Found Missing: Day 3

 Word Count: 18,011

Summary of Events:

Because of the suggestion that Mrs. Hardwick had been moved into a seniors' home, Dallas checked all the ones in the area, but found that none of them had any record of her having lived at or being soon moved to them. Having retrieved the body of the dog from the snowbank before undertaking that search, Dallas then dropped it off at one of the veterinary clinics in town, requesting an autopsy to hopefully determine when the dog had died, as he suspected the dog had died on the same day its mistress had disappeared. He then told the detachment detective all he'd found, done, and hypothesised, which was enough to convince the detective to accompany him back to Mrs. Hardwick's home the following morning . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

Det. Sgt. Nash handed him a pair of gloves and Dallas put them on before leading the way to the back door, which opened just as easily as it had before, and stepping inside.

Dallas said nothing as he followed Det. Sgt. Nash through the house in a different route than he’d taken the day before, but one that still inspected everything just the same.

“You didn’t mention the cracked mirror,” Det. Sgt. Nash said.

“I’m sorry sir,” Dallas replied.

“Not that it looks like it’d be significant,” Det. Sgt. Nash said.

The comment felt like a bit of a shot to Dallas, what was the point of his being critiqued for not mentioning something if it wasn’t going to be considered significant? Dallas didn’t understand.

“I also didn’t check the basement at all sir,” Dallas said. “I figured I wouldn’t find anything since I wasn’t smelling a body.”

Det. Sgt. Nash nodded and Dallas followed him to the head of the stairs and down into what was a somewhat dim basement, but thankfully the power was still on to the property, meaning that they were able to turn on the lights and illuminate what looked to be a significant mess to Dallas.

The basement, it appeared, had been the primary target of the search, as it seemed every single box was open, some of the cardboard ones having been torn, the flimsier plastic ones smashed or cracked, and the contents of the boxes scattered over the floor.

Most of the contents were decorations for every season of the year, including glass Christmas balls shattered on the floor.

“They were looking for something specific,” Dallas said.

“Obviously,” Det. Sgt. Nash said. “They didn’t steal the TV or any jewelry.”

Dallas felt stupid for having said anything. Det. Sgt. Nash had been a detective, if Dallas wasn’t mistaken, for at least five years, and he’d probably been able to be a part of other investigations as well before he was promoted to said position.

As they moved through the basement, though, Dallas felt like part of the basement was missing, it seemed to be pretty much just the large storage area, that was neatly finished and had likely been a secondary living room back in the day, along with a small half bath.

“This can’t be all there is,” Dallas said.

“What do you mean?” Det. Sgt. Nash asked.

“It’s not as big as the upstairs,” Dallas replied.

“It’s bigger than the upstairs,” Det. Sgt. Nash said.

“No it isn’t,” Dallas replied. “It’s too small. There had to have at least been a bedroom, or, like, a real storage room. It isn’t big enough.”

“It’s a different perspective down here,” Det. Sgt. Nash said. “Guaranteed when you measure it up it’s all going to match.”

“Got a measuring tape to prove it?” Dallas asked.

“Don’t get smart with me kid,” Det. Sgt. Nash replied. “Come on, let’s go wait for forensics.”