Gone Missing


She had pressed
an autumn leaf 

between
pages 578 
and 579

of her
college 
dictionary, 

a reminder she 
had visited there 
to better understand

the word
nuance.

Years later 
a Seattle detective,
hunting for subtle

clues

as to her 
whereabouts,

shook out the book
and watched the
leaf flutter to the floor.

"Let's go," he muttered.
"Nothing here.
Musta run off somewheres.”

j