Without even saying hello, Maggie answered on the first ring and began talking.  "Lane, I haven't heard anything more since we talked earlier."

"Maggie, you're on speaker. I have my friend Ben Bellini with me. I know you only called me for moral support, but I'd like to do more. Ben's a lawyer and he has a friend in Omaha to whom he can reach out. Tell us exactly when you last heard from Jeff and what he said."

Maggie took a breath and in a worried tone, she said, "He sent an e-mail at 9:47 p.m. last Friday night. He was supposed to pick me up Saturday morning and drive me to Nebraska Furniture so we could pick up a new patio set I'd bought. You know how I hate to pay the delivery charges on things. He sent the e-mail saying that he'd had truck trouble near Gretna and was waiting for a tow truck. I expected him to call me Saturday to let me know what happened, but he didn't call. By Sunday night, I still hadn't heard anything, so I called his house. No answer, so I called his cell. It went straight to voice mail. On Monday, I called the office for the construction company where he's a project manager. I left a message asking him to call me. I've called both his house and his cell several times every day. His voice mail boxes are full at both numbers now."

"Hi, Maggie, this is Ben. Have you called the police to report him missing?"

"No. I'm worried, but I'm afraid I'm over reacting. What if he's been with a girlfriend and I've called the police? He'll be upset, say I'm smothering him."

Lane felt her friend's angst. As a mother, she'd often walked the same tightrope.  "Oh, Maggie. It's been six days. Even a kid would understand if you called the police now." Lane told her friend.

Ben looked at Lane "Maggie, how about if I call my friend? Her name is Liz Collier. We can give her the information. She has an investigator she uses who can start digging into things without involving the police. Would that make you feel better?"

"I can't afford to hire a private investigator."

Lane wanted to help her friend, but was worried that the conversation was making panic set in.  "Maggie, don't worry about the money..." Lane began.

"No, Maggie, don't worry about it. Liz has owed me a favor for quite a while. She'll be glad to have the obligation lifted. No money will exchange hands on this. Can you send Lane an e-mail with Jeff's full name, his birthdate, his social security number, his cell phone number and the carrier's name, his home address and work address? A recent photo if you have one would be good too. I'll get the info to Liz and let her get started on it. If you don't mind, I'd like to stay in the loop on this. Meaning I'd like for you to agree that Liz and her investigator can share information with me and Lane."

Lane could hear Maggie exhale almost as though she'd been holding her breath since the conversation began.  "Ben, thank-you. You don't know how much I appreciate this. Lane, I've sent the e-mail to both your personal and work e-mail addresses."

"Maggie, the kids are leaving first thing Saturday. If we haven't found Jeff by then, I'll drive up. I don't know that I can do anything except offer moral support, but you shouldn't be alone right now." Lane was opening her laptop and booting it up as she talked. She looked to Ben. "Ben, Is there anything else we need to know right now?"

"No, that's it for now.”  Ben smiled at Lane and continued, directing his comments to Maggie.  “As soon as Lane gets into her e-mail, I'll call Liz and relay the information. I’ll give Liz your phone number too, in case she or her investigator has questions that I haven't thought of."

"Maggie, I've got the e-mail. We're going to let you go now so Ben can call Liz. You know how to reach me and, it goes without saying, you know you can call me day or night."

After hanging up, Ben made a call to his friend Liz and Lane forwarded Maggie's email to both Ben and Liz. Ben could see the surprise on Lane's face as he told Liz that he'd see her in Omaha on Saturday. He flashed what Lane called his mega-watt smile. "You didn't think I was going to let you handle this mess alone, did you?"

Chapter 3

No one packs like a Parker

Friday morning dawned early for the Parker kids who spent the debating how best to pack Jess's things into her Toyota Rav4 making sure to use every cubic inch of space still leaving room for three people. Lane had planned to sleep in, but with the racket going on inside and out, those plans didn’t last long. She listened to the banter as they loaded the Rav4.  Lane had never been good at cramming things into small spaces. It was all about eye hand coordination and spatial concepts. At least that's what the kids had told her for years.

Lane showered, dressed, and made her way to the kitchen.  When the kids were young, she’d gotten in the habit of making a hot breakfast on the weekends.  She stood in front of the open pantry as she internally debated her options; French toast, pancakes, or just eggs, bacon and home fried potatoes. Home fried potatoes swung her decision.  She reached into the potato bin and grabbed four large potatoes.  She was standing at the sink scrubbing them as the kids bantered their way back into the house for another load of Jess’s “stuff.”

“How hungry is everyone?”  She asked as she moved to the chopping block and began slicing the potatoes.

Jake was the first to answer, “I could eat.”

Jamie chimed in, “If you’re making home fries, I’m in.”

The boys, as Lane called her sons, were six feet four inches tall and each weighed between 195 and 200 pounds. They seemed to have hallow legs the way that they ate.  Jess on the other hand was five feet four inches tall, and weighed maybe 105 pounds soaking wet.  All three kids seemed to burn calories as fast as they consumed them.

“Okay, take this load out, and breakfast will be ready when you come back in.  I plan on scrambling the eggs unless anyone wants a special order.”  Lane called as the kids walked back through the house and out to the driveway.

The family rule was that the person who cooked, usually Lane, didn’t have to do kitchen clean up, but Lane gave the kids a pass this morning, so they finish packing.  After loading the dishwasher, Lane got her e-reader and settled in her favorite recliner in the hearth room.  She was in the middle of a book by a newly discovered mystery writer.  The author was new to Lane, but had written several books; which was fine with Lane.  She was a voracious reader and was always thrilled when she found a multi-published author she’d never read before.  It meant she didn’t have to wait months and sometimes more than a year to find out what the characters go into next.

Ben came by late in the afternoon and was amazed that the Parker Kids seemed to have packed everything but Jess's furniture in the SUV still leaving room for the three passengers and the luggage they needed for their three-day excursion.

For as long as Lane had known him, Ben reserved Friday night for date night, yet here he was and he was staying for dinner.  She thought about asking him why he didn’t have a date, but decided it didn’t matter.  She was happy to have him there to help her.  While the Parker kids took Lane’s Cadillac Escalade and drove to Jess’s favorite barbecue restaurant to pick-up dinner, Lane and Ben phoned Maggie again.

Maggie answered the phone on the first ring.  “Lane.  I still haven’t heard anything from Jeff, and it’s been a week now.  I’m at my wit’s end.”

Lane couldn’t even begin to imagine the stress level that her friend must be experiencing.  “Ben’s here with me.  I’m sure you’re totally stressing, all I can say is that I’ll see you tomorrow and I promise we’ll get this figured out.”