Cooked Goose

phone, less than an hour ago, he had been down in the dumps. He had driven into Los Angeles and talked to the father of the young man who had been beaten by the guys wearing star rings. The trail was so stale, he hadn’t gotten anywhere with it.
    But once Savannah had told him about her conversation with Mama Talula, the fourth ring, and the “captain” reference, and he had been downright chipper. Apparently, something had happened to send him into another depression. Lately, he had been more moody than Vidalia.
    Margie saw him, too, and took her cue. “I’ll take the kids to the rest room and wash their hands,” she said. “Then we’ll play in the balls.”
    “Thanks a lot.” She smiled at Margie and delighted in the warmth of the smile she received in return. This tough, bratty kid was turning out to have a sweet soul after all. “You know,” Savannah added, “you should have been a big sister. You’re really good at it.”
    “Not as good as you.”
    “Actually, better.”
    Margie and the kids vacated the booth and Dirk took their place.
    “Tracked me down, huh?” she said.
    “I didn’t exactly find this detective’s badge in a Cracker Jack box, you know.” He reached for some of Jillian’s cold, leftover fries.
    “Who ratted me out, Tammy or Vi?”
    “Fluff head.”
    “That does it, I’m going to take away all those benefits of hers, all those fancy perks.”
    “Perks? She gets perks?”
    Savannah laughed. “Heck, at the moment she does well to get paid. So, why did you track me down?”
    “I wanted to give you the good news and the bad news.” She took another drink of her malt. “Okay, give me the bad first. I’m ready.”
    “Another cop is missing.”
    She nearly choked on her drink. “You’re kidding. Shit. Who is it?”
    “Well, that’s what might be construed as the good news. Or maybe not...” He looked over at Margie, who was laughing, playing with the children, tossing them into the middle of the balls. “It’s Bloss. He didn’t come into the station this morning, or call in.”
    “Did anybody go out to the house?”
    “We sent Famon and McMurtry out. They looked the place over, said nothing seemed out of the ordinary.”
    “Wanna go look ourselves? See if we can find anything out of the ordinary?”
    The very thought of getting to snoop through the high and mighty Captain Bloss’s things brought a grin to her face. Dirk was wearing one just like hers.
    “Sure,” he said. “There are several things I’d like to look
    for.”
    “Like maybe a certain ring?”
    “Exactly. Sh-h-h, we probably shouldn’t tell her yet.” He nodded toward Margie, who was coming back to the table.
    “No, there’s no point in worrying her any more than she needs to be, but...”
    “I came back for my Coke,” Margie said, reaching for the soda. “They’re really having fun in there.”
    “I know,” Savannah said, “but we’re going to have to cut out of here in a few minutes. I have to go somewhere with Dirk. I’ll drive you three back to the house first.”
    “Okay, but you have to drag them out of the balls. I can tell you right now, it won’t be easy.”
    “I’m sure you’re right.” Savannah hesitated, then said as casually as possible. “Margie, does your father still have his wedding ring, the one he wore when he was married to your mom?”
    She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess so. I never heard that he threw it away or gave it to anybody.”
    “If he did have it... or some other sentimental piece of jewelry... like maybe an old watch, where do you think he would keep it?”
    “I’m not sure, but he has an old green box, like a little trunk with metal corners. I think it was from when he was in the Army. He’s got some keepsake type things in there, like his Army medals and his birth certificate, stuff like that. He keeps it under the sleeping bag in his bedroom closet. Why?” Savannah looked over at Dirk, but she could see he was going to let her handle this one.
    “ Savannah ...” Margie sat down on the seat next to her, looking worried. “...is my dad in some kind of trouble?“
    “I’m not going to lie to you, Margie,” she said, “He may be. We aren’t sure yet. Dirk is going to do everything he can for your dad because your father is Dirk’s captain. And I’m going to do all I can because he’s your dad and you’re my friend.”
    “Thank you. Can you at least tell me what kind of trouble it is?”
    “I would, honey, but right