CHAPTER SEVEN
Saturday Evening
6:25 P.M.

Joe watched Sara pause as she dialed the number for The Burger Palace. She inhaled deeply. "Hi Sam. This is Sara Riley; could you ask Cassie to come to the phone, please?"

He stepped closer when her eyes closed and she clutched the phone to her chest. Opening them, she glanced at Joe as she hung up. "I'm sure she never left Angela's house. Young teenage girls change their mind all the time," she said as she dialed. "Cassie and Angela are listening to music and just lost track of time. I'm sure of it."

As she replaced the receiver, tears rolled down her cheeks.

Joe took her in his arms. "Cassie never made it to The Burger Palace, did she? Was she at Angela's house?"

"Angela said Cassie left her house around five o'clock and was going straight to The Burger Palace, but Sam said she never made it." She squeezed him tighter. "I wish I could have spoken with Angela's mom, but she's shopping."

He glanced at his watch and grimaced before kissing her forehead. "Cassie's thirty-five minutes late. I'm going to The Burger Palace and then backtrack to Angela's house. You stay here in case Cassie calls or comes home."

He wrote down some numbers, then handed her his card. "I should've done this before." He pointed to the first number. "This is my cell." He pointed again. "My home. The other number's my work number. I'm sure you can get my parents' number."

Looking toward the front door, he rubbed the back of his neck. I hate leaving Sara, right now. She needs me. "The sooner I leave the sooner we'll find Cassie. What's your parents' number?" After she gave it to him, he kissed her. "I love you. We'll find Cassie." As he left, he called over his shoulder, "I'm calling your mom. You need someone with you."

After Joe contacted Sara's parents, he called Matt. "Have the drug cartels been active?"

"No, why?"

"Sara's daughter, Cassie, is missing. I'm afraid one of the cartels abducted her."

"Everything's quiet. Your relationship with Sara's too new for the cartel to know about it. You've only been together three days. How's Sara holding up?"

"She's falling apart. I'm going to need a few extra days. I can't leave ...,"

"Take all the time you need," interrupted Matt. "You didn't need to ask. How long has she been missing?"

"A little over an hour and a half." He studied his watch, then added, "Almost two hours."

"I'll be there in a few hours."

Joe heard the concern in Matt's voice and hesitated. "I hate to ask, but could you bring Dani?" He sighed, then added, "Cassie spent a lot of time instant messaging her friends. My gut says it's somehow related to her disappearance."

"Damn! Dani and I are on our way."

*****
Joe stood outside The Burger Palace, watching the flow of traffic and the people standing around. Someone must have seen Cassie. This town isn't that big. After he entered, he sat in a black artificial leather booth, watched the teenagers laugh, talk, and use wireless laptop computers.

Soon an overweight middle-aged waitress came to him. "Joe Barnes, you're a little old for this place, aren't you? What can I get you?"

Smiling, Joe answered, "Yes, I'm old, but I heard you make the best chocolate milkshakes in town. I'll take a large." As she turned to walk away, he asked, "Were any men here today that looked a little out of place?"

She thought for a moment. "Now I think about it, there was a man here earlier, maybe around four-thirty. He had one of those fancy laptop computers, used it for a few minutes, ordered a large soda, and then left. I saw him get into a white SUV parked directly across the street from this window." She pointed.

"What did he look like?"

"He was in his late twenties, maybe early thirties." She raised her hand above her head. "Let's see - maybe around five feet eleven inches tall. I'd guess two hundred pounds. He had brown eyes." She looked at Joe's eyes. "His eyes were a lot darker than your brown eyes. He had dark brown hair, almost black."

"When he ordered, did he have an accent?"

"Yeah, but his accent was different from the usual Hispanic accent I hear. I don't know what it was. I never heard anything like it." She glanced toward the counter. "I'll be right back with your chocolate shake."

Joe tapped his fingers on the table. That man has something to do with Cassie's disappearance. I can feel it. When the waitress brought his order, he took some cash from his pocket, handed it to her, and walked toward the door.

The waitress counted the money. "Joe, want your change?"

"Keep it," he called over his shoulder. Standing on the sidewalk, he studied where the waitress pointed the white SUV had parked and took a sip of the milkshake. This is really good, but I don't have time right now to enjoy it. He threw the drink in a trashcan and shielded his eyes. I wonder which direction Cassie came from. It would help if I knew where Angela lived. He removed the cell phone from his pocket. "Damn! I don't know Sara's phone number." After staring at his phone, he shook his head. "I'm in love with this woman and don't even know her number."

After speaking with the operator, Joe called Sara and asked where Angela lived. He walked the same sidewalk Cassie probably walked. I wish I could find a clue, just about anything would help.

When Angela answered the door, she asked, "You're Secret Agent Joe Barnes, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. I need answers about where Cassie might be."

Angela glanced past him to the street. "Where's your yellow Porsche? Cassie said you drive a really great car, with real leather seats."

"I walked. I'm tracing Cassie's steps." He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to be patient. "Can we get back to Cassie?"

"Yes. She left here about four forty-five, maybe closer to five."

"Cassie told her mom you were going with her to The Burger Palace. Why didn't you go?"

She avoided eye contact.

"What are you not telling me? Cassie could be in danger. I need you to be honest."

"Cassie met this guy on-line and he wanted to meet her. They were going to meet for the first time at The Burger Palace this afternoon. Cassie and I talked about it and thought The Burger Palace was safe because it was public and always busy."

"Cassie never made it there." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "What can you tell me about him?"

"He's fifteen, plays sports, and writes Cassie really sweet poems."

"In case this ever happens again, no fifteen year old male writes really sweet poems. It's not in their genes. If I have more questions, I'll be in touch." He walked down the first step, then turned. "A teenager named Marcus stopped Cassie after the softball game this morning. What's his last name and where does he live?"

"He's a jerk. Marcus Haines lives on the rich side of town. Across interstate 175 is a new development. He lives in the second house on the right. It's almost a mansion." She hesitated before she asked, "Cassie's all right, isn't she?"

"I don't know. All we can do right now is pray. If you think of anything else, call me." He wrote some numbers on his business card and handed it to her.

*****
Joe jogged to Sara's and stared at her front door as he put the key in the ignition of his car. Sara, I'm sorry, but this doesn't look good. He drove toward Marcus's house and parked in the driveway. As he shut the car door, he heard techno music coming from behind the house. When no one answered the knocks on the front door, he walked around to the back patio.

He stood, watched two partially dressed teenagers dance, then walked over and turned off the music.

As the teenagers stared at him, he said, "Marcus, I need to speak with you."

They scrambled to dress. Joe's jaw tightened as he handed the girl his cell phone. "Call your dad, now."

As they waited for her father, Joe studied Marcus. "Where are your parents? Do they know you're having an unsupervised private party?"

Marcus' eyes met Joe's. "Of course; who do you think bought the beer? As long as I'm not driving, they don't care."

"Have you seen Cassie Riley since we talked at the softball field?"

"No. I picked up my girl, came straight here, and haven't left."

"Did you pick her up at The Burger Palace?"

"We don't go to that dump. We go across town to The Coffee Shoppe." He stuffed his hands inside his pockets. "You made it clear Cassie was off limits. Why?"

"She's missing and you're my first suspect."

"I've been here since around four o'clock, maybe earlier." He scratched his chin. "You can't take me down for that. I haven't seen her."

"Do you know anybody who might know where she is?"

He paused. "No. She's younger than us. She hangs out with a different crowd."

"It didn't stop you from harassing her. Maybe one of your friends did more than harass her."

"I was just having a little fun."

Joe questioned Marcus until the girl's father arrived. After the girl was safely inside the car, Joe stared at Marcus. "I've protected two teenage girls from you in less than eight hours. You had better not cross my path again. I won't be so nice the next time." Joe turned to leave. I doubt he knows anything about Cassie's disappearance, but I still don't like him.

Back inside his car, Joe called the police. After describing what he knew about the white SUV, he asked their help in locating it. I can't do anymore tonight. I had better get back to Sara.