Hailey's Missing
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Rick looked at his son and then held out the picture of the pretty blonde. "Do you know Hailey Brooks?"
Jesse just glanced at the picture and handed it back to him. "Yeah."
"She's missing."
"Missing?"
"Yeah, her family hasn't heard from her since Friday."
"What do you think happened to her?" Jesse asked, as he leaned back against the work bench.
"I don't know."
"Have you talked to Sheri West or Matt Dunton?"
"Both of them. Neither of them really told me anything.”
Jesse folded his arms across his chest. “I wouldn’t have expected them to.”
“What do mean by that?”
“Just what I said. Sheri won’t talk because she’s Hailey’s best friend and Matt won’t talk because, well, just because he won’t. He hates cops, well, really anybody in authority. That’s why he’s always in trouble at school.”
“That doesn’t make sense. I’m trying to help Hailey.”
“That doesn’t matter. To them, well, you’re kind of the enemy. I mean, for real, Dad, you are on the opposite side of things. You’re just another adult trying to interfere in something that’s none of your business, digging into personal stuff and trying to control what’s going on. And since you’re a cop, it’s even worse. Like, in general, people are afraid of cops, like they have to hide who they really are and what they’re into. ”
“I’m not trying to control anything. I’m just trying to find out what happened to a sixteen-year-old girl, trying to bring her family some piece of mind.”
“But you’re trying to get people to tell secrets.”
“I’m trying to get people to tell the truth.”
“It’s the same thing.”
“Well, what do you know about Hailey?"
Jesse looked at his father. “Didn’t you hear a thing I just said?”
“I’m not asking you to tell secrets. I just want to know what she’s like at school, who she’s friends with besides Sheri and Matt, whether there is anybody else I should talk to.”
Jesse sighed.
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About the Book
When seventeen-year-old Hailey Brooks goes missing one Friday night, Chief of Police Jameson has few leads. The young girl has been living like an adult--making her own decisions and making her own mistakes. Even her family does not know she is missing until the critical first 48 hours have passed. And, the small Maine community’s teenagers are keeping secrets instead of helping in the investigation. As he interviews witnesses and friends of the missing girl, he encounters details of drug and alcohol parties, friends with benefits, and internet porn. But, nothing brings him any closer to discovering what happened to Hailey and her 2003 Tacoma.
As the investigation unfolds and interviews continue, Chief Jameson suspects that these young men, possibly his own seventeen-year-old son know more about the missing girl and her secret life than they are telling. But, will Chief Jameson get them to trust him enough to tell the truth? Will he find Hailey before it’s too late?
About the Author
Linda M. Orlando was born and grew up in downeast Maine. She has always loved books and began making up her own stories before she was able to write. She enjoys creating characters who bring to life the traditional Maine qualities of strength, independence, and compassion. Her stories are often set on the coast of Maine, where the sparkling ocean water and the majestic Maine pine trees provide a realistic backdrop for her characters as they interact with each other.
When she is not writing, Linda enjoys long walks along the shore with her husband of twenty-five years, and visits to Maine's islands and lighthouses. She is an artist and photographer who loves to paint seascapes and lighthouses. She is also an online college instructor who teaches courses in college composition and creative writing since completing her Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing through National University's online degree program in 2007.
Linda's publishing credits include GuestHouse published by Awe-struck E-books in 2000 and Island Boy published by Wings EPress and PawPrints Publishing in 2002.