Ultimate Nyssa Glass by H. Burke (ebook reader browser txt) 📗

couple, but it wasn’t true. There was one thing that was true, though. Undeniably. “I love her. She’s everything to me, and if I lose her, I’ll never forgive myself. Please, just take her description.”

The frown-lines on the sergeant’s forehead softened. He rubbed his mustache, reached into a desk drawer, and pulled out a piece of paper. “Bring this back when you’re done. I’m not making any promises, though.”

Ellis wheeled to an empty desk and took up the pen with a chain attached to it. Hair color … brown. Eye color … hazely-brown with flecks of green. Approximate height … five two? Five three? Well, they say approximate. Weight? Oh blast, how would I know? 80 pounds? No, that’s way too light. I’ll just put “petite.” That’s safe. I wonder if she’s going to ever read this? Unique physical attributes such as scars, birthmarks? Beautiful.

He set down the pen and rubbed his forehead. Dear Lord, please let me see her again. Let her be all right.

Someone touched his shoulder, and he started. He glanced up into Theo’s red eyes.

“Hey, sorry, Theo. Let me take this to the sergeant, and we’ll be done here. I promise.” Returning to the sergeant’s desk, he slid the filled out form over to him.

The sergeant cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help. Procedure and all, but unofficially, I’ll keep an eye out. I hope you find her.”

“Thanks.” Ellis managed a weary smile.

They stepped out of the police department into the humid air.

“What now?” Theo asked.

“We search.” Ellis rolled over to an information booth designed for tourists and slipped a brochure from a rack. Inside was a basic map showing the major streets, landmarks, and trolley routes. He pointed to their neighborhood. “She left after the trolleys would’ve stopped for the night, so she probably walked. How far could she have gone?”

“And where to?” Theo sniffled. “I don’t get it, Ellis. Nyssa wouldn’t have left us.”

“Criminals will always let you down, kid.”

Ellis’s jaw clenched as he spun his chair to face the voice. O’Hara leaned against the wall of the police station.

“You were in there a while. That’s the last place your girl would’ve run to. I suggest the docks or the airfield, though she’s probably already sailed off.”

Ellis scowled. “If you had anything to do with her disappearance, woman or not, so help me—”

“Settle down, tough guy.” O’Hara snorted. “If I’d caught your girl, I wouldn’t be hanging around. My job was to bring her back to New Taured for trial. If she goes ‘missing,’ my case stays open. That does me no good. Her disappearance is a major setback.”

He rolled his eyes. “How terrible for you.”

Theo tugged at Ellis’s sleeve. “Let’s go. I want to start looking for her.”

Evidence. Nyssa’s note mentioned evidence. That would’ve had to come from New Taured.

“We’ll start with the customs office.”

Theo’s face fell. “Another office?”

O’Hara peeled herself off the wall. “Why? They won’t even be open on Saturday.”

“That’s my problem, not yours.” Ellis grabbed Theo’s hand. “Let’s head home. I need to make a videophone call.” They started towards the nearest trolley station, at the end of the block. O’Hara didn’t follow.

“Can’t I stay out and look?” Theo asked. “I won’t go far. Just down to the boardwalk. She likes the boardwalk.”

“Yeah, but I doubt she’s sightseeing today.” Ellis closed his eyes. His plan to take her to the waterfront and propose was beginning to feel like an unreachable dream. “I don’t want you wandering around on your own.”

They reached the trolley stop.

“I’ve done it before. I can take care of myself.”

Ellis considered this. A former pickpocket, Theo was incredibly street savvy, and they had no reason to believe he was in danger. Of course, they’d had no reason to believe Nyssa was either, until that morning. Still, knowing someone was actively searching for Nyssa would ease Ellis’s mind.

The trolley rattled towards them. “All right, but be back at the shop by two and be careful.”

Theo grinned and darted down the street. The trolley’s brakes squealed. Ellis flipped a switch on his chair and ski like attachments lowered from the undercarriage. He tilted up, and this portable ramp eased his chair up the steps and into the narrow aisle of the trolley. Ignoring the conductor’s stare, Ellis toggled a different switch. The chair reformed into bracers that clamped about his legs, holding him upright so he could grip the strap.

The only other passenger, an old man at the back, whistled. “Handy machine you got there, boy.”

“Thanks,” Ellis said.

***

“I can’t believe Nyssa would just leave.” Amara’s voice wavered through the videophone’s speakers.

“I don’t believe it.” Ellis leaned closer to the screen. He’d chosen to take the call in his study, rather than the shop. Nyssa’s tools and workspace had practically shouted at him, wearing on his already frayed nerves. “She tried to leave me a note, but I don’t think I got the whole message. I did manage to figure out she’s going after some sort of evidence. If anything involving Mr. Calloway’s murder exists on San Azula, it would’ve come from New Taured, probably recently. Is there a way I can get the manifests for recent zeppelins and steamers from there? To see if any names jump out or if anyone declared anything odd at customs.”

Amara’s full lips pursed. “It’s the height of tourist season. Those departments would have created a crate of paperwork in just the last week. Renard won’t be happy with me if I have all the clerks focused on a personal research project.”

Ellis laughed. “Amara, when has your husband ever said no to you?”

She smiled slyly. “I do have my ways. Also he owes Nyssa—give me a few hours. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.” His shoulders relaxed. Finally, progress.

Amara’s smile faded. “And Ellis … I hope you find her.”

“So do I.”

The screen went blank. Ellis rested his elbows on the table and his head in his hands.

“Master Ellis?”

Glancing over his shoulder, he found Mrs. H in the