SLATTERY'S DAUGTHERS

LOST AND FOUND

Joanne was sitting at the kitchen table crying after Tom broke the news to her about Julie's disappearance. Tom paced around the kitchen table trying to think of a plan to find his daughter. He then stopped and looked at her. "I called the police. They are on their way. Don't worry, we will find her."

"What if she got kidnapped too Tom?"

"No, she didn't get kidnapped. She probably just fell of Pilgrim and got hurt and one of Murphy's people took her home to take care of her."

"Then why didn't they bring her here?"

"I don't know."

"I just want my baby girl." She stood up from her chair and Tom held her in a tight embrace.

"We will find her honey. We will." Tom gave a silent sob too and looked at his wife. "I promise. Sit down, I'll make you a cup of tea."

"Thank you."

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Tom was sitting on the porch early in the morning gazing out into the distance when Joanne walked up to him with a cup of coffee and sat down next to him. "Any word from the police yet?"

"No..." Tom replied giving an audible sigh. "I phoned Murphy too. He hasn't seen her either."

"What are we going to do?"

Tom leaned forward and covered his face with his hands trying to gather his thoughts together. "I don't know. I'm trying to think of something."

Claire stepped onto the porch too and looked at her parents. "I don't know about you dad, but I am going into town to open up the butchery."

"Thank you honey." Tom watched as she stepped down the stars and walked up to her Volkswagen Bug that stood parked next to his truck. She got into the car and then turned the key in the ignition to start it but it just made a few noises and failed to start.

"Oh damn no." She turned the key again and by the fourth attempt she got out of the car and walked up to the porch.

"What's wrong honey?"

"My car won't start."

"Let me go and look what's wrong."

They walked up to her car and she got in to try and start it again. "See?"

"Pop the hood." Claire pulled the lever inside the car to open unlock the hood and Tom lifted the cover to look at the engine. "You didn't leave the lights on did you?"

"No. It's not the battery is it?"

"It's got a new battery a few months ago. Can you turn the key again please?"

Claire did as her father said. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know. Get out of the car please." Tom got into the Bug and turned the key in the ignition until the lights on the dashboard came on. He then rolled down the windows and turned on the radio and rolled the windows back up. "The windows and everything work fine. Lights are fine."

"So it's not the battery. I think it might be the starter motor."

"Can you fix it?"

"Yes, I just need to get the parts in town. Go get my truck's keys. I will go into town with you."

#####

Back at the butchery Tom put posters up of Julie being missing next to the poster of the Barnes girl. He then left Claire at the shop alone to distribute the rest of the posters he made and handed them out to the shop owners to display in their shop. A while later he returned to the shop and went to sit in his office. The people suddenly started flocking to his shop to go and see him. Even people who hardly showed their faces at the butchery. One of the sheriffs entered the shop and greeted Claire before he walked up to Tom's office. "Tom Slattery."