Mystery: Missing Rita: (Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Suspense Thriller Mystery) by James Kipling Read Free Book Online

out more than the others and he felt a familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach.
    “Tracy Evans,” he mouthed to himself. “Where have I heard that name before?”
     
    *****
     
    Ryan woke up reluctantly that day and took a look at his wristwatch. His cell phone had awakened him. He jumped out of bed and rushed over to it.
    “Hello,Mum,” he said.
    “Hello dear, how are you holding up so far?”
    “Terribly.”
    Ryan let his gaze drop to the floor when he thought about the current events.
    “What do the police say about the missing body?”
    “They haven’t found any leads yet,” he answered. “But they are looking.”
    “Do you think they’ll find anything?”
    “I doubt it,” Ryan answered. “It’s not a precious artifact or jewel that is missing.”
    “I understand,” his mother replied.
    “How are the kids holding up?” he went on to ask. His kids had gone to stay with his mother ever since they received the news about the death of their mother.
    “They are devastated,” she answered. “But they are very strong, especially Trevor.”
    “I think you should keep them for one more week and see if the body turns up.”
    “What will happen if it doesn’t?”
    “We’ll have to hold a memorial service for her and move on,” Ryan said bitterly.
    “Alright dear,” his mother replied. “I will need you to try and eat something.”
    “I will, Mother,” he replied. He tried to recall the last time he’d had a decent meal.
    “Say ‘hi’ to the kids for me, please,” he said. “Tell them I love them and I will call later on to check up on them.”
    “I will,” she answered. “Good bye, son.”
    “Goodbye,Mum.”
    Ryan placed his cell phone back on the dresser table and walked back to bed. He had taken two weeks’ leave from work and did not plan on leaving the house that day. He slid in-between the bed covers and took a deep breath. He felt tired and exhausted, not to mention hungry. Things had happened so fast that he did not know what to think or feel. He played with his wedding ring that he never bothered to take off even after the divorce. He shut his eyes and all he could see was the blinding dazzling smile she always wore on her face.
    He then placed his left hand on his chest and could still feel the pain he once felt when he walked in on her cheating on him with a married man on their matrimonial bed. He then placed his hand on his cheek and felt the hot slap she had given him the day he won full custody of his children. Ryan curled himself in a ball and could feel the joy they both felt when they had their daughter and were now new parents.
    All these emotions seared through him and he felt all of them at once : l ove, bitterness, pain, hurt and anger had somehow merged into one feeling and he felt helpless.
    The home telephone rang and it distracted him from the sea of different emotions for a moment. He let it ring and did not bother to pick it up, assuming it would be another estranged friend offering his condolences. He let it go straight to voicemail.
    “Hello, Ryan!Please call me back. I heard what happened and I am worried about you.”
    Ryan immediately recognized the voice and wanted to pick up but could not. It was Yvonne, his girlfriend of about one and a half years, trying to reach him. He made a mental note to call her back when he woke up and tried to shut his eyes again.He tried to force himself to get some sleep but the hunger he felt would not let him. He slowly got to his feet and began making his way towards the kitchen, wondering if there was anything in the fridge.
    The doorbell rang just as he got downstairs and his first instinct was to ignore it. It rang a second time and he decided to answer it as he was only a few steps away.
    “Good morning, Mr. Sutter,” Sam greeted him from the other side with a blank expression on his face. He had rehearsed a few expressions while in the car that he thought would be appropriate.
    “Good morning,” Ryan replied.