Viva Mama Rossi

Chapter 3 – Gone

Chapter 3 – GoneMama Rossi

10:40 AM Monday Morning, October 13th, 2014

Morelville

Sheila Ford sat at the kitchen table nursing a cup of coffee. Her brother-in-law Steven Ford was in a chair adjacent to hers doing the same.

Treadway looked back and forth between the two people. They were adamant about filing a missing persons report, though Terry Ford had barely been gone 24 hours. “So you last saw him, you believe, just after 10:00 AM yesterday morning?” He made an annotation in his notebook.

“That’s right,” Sheila replied. “I normally go to Sunday school at 9:30 and then the church service starts at 10:30. Lacy, our helper, called in yesterday morning just after Terry started to open at 9:00 and said her son was sick and she couldn’t be there. I went in to help Terry get everything opened up. A woman came in just after 10:00 asking for sour cream. Terry went to the back to get it and he never came back. When I went back to check on him, there was sour cream on the floor and he was gone. I missed church and then ended up waiting there all day for him. He left his cell phone on the back counter.” Her tone was angry then it softened, “He hasn’t been back to the store or home since.”

Steven spoke up, “We were supposed to leave on a fishing trip first thing this morning; a three day trout derby up at the lake sponsored by the Sportsman’s Club.”

Joe Treadway looked skeptical, “A derby during the week?”

“That’s right. It was for the 55 and older group of members; mostly retired. Terry’s a little eccentric...hell, even downright odd at times but it’s not like him to miss a fishing trip especially for a derby.” Sheila nodded her agreement.

“Was there any sign of a struggle in the back of the store or out in the lot Mrs. Ford?”

“No. Not at all...other than the sour cream mess. The containers both burst open. I assumed he went looking for the mop and he realized he probably put it out back in the storage barn, out of the way, or even that he had brought home for some reason and he came back here after it.”

“Would he have brought it here?” Treadway asked her.

She shrugged. Steven too made a look like ‘who knows’ towards the deputy. He was the one to speak, “I told you deputy, Terry was an odd one. I think, more than that, he was getting a little forgetful as he aged.”

“That’s true. So,” Sheila asked, “what are you going to do to try and find him?”

“I have a few more questions first. You said there was no sign of struggle. How would Mr. Ford have left the store?”

“Oh, we both use a side door back by the coolers to come in and out before opening and after closing. He would have gone out that way and gotten into his truck.”

“He drove there yesterday?”

“He does every day. It’s only a quarter mile from the house to the store but he’s a smoker and not big on exercise. He won’t walk it; says he can’t breath.”

“Where’s the truck now, ma’am?”

She shrugged again. “Probably wherever he is. Is there anything else, officer?”

“Deputy. He’s a deputy,” Steven Ford corrected his sister-in-law gently.”

“Just one more thing; is anything missing that you’re aware of?”

“No. I don’t think so. I mean, see for yourself, all his gear for this trip he’s supposed to be on is right there by the front door. He was excited...packed it all up Saturday night before he went to bed.”

Treadway looked at Steven, “Are you familiar with the gear the other Mr. Ford usually takes with him sir?”

Steven nodded, got up and walked toward the weekend bag, tackle box, waders and other assorted odds and ends. He glanced over it then turned back to Treadway, “Everything appears to be here except his favorite pole.” He pointed to a case, “That’s his spare, broken down in that case, but he never took his favorite pole apart.”