The Dream Thief by Kari Kilgore (books for 10th graders txt) 📕

arrange her hair and dress. She'd been hoping Karl would stop by that evening, so she'd chosen a bit more of a feminine look than she sometimes did. Flowing hair and enhanced cleavage might come in handy even before her lover arrived.

She waited several seconds after the sharp knocks to open the door. Two young men and a middle-aged woman waited. All three wore dark blue uniforms and carried the distinctive Bronzed Revolvers, far more powerful than Loretta's hidden illicit gun.

"Loretta Schofield?" the woman said.

"Yes, that's me. Can I help you?"

"Good afternoon. I'm Constable Law Detective Warstan. My deputies and I are investigating the disappearance of a young woman, Sophie Jeddason. May we ask you a few questions? We won't take up much of your time."

Loretta's heart pounded, but relief tempered the fear. Sophie was bad, especially since someone had obviously followed the trail here. Rhysto and any number of other secrets would have been far worse.

"Of course, please come in."

She held the door open and watched as they arranged themselves on the long sofa. The men examined the room, then kept their eyes on their leader. The detective never looked away from Loretta.

"Do you know someone by that name?" Detective Warstan said, opening a small notebook.

"I employed Ms. Jeddason for a brief time, yes," Loretta said. "Just a bit of cleaning and such. I haven't heard from her for a while now."

"Did she say anything to you about leaving?"

Loretta's mind raced, trying to find the safest path. Leaving would be a convenient story, but only if no one else had said otherwise.

"Not that I remember. She was the private sort, kept herself to herself. I was disappointed when she stopped turning up, but she was very young. I hope nothing's happened to her."

"That's what we're going to find out," the detective said. "How did you come to hire Ms. Jeddason? Did you know her family?"

"No, I'm not even sure where she's from. I found her the usual way with such things, by asking around of other girls in her line of work."

Detective Warstan raised her eyebrows as she made a note.

"That's interesting, Ms. Schofield. It seems this young woman wasn't employed in this part of Waldron's Gate at all before a couple of months ago. She was a working girl, though. Out at the Convenience."

"Then I'm glad I gave her a way out of that sort of life," Loretta said. "Even for a brief time. I'm sure you've spoken to people who knew her there. They probably know more of her background."

"We've spoken to several people in that part of the city, people of various backgrounds. A few from far north of here, much like Ms. Jeddason. That's how we found our way to you."

Loretta stared at the detective, trying not to let her imagination get the best of her. She didn't dare look at the two men and show her unease, but she couldn't let this line of questioning continue.

"I'm glad to help in any way I can," she said. "I'm afraid I simply don't have much to tell. Sophie worked hard, and she was a pleasure to have around. If something has happened to her, I regret not informing you when she first missed her arranged time with me."

"We regret that as well, ma'am," one of the young men said. "I'm sorry if I'm out of line, Detective, but with Ms. Schofield living alone here, I think we should tell her the rest."

Detective Warstan stared hard at him for several seconds, nodded, and turned to Loretta.

"It seems Ms. Jeddason was known to frequent the shaw camps during her previous employment. In questioning the pilots and other crew, we learned of another disappearance at around the same time. Are you familiar with a pilot called Rhysto? No one seems to know what his surname is."

"Or they won't admit it," the other man said.

Loretta chewed on her tongue to keep her nerves from blurting out that she'd never known, either. The room seemed to be shrinking around her, the chair turning into an interrogation cage.

"I've heard the name Rhysto in the gossip rags," Loretta said. "I can't help you more than that."

This time Detective Warstan made a note while still watching Loretta's eyes.

"That's also quite interesting," she said. "More than one person at the shaw camps suggested you should be our next visit." She closed the notebook and leaned forward. "Any idea why several people in less desirable parts of the city have mentioned you, Ms. Schofield?"

Loretta waited long enough to breathe once, hoping to calm her heartbeat enough to speak normally.

"Other than visiting when the shaws arrive to see what goods they carry, I'm no more familiar with them than anyone else. May I ask if I'm being accused of something, please?"

"We're not accusing anyone," Detective Warstan said. "Besides our suspicions of this Rhysto. We've heard more than enough about him to be cautious. With so many people linking you with Ms. Jeddason, you should be cautious, too." She stood, and the men joined her. "We won't bother you anymore today, ma'am. But I would like to speak with you again in a few days’ time. We need to follow up with anyone who has a similar background in cases like this."

Loretta stood, knowing her full skirt would cover her shaking knees and cold sweat. She hoped none of them would want to shake her hand. That would hide neither.

"I'd planned to be out of town later in the week," she said.

The detective shook her head once.

"We'd prefer it if you didn't leave town just now, Ms. Schofield. I certainly hope your plans can be postponed."

Loretta tried to smile. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you for your time, and we'll be in touch in a couple of days. Please be sure your houseguest from the Northlands is here. Your grandmother, I believe? I'd like to speak to her as well."

All three of them left without looking back.

Loretta stood, one hand on the doorknob, one on her stomach,