Maiden Rock Read Online Free

jumped up and pushed a chair toward Claire. “Please sit down. Can I get you something?”
    Claire sat at the table. “Thanks, I’m fine. What’re you working on?”
    “Oh, that’s just my hooking. My mom taught me how to hook and I’m working on a new rug for Krista’s room. She wanted one that was all roses.” Emily pulled out the rug and showed Claire the first few pink and red roses that she had done in the middle of the piece. “It calms me down.”
    “I could use a hobby like that.”
    “It’s not hard to learn. I could show you.”
    “Thanks, maybe I’ll take you up on that. I’ve done quilting.” Claire asked, “What exactly did the Lunds say when you called over there?”
    “I talked to Mr. Lund. He didn’t sound too happy about being woken up. I almost expected him to hang up on me. He said the party was over and everyone was gone. He did say some kids had come to it that hadn’t been invited.”
    “I wonder who?” Claire latched on to that comment. “We need to talk to the other kids that were at the party. They might know something. Could you write down a list of the kids you know were there?”
    Emily gave her an odd smile. “Sure, but it’s too early to talk to any of them. Look at the time. They’re all still sleeping.”
    Claire shook herself. She needed to stop being a deputy. “You’re right. Come to that, we probably won’t need to talk to anyone but our daughters when they finally show up.”
    Someone pounded on the door and startled them. The two women looked at each other, but Emily said, “It’s not the kids. They wouldn’t knock.” She stood up and pulled open the door.
    A tall, thin woman walked in, wearing a handknit Scandinavian sweater. Claire knew she had seen her before, probably at the grocery store or gas station. She had sandy blonde hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked tired and worried.
    “Is Curt here?” the woman asked.
    “Nope, none of the kids are here. Come on in, Lynn. This is the lost mothers gathering. Somehow it makes me feel better that Curt’s with the girls.”
    Claire introduced herself and the woman smiled and said, “Oh, you’re the deputy. I’ve seen you around.”
    “Your son was at the party at Lund’s?”
    “Yes, and he and Krista have been hanging out together so I thought he might have come over here. I was looking for his car. When I drove up to your place, I saw the lights on in the kitchen so I decided to knock. I’m not that worried, more mad. He’s stayed out late before, but never this late.”
    “Does he have a cell phone?”
    “Yes, but he didn’t take it with him. He said it wouldn’t go with his costume. He was Robin Hood.”
    “He could have stuffed it in his quiver.”
    Lynn looked at Claire. “Well, since you’re the cop, what should we do? Do we report them missing?”
    “Not this soon. I still think they’re going to show up any minute. I think it’s time to go over to Lund’s and see what the kids over there know.”
    Emily hesitated. “I hate to wake them up again. We just went over there two hours ago.”
    Claire was accustomed to barging in on people in the middle of the night and didn’t think that much of it. When she needed information, she would go and get it. Not so with these other mothers. And, wasn’t that all she was right now, simply a worried mother, not a deputy sheriff looking for a bad guy?

CHAPTER 3
5:00 a.m.
    C laire managed to sit still and talk with the two women over a cup of coffee, but then she had to do something. After she called Rich to check if he had heard anything and Lynn called home to check that Curt hadn’t shown up, she set off for the Lund’s, leaving the two women talking at the table.
    Three kids missing. Oddly, the larger number did make her more comfortable. When it was only two girls, they could have been abducted, but it seemed less likely with three of them and one a boy. And the car was gone. Chances were they were out driving around. If