Hometown Boy

Chapter 2

Six months, two weeks, and three days ago

Eliza stood on the front porch of her best friend's home and alternated banging on the door with her fist and ringing the doorbell. The house was dead silent.

"Samantha White," she hollered, "I know you're in there. Your car's in the drive. Ken called me; he's worried. Come on now, Sam, this isn't like you. Open the door."

There was still no response and Eliza grumbled in frustration as she made her way around the house to the back door. It was a beautiful early spring day. The mockingbirds were squabbling in the pear tree on the side of the house and the sun was beginning to wane towards the west. The hill directly behind the house provided a perfect vantage point to sunset watch but Sam hated sunsets. More of a sunrise kind of girl.

As she rounded the corner of the house, Eliza froze, glancing around in puzzlement before her gaze fastened back on the wide open back door. The screen door was ripped and dangling precariously by the top hinge. Sam's beloved amaryllis lay overturned on the ground, the petals on the blooming flower crushed. Warning bells were blaring in Eliza's head and she wished suddenly that she had a weapon or had not come alone. The inconsistencies piled up as Eliza stood silent in thought. First, Sam hadn't called Ken, her father, last night like she always did. And according to Ken, she hadn't called this morning either. She hadn't shown up for work at the hair salon in town and now Eliza was beginning to freak out a little as she stared at the silent house, broken back door and the plant that Sam would be crying over if she could see how destroyed it was.

Something was wrong.

Immediately, Eliza thought about the string of robberies that had been plaguing Dogwood recently and shuddered. What if—

Eliza yanked her cellphone out of her back jean pocket and hastily dialed 911, her hands shaking.

"911, what is your emergency?" asked a feminine voice.

"Yeah Mae?" whispered Eliza, pressing her back against the weathered wood of the house.

"Eliza!" Mae's voice was loud with panic, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," answered Eliza distractedly, "I'm fine. Listen Mae, I'm at Sam's house. And I could be completely overreacting about this, but she didn't call Ken last night or this morning. She didn't show up at work today. Ken called me and asked me to check on her so I'm at her house. Her car is in the drive, but no one came to the front door when I yelled and knocked so I came around back. The screen door is ripped to shreds and the door itself is wide open. You know how Sam is about flies. And her amaryllis plant is smashed."

"Crap," muttered Mae, "She loves that plant like it's her child. Have you been inside?"

"No," answered Eliza, "I highly doubt anyone's in the house. If they are, they aren't answering."

"Stay on the line," ordered Mae, "I'm sending Slade to you. He's about fifteen minutes out."

"I can't wait that long," protested Eliza, "What if they're in there and they need help now? Can't you get someone here quicker?"

"Slade's the closest to you," came the reply, "We're understaffed."

"I'm going in," announced Eliza quietly, "There's probably nothing wrong and I'm completely overreacting. Benji could have broken the door or something. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for all of this and I'm going to slap Sam for worrying me so when I see her."

Mae didn't argue with her decision. The three of them had been best friends since highschool. Mae was just as worried about Sam and Benji as Eliza.