Switching back to the topic at hand, Porter asked if they’d like to take a walk through Will’s apartment. They both said that they would.

“Then let’s go. You know it just eats at Gentry’s ass—excuse my language, young lady—that I have the special keys to Will’s place and he can’t get in. I won’t give them up, either. When I saw that Will wasn’t coming back after a few weeks, I gathered up all his stuff, and by stuff I mean his financial papers from the company he worked for in Silicon Valley. I have it all in a box in my closet. Gentry even went to Mr. Cricket to demand I give him a key, but Mr. Cricket said no because Will was paid up till the end of the year. Same thing with Frances’s friend Ellie Harper.

“Come along then, it’s just a short walk. I wish I knew where Will was. I really miss that guy. He was a great chess player. I don’t have a good feeling about it, and neither does Frances, but we try not to talk about it, because we get too upset.”

“Does Will have a family, any relatives?”

Porter shook his head. “He outlived his children. He had two. He lost one to drugs, and the other was killed in a hit-and-run. He had a sister, but she passed away about a year ago. I guess I was the closest thing to a relative that he had.”

Maggie and Dennis trooped behind Porter Flannery, mopping at their brows with the sleeves of their shirts. The hot Nevada sun was merciless.

Ten minutes later, with not a speck of perspiration on his brow, Porter Flannery announced that they had arrived at his friend’s apartment. “This is it, 607 Lucky Drive!”

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“Man, this sun is brutal,” Jack added, ringing the bell beside a quaint, multi-paned door trimmed in white. Even though the sun was shining directly onto the window, making it shimmer like a huge diamond, Jack could see two forms inside the long, narrow office of Happy Village. “At least Lomax is here now. Maybe we’ll finally get some answers. Let me do the talking, but feel free to jump in with anything you think might help. The little lady is quite nice, as well as helpful, but I think Lomax intimidates her.”

The door opened wide. Bessie Love stood to the side. Jack didn’t know why he thought she would smile when she recognized him, but there was no smile to be seen. Cyrus growled deep in his throat. Right then, Jack knew something wasn’t right. His hand dropped to the big dog’s head, his message clear to Cyrus. I feel it too.

“Good morning, Mrs. Love,” Jack said, purposely using the title she’d corrected him on earlier. “We’re here to talk to Mr. Lomax.”