CHAPTER FIVE

The sound of barking dogs greeted Jenna and Jake as they pushed through the front door of Paws and Harmony Rescue. They stepped into a lobby where pictures of happy adopted pets adorned the walls. Volunteers bustled about with a mix of concentration and care.

“Sheriff Graves,” one of the staff said. “Adopting a pet?”

“Not today,” Jenna replied. “Is Dr. Reynolds around?”

She and Jake were directed towards the back where exam rooms lined the corridor. They found Dr. Reynolds, a seasoned veterinarian with salt-and-pepper hair framing her kind face in the middle of a routine check-up. Her steady hands feeling the abdomen of a ginger cat whose eyes squinted in contented trust. She looked up, her expression shifting from professional to personal concern as she recognized Jenna.

“Give me a moment,” Dr. Reynolds said, finishing up with the cat before cleaning her hands and leading Jenna and Jake to her office.

The office was utilitarian but comfortable, shelves lined with veterinary texts and framed certificates of achievement. A large window offered a view of the play area outside, where dogs romped under the watchful eye of volunteers.

When they sat down across from her desk, Dr. Reynolds asked, “How can I help you?”

“I understand that Amber Stevens has been volunteering here,” Jenna began, her voice betraying no emotion.

“That’s right. She comes in for the evening shift, and she’s a wonderful help to us. Why do you ask?”

“She didn’t make it home after her shift here last night. Her parents are worried enough to call us about it.”

Dr. Reynolds’s face paled slightly. “That’s not like Amber at all,” she responded, her tone reflecting her rising alarm. “She’s always been punctual, responsible.”

“Did you see her before she left yesterday?” Jake interjected, his gaze locked onto Dr. Reynolds for any sign of insight.

“No,” Dr. Reynolds admitted, shaking her head. “I left early for a conference call, and I wasn’t here when her shift ended.” Worry showed on her features as she considered the implications. “But it’s unlike her not to go straight home.”

“Was Amber behaving normally when you saw her yesterday?” Jenna’s question was direct, her gaze fixed on Dr. Reynolds, searching for any nuance that might reveal more than words.

“Absolutely,” Dr. Reynolds replied with a nod, her fingers drumming lightly on the desk. “Amber was as she always is - bright and full of energy, ready to work. We chatted about a new litter of puppies we received. She seemed just fine.”

“Could we take a look at the list of employees who were here during her shift?” Jake asked. Dr. Reynolds reached into a drawer, pulled out a staff roster, and circled four names: Marcus Flint, Lila Garner, Theo Briggs, and Robyn Holt. Jenna jotted down the names on her notepad.

“Did Amber ever mention going anywhere after work?” Jenna asked. “Maybe meeting friends or staying somewhere other than home?” Jenna observed Dr. Reynolds closely, noting the hesitation before she spoke.

“Amber wasn’t one for socializing. Since starting college, she’d changed, became more focused on her passion for veterinary science. It’s all she wanted.” Dr. Reynolds’s voice carried a mix of admiration and concern.

“College can change people, for sure,” Jake mused aloud.

“Amber was completely absorbed in her studies,” Dr. Reynolds continued, her eyes reflecting a touch of sadness. “She’d come here to the shelter, and instead of chatting during the breaks, she’d be buried in her syllabi, preparing for her fall classes at Ozark State.”

Jenna nodded, understanding the drive but also the isolation it could create. “And her friends? How did they take this change?”

“I don’t know all of her friends, but I have noticed one or two of them who seemed to feel left out, as if they were losing her to this... new Amber who seemed more interested in her future than in them.” Dr. Reynolds sighed, a note of concern coloring her words.

“Dr. Reynolds,” Jenna ventured carefully, “was there anything else that might have been troubling Amber recently?”

The veterinarian hesitated before responding, her gaze flickering away before meeting Jenna’s again. “Amber confided in me about a personal matter. She felt she didn’t belong in Trentville anymore; she had her sights set elsewhere, beyond these familiar streets and faces.”

“Anything more specific?”

“Yesterday,” Dr. Reynolds added with visible reluctance, “Amber told me she ended things with Jason Reeves. Jason didn’t take it well, I heard. He has a temper. But Amber never indicated she felt threatened by him.”

Jenna felt a chill at that revelation. A breakup, a temper, and now a disappearance – it painted a concerning picture. She exchanged a glance with Jake, whose expression mirrored her thoughts.

“Have you two spoken with Jason about all this?” Dr. Reynolds’s asked.

Jenna shifted in her seat, exchanging a significant look with Jake. They had, indeed, found signs of Jason’s violent outburst, but sharing that information now would complicate matters further.

“We haven’t had the chance to speak with him yet,” she replied carefully.

“Any idea why Amber broke up with Jason?” Jake inquired, his eyes locked on Dr. Reynolds’s face, searching for any flicker of insight.

Dr. Reynolds hesitated. “Amber told me in confidence,” she started, the conflict apparent in her voice. A moment passed before resolve settled over her features. “Given the situation, I think it’s important you know.”

Jenna’s eyes met Dr. Reynolds’s, searching for any flicker of hesitation as the woman fidgeted with a pen on her desk, her reluctance clear.

“Amber confided in me that she got engaged,” Dr. Reynolds finally said, breaking the silence. “It was to a fellow student at Ozark State.”

“Did she mention his name?” Jenna asked.

Dr. Reynolds shook her head apologetically, “I’m afraid not. She spoke more about how he made her feel—a kindred spirit, she called him. She was elated.”

“Elated?” Jake echoed.

“Absolutely. She found someone who shares her passion and dedication. They both want to make a difference,” Dr. Reynolds explained, her eyes distant as if picturing Amber’s bright future that now hung in the balance.

Jenna nodded, processing the information. It was a significant development—one that could reshape their understanding of Amber’s disappearance. A fiancé, an unfulfilled dream, and a life that seemed ready to branch away from Trentville’s familiar roots.

“Dr. Reynolds, did Amber seem worried about how her parents might react to the news of her engagement?” Jenna asked, sensing more beneath the surface.

The veterinarian sighed, her gaze dropping to the framed photos of rescued animals lining her office walls. “She was hesitant,” she admitted. “Especially about telling her father. Otto always imagined she and Jason would marry and take over the family business.”

“Family expectations can be a powerful force,” Jenna mused aloud, aware of the weight such pressures could carry in a small town like Trentville.

“Indeed,” Dr. Reynolds agreed softly. “But Amber has always been determined to forge her own path. She’s been volunteering here since she was just a girl, dedicating countless hours to the animals. I’ve seen her grow into a remarkable young woman, full of compassion and ambition.”

Jenna felt a pang of empathy for Dr. Reynolds. It was evident that Amber’s absence would leave a void not only in her family’s life but also in the hearts of those she inspired. Jenna offered a reassuring smile, “Your mentorship obviously meant a lot to her. Thank you for sharing this with us.”

As she and Jake rose to leave the office, Jenna’s thoughts were ablaze with new leads, unanswered questions, and the nagging feeling that time was slipping through their fingers.

“Can you think of any place Amber might have stopped on her way home?” Jenna asked, pivoting to the practicalities. “Maybe to grab a snack or run an errand?”

Dr. Reynolds shook her head, her brow knitting in concentration. “Not at all. Amber was disciplined about her routines. She always headed straight home after her shifts; said it gave her more time to study and prep for the next day.”

“Consistency,” Jake chimed in thoughtfully, “could be a pattern someone might exploit.”

“Let’s hope not,” Dr. Reynolds murmured. “She’s a smart girl, not one to take unnecessary risks.”

“Thank you for your insight, Doctor,” Jenna said. “If you think of anything else, or if you need us for any reason, please don’t hesitate to call.”

“Of course,” Dr. Reynolds replied, her voice tinged with worry. “And please, find her safe. Amber is special to this community... and to me.”

Jenna nodded solemnly, aware of the plea behind the veterinarian’s words. They exited her office, leaving Dr. Reynolds in the hum of the animal shelter—a sanctuary now touched by a young woman’s unexplained disappearance.

Outside, the sun was climbing higher in the sky, casting the town in a harsh light that seemed to bleach the color from the quaint storefronts and tidy homes. As she and Jake descended the steps of Paws and Harmony Rescue, Jenna felt the familiar tug of intuition gnawing at the edges of her consciousness—a sense that every second mattered in the race against the unknown.

The car door shut with a definitive thud as Jenna slid behind the wheel. Jake settled into the passenger seat, a furrow of concern on his brow as he turned to face her.

“Jason Reeves,” Jenna started, the name leaving an acrid taste in her mouth. “He’s volatile—and with him missing too...”

Jake nodded, his hands resting on his knees in a gesture of restrained energy. “But without help from the State Police, we’re at a dead end tracking him down.”

“Chad Spelling’s reluctance could cost us precious time.” Jenna’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, an acknowledgment of their limited resources.

“Let’s focus on what we can do,” Jake advised. “Dr. Reynolds gave us names—people who saw Amber last. We start there.”

“Right.” Jenna’s voice was firm, but her mind raced ahead. She recalled Dr. Reynolds emphasizing Amber’s habit of heading straight home after work. It nagged at her, an itch of intuition she couldn’t yet scratch. “There’s something we’re missing, Jake. Something about that routine. I’m going to drive the route she would have taken home.”

“We pretty much did that already, to and from the Stevens’s house,” Jake said.

“I know, but … I’m going to do it anyway.”

Jenna exhaled slowly and started the engine, the low hum an undercurrent to the cogs of her mind already turning over the puzzle pieces laid out before them. She maneuvered the car onto Turner Road, the town’s main artery that bled into the veins of Trentville. The steady hum of the engine seemed to harmonize with the pulse of the small town as they passed the familiar sights - the sun-faded sign of Thompson’s Diner, the town square where she and Jake had recently recaptured a renegade parrot who’d been disturbing the peace.

The local color of Trentville was vibrant, with storefronts boasting hand-painted signs and flower boxes blooming with petunias and marigolds. It was all a stark contradiction to the heaviness of their investigation.

As they drove out of town, the road stretched before them, a ribbon unwinding through the landscape, houses becoming fewer and farther between. Each driveway they passed seemed less like an opportunity for crime and more a testament to the community’s trust in one another.

“Doesn’t look like prime territory for a carjacking,” Jake observed, echoing Jenna’s thoughts as they continued their drive. “Even if there was a scuffle when she was on the way home, there should be some evidence. Skid marks, broken glass. Or even another driver who saw something odd.”

The further they drove, the more Jenna’s unease grew. The comfort of Trentville faded into the background as they approached the outskirts, where the Stevenses lived. Here, the trees stood thicker, their branches interlocking above the road, casting a lacework of shadows on the asphalt. The houses were now spaced by stretches of woodland, the properties larger and more secluded.

An image from Jenna’s dream invaded her thoughts - an unpaved road, a conversation with a spectral figure. The words, “This must be where it started,” reverberated through her mind. She blinked rapidly, refocusing on the present, on the tasks ahead.

“Jenna?” Jake asked with concern, his eyes studying her profile. “You okay?”

“Fine,” she answered quickly, too quickly. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were missing a piece of the puzzle, a crucial clue that was hiding in plain sight, just beyond their reach.

The memory surfaced abruptly, a vivid intrusion into Jenna’s focused mind. She recalled the dream—the roar of an oncoming locomotive thundering down a deserted road like a harbinger of doom. The spectral woman in her vision had gazed at the light with eerie serenity. And she’d said something that now seemed staggeringly significant …

“Strange, nobody ever comes this way anymore.”

Jenna’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as the echo of those words triggered a cascade of thoughts.

“We’re looking at this wrong,” she murmured. Without further explanation, Jenna steered the car onto the shoulder of Turner Road and brought it to a stop. The vehicle idled, its engine a low purr against the morning stillness.

Jake’s expression was one of mild bewilderment. “What is it?”

Jenna didn’t respond immediately. She sat there, peering through the windshield at the path they had been tracing, trying to reconcile the incongruity of the dream with the reality before them. It played on a loop in her head: the train rushing forward, the woman’s calm acceptance, and the profound sense of something crucial overlooked.

“Jenna?” Jake prompted again, breaking her concentration.

“We’ve missed something important,” she said. “We’re in the wrong place.”