Free Where's Ellen? (Mystery) (MPP A JOE MCFARLAND / GINNY HARRIS MYSTERY Book 1) by Stuart Safft

and Ginny were back at Jasper Creek PD working on other cases.
    Joe was slowly and painfully typing with two fingers the report of a coin laundry robbery that they had been assigned a week ago. “Damn, we have no leads at all. Why the hell do I have to spend time writing this useless report?”
    “Yeah, a pain, isn’t it?”
    “I’d rather try to figure out what got our FBI friends so interested in Ellen Sanders. Or, as they so elegantly put it, in ‘the woman we know as Ellen Sanders.’ What the hell did they mean by that? ”
    “Good question. But we really should focus on this pile of paperwork or we’ll never get out from behind these desks. Although I do have to admit that I’m also intrigued by the FBI’s interest, especially if it really came down from D.C.”
    “Yeah. But I wouldn’t put much trust in their BS about this coming from FBI headquarters. They use that line whenever they think it will help them bully others to do or not do what the FBI wants. But still, either the FBI is very overstaffed with nothing to keep its agents busy, or there’s more here than we little hick town cops have recognized.”
    “Don’t sell yourself, or me, short, Joe. We’ll figure it out. But for now, let’s get our heads buried back in this paperwork we have to finish.”
    “OK, I’ll try. But I’m sure my head will keep jumping out of the pile and back onto the Sanders case.”
    “I know. Mine, too. But let’s do the best we can.”
    Five minutes later, “Ginny, I think we should go back and re-interview Mr. Sanders,” suggested Joe. “Now that we’ve learned he stands to gain a whole pot full of money from his wife’s life insurance and all those stocks, he merits another set of questions, a bit more hard-nosed this time.”
    “But what about the chief clearly warning us to butt out of this case?” asked Ginny.
    “He’ll only be mad if we don’t come up with anything.”
    It wasn’t very hard at all for Joe to convince Ginny. And so, they neatly re-piled the stacks of paper on their desks and back they went to the Sanders’ house. Once again, Steve opened the door, greeted them and led them to their seemingly assigned seats in the family room.
    “Any news?” Steve anxiously asked.
    “No, not yet,” replied Joe. “But we hope to have some shortly. Please walk us through again everything that happened yesterday.”
    “Uh, um, I don’t know if I’m supposed to.”
    “Why? What do you mean?” asked Ginny.
    “Two FBI agents were here yesterday, following the fire department search. They told me that I should only deal with them, not with you.”
    “Oh, really?” said Joe, with a side glance to Ginny, who, in turn, rolled her eyes and looked up at the ceiling.
    “Yes, they said that the FBI is best equipped to deal with situations like this, and they wanted to avoid any communications or coordination problems. They said they’re keeping you two informed and involved as appropriate.”
    “Well, we’re not surprised,” responded Ginny. “This is typical inter-agency rivalry. It’s important that you not get dragged into the middle of this. The FBI clearly are the experts when it comes to kidnapping, but no one is yet at all sure that your wife has been kidnapped.”
    “So what am I supposed to do?” asked Steve.
    “You can talk to whomever you wish, Steve. The FBI, or we, can’t tell you who you can and cannot speak to. This is still America and the Bill of Rights is still in effect,” Ginny continued. “It’s your decision, but we’d suggest you talk with both us and the FBI to be sure that all possible resources are being used to locate your wife. If you just stay open and forthright with all of us, you’ll be fine.”
    “Oh, OK. I guess you’re right.”
    Ginny repeated, “So, please walk us through again everything that happened yesterday.”
    “But I already told you everything yesterday,” protested Steve.
    “Please humor us and do it again,” said Ginny. “Often,