(Cue the timeskip!)
Mesmerin awoke the next morning, and went down to breakfast, where he sat reading the local newspaper waiting for his meal. On the TV, a reported was on the news channel:
"Gunnison residents have been jolted by the mysterious disappearance of a man and his young son during a hunting trip yesterday. Buddy Benson, a repair supervisor for the Gunnison City Telephone Company, and his 18-year-old son, Sam, never returned home last night..." As the reporter went on, Mesmerin spotted an old friend. "Eddie," he greeted him.
The sheriff spotted Mesmerin and went to sit with him. "Good to see you again, Mesmerin," he said. "I'd have greeted you when you arrived, but... you know. Work."
"Yeah, I noticed," Mesmerin stated. "Any word on Buddy and his kid?"
Eddie held up his coffee cup at one of the waitresses. "Carrie? Coffee?"
The waitress came over with a fresh pot of coffee. "You guys were up all night, huh?" the waitress asked.
"No, we called it off at 2 AM," Eddie responded. Carrie froze mid-pour, a look of worry on her face. Eddie frowned. "Jay didn't come home?" he asked.
"Eddie, I thought he was out with you," Carrie answered. "I tried his cell phone, he wouldn't answer--"
"Carrie, listen to me; Jay was pushing real hard last night - I'm sure he's still looking. Cell reception out there--" Eddie began in an effort to comfort her.
"He always calls, Eddie," Carrie stated with a trembling voice.