The Green Children: A Sycamore Moon Novel (Sycamore Moon Series Book 3) by Domino Finn Read Free Book Online Page B

electricity and plumbing are too damned convenient. I know he stays by Williams a lot. They've got a few RV clubs by the train station." Charlie shook his head and chuckled. "Red likes trains or something. Always going on about them. A bit embarrassing for a grown man. Ah. Here it is." He dropped the paper on his desk.
    Diego grabbed a nearby pen and notepad and copied down the information. "It just says 'Red.' And this is a PO Box."
    Charlie shrugged. "What do you expect when his house is an RV?" The heavy man leaned forward and planted a finger on the address. "You see? Williams, Arizona. I bet he's train-watching as we speak."
    Diego sighed. He could probably tap Maxim to run down the information, but he was hoping for something he could move on immediately. Once again, he pictured Julia's smile.
    "How will I know if I've found him?"
    The office manager laughed again and returned to his seat. "He's easy to spot. He's an old man with a metal leg." Diego shot the man a curious look and he explained. "It's not really a metal leg, but one of those braces, you know? Clamps to the thigh and calf and bends at the knee. It's for support. I figure he was in Vietnam or something but never asked. He seems a little self-conscious about it."
    Diego nodded, hoping for something more. "Okay, so the police have thirty-two names of people they've interviewed, and Red makes thirty-three. Anyone else?" The biker wondered if Maxim had access to that list.
    "Well, actually," said Charlie, stumbling on his words, "there were thirty-one groups interviewed."
    "What do you mean? You said this place was full."
    "Yes. It was, Easter night. But first thing in the morning one of my campers packed up his tent and checked out. Lot twenty-four." Charlie shook his head. "Damnedest thing. He'd given a down payment on one more day but left first thing Monday morning. Said he needed to leave immediately. He didn't even argue when I said I couldn't give him a refund on such short notice."
    Diego almost jumped from his seat. "Did you tell the police about this?"
    "No. I guess I should have, but it slipped my mind. I was swamped. But again, this young man checked out at sunup, 6 a.m. or so. He looked like he was in a hurry, but it didn't have nothing to do with that girl. I saw her and her mom leave their cabin hours later."
    Diego rubbed his hand through his hair and pondered the timeline. Charlie noticed him struggling and leaned forward.
    "Lookie here. If the police don't think it was any of my campers, I don't think it was any of them. The mother and daughter hiked into the forest, outside my grounds. I understand you're trying to be thorough, but I don't want you badgering all my guests. It's bad enough they were here when it happened. And many of them aren't the type that like the police, or whatever you are. And those other two? They were long gone. It couldn't have possibly been them. And I'm telling you, nobody strange was hanging around the property."
    Diego hissed in frustration and looked out the window. Scattered groups of campers wandered the grounds, readying for hikes or loading up their cars.
    "Was the early riser alone? He'd been staying here, so you should have his name and address, right?"
    The office manager sighed heavily. He stared forward at his desk as if he was having second thoughts about his unconditional assistance. "Are you sure you're working with the police?"
    Diego's black eyes bored into the man. "Just think about eight-year-old Hazel Cunningham out there. We're probably passing the twenty-four hour mark right now."
    Charlie pressed his lips together and winced. It wasn't long before he reached for a clipboard on his desk. He found the man's name on the second page.
    "Jason Bower. It was just him, alone. That's normal for the mountain men, but you could tell this one grew up in the city. He asked me questions about how to pitch his tent and wasn't prepared for the cold. He had to buy extra blankets from me." Charlie raised his