, and he's determined to ease her out of the infatuation
slowly and gently."
    "Like he did last year?" I said acidly.
    "Jays knows he behaved badly last spring. He
simply panicked. Kirsten can be demanding. Her needs are so great."
    "That's the way it is with nineteen-year-old
women, Professor, especially when you abandon them."
    Heldman didn't say anything.
    "Did Stein give you any sense of how Kirsten
reacted to his spiel?"
    "He thought he'd talked her into putting
everything on hold—the renewed romance and the visit to Ethan. He
thought she was going back to Cincinnati, as she originally planned
to do. I thought she was, too, Stoner. That was definitely the
impression I got."
    I sighed. "Well, something must have changed her
mind."
    "I did leam one more thing that may be of
interest. Jay didn't tell you because he didn't trust you—possibly
because you're working for Kirsten's father, and Kirsty has made it
clear to any number of people that her dad isn't to be told anything
about her life here in Chicago. Dr. Pearson may be a well-meaning
man, but he can also be an overbearing one. At times of crisis he
seems to overreact. It's almost as if he's afraid that Kirsty's
emotional problems will reflect badly on him."
    "I have that feeling too," I admitted.
    "That's why Jay left out part of the
conversation."
    "Which part?"
    "The part about where Kirsty's brother, Ethan,
is staying."
    "Stein had an address?"
    "Not an address—a name. Kirsty mentioned a
motel in Evanston. The University Inn. I looked up the address
myself. It's on Lake Shore, south of the campus. According to the
desk clerk, Ethan Pearson is still registered there."
    "Good work. I'll get a cab immediately?
    "I'd like to come along," Heldman said. "I
mean I have a car. And I know Kirsty. If she is in a bad way, perhaps
I can help."
    "All right," I said. "Let's do it."
    7
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    Heldman picked me up outside the brownstone a little
before ten.
    It took us about thirty minutes to drive up to
Evanston, and another fifteen to find The University Inn on the south
side of town—a run-down, fifties-style motor court with a small
office building in front and Quonset like motel rooms stretching in
parallel rows behind it. The ice-shagged neon sign on the highway
berm said "Vacancies." And always would.
    Heldman pulled up by the office. Through the steamy
picture window I could see a night clerk, resting his elbows on a
countertop.
    " You want to go in?" Heldman asked. "Or
should I?"
    "I'll handle it, Professor."
    "We're not going to do