In Plain Sight

"Everyone loves Glenn," Marilyn Bennett said.

The spokesperson for the victims of the Montpellier Police Department is an old lady about 60 years old. She has a plump figure and a kind face. Her silver-gray hair is carefully tied into a bun.Whenever Glenn was mentioned, her eyes were always a little red.

Nash smiled sympathetically: "This must be the most unique case in the history of the judiciary."

"Hey, look." Marilyn wiped her nose with a tissue, "I don't mean those criminals, but even at that time, it was rumored that although Glenn was a bit tougher, he was still a police officer who would act impartially— —He also...has a very good reputation now, unlike..." She hesitated to speak.

"Not like Officer Previn?"

She said stiffly: "Len is a good man and an honest police officer."

"What happened between Previn and Glenn? Glenn is Previn's boss, right?"

"Nothing happened!" Her eyes widened behind her square-rimmed glasses. "What the hell are you trying to say?"

"Previn is under investigation and Glenn must have spoken to his subordinate."

"That's true, but...it's up to Sergeant Collier to decide whether to continue the investigation. And, no matter what you say, the State Police Department has taken over the case."

aha!The detectives on TV tend to have a sudden inspiration at this moment.Glenn's talking to his subordinates is not yet a motive, but it undoubtedly proves that there is conflict and tension between the two colleagues.This situation is very likely to become very bad in a short period of time.No one knows this kind of thing better than Nash.It is feasible to use this as a starting point for further investigation.

Nash did not continue to press, he changed the direction: "Glenn was the acting police chief for two months in 2011. Why is this? What happened?"

"The former Sheriff Talbot died very suddenly, so Glenn was appointed by the City Council to act as Sheriff until the new Sheriff took office."

"Glenn doesn't want the position?"

Her eyes dimmed, "No, I believe he wants to do it."

"Then why didn't he continue?"

Marilyn absently fiddled with the heart-shaped glass sculpture on the table. "The city council thought he was too young for this position. I remember he was only about 30 years old at the time."

Glenn was 32 at the time, young, but not too young.Maybe there were other reasons why the city council didn't consider him, and Nash could think of at least one.

"How did Glenn feel about losing his chance for a promotion?"

"Oh, this is actually not what you think."

That's right, that's it.But Nash said calmly: "Yes, of course not. But I guess he must have some ideas?"

"He never mentioned it to anyone."

"And how did he get on with Sheriff Collier?"

"Very well, I think Glenn likes Sheriff Collier, and Sheriff Collier thinks highly of Glenn."

Maybe so, maybe not.Glenn was gay and worked for law enforcement in a suburban county.Nash can be sure that he is very good at hiding his emotions.

Nash changed the subject again, "I know Glenn isn't married, so is there someone special to him?"

Marilyn stared at him for a moment, then shook her head.

"No? None?"

She said bluntly: "At least I don't know."

It's not that she doesn't know, on the contrary, she obviously knows something, which is interesting.

The Montpellier Police Department and the Sheriff's Department in Belle Lake have taken all appropriate contingency measures to trace Glenn's last seen location.Airport surveillance footage confirmed that Glenn had indeed left in his own car.

Nash looked at the airport surveillance again and again: In the rough black and white footage, Glenn waved goodbye to the airport security personnel as usual.The back figure striding away on the screen in front of him did not reveal any particular tension or pressure.

Nash couldn't feel at ease.Every passing hour made him more and more hopeless, he'd been through it too much, and he knew what could happen after it.

He had an ominous feeling.

Glenn's whereabouts mattered to her and him, really mattered.He tried to bring himself to look at it objectively, as if Glenn's disappearance was just another case—yes, that was it.The reason why he paid so much attention to this matter was because they knew each other and had a good relationship... acquaintances.But—come on, who is he kidding?In fact, Glenn's disappearance left him feeling hollowed out, the unknown and the fear... No missing person investigation ever made him the way he is now.It felt awful, a real torture.

There must be something else he can do.

But what can he do?

The Montpellier Police Department has inspected Glenn's house and garage, and there is no indication that Glenn returned home after taking Nash to the airport.

The Montpellier Police Department and the Sheriff's Department made numerous investigations back and forth between Pocatello and Montpellier, and there was no indication that an accident occurred during the nine 10-minute drive.Glenn is not in any hospital, nor is he in a prison or morgue.His parents have had no news of him, nor has his brother in Montana.

Nash drove his own car on his first day back in Montpellier.He slowed the car down and carefully checked each mountain road for brake marks, oil stains, broken bumpers, or any clues related to the accident.

Glenn was driving his own personal car, so it wasn't equipped with a GPS system.Calls to him also go straight to voicemail, and it's clear his phone is out of battery.

"Is there any progress with the search and rescue team?" Nash asked Collier.It was now his second day in Idaho, and it had been more than 48 hours since Glenn disappeared. "Should we let the helicopter equipped with infrared detection go to check around there?"

"Where to search?" Collier asked angrily.Nash could feel his boredom just by looking at him. "Agent West, have you taken a good look around here? We're surrounded by mountains and forests, we can't send a helicopter out into the open country and say, 'Go find it!' Please understand, we A search scope must first be determined."

"We've run out of options."

"If Glenn was here, he would be the first to say that we need to use the resources we have wisely."

Will he?Nash knew very little about Glenn.But it's true that Glenn doesn't seem like a guy who would be stupid in an emergency, and neither is Nash, but he's never been in a situation like this before.On the day they said goodbye to Glenn, they hugged each other for the last time.From that day to now, Nash seems to have passed a lifetime.

I should have held him tight.

It's a crazy idea, but if only he could have held Glenn a little longer... because sometimes, a lot of earth-shaking changes happen in a flash.A person may span life and death in a matter of seconds.Because a deer may suddenly jump into the road, a driver may pull the car into the wrong side of the road, and the blinding sun will temporarily blind your eyes. These accidents happen only for a few seconds.

Or there are worse things.

evil thing.

Nash stabilized his voice: "What about the authorization to investigate his bank records? Have you got it?"

"It will be available at noon. We found a judge who sympathizes with him, and his phone records will be available at noon." Collier looked at Nash heavily. "The fire department has also joined the search and rescue."

Nash nodded.

"We'll find him," Collier said firmly.

It's just that neither of them used the word "alive" again.

***

"He's a nice guy," Officer Kent Dan told Nash while drinking coffee at Edna's Café.Dan has just joined the Montpellier Police Department, less than a year into his tenure.His collar looked a little too big for him, and he had a few pimples on his forehead. "Just a little bit alone, I guess."

"Why do you say that?"

Dan shrugged. "No wife, no kids, no girlfriends. He rarely talks about himself."

Nash felt his throat tighten, and worked hard to squeeze out a few words: "Maybe he likes that."

Dan glanced at the gold ring on his left hand involuntarily. "Everybody wants these things, doesn't they? A home, and family?"

"A person who can share weal and woe?"

"Yes." Dan missed the sarcasm in the words.Maybe Nash didn't mean to say that.

No, not everyone wants the same things -- at least Nash never wanted them.In other words, he always feels that these things are not important, and there is always time to solve them later.His first priority has always been his job, position and career.He had a nice house in Virginia, but he barely lived in it.He also has friends, but they are all his colleagues; he will get together with his family during the holidays, and these alone are enough for him to worry about.Nash had occasional lovers, but none of them gave him the idea of ​​settling down.

Have you considered working elsewhere?He had asked Glenn that Saturday morning.Jesus, is it really Saturday morning?It feels like this has happened in a previous life.They lay in Glenn's bed that day, and Glenn stared gloomily at the ceiling.Gray eyes like rain beating on the windows.He turned his head to look at Nash, "It's not easy to start over, let alone finding a job is so difficult now."

That's right.He was right.

"How old are you?"

Glenn pursed his lips, the corners of his mouth curled downward, and Nash could tell that Glenn wanted to laugh.He resisted touching the laugh lines on Glenn's face, and his stubbled cheeks. "I'm 34, relatively too old."

Yes, this age is indeed a bit old.Not quite the upper limit, but pretty close.He was less likely to be hired than younger applicants with the same qualifications.Nash was a little scared that he would ask such a question.

But what frightened him even more was that he actually wanted to continue the discussion.

"Suppose an employment agency offers you a great position but requires you to move south. Would you accept that?"

Glenn frowned. "How good? What kind of job?"

Nash shrugged.If this continues, he will make a bunch of promises that he can't keep. "I have a lot of connections."

"is it?"

Nash finally couldn't help it, and his fingertips slid across Glenn's hard, angular jaw.He seemed to be able to see Glenn's character of not turning back when he hit the south wall, "That's right."

Finally, Glenn spoke slowly and with a hint of caution: "Collier will retire in two years, and I am the successor to the Sheriff."

"But it doesn't have to be you."

"Indeed." Glenn pursed his lips, and then stared at the ceiling in a daze.

Now, Nash can feel the helplessness and pain in his words at that time.

That night, Nash had dinner at Glenn's house, and I have to say that Glenn's workmanship is really good.After dinner, Glenn said, "The FBI has a divisional office in Pocatello."

"I know, in Yancheng City."

Glenn's eyes lit up, and he smiled and said, "You've already checked."

"Yes, I checked, but... from the perspective of career development, it's almost like Siberia." The light in Glenn's eyes disappeared, and Nash really didn't want to see him like this.He tried to lighten the mood: "The scenery in Idaho is much more beautiful than that."

"Yes, we do have a good view." Glenn still smiled, but it was not the bright smile just now.How Nash wished he had never brought up the subject, so that he would not have to give others and himself any false hope.

The sex that night was hearty, every position was as passionate as before, and every movement satisfied the body and mind.But Nash inexplicably felt a little uneasy.He wasn't one to be introspective, but he had an uncomfortable feeling of yearning for something.His relationship with Glenn could only go so far, but Nash knew it wasn't enough.

But does he have any other choice?

No, once he got home, or even at all, he'd forget about Glenn.Their affair was a nice interlude, a respite after an escape from reality that wasn't real life after all.

As they watched the fading moon move from one side of the bedroom window to the other, Glenn asked, "Have you thought about doing a job other than traveling like this?"

Nash shook his head regretfully: "No."

That's the end of the topic.

Now, Nash asked Dan, "What about the investigation into Officer Previn?"

"Why are you asking this?" Dan immediately showed a defensive look.

"Such an investigation would certainly strain their relationship."

"Inspector Harlow will definitely be on Previn's side. He always supports his subordinates."

"Is Previn always so overzealous at work?"

Dan blushed. "We're not FBI agents." He said quickly, "Sometimes we have to do even the less glamorous things."

"Ouch." Nash grinned.

After a while, Dan was no longer nervous: "Well, I'm sorry, Detective West, being a police officer in the suburbs is different from your jobs. We are people from two worlds."

Nash didn't pursue the topic. "So Previn and Harlow get on well?"

"of course."

"Has Inspector Harlow been threatened? Has he had an argument with anyone?"

"I don't know, Glenn is in the office most of the time, and most of what he does is management and administration." Dan was about to say something more, but he stopped.

"What else?" Nash asked.

Dan shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he misses being out on missions. I think he's always thought desk work was boring. I think he's been in a bad mood."

***

Working in a law enforcement agency, you always believe in the serendipity of life, the inevitability.Just like good people don't live long, but evil people last for thousands of years.The sky falls on anyone who happens to be standing under it.For many years, Nash has never believed in that kind of fate, or karma.

But, if only he could numb himself with lies.For example, the reason why he met Glenn and cared about Glenn was because he would be the one to seek justice for Glenn.But if fate really was at work, why couldn't his reasons for meeting Glenn be simpler and more benevolent?Like he'd find Glenn eventually.

No, you can’t let yourself think like that, or the next second you’re going to blame God for not doing anything to you, and the next second you’re going to start praying to God for everything.

Things don't always happen for a reason, sometimes they happen to people you care about.There is no moral to this story, or it is not a story at all, perhaps just a series of unconnected events.

There are no pictures on Glenn's desk.A big clean white coffee cup is printed on it: No matter how good a student is, my son can arrest you.Today's newspaper published a feature report interviewing Glenn's parents. They are very good and kind people. They firmly believe that Glenn is still alive and that he has no enemies.From their point of view, Glenn would never leave his job without permission, nor would he just leave the family who loved him and relied on him.Nash wished he had the courage to talk to Glenn's parents, even if it was for himself, not for the two old men.But what could he say?What was it that Glenn's parents didn't understand?Their son is a good guy?And is someone worthy of love?This kind of thing they already know.

In Glenn's inbox was a pile of unchecked mail and some reports, with a large opal pressed as a paperweight.

The desk is neat, and the documents on it are arranged in an orderly manner, but it is not the kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder.There was a faint smell of old spices in the drawer, and this vague smell made Nash's chest ache.

It looked like Glenn was too busy with work.His inbox was piling up with emails from the past few days, and the message light on his phone was blinking.These messages are piled up there, and no one wants to check them out.

There are many framed pictures on the wall behind Glenn's desk, and inside are various certificates and awards.Glenn had gone through all this training and preparation to get that job, but the damn city councilor would never let him do it, and it wasn't because he was too young, apparently.

A large framed print stands out in this small office.In the photo, a blue lake is surrounded by mountains and pine trees.

"Where was this filmed?" Nash took the coffee that Marilyn handed him.

"That's Lake Bear. It's beautiful, isn't it? It's the limestone at the bottom that gives the water its color." She looked wistful. "Glenn used to go fishing there a lot."

She used the past tense.In just three short days, Glenn was already dead in their hearts.

"Did Glenn take this picture?"

"No, of course not!" Marilyn was amused, "Glenn is not an artist, he is just an ordinary guy."