Herman shrugged. “Don’t feel up to it.” With his elbows on his checkerboard and his chin in his palms, the old man looked as browbeaten as a homesick dog. Nine-tenths of the population of Founder’s Creek looked about the same. Jake could relate, He didn’t have the same light in his heart either. “Where do you think she went?” his deputy asked. Jake’s teeth were clenched, so he shrugged. “You’re the sheriff, why aren’t you out looking for her?” “Because she’s not missing.” Jake tossed aside the report he’d been pretending to read. Stacy was all his eyes wanted to see and they formed an image of her no matter where he looked. “She’s been gone two weeks.” Jake bit his tongue before snapping that he knew exactly how long she’d been gone. “She bought a train ticket. Left of her own accord,”
