Domestic Affairs (Tiara Investigations Mystery) by Lane Stone

where we had to go.   During a water release, flooding wouldn’t occur, but if she was thrown into the water or fell, she could drown, or be swept away.  
    “It’s just ringing.” Tara was fighting back tears.   “There’s her car!”  
    On the side of the road, Bea’s Volvo was surrounded by uniformed officers. The trunk stood open, but they were nonchalant enough to relieve me of my worst fear.
    I couldn’t hear anything else either of them said because all of a sudden we heard the whir of a helicopter and the lake was lit up like mid-day. I saw a couple of police cars parked on a side street leading to Powerhouse Park. Victoria touched my arm to get my attention. “Why not pull in behind them?   We can ask if they know anything.”
    “Okay, and this road is closest to the water release point,” I yelled.  
    All three Forsyth County police officers shook their heads when we asked if they had found Beatrice.  
      “We want to look down there for ourselves.”  
    The oldest of the trio said, “Be our guest.”
    I turned back to Tara and Victoria and pointed to the river. They read my mind and the three of us ran down the hill. We yelled Bea’s name into the night but nothing came back. We walked over the bridge and still didn’t see her.  
    Tara touched my arm. “If she’s not here, where could she be?”
    Just then the helicopter banked and flew south down the river, lowering the noise level. Victoria’s cell phone rang and we might have screamed. Alright, all three us squealed. “It’s Kelly. She wants to know what’s happening.”
    “Tell her we’re still looking, but we haven’t seen or heard her,” I said, then turned back to the business at hand. “We’re not hearing anything . The water release didn’t happen!”
    “Just took a phone call, sweetheart.” It was either Asher Charles or Charles Asher who we had to thank.   He was on the trail leading down to where we were.   Tara rolled her eyes instead of showing appreciation.  
    Victoria met him half way up the hill and held out her hand to him. “Thank you.”  
    “Be nice,” I whispered to Tara.
    “He says that I’m the one.”
      “Why does he think that? Have you seen him since that day at Tex Mex Rex?”
    “No! Remember when we bumped heads when we stood up?   His lips slid over mine and a little of my lip plumping gloss got on him. He thinks he was struck by lightning or something, because of how it stung.”
    Men find Tara irresistible, but this was ridiculous. “Once we find Beatrice I’m going to laugh my ass off over that.” We walked up the embankment to meet Asher, Vic, and the three police officers. A park ranger had joined them and was silhouetted by moonlight, street lights and car head lights.  
    “Leigh? Leigh Reed?” I think I should be excused for not being able to place her since more than twelve years have come and gone since I left the park service. “It’s Bryn Marie Leandro. What are you doing here?”
    “The missing woman is a friend of ours.” I introduced her to Victoria and Tara.   She waited for an introduction to Asher, but I didn’t trust myself to remember his name correctly so she didn’t get it. He gave Tara a wave and drifted off.  
    “I’m the Natural Resources Manager here. Since we’re short staffed––what else is new?––I got the call out.”  
    I turned to one of the Forsyth County police officers standing nearby.   “I have another idea about where she might be. Has the helicopter covered West Bank Park?   We were there with her once.” That was me on the outside. Me on the inside, “It was when her daughter pretended like she was going to kill herself and when we let Detective Kent’s wife go scot-free after she shot him.” Those gentlemen didn’t have time for all those details anyway.   I’m sure you understand.  
    “I’ll radio the pilot.” With this, one of Forsyth’s finest turned away. We peeled off to the lower parking lot to