“Was she involved with any men that you know?” Bill looked up at Ellie, staring daggers at her for the question. “I am sorry, Bill. I did not mean this question to be rude.”
“I know. I know. I am sorry too. This has nearly killed her mother.” His shoulders and head sank defeated by the stress of the situation
“If we are going to find your daughter, then we have to ask the tough questions. We may not like some of the answers we find. But they must be asked,” she said quietly.
“She was seeing a boy. But as far as we know, they broke up and are now just friends. His name is Steve Elliott. He works on one of the local ranches as a cowhand.” He gave her the rest of the information on the ranch and his contact information.
“All right. Let me start gathering some information. I am going to need to get her birth date, social security number, credit cards numbers, etc. I will check to see if anything has been run through on her credit cards. I will talk to some friends at the sheriff’s office and start seeing what I can find out. I think I am going to want to talk to everyone that was at that party. Someone has to know something to give us some insight into what happened to Shelby. They might be more willing to talk to me, her father, or the sheriff. I will see what I can find out and be in touch.”
Bill got up from the sofa, looking thoroughly defeated from the experience. Ellie felt a twinge in her heart for the man. She knew his loss. Shelby’s father seemed to have aged right before her eyes during their discussions. Seeing Bill to the door, she placed a hand on his shoulder and let him know that she would be doing everything in her power to help find his daughter. A slight forced smile came to his lips. He turned and walked away.
Racing back to her computer and phone, Ellie began her search on her first case. This was going to be a tough one, she felt. She had a feeling that before this case was over that it was going to tap every emotion she had. Ellie knew she needed to put those emotions aside and get to work.
Emotions were not going to help her find this man’s daughter.
Picking up the phone, she dialed the sheriff’s office and asked to speak with Officer Barkley. She was going to have to pull a string or two to get some answers. This is where charm and fortitude were going to come in handy.
“This is Officer Barkley.” Sounding just like an officer, she mused to herself.
“Jim. It’s Ellie Moore. How are you?” Using all the sweetness in her voice.
“Mrs. Moore? I am good. What can I do for you?” Surprise in his voice.
“Now, Jim. It was Mrs. Moore when you and John Jr. were kids. Now it’s Ellie. I need your help on a case I am working on.” She went on to explain about Shelby Wallace and having her dad as a new client.
“I had heard a rumor that you had become a private detective. Wasn’t sure what to make of it to be honest. I never expected you to jump in this line of work.”
“Well, to be honest, after John died, I started looking for something to do, and this type of work always interested me. Do you think you can help me out?” Praying that he would take her seriously.
“It’s not my case but let me do some checking. It might be late this afternoon. I have to be up in court here in a bit. Give me your fax number, and I will try to get the report over to you before dinner.” Now sounding a bit rushed.
Ellie gave him her fax number and cell number and said to say hello to his folks.
This was going to be a long afternoon. Ellie was ready to go to work. In the meantime, she would get a hold of Shelby’s credit card company and her bank to see what she could find. But first, a coffee run was in order. Plus she was eager to let Sue know that she got her first case. This would give her a chance, too, to absorb everything and start putting all the information she received from Bill in order. She wanted to go about everything logically and not miss any steps or processes.
This case would be much more than she bargained for and would test her to every limit Ellie had in her. She didn’t know it now, but trouble lie ahead.
Chapter Three
Talking to the credit card company and bank lead nowhere.
Frustrated, Ellie sat back in her chair and began to drum her pen on the notepad. Deep in thought, it took Ellie a minute to realize the phone was ringing.
“Moore Detective Agency.”
“Ellie. It’s Jim. You going to be in your office for a bit? I think we need to talk.” A nervous edge in his voice.
“Sure. I will be here for a bit. Just going over some stuff.” Wondering why his tone suddenly made her nervous.
“Great. Give me twenty minutes, and I will be right over.”
Click. And the line was dead.
Ellie sat, staring at the phone for a moment and began to wonder what that was all about. Something was up. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach begin to rise. Looking up at the clock on the wall, it was just after 5:30 p.m. No use getting all excited. She would just have to wait and see what Jim had to tell her. Instinct was telling her that she wasn’t going to like what she was going to hear.
*****
Jim arrived shortly after six. He came into the office and sat in the chair. Sliding the folder in his hands across the desk toward Ellie, she reached out as it slid toward her. Jim sat back in the chair and let out a deep sigh. Ellie tried to read his face and see what he was thinking. She decided to wait and let him begin.
“Ellie. I am afraid you have bitten off more than you can chew on this one. Looks like your girl was being investigated for some time now. She was dating a young man from up in Wolf Creek who has some drug ties.”
Ellie didn’t say anything. She listened and let Jim continue, just giving a nod now and then to let him know she was listening.
“Seems she had been seeing this Elliott character. Steve Elliott. He has been suspected in being involved in a meth ring, operating out of the area. So far, no one has been able to get anything on him. We have not been able to find much on his background either. Seems he just showed up here in and began to work. No one knows much about him and that makes us nervous.
“The drug task force hasn’t been able to get anything on him either. They have been trying to get some information on him from some of our local informants and nothing has come of it.
“Seems there is one thing that has a bit nervous. We did have a local informant who was doing some checking on him. Our informant suddenly went quiet and wouldn’t give a reason. Then our informant up and disappears. We have not been able to find hide nor hair of the fella. We don’t like it. Something has been going on out there in Wolf Creek, and we are trying to get to the bottom of it.”
“What does this have to do with Shelby?”
“Seems a person that sounded a lot like Ms. Wallace made a call into our tip line at the drug task force. The person simply said they had some information on Steve Elliott and the owner of the ranch he works for in Wolf Creek. The owner of the ranch goes by the name of Howard Long. Mr. Long is a native of California and has long been suspected of being the head of a major meth cartel out there. No one has been able to get any information on him either. Seems his background is a ghost too.
“We think that Elliott is working for Long as an enforcer. We are getting tips that something major is in the works, and now, we have two people who could possibly help us nail these guys disappear.
“It doesn’t look good any way you look at. I want you to know that you might be getting yourself involved here with some major players. If that’s the case, then you need to know what you’re up against.”
“What makes you think it was Shelby that called in the tip?” Her interest now thoroughly piqued.
“At