The Search for Edie Whidley (ePub)

When Edie Whidley doesn't show up for her mother's funeral in Stillwater Oklahoma on August 30, 2018, or her first teaching position in Salina, Kansas, her father, Stanley Jerome "Stick" Whidley uses his instincts and knowledge as a former police investigator to find her. By accessing the GPS in her cell phone, he discovers her last location was Hutchinson, Kansas.

Before traveling there, Stick looks for clues at the family home where Edie lived with her mother, Lea. He and Lea had been divorced for five years before Lea passed away.

Edie's clothing, kitchen equipment and bedding are still in the house, and empty boxes on the kitchen floor. In her bedroom, Stick finds an address book with a heart circled around the name, "Teddy Wolfe." He does a web search of Wolfe's background and what he finds troubles him.

In Hutchinson, Desk Sergeant Gerald Piaza assigns Officer Marguerite "Maggie" Enfield to help with Stick's search. Before they meet, Stick canvasses the businesses in the downtown area and hands out Missing Person flyers, with photos of Edie, Wolfe, and her Nissan Rogue. A number of shop owners have dealt with Wolfe, and mention his rudeness and foul mouth. But Edie was not with him. What has Wolfe done with her? Stick wonders.

Officer Enfield joins Stick, and the updated GPS coordinates on Edie's smart phone take them to Sand Hills State Park where they find Edie's SUV in the long-term parking lot. Officer Enfield arrests a young homeless man who entered the unlocked vehicle looking for food and shelter then fell asleep. Pete Solarsky heard arguing before Edie and Ted Wolfe left and saw Wolfe berating Edie and dragging her down a trail. Edie's smart phone was left on the seat and taken by Solarsky to sell. Other personal effects were found behind a cooler. Park management tells Officer Enfield that Wolfe rented a tent, now empty. She finds pink sneakers and a sweater inside which suggests Edie was there.

The next day, Edie makes a furtive call to her father using Ted's carelessly dropped cell phone. She's locked in a storage unit and blurts "Uber," before Ted returns and cuts her off. By the time the police arrive at the facility, Edie and Ted are gone. Officer Enfield has Wolfe's cellphone number traced and calls to rile him-he curses her and hangs up.

Street and highway cameras lead Stick Whidley and Officer Enfield to the Uber driver, caught by the Kansas Highway Patrol. He admits he dropped them off near a college in Hesston, thirty-eight miles away.

Stick and Officer Enfield join with the Hesston police and campus security and search the buildings. The race is on, to find the elusive Ted Wolfe and get the volatile young man to divulge where he hid Edie before more harm comes to her.