Background
While Col. Joe Barnes visited his parents, he was reacquainted with his best friend's baby sister, Sara. Sara became pregnant during her senior year and raised her daughter, Cassie by herself. His best friend, Josh, was killed during Desert Storm.
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Sara stood above George and watched him kneel as he pried off the lid. Then she bent over, picked it up, and studied the paint residue. "Are you sure about this color? It's light lavender." She turned it over and read the name. "It's called 'So Soft Lilac'. Do you think it's too light?"
George poured paint into a paint tray and handed it to her. "You'll like the color once it's on the wall. The orange you chose would've made the room look small. It was too orange. Why don't you start on this wall?" He pointed to the one by the front door. "I'll start over here." He walked toward the wall to her left.
Before he set the tray down, he answered his cell phone. As he put it away, he glanced at Sara. "They talked to the owners of the white SUV. It was stolen yesterday afternoon around four. Sometime after ten, it showed up in their driveway. The crime lab is searching it for evidence."
"It seems strange the thieves would return it after they took it."
"I agree. They sent it through a carwash and vacuumed it. These guys are pros."
"We're no closer to finding Cassie than we were yesterday, are we?" She slapped a roller full of paint against the wall.
George cringed at the amount of paint dripping down the wall. "Have faith. The lab will find evidence. Criminals usually make mistakes. When they do, we'll be waiting."
Sara laid the roller in the tray and placed her hands on her hips. "If we knew what he looked like, I could walk around town with a picture until I found somebody who saw him."
George nodded toward her tray of paint. "You need to paint. We'll take care of the investigation."
"But ...."
"But nothing. Paint! We're good at what we do."
Sara stared at the wall. "Oh darn! Look at the drips." She squeezed the excess paint from her roller and tried to press them out. "I'll paint, but I'm not very good at it either."
*****
Early afternoon, Sara finished the ceiling trim and stopped halfway down the ladder. "What do you think about the front door? How about dark lilac?"
The door opened, hitting the ladder. George yelled, "Stop!" He hurried over and cracked it. "Just a minute. We need to move the ladder."
"What's a ladder doing next to the front door?" Joe walked in, scratched his head, and glanced at Sara. "Why are you covered with paint?"
"Because I'm a sloppy painter." She removed her baseball cap and studied the drops of paint. Do you think this color's right for the living room? It's called 'So Soft Lilac'. I wanted to paint the room orange, but ...."
George set down his paintbrush and answered Joe, "I thought she needed a distraction. She decided to paint the room. I agreed to help."
Joe grinned at Sara, answering George, "Maybe you should've explained to her that she should paint the wall, not herself." He touched a paint drip on her cheek. "Your face is pretty even with paint splattered all over it."
She ignored him. "I know how to paint, but I've had problems keeping my mind on task."
"I understand." Joe rubbed the back of his neck.
"Do you know where Cassie is?" she asked. Her eyes met his.
"The crime lab found some long brown hairs on the backseat of the SUV. I came to get Cassie's hairbrush, toothbrush, or something for a DNA sample."
Sara hurried to Cassie's room and returned. "Here's Cassie's hair brush." She handed it to Joe, then glanced at George. "This lilac would look better in my bedroom. I think the light tan you chose would look better in the living room. Is it too late to start over?"
George smiled at Joe, while he answered Sara, "We'll paint this room as many different colors as we need to until you find one you like."
"Thank you." She looked toward her bedroom. "The only problem's my curtains and bedspread won't match." She released a deep breath. "I'll worry about that later."
"I need to get back to work." Joe filled his thermos with coffee, before glancing at Sara. "I'll see you tonight."
"Joe, wait!" Sara hurried over to him. "Is Cassie alive?"
He took her hand. "The crime lab didn't find any evidence of blood, so the chances of her being alive are good."
With her eyes closed, she asked, "Was she raped?"
"There was no evidence of rape in the SUV." He adjusted his jacket. "All we know is the older couple who owns the SUV had nothing to do with Cassie's abduction."
George touched Sara's arm. "After we get the tan paint, I'll buy lunch."
Sara stared at the front door. "Maybe we should repaint the lilac before dinner."
*****
It was after midnight, when Joe returned. He scanned the living room; two walls still painted lilac and one wall painted tan. The fourth wall was its original off-white color. When George walked out of the kitchen, Joe asked, "She still hasn't made up her mind which color to paint the living room?"
George glanced at the walls and grinned. "I think they'll be tan, or should I say 'Angel Food', but it's too early to tell." He studied Sara's bedroom door. "She's doing well under the circumstances. She's a strong lady."
"If my daughter was missing, I don't think I'd be doing as well. Thank you for staying with her."
"I don't mind. She's easy to work with, but I'd better catch-up with the men. I'll see you around five o'clock. Try getting some rest. You won't be any good to Cassie or Sara."
"I'll try," Joe interrupted. As he watched George leave, he sat at the desk where Cassie's computer used to sit and connected his laptop.
While he waited for it to boot-up, he took the bedding Sara had given him last night and laid it on the sofa. He shut the door to Cassie's room, knowing he'd never get any sleep in there.
Joe studied the information Dani had sent him and knew they were on the right track, but still weren't close to finding Cassie.
When Joe heard a noise, he turned toward the door and watched Sara pull the tie of her terry cloth robe around her slender waist. He glanced at his watch. "What are you doing up so late? It's quarter to three. You should be asleep."
"Why aren't you asleep?" She tried reading over his shoulder, but he closed the lid to his computer. "Is that information about who has Cassie?"
He swallowed before he answered, "It's information that might help us find her, but it's too early to tell."
"Would you tell me what you know?" She lifted the lid of the computer.
"I'll share as much information as I know, but we don't have a lot to go on, yet. I don't like speculating." He took her hand as he led her to the couch. "There's really nothing new. It appears we're dealing with an organized crime group. That is all we really know." He moved the bedding aside, so Sara could sit.
"Why are you sleeping on the couch? You can use Cassie's room."
"I tried last night. All I could think about was Cassie. How she enters a room with a burst of energy and that she has her whole future ahead of her."
Her eyes met his. "Why are you feeling guilty? You're not responsible for her disappearance."
"I felt there was something wrong with the instant messaging she was using. If I would've followed my gut, maybe Cassie would be sleeping in her own bed." He glanced toward her bedroom door.
"I don't blame you." She caressed his cheek and felt the rough stubbles. "So a predator used the Internet to search for an innocent victim?"
"Yes. Dani's the best computer hacker in the business and she's struggling to follow his trail. That's what leads us to believe we're dealing with organized crime, not just some fly-by-night predator." He placed his hand on top of hers, still touching his cheek. "Sorry, I haven't taken time to shave."
Sara removed her hand. "I understand."
"Our men are sitting outside a suspect's house tonight. We don't know if he has Cassie or not. We might know something by morning."
"What about sleep?"
"They sleep on a rotating basis. Two men pull surveillance while one man sleeps. After four hours, he relieves someone and then he sleeps."
"I don't think four hours is enough sleep."
"How much sleep have you had the past two nights?"
She stood. "You have a point." At her bedroom door, she turned toward Joe. "Your razor stubbles don't bother me, but I prefer your face smooth." She shut her bedroom door.
*****
Joe lay on his back and stared at the 'So Soft Lilac' walls. I wonder what color they'll be tomorrow night. He rolled onto his left side. I wondered if Sara will ever believe I could never harm her or Cassie. She has allowed me to hold her hand and she has touched my cheek since Cassie went missing. He touched his cheek where her hand had been.
He got up, stood outside her bedroom door, and leaned against it. I wish she'd allow me to comfort her. Sara trusted me enough to confide the details of Cassie's conception. The hours we spent at the bluff getting to know each other were special. Will we be able to get that back?
Joe stared at the doorknob before he placed his hand on it thinking about how wonderful it was making love with her. He sighed, then turned, and lay back down on the couch.
When his cell phone rang, he had just closed his eyes. After listening a few minutes, he said, "I'm on my way. Don't lose them." He dashed from the house.
Author Notes
Thank you artforcancer for your lovely artwork 'Lilac.' I feel it helps us see the colors Sara is attempting to paint her living room. I am still in sunglasses and my computer is still with the computer doctor. The earliest my computer could come home is today, no call and the latest my glasses were supposed to come in was last Wednesday. I am not happy, but I am sure there is a humorous short story in this. I just need to get it on paper. Thank you for sticking with me through all of this. I am not sure this post is ready, but I am giving it a shot.
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