19 Chapter 19

What was that? Flying grit? A gnat?

When her finger came back wet, she knew.

It was a tear.

* * * *

Jude knocked softly on her door, but when no one answered, he became concerned.

“Miss Garvey?” He waited. “Lorraine, are you in there?”

When he still didn’t get a response, he stepped back, and gave the door a swift kick with his booted foot. The sound carried down the hall as it slammed open. Jude ran in, but the room was empty. The bed had been perfectly made, and the atmosphere was cold and still, empty of life. With a chill dancing up his spine, he yanked out dresser drawers and looked in her closet, but found nothing. She was gone. He quickly turned and ran down the stairs to the hotel clerk.

“Jason,” he called out. “Have you seen Miss Garvey?”

“She checked out. I believe she planned to leave on the ten o’clock stage.”

“What?” Jude yelped. “Where did she go? Back to Boston?”

“I assume so. I didn’t ask.”

“And you let her leave?”