Gone to the Store

"Milk, bread, orange juice. I'll gas the truck at the convenience store, too. Back in a jif, Susy." Brad kissed his wife, still a novelty after five months of marriage. He whistled for Barkly. The spaniel, tail wagging, waited at the door.

"I'm tired, so I'm going to bed," said Susy, waving as he left. She fell asleep as her head touched the pillow.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring! The alarm blared at 6:30, and Susy stirred. Brad wasn't in bed. He hadn't slept in it. He slept on the sofa to not disturb me, the darling. Susy hurried and dressed, ready to fix breakfast for her almost-new husband.

Brad wasn't in the kitchen. Susy looked around. No Barkly. He must be walking the dog. She opened the refrigerator. No milk or juice in there. No bread on the counter. Susy looked out the window. The truck was gone. Where was Brad? She called his cell and left a message.

An hour later Brad hadn't returned or called. Susy put on her raincoat, got the umbrella and walked the mile to the convenience store. The truck was parked in the far back of the lot, by the woods that ended miles away at the river.

Trying to feel relieved, she hurried to the truck. Barkly whined, pawing at the window. She opened the door. The dog lifted a paw and licked her hand. Milk and juice, now warm, and bread were on the floor. She shut the dog in the truck and went in the store.

"Excuse me." The young girl behind the counter looked up. "My husband came here last night and he didn't come home. His truck is parked in back." She stopped, not knowing what to say next.

"I need to call the police."

Susy waited by the truck for the police to arrive. She put Barkly's leash on and led the dog to the woods. The dog relieved herself and pulled Susy along a path into the woods. Susy followed, keeping an eye out for the police. A few yards in, the dog sniffed around, picked something up and brought it to her. Brad's cell phone.

Terror numbed Susy. "Brad?" she whispered, looking around, as though Brad were hiding behind a tree and would jump out to scare her as a very, very bad joke. The woods were silent but for the steading plopping of rain.

She returned to the truck, near tears. A police car pulled in the lot and stopped. Two officers came over to her.

"My husband's missing! He came here last night and didn't come home. Look! The milk is in the car AND IT'S WARM." She sobbed. Her tears mixed with the rain on her face. She tried to wipe both away, but more fell. One officer took notes. "The dog found Brad's, that's my husband's, cell phone in the woods. I don't know where he is or what happened to him. Can you help me find him?"