WITHOUT A TRACE: She goes far
FANFICTION STORY BY K.KUPARINEN
http://www.geocities.com/holmesmania/withoutatrace.html

1.Missing: Lisa Linney: 35

The scene couldn't have been more ordinary when agent Martin Fitzgerald entered the FBI office. Vivian Johnson was standing in front of a white board, talkint to Samantha Spade and Danny Taylor. Jack Malone, their boss, was presumably in his room.
"Good morning", 
Martin said cheerfully, and got somewhat puzzled looks back. Danny fingered his tie. It's color was exactly the same shade as Martin's. Danny didn't like it but Martin didn't seem to notice anything. He sat down as Vivian continued.
"To sum up, Lisa Linney, 35, went to work yesterday, didn't return home. His husband noticed her missing this morning."
"So she might have been missing 24 hours now?", asked Danny.
"Hope not. I'm going to interview her husband, someone needs to go to her workplace...?"
"I'll go", Samantha volunteered.
"I'm coming with you", said Danny quickly.
"So it's you and I, Martin, to see mr. Linney", Vivian said. 
"Let's go".

The Linney's house looked smart and white, situated in a good neighborhood. A shiny four-wheeler was parked on the lane.
"Bet they have two and a half kid, a dog and a swimming pool in backyard", Martin joked. Vivian didn't answer as a pale, forty-year-old man opened the door. The agents introduced themselves and mr. Linney lead them to the living-room.
"So, did you notice anything strange with your wife's behaviour in that morning?" Vivian asked.
"No, nothing. She was... acting the same way as she always does."
"How long have you been married?" asked Martin, who was looking at the photos on the bookshelf.
"Six years... No, we don't have children, she didn't... we don't want children".
"Has she been missing before?"
"N-no... She's always let me know if she's going somewhere".
"And when did you last see her?"
"Yesterday morning, I told you already".
"Why didn't you report us yesterday? You must have noticed she didn't come home."
"I couldn't... I have a stressfull time at the hospital and so I took sleeping pills in the evening to get some sleep. Oh I hope I wouldn't have done that! What if it's too late...". Mr. Linney buried his face in his hands and started weeping.
"Don't lose your hope", Vivian started with a supporting voice, "Just tell us everything we need to know and we should be able to find her. Do you know anyone who'd want to hurt your wife or you?"
Mr. Linney shook his head.
"No, we like to keep low profile and avoid all sort of fight and... No".
"Thank you, mr.Linney", Vivian said, "Does your wife own a car?"
"Yes, a dark blue, four doored sedan. Yes, she went to work with it. I have the registration number somewhere..."
By the door mr. Linney said, once more:
"You find her and bring back to me. She's my only one".
"He seemed to be very upset", Martin noticed when he and Vivian walked back to their car.
"So upset he forget to tell all?" Vivian said. Martin raised his eyebrown. Vivian continued:
"We'd better trace that car now."

"So this is where Lisa Linney works", Danny said as they stepped into a modern decorated law office. It wasn't too big, it was clearly a two or three lawyer's office, but it seemed a quite succesful one.
"Jealous, are you?" Samantha threw back as Danny's finger's were running on a mahongary table. A handsome, 30 year old man came towards them.
"I'm John Miller, 'Miller & Son's' son", he said with a big, white smile. 
"How can I help you?"
"We're investigating the missing of Lisa Linney..." Samantha started. John Miller's eyes were the size of a dessert plates.
"Missing? And I thought she's just late or something. How can you know she's missing?"
"Was she at work yesterday?" Danny asked.
"Yes, she's actually my father's secretary..."
"Did you notice anything in her behaviour or...?"
"No, but why should I have?" mr. Miller wondered.
"Can we see your father then?"
"He's on a holiday overseas, left couple of days ago. But maybe some other workers know something? I really would want to help you but unfortunately I can't"
He seemed like he rally was sorry for that. But he was also a lawyer, Danny thought.
"And that is her desk", John Miller said showing it to the agents. He went off and Danny started examining the desk. Samantha caught John Miller's secretary.
"So there was nothing unusual in her appearance?"
"No, she was completely normal", said the secretary.
"I don't see why anyone would want to hurt her. She left work at 4.30 pm. Straight home? I don't know. She quite often went to 'Rosebud'. I think it's a coffee house. I've never been there, it's too far away."
Samantha wrote down vital information and came to Danny.
"This desk is very neat", he said, "and there's not much personal things in it."
"Anything unusual?"
"Well, the photo of his husband was in her upper drawer, upside down."
"That's not too exceptional, is it?"
"Maybe not. I didn't find her calendar either. You had better luck?"
"She might have went to the 'Rosebud' after work".
"Rosebud? What does that mean?"


2. Rosebud

The white board wasn't all white anymore. A photo of a woman with dark hair and an intelligent look was placed on the upper corner. Under it was a timeline: 7 am left to work, 8.30 am at work, 4.30pm left work. Last remark was 'Rosebud', with three question marks.
"She's been missing 20 hours now", said Jack Malone, " What do you make of it?"
"I think we need to go to the Rosebud to see if she's been there", Samantha said. Danny agreed.
"But if she haven't, then we're back to square one. She can be anywhere, don't forget her car's missing too", Vivian reminded.
"Not anymore", Martin said and put down the handset.
"It's been found outside town, on a remote road." 
Jack started to give orders.
"Okay then. You two can go check the car, I'm going with Danny to see 'Rosebud'. And Samantha, you don't mind calling to the hospitals?"

"Somehow I imagined 'Rosebud' to be a littlebit more..."
"Elegant?" Jack finished Danny's sentence. Rosebud wasn't anything like the modern cafes downtown, but it wasn't scruffy either, far from it.
"What is it in this place that made Lisa Linney come here more than once? Surely it isn't the athmosprehe", Danny hashed over.
"I think it's exectly that" Jack said to Dannys surprise.
"You must have noticed, that it isn't on Lisa Linney's straight way home. It is also situated quite far away from her work."
"So it's a place where she might be able to have a quiet cup of coffee?" Danny said but Jack didn't answer as they we're now inside the coffee house.
"Have you seen this woman?" Jack asked the man behind the counter. The man looked the picture suspiciously.
"What if I have?" he said, but because both Danny and Jack looked him with a severe look, he continued:
"Okay, she's been here sometimes. Think she was here yesterday too. No, I don't know when she came. But I do know when she left. It was six o'clock."
"How can you know it for sure?" Danny asked.
"Well, I was just curious. One of my employees went off the same time she did. And I found it strange she got on to the same dark car your ladyfriend had come here."
"What do you mean?"
"Ask her", the man pointed his finger towards a woman cleaning a table nearby.
"She got on to that car".
The woman made a movement towards the door. Danny quickly blocked her way.
"Can we ask you some questions?" he asked.
"Apparently, you will do that", said the woman rudely.
Jack show her the photo of Lisa Linney.
"Yes, I've... seen her. But I don't know her as a person."
"But you were seen going off with her?"
"No, we left the same time, but..."
"In any case, you're the last who's seen her. Would you mind coming with us to the HQ to give a statement?" Jack asked.
"I have work to do..." started the woman but her boss interrupted:
"You were going to quit working here today anyway, you might as well go now".
"Interesting", mumbled Jack. 
The woman took her jacket and refused to speak until they reached the HQ

The car of Lisa Linney was now in police's storage.
"It's looking dirty outside, but I can't see any marks of violence", Vivian started.
"Inside is very neat", Martin marked as he opened the drive's side door. Vivian opened the other door.
"Look at this", she said after opening the glove compartment.
"It's empty", Martin said. They looked for anything that could tell them a littlebit more of the movements of Lisa Linney, but they found none.
"No clue of why she drove there... " Vivian started as a mechanic came towards them.
"I don't think this car was droven there", he said and earned the surprised looks from the two agents.
"Why is that?"
"The tranny, for example, is in a very poor condition."
"And what do you think may have caused it?"
"Perhaps the car has been dragged by another car, the gear's been on or..." Martin interrupted:
"You think it's been dragged?"
"Yes, there's clear marks on the axle..." said the mechanic ready to bend under the car.
"We'll take your word for it, thank you".

When they got back, Samantha was examinig the white board. 
"There hasn't been anyone in the hospitals who could be her."
Jack was in his room, questioning the waitress.

"Yes, I know who Lisa Linney is. But I don't know her personally", the woman said. She sounded bored, her head leaned to her other hand. She tapped the table with her red fingernails of her other hand. Jack had a feeling the waitress was either a very difficult person or she was hiding something.
"It's true, I left work the same time she went off, but I didn't went off with her. She left alone."
"But you were seen..." Jack started defiantly.
"I was seen to climb to a car, not Lisa's car but another. She had already left..."
"Can you prove it?"
"Prove? What do you mean? Am I the prosecuted here?"
"No. But you are the last person, who's known to see her. You've also been seen getting on to a car that ressembles that of Lisa Linney's So it's a routine for me to ask you, where were you last night?"
"I..." she started but a voice behind her interrupter:
"She was with me".
The woman turned over, Jack glanced upwards. They were both surprised to find Martin Fitzgerald standing by the doorway.



3. Secret lives

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Jack, but I couldn't help it."
The impression on the woman's face had changed, she was smiling. Jack, on the other hand, looked even more puzzled he had been before. Martin answered to that look:
"So it seems I'm her alibi. And I'm sure anything Nat says is true", he gave an encouraging look to the woman,
"But why are the other's talking about a waitress?"
"What do you mean?" Jack asked, still puzzled with the new turn.
"He means, I'm no waitress. Here you see, the one and only, Natasha Earn, P.I."
"What!" Jack  had a hard time trying to keep his voice down, 
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask", Nat said calmnly. Before Jack could say anything back, Martin leaned towards him:
"Let me handle this".
"I don't think you should, if you know her too well".
"Trust me", Martin said.
"But can we trust her and what she says?" Jack asked. Martin blinked his eyes in disbelief.
"I count my head she's honest. If you don't believe, send Samantha here."
Martin and Nat was left alone.
"I didn't know that woman was missing until I heard it from your colleagues", Nat started. Martin looked her berately.
"Why did you mislead Jack?"
"I didn't... I don't like the way he accused me..."
"He didn't accuse you. We're just trying to find a missing woman."
Samantha has stepped in, Jack was by the doorway.
"Okay, I'll tell uou all I know about her. But I don't know if it's any good to you. I've spent couple of weeks spying Lisa Linney. Her husband hired me to do that. I found out she used 'Rosebud' as a rendez-vpus to meet her lover, mr. Miller."
This new information puzzled the agents.
"You're saying her husband hired a private detective?"
"Yes. He wanted to know if mrs. Linney was seeing someone. He wanted to make sure she didn't, despiting his jealous suspicions."
"And now he knows he's right?"
"No, he doesn't have any proves yet. I am going to give the photos I've taken to him tomorrow."
"Did you say she was seeing mr. Miller?"
"Yes. She usually went to 'Rosebud' and met him there before... going anywhere."
"And yesterday?"
"She came, but he didn't. She left alone, I didn't really watch her doings that evening, I... had an engagement of my own."
Everyone cast a quick glance at Martin, who moved his eyes from Nat to the ceiling.

The mood next morning wasn't very good. The white board had a couple of new marks.
"She's been missing nearly 40 hours," Vivian reminded as the agents were gathered by the table.
"She was clearly waiting for someone in 'Rosebud'", Samantha said.
"My bet goes to that mr. Miller", Danny added.
"Senior or junior?" Jack asked.
"Senior's on a trip, maybe she has ran away with him?"
"Senior's on a trip with his wife. And it was that big teethed John Miller, who was her lover", Danny cleared. Samantha pointed out that John Miller didn't have big teeth.
"She's had a call just after she left work", Martin announced, "from a phone booth, just got it's address."
"Okay, I'm not sure if it's any good, but we're better check it out. And visit mr. John Miller again."

"He does have quite big teeth", Martin whispered to Samantha as they walked towards John Miller.
"Yes, I remember you", mr. Miller smiled at Samantha, "How can I help you?"
WWe have a reason to assume you called mrs. Linney the day she went missing", Martin said. John Miller's smile freezed.
"We knowabout your... relations to mrs. Linney."
"I've never tried to hide it from you, you know..."
The agents' expressions show they didnt quite take it.
"But I didn't call her."
"The call was made from a phone booth at 4.45pm."
"No, I never use those. And I was in my office till 5pm, ask anyone."
Martin's phone rang. He answered it, said couple of time "okay" before saying "bye".
"Samantha", he said, "we're better get going."

A bunch of kids were sitting on a stairs nearby the phone booth, playing with an electronic game. Danny went to ask them, if they've noticed anything strange lately.
"No-one uses that booth", said one.
"Yes they do!" said the other, "I saw it. You must remember that big, dusty car."
"A big car?", Danny repeated.
"Yes, a big city Jeep".
"No, it wasn't!" said the one with the game, "I think it was Range Rover".
"You remember wrong!", said third kid.
"Mr. Linney has a four-wheeler!", Vivian remembered.


4.
"Mr. Linney, are you there?" Samantha shouted and knocked hard the Linneys' door. Martin came towards her.
"All curtains closed, car's gone too".
Vivian and Danny drove to the lane. Their clue had also lead to mr. Linney. Samantha made a gesture, they realized mr. Linney's gone.
"If your looking for the Linneys, they left earlier this morning", said a man nextdoor. He had been watching the agents for some time.
"The Linneys? You mean mr. Linney?"
"No, well, I only saw mr. Linney, but I got the idea mrs. Linney was with her too."
Vivian's phone rang. She answered, it was a short call. She turned to others, who were standing in a circle near her.
"It was Jack, he wants us to go back. The case is closed."
"What!" said the others in disbelief".
"Lisa Linney's been found. He'll tell us more when we get back.

"The honour of finding Lisa Linney goes to a road patrol," started Jack. The confused agents were listening him attentively.
"They pulled mr. Linney over, and found mrs. Linney in the boot."
"Was she alive?", Danny asked.
"Yes, in quite a bad shape though. Mr. Linney was presumably heading to their summer cottage, for police found him having extra keys."
"So, even if the police wouldn't have found her, we would have. That cottage couldn't stay hidden very long" Samantha said.
"Yes, but the time we figured that out it may have been too late"
"Luckily we didn't have to find that out, eventhought we didn't get the glory of finding her", Danny reasoned.
"What in the world was mr. Linney trying to do!" Martin said.
"Who knows," Vivian said, "jealous human is incalculable creature."

The agents scattered around ready to go home. Jack pulled Martin aside.
"You do understand your responsibilities...", he started. Martin looked as he didn't first realize what Jack was talking about.
"... as your boss I advise you to be careful with that private investigator, I mean, your doings doesn't belong to me but in the case she uses any infrmation that has come from the FBI..."
"You're right, my doings doesn't belong to you," Martin said. Jack looked serious.
"But I assure you she's no thread to my career," Martin closed the conversation and walked off.