Dana continued. “She was sitting across from me, engrossed in her computer. She was wearing a yellow hoodie, dark-framed glasses, and a bright pink wig. But her facial features looked to be the same as in the picture you posted. At least I think they were similar. I don’t know if this helps at all, but if you have any questions, my number is…” She rattled off ten digits, then hung up.
“Have you contacted this woman yet?” Tabitha asked Tex.
“No. I thought maybe you’d want to do it since you’re the contact person in the post. And you’d also know what questions to ask to see if itwasSheila. I wouldn’t mind hearing your conversation, though. All of us should, actually. We can help steer your questions to glean as much information as possible.”
“Okay.” Tabitha’s hands were shaking as she picked up her phone. She dialed the number Dana had left, and waited for two rings…three…
“Hello?” The woman’s voice sounded tentative.
“Hi. This is Tabitha Miers. You called, thinking that maybe you saw my sister?” Tabitha tried to be strong, but her words broke in the middle of her question. Dana clearly picked up on that.
“Oh, Tabitha. I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. Having a loved one go missing is awful. My mother has Alzheimer’s, and before we put her in an assisted living facility, she was constantly getting lost in her neighborhood, so I know how you feel. But at least my mother never got on a train, so…” she ended with a sigh. “I wish I’d seen your post earlier while I was still traveling. I only came across it after I was out of the station and in my cab.”
“That’s okay,” Tabitha assured her. “I’m still grateful you called. If itwasmy sister you saw. Can you tell us where the train was headed?”
“That’s easy. It was the express train to New York City. But express doesn’t mean non-stop. It stops in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Newark before it reaches New York, so I’m not sure that’s helpful.”
Tabitha wasn’t sure either. If her sister went as far as New York, then what? The station there was so large and bustling, would they be able to spot her on any cameras?
“Can you describe what she was wearing again?” Tabitha asked at Mason’s quiet prompting.
“Yes. Like I said, she stood out. She had on a bright yellow sweatshirt with a hood, and a shoulder-length wig that was pink. And her glasses… I could kind of tell they were for show. Like the kids who wear them to look like those anime characters. Does that sound familiar?”
“Yes. Yes, it does,” Tabitha assured her. “Sheila’s a huge anime fan, and she bought a wig at the last convention we attended together. It certainly sounds like it could be her. What was she wearing for pants?” Tabitha crossed her fingers. Sheila always wore the same thing. She had five pairs of identical sweats.
“Gray sweatpants, I think,” Dana pondered. “Yes. That’s right. Gray sweatpants and… Oh, dear. I’m not sure what she had on her feet. Sneakers, I think.”
Tabitha nodded to everyone who was listening. That described Sheila’s attire to a T.
“Thank you so much, Dana. You’ve been very helpful,” Tabitha assured her. “Let me ask my friends if they have any other questions before I let you go.” She raised her brows at everyone.
“Was there anyone with her?” Tex questioned astutely. “A man, perhaps? Dark hair with a mustache?”
“No. No. I’m certain she was alone,” Dana answered. “Although… There were a couple of men who I think fit that description sitting in seats near hers. They weren’t conversing with her, though, in any way.”
Although happy this might be Sheila, and she was seemingly traveling alone, Tabitha still felt trepidation that one of those nearby men could have been secretly monitoring her until she could easily be grabbed.
“Anybody else have anything to ask?” Tabitha questioned around. Her own mind had gone blank under the pressure.
“Did she seem distressed at all?” Everlee questioned. “Like was there any nervousness apparent in her body language?”
“Not even a little,” Dana replied right away. “She seemed happily engaged in some game on her computer. She barely seemed aware of her surroundings.”
Again, that was both good and bad. When Sheila was playing, all outside stressors simply disappeared for her, so it was indicative of nothing.
Still…
Tabitha sat up straighter. She had an idea, and she had to get off the phone. “Thank you again, Dana. If we have any more questions, I’ll give you a call.”
“You’re very welcome. But can I ask a favor?” Dana posed tentatively.
“Uh, sure,” Tabitha furrowed her brow, uncertain what the request would be.
“Can you let me know when you find her?”
Tabitha let out a breath.What a kind soul.
“Of course,” she readily agreed. “I’ll call you as soon as we have her.”
