Chasing Mr. Carlton ( The story of a Shrew's Son)

Part 60

"Thanks." Matt said, hanging up the phone and turning towards his parents. Brian sat patiently, waiting for Matt to finish his call but Nora, she hadn't stopped pacing since Matt stormed back into the office the day before.

"What do you mean her car in the garage?" Nora asked when Matt finally made an appearance.

"It's in the garage." He said calmly, "and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it, either."

That was Matt's first rational thought. Maybe she'd had car trouble and left it here overnight, and so he'd driven all the way to her apartment and knocked incessantly. She wasn't home.  He would have called Ruth's school, if only he knew what school Bobby had enrolled her in but even if he did- they wouldn't just give him the information.

When he made it back to the office, he called the police. That was a joke. As much as he tried to explain that she wouldn't have abandoned the car, that she wouldn't have missed work without calling, they would not consider her a missing person. She hadn't even been missing 24 hours and well, no one was a relative or next of kin.

"What did he say?" Nora asked, turning to look at him. "I can't believe this."

"He said he's going to do his best." Matt said with a sigh.

"This is outrageous. Let me know as soon as you have any information from your guy- I have a couple of friends downtown and I'll make sure they step in." Brian said. He'd already made a few calls and was trying to get the police to take the case seriously.

"I just don't get it. Where could she be? Do you... do you think someone took her?" Nora said, trying not to let panic sink in.

"I don't know." Matt said. He hadn't been much for words since he realized what was going on.

"Maybe we're panicking. Bobby is a very smart, very practical girl." Emma chimed in but Nora sighed.

"Which is why this worries me. Bobby would never just miss work and in the off chance that she was sick, why not answer her phone? Or the door? Why is her car here?" Nora replied.

"Hey, relax. Okay, try to calm down." Brian said, standing and moving towards Nora. "It's not going to help us or her to panic."

"I know... I just, I wish we knew." Nora said.

"We all do." Brian said. "I can't believe we don't have the surveillance cameras in the garage."

"I know." Nora said. "It just... I guess it just never occurred to us."

"What about at east entrance?" Matt asked suddenly, making Brian and Nora turn to him.

"There should be one at the door." Nora said with a frown. "But it doesn't look into the garage, it doesn't even get the garage exit."

"No but it gets a shot of the street." Matt said, making her raise her brow.

"But that's a one way street." Brian said, making Nora look at him.

"But what would we be looking for?" Nora said, "I doubt we'll be able to see into any passing cars."

Brian moved back towards his desk and began to open the security program.

"Your mother's right. We probably won't get much more than a few blurry images of cars." Brian said as he accessed the right file. They weren't even sure if there was anything to be looking for at this point.

"Just let me look." Matt said, practically pushing his father aside. Nora and Brian looked at each other, it was obvious that Matt was very distressed.