Chapter 9

Karl was on the PC, trying to determine if the trader the navigation computer had identified could be the host of Zal's enemy. The trades had a pattern suspiciously like his own, many small accounts to hide the trader's identity. But he was finding it difficult to concentrate with the hammering of the men working on the addition. If not for the closed windows and the low whisper of the air-conditioning somewhat muffling the sound, it would be impossible to get any work at all done.

It was Friday afternoon, just past three. Julie and Brenda were at work. Annette was the only one home; her community college was closed on Fridays. She came into the dining room, a corner of which was serving as Karl's office. She waited until he acknowledged her before coming over and touching his back. "How's it goin?"

He turned to look at her. "Slow, with all the noise. How about you?"

"It's not so bad in the bedroom. I was able to get some studying done. I'm gonna take a break and have a Coke. You want one, or a beer, or something else?"

"I'll have a Coke with you," he said shutting down the PC. "I can't concentrate now. I'll work on it later, after they're gone."

At the kitchen table, each with a can of Coke, "Remember, you promised about going to Evansville tomorrow," Annette reminded him.

"I'll go, but I think it would be fine just getting a suit here at Hammond's."

She touched his hand and smiled reassuringly. "The tailor I know in Evansville is really good. It'll be a lot better suit than you can get here, a lot more stylish. We, all of us girls, want you to look your best."

Karl was about to answer when suddenly Topper jumped up and ran for the front door, barking furiously. "What is it?" Annette asked.

Karl got up and started for the door. "Someone's knocking, we didn't hear because of the hammering."

It was Natalie, Terri's sister. "Oh, Karl," she cried, falling into his arms when he opened the door. "I'm really worried about Terri."

He walked her over to the sofa, where they were joined by Annette, bringing a Coke for Natalie. "Okay, what happened?" Karl asked.

"She hasn't been back for two weeks. I know how much she wanted to come back to be with you, and she didn't, not last weekend and she just called saying she wasn't coming back this weekend either. And she isn't answering her cell and won't return any messages. It's just not right, that's not what she would do. I know it ... I just know it!"

"Natalie, you need to calm down," Karl said while Annette hugged her cousin. "She called me too," he continued. "She said she's busy with school, got a paper due or something. She called last week too. That's just the way things are when you're at college, you'll find out when you go."

"No, I don't believe it," Natalie sniffled. "She's so in love with you and wanted to be with you so much, and besides, she could bring her work home and do it here and be with you too. That's what she told me she was gonna do."

"She might not feel the same about me now that we're apart," Karl said. "Maybe she got back with her old boyfriend."

"Brian? Never, I don't believe it. I think there's something wrong."

"No, it's not possible," added Annette.

Natalie took hold of his hands. "I wanted to go to Bloomington and check she's alright, but my mom and dad won't let me." She looked into his face, her blue eyes full of tears. "Won't you go, Karl? You can go and check on her, and if everything's okay, we'll know, and if it isn't, I ... I've just gotta know, that's all."

"Yes, go," Annette said. "I'll go with you, we can go in my car. It's only about a three hour drive. We can go and be back by ten tonight."

Karl was quiet, thinking what he should do, when Zal said mentally, "I do not believe Terri no longer loves you. Her feeling of affection was too strong."

"Try her cell again," Karl told Natalie.

They waited while she speed dialed, then got Terri's voice mail, left a message saying they were worried and that she should call back right away. "See, she's not answering, I must have left a thousand messages, and she never calls back. Even when she called saying she wasn't coming today she never mentioned the messages, just told my mom and dad and me she was busy with school and couldn't come."

"Okay, I don't think it's necessary, but I'll go," Karl said. "just to set everyone's mind at ease. But I'll go alone, it'll be easier that way." To Annette, "I'll take your car, it's faster and more reliable than my truck."

He exchanged cell numbers with Natalie, got the keys from Annette, kissed her goodbye, and then took off in the new Mustang, bought with her modeling fees. He stopped at the crossroads for gas, turned up the air and headed for Bloomington.

He made it in less than three hours by ignoring speed limits. He thought if the cops stopped him his charisma, or Zal's power, would get him off.

He had been to Bloomington before, but that was years ago. He found Terri's apartment after driving around for a while and asking for directions at a gas station.

He pulled up in front, ran inside and up to the second floor. When he knocked on the door he heard from inside, "Just a minute." He waited and was about to knock again when the door was cracked open on the chain, a girl he assumed was Terri's roommate peeking out.

"I'm looking for Terri Haight."

"Oh ... sir, hello, you must be Karl," she said. "Just a sec," as she closed, then opened the door all the way. "Please come in," ushering him into the apartment. "I'm Kristen Lowell," extending her hand.

Shaking hands, "I'm Karl Warrick, I'm looking for Terri."

"I know who you are, sir, Terri told me all about you. But you must know where she is." Her hand moving to her mouth. "Oh my God, isn't she with you?"

At her invitation, he took a seat on the sofa. He asked what she knew. "Tuesday last week, Terri didn't come back after classes. Then the next morning, she called from her cell and said she missed you too much and she was going back to Easton and would come back when she had time to get her things, all her clothes and everything is still here. But ... but obviously she isn't with you. Could she be at home, with her parents?"

"No, her sister asked me to look for her. Something's going on. Can you think of anything unusual that might have happened?"

"Well sir, Monday last week she called up her boyfriend ... uh, sorry sir, her ex-boyfriend, Brian, and she told him she wanted to break up with him cause now she was with you, and ... and she said he was pretty upset."

"What can you tell me about Brian? What's his last name? Where can I find him?"

"It's Geller, Brian Geller, sir," she said as she got an address book from the desk. "He has an apartment at the Normandy Apartments. He's a Delt, and he hangs around the Delta House a lot, it's over on fraternity row. Here's the addresses," writing on a sheet of paper. Checking her cell phone, "And here's his cell number."

She looked into Karl's face her eyes wide. "You ... you don't think she's with him. I'm sure she wouldn't ... Oh No, you don't think he'd do anything?"

He took the paper and stood up. "I don't know, but I need to talk to him." Remembering, he handed the paper back to her, "Write your number down in case I need to get in touch." When she handed it back, he gave her his number. "Call me if you hear anything, and don't talk about this to anyone."

"No sir, I won't. I'm sure ... I hope Terri's all right."

In the car, on his way to Brian's apartment, "She didn't come on to me," Karl said to Zal.

"Did you not find her attractive?"

Karl thought about the freckle-faced girl. "Yeah, she was cute, but I think I was concentrating so much on finding Terri that I probably didn't give off any of those non-verbal clues."

He parked in front of the Normandy Apartments, found Brian's apartment, and knocked on the door. There was no answer, so he knocked again, harder. "There is no one inside," Zal told him.

"Okay." Karl stepped away from the door and pulled out his cell phone. He tried calling Brian, but could only get his voice mail. He left a message to call him, then went out to the car.

He found the Delta House right away. It was on fraternity row, like Kristen said, a big, white frat house. He went in the front door watching young men and young women coming and going, lowering their eyes and giving Karl plenty of space. It was Friday, they were all going somewhere.