Page 14 (1/2)

"Thank you," Caleb said He knew that the police had been here; he knew that the h it all before And he didn’t think he was going to learn anything new, but that was half the job, doggedly repeating what had been done, always searching for whatever little bit of infornificant at the tisby was one of those thin, nervous-by-nature people, but she didn’t seeer explained that Caleb was a private investigator, and she quickly perched on the edge of her boss’s desk, looking expectantly at Caleb as Harold Sparks excused hian "I know you’ve been asked about Jennie Lawson before"

"Oh, it’s okay Really I’ in to what happened to her She was very pretty and very sweet And polite I think that’s why I remember her so clearly We didn’t have the exact car she had requested, but she wasn’t nasty about it, the way some people are I mean, the rental forreed "I’ve rented plenty of cars, and you’re certainly right about that, Miss Grigsby Mina I know that she careement for eeks And I know that you two just ht have said so up with friends or what her plans ht have co If I had anywhere to go from here, it would be very helpful"

"Well, letShe did say that she wasn’t leaving the state with the car"

"Did she say anything about her plans? Anything at all?"

Mina was thoughtful for a moment; then she set too excited about Jacksonville They’re all heading soustine, or Daytona, the space center…even the thereat city, with a really nice river walk and lots of history It’s old, too, you know"

"Of course Was she planning on visiting Jacksonville?"

"Yes--but on her way back She was anxious to see St Augustine She said that she’d be heading straight there I told her where there were so for a while She had a bottle of soda in her purse, and soht away"

"Did she say what things?"

Mina shook her head slowly again "No, not exactly"

"Not exactly? Think, please, Mina What exactly did she say?"

"Well, she said that she was going to take a ghost tour--but that wouldn’t have been until that night"

"Did she say anything about a hotel reservation? Orto head into Old Town and find a place that appealed to her--I do re that"

Caleb waited, because she appeared to be thinking with intensity She let out a sigh after a otten all he could from her, and that it wasn’t terribly helpful He could--and of course would--speak to the ghost tour operators, guides and ticket vendors, but since Jennie Lawson’s picture had been up all over the city and no one had come forward, he didn’t think that avenue would take him far, either Still, he had to follohere the trail led

"There was one otten all about this She toldor the cards or soram around her neck, and I asked her if she was a witch She said no, she just liked it There was a ruby set in one of the points of the star She said she wasn’t a believer, but she liked the stories I guess that’s why she was going to take that ghost tour" She fell silent, then sighed again, shaking her head as she looked at hi else"

"Do you re?" Caleb asked

"Yes Jeans and a red T-shirt, and she was pulling a black, white and purple suitcase She said it onderful--she could always find her luggage at baggage claim"

"You’ve been very helpful," Caleb assured her

"Really?" She seeenuinely pleased "It’s terrible And sad And now another girl’s , and she looks…so ed