good god, call your friend at the force and get someone finding out where in the hell they are immediately. At the least hopefully you will be able to secure a missing person's report on the two of them.”
Chuck said, “I’m not calling about Mr. Wonderful. I’m calling about my baby.”
“Well, Mr. Wonderful doesn’t have anyone to inquire about him with the exception of our daughter, who is missing at the moment.”
“I’ll be more than happy to make mention to Nick about it, it’d be my pleasure.”
“You call me back the minute you talk to someone, Chuck. Try to keep yourself calm. Last thing you need to do is have a stroke up on the third floor. I can imagine that you are in her apartment by now?”
“Yep, and I’m even drinking one of their beers for the damn trouble. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about ignorant shit like this. Kids are supposed to check in and let us know what is going on.”
“Yes, it’s absolutely amazing at their age that they want to have a life of their own.”
“Goodbye dear.”
Chuck looked at his phone trying to figure out the web browser on it and gave up. He searched through the cupboards until he found a small phonebook with an inch of dust on it. He did his best not to disturb the dust and looked up the police’s phone number. He called, asking for his high school buddy, Nick. They’d enlisted together and they had gone through the marines together and were better than brothers because they were fellow marines. Someone stuck with the weekend shift answered less than interested in the call. “Washbaun County Police, how may I direct your call?”
“Good morning, I need to speak to Chief Lambert please. Tell him it’s Chuck calling.”
“Just Chuck?”
“Chuck, is that too difficult for you to understand son?”
“No sir, I understand right fine but he isn’t here. He’s off today. It’s Sunday so he’s probably getting ready to watch the race on television. You know about the race right?”
“Christ, it’s Missouri, of course I know about the race. So, he isn’t there. I’ll call him at home.”
“Well, sir he doesn’t like to be bugged at home on-”
“I tell you what, you pull his ass out of the jungle in Vietnam and he’s more than damn happy to take a phone call from you any given day of the week.”
When the man didn’t respond Chuck hit the end button, yelling, "What a dipshit," as he hung up the phone. He knew Nick’s number by heart and wasted no time calling it. His wife Tricia answered on the fourth ring, “Chief Lambert’s residence, how may I help ya?”
“Hey, Tricia, it’s Chuck. I can’t find Traci anywhere. She isn’t answering her phone, but that’s just because her dipshit boyfriend didn’t pay the bill. I know Rosa sent a text yesterday to check on her, and she said that she hasn’t posted anything on Facebook either.”
Tricia handed the phone to Nick saying, “Oh, hey Chuck, Nick, Traci is MIA.”
Lambert took the phone smiling shaking his head. “Sounds like a serious missing person case, Chuck.”
“Don’t fuck with me Lambert; you know I don’t worry about shit that I don’t need to worry about. Is there anything you can do? Don’t make me talk to Tricia again.”
“Damn it Pendergrast, the boys and the grandkids were going to come over this afternoon. You are going to make me miss seeing the kids. I even had some racing hats for them to wear during the race today.”
“Boo fucking hoo. You don’t think that I want to be home? I had a very busy day ahead of myself also, I’ll have you know.”
“Rosa making roast and gravy. God, that woman can make a great roast and the gravy-”
"Focus, Lambert. Jesus man, we need to get moving on this. Her boyfriend wasn’t here either. He drives a Kia Sorrento and his license plates are Washbaun County as well and the number is Echo Foxtrot Golf 562. He is supposed to have LoJack on that thing. I would think if you guys just make a call to the