The Maine Events, Rodney Riesel [best books to read in your 20s TXT] 📗

was kind of implied,” said Allen.

They got out of the Jeep and approached the officers. Tuckerwas glaring at them. His eyes went back and forth from Mya to Allen. Allen hadreally hoped Rose wouldn't bring Tucker with him. Not because of hisrelationship with Mya, but because Allen had had his suspicions about Tuckerfrom early on. On the short walk from his vehicle to picnic table, Allenquickly decided to omit parts of what he wanted to tell Rose.

“What's so important?” Rose asked.

“Where were the two of you?” Tucker asked.

Rose shot him a silencing glance.

Allen ignored Tucker’s question. “Last week Mya told me shethought she recognized Jacob from somewhere, but she couldn't remember where,”he said.

“And?” said Rose.

“Today she remembered where.”

“Okay.”

Allen looked to Mya.

“I saw him and the other boy—Oliver—underneath the deck atStones Throw. It was last Sunday.”

Rose looked confused. “Do you think seeing them has somethingto do with their disappearance?” he asked. “I don't understand. What were theydoing under the deck?”

“They were looking at a piece of paper,” Mya replied.

Tucker snorted condescendingly. “Case closed,” he said.“Let's go get that boy and make some arrests.”

Rose shot the officer another look.

“What makes you so sure Jacob is even still alive?” Allenasked.

“What do you mean?” Tucker replied.

“Look, I hope and pray he's alive, just like everybody else.But, you just said, 'Let's go get that boy,' not 'Let's go find the body.' Isthere something you know that we don't?”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“Tuck,” Rose warned. “Knock it off.” He turned to Mya.“That's it? You remember seeing the boys with a piece of paper?”

“I saw Jacob and Oliver that same day,” Allen interrupted.“They were sitting side by side on this bench looking at a piece of paper.”

Tucker shook his head. “Big deal, you saw two kids reading apiece of paper. What the hell does that have to do with anything?”

“I asked them later that day what they were looking at—theydenied looking at anything. I asked them what was on the paper, and they saidthey didn't know what I was talking about. They were obviously lying, but Ididn't press it, because I figured it was none of my business.”

The part of the story that Allen had decided to leave outwas that Bobby Jordan and Vinny Tubbs were at Stones Throw at the same time Myahad seen Jacob and Oliver under the deck. Sure, both officers knew the thugswere there at that time, but neither of them would have any reason to make aconnection, because Allen had never told them that Bobby had shown up at hismotel room looking for something he'd lost. Allen wondered if that single pieceof paper the boys had could have been the item Bobby was so eager to retrieve.If so, what was written on the paper?

Just one thing worried Allen. If his suspicions about Tuckerwere more than just suspicions, then Tucker already knew Bobby had paid him avisit, and he probably also knew what was written on the paper. And if Tuckerdid know, then he must be wondering why Allen didn't tell Rose about Bobby'svisit. And if he was wondering, then he also knew Allen must besuspicious.

“So, you think this piece of paper has something to do withwhat's happened to these boys?” Rose asked skeptically.

Allen shrugged. “Maybe. I don't know. I just thought it wassomething you should know.”

“Okay.” Rose looked over at Tucker. “You have anyquestions?”

Tucker snickered. “Questions about a piece of paper? No,Sarge, I can't think of any.”

“If you think of anything else,” said Rose, “give me acall.”

Allen nodded. “You got it.”

Allen and Mya stayed where they were and watched silently asRose and Tucker crossed the grass and climbed back into Rose's vehicle.

“What the hell was that?” Mya asked, after the officerspulled into the street and sped off.

“What was what?” Allen asked innocently.

“We left what we were doing in Portsmouth to speed back hereand tell Rose that we saw two boys reading a piece of paper?”

“Yeah. I thought it was important.”

“You're lying.”

“Lying?” Allen questioned with over-animated astonishment.“Why, I never.”

Mya grinned. “Give it up.”

“Give what up?”

“Tell me what you know.”

Allen gazed into Mya's eyes. Who can I trust? hewondered.

 “You got a minute?” Allen asked.

“Yes. Why?”

“Come up to my room.”

“Is this just a ploy to get me into your room,” Mya teased,“and then into your bed?”

“You wish,” Allen replied. “Come on.”

The couple crossed the parking lot, letting Frankie out ofthe Jeep as they walked by. When they reached Allen's room, Frankie ran betweenthem and jumped up on the sofa.

“Drink?” Allen asked.

“What do ya got?” Mya asked.

“Tequila and Coke.”

“Then I'll have a tequila and Coke.”

“Good choice.”

Mya sat on the edge of the bed, facing the picture window.“Nice view,” she said.

“Thanks,” Allen said, as he prepared the drinks. “It's howus famous writers live.”

Mya looked around the motel room. “Posh,” she joked.

“I hear it's where the Royal Family stays when they're intown.”

Mya laughed. “I bet they do.”

“Here ya go,” Allen said, handing Mya her drink.

Mya took a sip and then leaned forward, placing the cup onthe table next to Allen's laptop. “How's the writing going?”

“I finished the book Saturday afternoon.”

“No kidding? That's great. What's it about?”

“You'll have to wait until it hits the store shelves likeeveryone else.”

“I better get a signed copy.”

“We'll see.” Allen sat down on the bed next to Mya.

“Okay, what's this all about?”

“I need to know I can trust you,” Allen said, staring intoMya's eyes, looking for the answer before she gave it to him.

“Of course you can trust me, Allen,” she replied.

Allen believed her. “It's Tucker,” he said.

“What about him?”

“I don't know, it's just a feeling I get. I don't trusthim.”

“Okay.”

“According to Rose, Tucker moved back here from Bostonaround the same time Bobby Jordan and Benny Strong moved here.”

Mya thought for a second. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Rose also said Bobby and Benny are always one step ahead ofthe cops. They know what they're up to, but can't seem to pin anything onthem.”

“Pin what on them?”

“Jordan and Strong are bad guys, Mya. Rose says they're intoprostitution, drugs, loan sharking—”

“Real civic-minded fellas.”

“Yeah. They’ve managed to keep their enterprises going full steamand to stay out of