From the Mundy’s Landing Tribune
Front Page
December 24, 2015
Local Teen Remains Missing
As the holidays close in, the search goes on for Brianna Marie Armbruster, 17, of Prospect Street in Mundy’s Landing, in the wake of her suspected abduction by Kurt Walker over two weeks ago.
Speaking through Police Chief Ronald Calhoun, Brianna’s parents, Charles and Michelle Armbruster, expressed fervent hope that their daughter will be found alive and offered gratitude to local law enforcement for continuing in their tireless efforts to locate her.
Walker, who remains in serious condition at Mid--Hudson Regional Hospital recovering from a gunshot wound, has refused to cooperate with the investigation. He has been charged with the murder of his stepfather, Richard Walker of Weehawken, New Jersey. Other charges are pending following the NYPD announcement yesterday that preliminary DNA evidence found in his van has been linked to Ms. Armbruster along with several missing women.
Speaking on behalf of the Walker family, which has gone into seclusion at his home in Venice, Florida, Robert Belinke issued the following statement: “Richard Walker’s sons Derek and Liam and daughter, Erin, express their sorrow and concern for the families whose lives have been impacted by recent events involving their brother, Kurt Walker. They request privacy at this time to grieve the loss of their father.”
Epilogue
Christmas Eve
Beyond the kitchen windows, fat white snowflakes drift from a gray morning sky. The air is fragrant with the freshly cut Frasier fir tree in the living room, and Rowan hums along with the carols playing in the background as she kneels in front of an open drawer, rummaging through the contents.
They must be here someplace . . .
Except, they’re not.
She crawls to the next drawer and begins searching it, looking for the set of tin cookie cutters she kept when she and Noreen cleaned out their parents’ house. She uses them every December, but this year, things have been so crazy that she hasn’t gotten around to the holiday baking yet.
School was in session right through yesterday, and every spare moment she wasn’t working was spent in survival mode. Having endured the darkest month of her life, she’s finally, finally certain that both her marriage and her sister are going to make it.
Noreen is in the hospital right here in Mundy’s Landing. Yesterday, her condition was upgraded at last and she was moved out of the ICU. It’s going to be a long road to recovery, though, in more ways than one.
A few days ago, Kevin told Rowan privately that he and Noreen had been planning to separate after the holidays. She was stunned.
“So she didn’t tell you?”
“No.”
“The kids don’t even know yet. We were waiting until Sean came back from Europe.”
Sean is home now, but all four of Noreen’s kids are so shaken by their mother’s injuries that the news of an impending separation will have to wait.
Rowan was initially hoping that her sister and brother--in--law might be able to work it out, but it isn’t looking likely. Kevin had spent the first few days at his wife’s bedside, but now that she’s pulled through the worst, he hasn’t been as vigilant. He’s working at the OR tomorrow, Christmas Day, but Rowan’s nephew and nieces are coming to spend the holidays in Mundy’s Landing. They’ll be here later today.
The full house, with Braden and Katie both home as well, will be good for Mick. He’s been seeing a therapist since that awful day, shaken by what happened to Brianna Armbruster.
Every time Rowan thinks of what almost happened to her own family—-and what did happen—-she wonders how life can ever be normal again.
But they’re all still alive, still here . . .