I check my phone again. It’s not like Savvy not to respond to a text. Maybe she got caught up in something. I leave work and head to her new office. Tonight is supposed to be our first official date. The only detail we haven’t worked out is what time I’m picking her up.
A normal person would wait for her to text me back. But I’ve been in protection mode too long to ignore my gut, and it’s telling me something’s wrong.
As I approach the building she works in, I spot her car parked on the street out front. I relax a little. She’s probably busy, and I’m overreacting. I continue inside because now I want to see her.
When I enter her new office, I’m greeted by a woman who fits the description Savvy gave of Maggie.
“I’m sorry, but we are closed,” she says.
“Maggie?” I ask.
“Yes, have we met?”
“No, I’m a friend of Savvy’s. Is she here?” I glance around but don’t see her.
“No, she had a showing today.” She checks her phone. “Although that was hours ago. She must have gone home.”
That doesn’t make sense. “Her car is out front,” I say.
Maggie goes to the window. “That’s odd. Maybe she took the other car home.”
“Other car?”
“Yes, the company car.”
“Oh. She wouldn’t leave her car here and do that,” I say.
“No, she wouldn’t,” Maggie agrees.
“Hello,” a woman behind us says.
We both turn around.
“Susan, this is… I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name,” Maggie says.
“Axel. I’m a friend of Savvy’s. It appears she had a showing earlier today and hasn’t returned.”
Susan’s brow furrows. “That’s odd. Did she return the car?”
“No,” Maggie says.
“Let’s check where she is then,” Susan says as she pulls out her phone.
“Do you have tags on the car?” I ask.
“No, in the key fobs. I had an employee who kept losing them, and they are not cheap to replace, so I decided to attach an AirTag to each one. It’s on the keyring, so it’s no secret.” She stares at her phone. “Well, that’s odd. She’s not far, but it’s not a commercial area, so it wouldn’t be a showing.”
My stomach drops. This is not good. “Give me the address.”
She rattles it off, and I type it into my phone. I run out of the office, calling Reed as I head to my car. I explain what’s going on and give him the address.
“I’ll get one of the guys to meet you there.”
“Sounds good, but I’m not waiting,” I say.
“Understood.”
I end the call and drive over the speed limit until I reach the address, which is more upstate. There’s a dilapidated mailbox at the end of the driveway. I decide to park on the street instead of the driveway so no one hears me coming.
