Adelmo starts to worry, “I wish I knew why he wasn’t answering. Perhaps he isn’t there because of the missing people over in Germany?”

He knew at that point he needed to get a hold of him. It was apparent something more was going on then he realized.

Before he knew it, one o’clock came around. He went over to Lana, “I am going to head over to meet up with Nik. Can you keep an eye out just encase my grandfather calls or even that strange lady? I would really appreciate it.”

“Of course. Oh, and don’t forget my pie!” In a teasing tone as she smiled.

He then headed out the door. When he arrived at the restaurant,

The waitress from the day before remembered him, “Will it be just you this time?”

“No, I am meeting a friend here.”

He peaked around the corner to scan the restaurant but didn’t see Nik seated anywhere, so he asked, “Can I get a table for two?”

“Sure right this way.”

She took him to a table and seated him.

“Do you want something to drink while you wait?”

“I will have water for now. Thank you.”

“Alright, I will be right back with your water.” She walks off to grab the water and gets it out to him immediately to Adelmo.

“Thank you, I have a question. I didn’t mean to ease drop but I overheard you last night about your boyfriend. Have you heard from him yet?” With a concerned look on his face.

With a worried tone, “No, not yet, I am getting very concerned.”

Adelmo had a very bad feeling come over him when she spoke about what was going on.

“I hope everything will be OK. Keep me posted, alright?”

Giving a feeling as if someone actually cared about what she was going through, “Alright, and thank you for asking.”

As she walked off, Nik came into the restaurant. He looked around to see if Adelmo was seated.

Adelmo shouts, “HEY NIK, OVER HERE!”

Trying to get his attention, Nik looked over in his direction and proceeded to walk over to the table.

He sat down, “Hey Adelmo, Glad you could make it. How are things going?”

“Well,    Things could be better. I attempted to get a hold of my grandfather. Unfortunately, we never connected. Which concerns me.” With a disappointed tone.

“Do you think it has anything to do with the disappearances in Germany?”

“I am hoping not. If it does, that would only mean one thing. I don’t have as good of a grip on my abilities as I thought I did.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. It could be nothing. Just keep trying to get a hold of him. I am sure you will hear from him soon enough.”

“I hope you're right. Oh, by the way, you know that waitress you liked a while back?”

“Yeah, what about her?”

“Well, she has a boyfriend and just recently her boyfriend went on a trip to Germany. She was hearing from him every day, and then suddenly the phone calls stopped.”

With a concerned look, “Do you think he is one of the people that has disappeared?”

“I have no idea, but I am afraid he might be.” Adelmo saw the waitress coming and changed the subject.

“Have you both figured out what you want to eat?”

They both respond, “Yup.”

They began to order their food. First Nik, “I will get a Heart-attack burger with pepper jack cheese and a side of fries. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Can you get me some ranch too?”

“Certainly”, she replied. Looking over at Adelmo, “And what about you? What would you like to order?”

Adelmo made a comment to Nik, “Geez Nik, Is this your last meal or something?” and chuckled.

He began to order his food, “I would like your Cajan Burger with pepper jack cheese, and a side of fries.”

“Alright guys, I will get your order going and get that right out to you.”

She walked off to put the food into the system.

Nik and Adelmo continue to talk. About random things.

Adelmo’s mind wanders off about his grandfather, “I hope I can reach him. I want to know if he can tell me anything about this girl that keeps on calling me. It is really starting to bother me. Maybe, just maybe he has more information than he failed to mention during my visit.”

Their food came, and the waitress places their orders in front of them.

Nik looks at his burger, sizing it up with 3 juicy patties smothered in pepper jack cheese. Topped with 10 slices of bacon, placed between sourdough buns, layered with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles and jalapeños. Drenched in spicy Bar-B-Que sauce. He licked his lips, “Boy, that sure looks delicious.”

Adelmo looked at his own food and noticed it was nearly half the portion of Nik’s, seeing 2 Juicy patties, with Pepper jack cheese on each patty. Layered with onions and 3 kinds of peppers sautéed together, mixed with cubed Cajan style sausage. With a dash of spicy Bar-B-Que sauce. Adding to the flavor.

They began to eat and kept on discussing what was going on in the city. Before they knew it, they finished their food. Nik realized the time and mentioned, “Well, I am so glad we were able to catch up, but I need to head back to work.”

Adelmo mentioned as Nik stood up from the table, “Lunch is on me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah of course. Just keep me in the loop if you run across anything suspicious around town.”

“I will. Also, if you find anything more about that girl that is calling, let me know.”

“Alright, will do.”

Nik leaves the Restaurant and heads back to the station.

Adelmo went up to the front counter and asked, “Can I get the check please?”

He pays and starts heading out and almost forgets to get Lana a piece of pie.

Adelmo waits at the counter till someone comes to help him. While trying to decide what Lana might want, his waitress comes up and asks, “Did you forget something?”

“Well, I almost forgot to order a piece of pie to go.”

“What kind would you like?”

“Can I get a couple pieces of ‘Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie?”

The waitress packed up a couple of the pieces and tells Adelmo, “It’s on the house.”

“Why?”

“Well, it’s on me technically. You are the only one that has shown that you sincerely care about what’s going on with me.”

“Well, thank you, but you don’t have to. I just wanted to see what was going on and make sure you were OK.”

“I know, that is why I want to do that for you.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

He walks out the door to meet up with Lana back at the store.

Adelmo pulls up to the store and puts the pie behind his back and walks into the store. Lana sees Adelmo and her eyes lit up. “Did you remember my pie?”

Adelmo joked, “Oh shoot! I knew I was going to forget that. I’m so sorry.” Trying to keep from smiling.

Lana didn’t catch on and felt a little bummed, then suddenly saw Adelmo pull the pie away from behind his back, “I am only messing around with you.”  Smiling as he handed it over to her.

“Look, there are two pieces. Maybe during a slow time we could eat them together.”

With a smile, “Sure that sounds great.”

“I need to try to get a hold of my grandfather. I will be right back.”

He went into the back room to pick up the phone and dial his grandfather's number again. When failing to get a hold of him, he comes out to see that the store has slowed down.

They pull out the pie, Lana sees the kind of pie and mentions, “This is my favorite, and I am shocked you remembered.”

He smiled, “Of course I remember.”

They discussed how things went while he was gone for lunch.

She mentioned, “That girl called again.”

Adelmo's eyes perked up, “Did she say anything different from before?”

“Well, she said something was going to happen to your grandfather.”

Adelmo got quiet feeling concerned but didn’t know what to do. They finished up their pie. Lana knew that would have bothered him knowing that information, but he needed to know.

Adelmo started to walk off. Lana stopped him, went up and gave him a hug, “I am sure everything will be OK.”

“Thank you, and I hope you’re right.” For the rest of the day he went back and forth every thirty minutes to an hour trying to get a hold of him.