by W L Knightly
She began to wail, her tears pouring down her cheeks and her feet giving out beneath her. Bay scooped her up, and though she was big with his child, she was still light as a feather, her tiny frame limp in his arms. He carried her to their room, and when he entered the hall, Rose Marie stood in the stairway, tying knots in a string. He knew she was busy doing some kind of spell, and he hoped that whatever it was for, it would keep his child safe.
“Oh, Bay, we have to tell my mother. I don’t know what we’ll do without Mia. She can’t be gone. She’s a survivor, Bay. She always was, you know?” Lila continued to ramble, and Bay let her talk. She was shaking and beside herself, and he wasn’t sure what to do for her.
“Rose Marie?” he called, but Lila shook her head.
“No, don’t call her in here. I don’t want her to see me like this.” She began to wipe her eyes.
“Calm down. I’ll have Rose Marie get you something to rest your mind.”
Lila shook her head. “No! No! Keep her away from me with her voodoo magic. She’s crazy.”
Rose Marie waved him over, and though he didn’t want to leave her there, he walked across the room to where Rose Marie waited by the window. “She’s distraught. She doesn’t mean it.”
“Please, she means it, and that’s fine too. I don’t need everyone to like me, Bay. I can make her some tea to calm her nerves, but you’re going to have to lie to her and tell her it came from the doctor. She doesn’t trust me like you do.”
Bay looked at Lila, who hid her face with the pillow. “I’ll do whatever you think is best,” he told Rose Marie. “She’s taking it a lot harder than I expected.”
He didn’t know what to do for her, and this was one of those times he was glad to have Rose Marie in his life. She could take care of Lila and the baby, if Lila would only let her.
Bay went back to Lila as Rose Marie turned and left. “You’re going to be fine,” he said. “I’ve instructed her to call the doctor.”
“She’s a witch, Bay. I don’t want her to come near me with that nonsense.”
“Would I ever let anything happen to you, Kitten? You’re my girl, and that’s my baby. You need to trust me and trust her. She loves you.”
Her eyes were wild. “She loves you, she loves the baby, but she doesn’t love me. I want my sister.”
“I know. I do too, and I’m working on finding her.”
“Are the police looking for her?” Her eyes were so clear and green, and he wished that he could tell her that they were, but instead, he wanted her to take it easy.
“Lie down, baby. Let your mind rest, okay.”
“I can’t. I can’t do it. Not while Mia is out there. I need to find her. I need my little sister, Bay. I can’t live in a world where she’s not a part of it.” She held her stomach and then her mouth. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
She scrambled to her feet and hurried to the bathroom, where he heard her retch as soon as she disappeared behind the door.
Bay gave her some space and went to find Rose Marie. He made it halfway down the stairs, but she was already walking up from the bottom with a cup of tea. “This should settle her down and calm her stomach. Have her sip it slowly.”
How the woman knew she was sick to her stomach was beyond him, but he thanked her, took the tray, and walked back into the bedroom. He found Lila standing in the doorway of the bathroom, resting against the jamb. “Come on, Lila. Let’s get you into bed.”
She looked up at him with a look of hopelessness. “Bay.” With that, she held her stomach and swayed on her feet.
“Lila!” Bay ran across the room and made it just in time to catch her before she hit the floor. He looked up and saw Rose Marie standing in the doorway. “Call nine-one-one!” No matter how much he believed in Rose Marie’s magic, she couldn’t help them now. He gathered Lila up in his arms and hurried downstairs. He had to get her help. He couldn’t lose two people he loved, much less three.
Chapter 16
Lane
Lane had finally made a dent in Nona’s belongings. While he had more items to donate, the shipping costs for the things he felt he needed to send to Aunt Mary were going to be through the roof. He never knew Nona was so sentimental, but she’d kept every single thing he’d ever given her, including his phone number, which was scrawled on a bar napkin.
That, he put into his wallet, along with a gum wrapper from their first date.
Her murder had taken place in the closet, so some of her clothes had been tossed out during the cleaning process, but many others needed to be taken off the hangers and folded. Not to mention the things in the guest closet, which was just as full. She had a shopping habit that had nearly landed her in hot water on her rent more than once, and Lane, not wanting her to lose the apartment that he’d once rented as his own, had bailed her out every single time.
In many ways, it was as if the two had been married all along, and it only made him angry with himself to think about how he’d treated her when she’d wanted to make it official. If she’d only told him that she’d spoken to Aunt Mary about them, then maybe he’d have taken the whole thing a lot more seriously.
Instead, she’d chosen to tell him about her friends and how their recent engagements had influenced her. Maybe she was afraid to put her heart out there before seeing his reaction. Maybe she didn’t want him to see the soft center of her soul that she’d always tried so hard to hide behind her brash exterior. But he’d always known it was there, or else he’d never had put up with her shit for all those years. He gave a half-hearted laugh thinking about how something as simple as a gum wrapper had given her away in the end.
He filled another box with her shoes, including her favorites which she jokingly called her hooker heels. They were his favorite, too, mostly because she’d keep them on during sex. He looked at the stiletto heels and remembered how she’d nearly taken his eye out by putting those babies on his shoulders.
At least his mood was light, and that was a relief. He had spent too many hours with a sick feeling in his gut; too many with tears running down his face; too many with the thought that he’d never love again weighing him down.
He thought of how she wouldn’t want him to break down. She’d call him a pussy and tell him to suck it up.
He felt the lump form in his throat, and he decided to drown it out. He went to the mini bar she kept in her living room. The TV was still on from his last break, and it was nice to have a little bit of noise to keep him from getting lost in his head for too long. He poured himself a drink and then plopped into the nearest chair to stare at the screen.
The vibration in his pocket startled him. “Son of a—”
He was so jumpy. He felt like a dumbass as he looked at his phone. The number wasn’t one he recognized, but he answered it anyway, not knowing if it was someone from the funeral home. “Hello?”
“Is this Lane Simon?”
Lane recognized the voice right away. “Otis Gough?”
“Yeah, I found your card in my toolbox.” He gave a quiet laugh. “I had to wait until my wife went to work to call you. She’s not big on me being involved, but there were a few things eating at me.”
“I’m glad you called,” Lane said. “Feel free to say whatever. I know it was probably a shock to have two strangers show up, asking about your family, and especially telling you about your brother. We weren’t sure if you knew or not. We actually thought he might have called you from jail.”
His pulsed raced, wondering what was on Otis’s mind. He hoped that he would get some kind of information that could lead to Mia. He reached into a drawer on the end table and found Nona’s unicorn tablet and pen. She had always used it to write down her takeout orders, but Lane needed it in case the man said something that he needed to remember.
“Yeah, well you’d be surprised. When your father is falsely accused of murder, you get all kinds of crazies at your door. Lately, we’ve had a lot of people showing up to make docuseries. They’re really popular. We
’ve turned down every offer. I will not have my father’s name dragged through the mud again. Besides, my wife is trying to get Netflix’s attention. She says the kids should have a college fund, so I’m holding out, I guess.”
Lane couldn’t judge them. They’d been through a lot, and thankfully, whatever story they’d have to tell, it wouldn’t tell the true side of things. At least, he hoped. “Yeah. So, what was on your mind?”
“I was just wondering what will happen to my brother, I guess.”
“I wouldn’t expect him to get out anytime soon, but other than that, I have no idea. You won’t have to worry about the death penalty here in New York, but if they find that he’s guilty of crimes in another state, then that might come on the table. Especially if the other state works hard enough to get him moved.”
“He’s going to die in prison either way,” said Otis. “I guess I just have to face that. That’s the bottom line. Just like the old man.”
“Except your brother is guilty.” Lane didn’t realize what his words would mean to the man.
“You don’t believe my father was guilty?” Otis asked.
“I didn’t look at the case, and it’s not for me to judge.” He didn’t know what to say, other than that.
He thought of what he’d told Lizzy. The pedophile story was only to pacify her from making a connection to the Zodiacs, but he still felt like shit about it. He wondered what the man would think of him if he knew what he’d said about his father, and he got an aching emptiness in his gut because of it.
“I’ve only been looking into the disappearance of a friend,” Lane said.
“The girl,” said Otis. “She’s another reason I called you. I couldn’t get her out of my head. She reminded me so much of Emily Johnson. I felt like an ass for not being able to help more. Have you found her?”
“No, not yet. We fear that she’s dead at this point. She’s been missing for five days now. Six if you count the day she went missing. We just don’t know where to look and had hoped that you knew your brother’s habits enough to give us a lead.”
“I thought you were a cop, but your card says you own a restaurant? In New Orleans?” He’d given him a card from his restaurant with a half-price beer coupon.
“Yeah, I’m not a cop. I’m in town because someone, maybe your brother, killed a friend of mine.” He didn’t know if he should tell the man he used to be a lawyer or not.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Otis said. “I haven’t had much luck with the police, as you probably know. So, I wasn’t sure what to say. I don’t know of any places outside of Virginia that my brother might have an attachment to. It’s where we lived with my stepmom when Dad left. Our real mother had moved to Tennessee, but she died a couple of years ago.”
Lane thought of Raven being in Nashville. That connection was only a coincidence because of Ethan, but then Lane wondered about the connection. “You mentioned a girlfriend. The one you kicked out with your brother.”
“Yeah,” he said. “That girl came out of nowhere. They hit it off overnight, it seemed.”
“You don’t remember her name?” Lane didn’t want to bring Raven’s name up unless necessary.
“No, I’m not sure he ever used it in front of me. He just called her ‘baby.’ You know? Baby this and baby that. I was only around her for a day. As soon as we saw what was going on in our basement, my wife tossed him and his baby out on their asses.”
“I can’t blame you.” He needed to make the most of the call and decided to ask a few questions. “Did you ever know anything about the girl your father was said to have killed?”
“No, once I learned about her, she was dead, so there wasn’t anything left to know.”
“I mean, did she have a sibling? A sister or a brother? Someone close to her, other than her dad?”
“Her dad? Damn, that man was a real piece of work. I always wondered about him because Emily did have a sister. I wondered if he—”
“A sister?” Lane blurted out the question, and though his pulse raced, he needed to make sure that he didn’t spook Otis into ending the call.
“Yeah, and since he was so hard on Emily, I wondered if the other girl got the same treatment. I know they talked about removing her from the house, but I don’t think they ever did.”
“How come that’s not in any of the records?” Lane realized his slip. “I looked into the records to find your brother.”
“Oh, yeah, they didn’t let the press involve her. She was a minor at the time like me, and since she was traumatized by her sister’s death, they cut her a break. At least, it seemed that way.”
“But you’re sure she was Emily’s sister?” Lane asked.
“Oh yeah, I’m positive of that. She never came to court, but I met her at a preliminary hearing. It was the only one she attended. Her father talked to her like she was some kind of dog, and she left after only a little time. She was one of those girls who hid behind her hair.”
“Yeah, well, considering what happened in her life and what you’re telling me, I can imagine.” Lane wondered if she could she be the emo chick. Could she have been a young Raven? He would have to find out, and now that he knew she existed, it would be a hell of a lot easier to look for her in the records.
He had a lot of work to do, and still so much to do for Nona, but he let the man talk as long as he wanted. Although over the next twenty minutes, he didn’t really have anything that topped Emily’s sister.
Finally, Otis let out a long breath. “Well, I guess I should get out there and fix my bike. Sorry again for the other day. I wish I could help you with your friend. I hope they find her alive and well.”
Lane knew the chances of that were slim. “Thanks.” They ended the call, and he fell back against the couch. He had to call Kenneth Warner, but he would call Bay first.
He dialed Bay’s number.
“Hey,” he answered. “I can’t talk right now. I’m at the hospital.”
“Is everything okay?” Lane asked.
“Lila didn’t take the news about Mia very well. She’s okay. The stress induced some pain, but she’s fine otherwise. They have her and the baby being monitored.” Lane could hear the sound of the monitor in the background, and the sound was like that of a galloping horse. Bay’s little one sounded strong. “I’ll call you back. The doctor’s here.”
The phone went dead before Lane had a chance to tell him anything. He went through his contacts and found the number for Kenneth Warner.
Chapter 17
Bay
Bay had been so worried about the baby when Lila collapsed that he scared himself. Never had he experienced that rush of emotion, not even when taking another man’s life. Was it true, what Rose Marie had said about the baby awakening something within him? Would he go soft hearted, as Lane had said, and end up some weak-minded fool on the floor pushing cars around and making stupid sounds with his lips?
Fuck that.
With the doctor ordering an ultrasound, he had learned that he was going to have the son he’d always wanted, so he wasn’t going to start acting like a pussy. He had a kid to influence, a little mind to sculpt. He had to watch his every move.
He gripped Lila’s hand tightly as he tucked his phone away and listened to the doctor say a lot of big words. “The little fella is going to be just fine, and you, little mama, I’d suggest you take it easy too. I think it might be best to do as little physical work as possible and stay off your feet.”
“I don’t do anything as it is, Doctor Walsh.” Lila’s voice was still scratchy and weak from crying for Mia. She hadn’t stopped since she woke up, not even when the ambulance got her to the hospital. “But my baby sister is missing.”
Dr. Walsh’s eyes widened. “Did you say missing? As in a missing person?” He looked at Bay.
Bay nodded. “Yes, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. She’s been in severe distress since learning this hours ago. Is there anything we could do for her to calm her nerves?” He knew she
wasn’t going to take well to Rose Marie’s herbal remedy.
“I can prescribe something to help her sleep. Sometimes, sleep is the best medicine, and in her case, she’s going to need something to help ease her mind.” He stepped up and patted Lila’s hand. “Stay strong for the baby.” Then he turned his eyes up at Bay. “I’d like to speak with you in private, Mr. Collins.”
The doctor stepped away, and Bay followed.
“Do you know what happened with the sister?” the doctor asked. “Did she run away?”
“No, we fear she’s dead. The police are involved, but I had to tell Lila. Now, I wish I’d kept my mouth shut about it.”
Dr. Walsh shook his head and patted Bay on the shoulder. “No, you did the right thing. She needs to know, but I will advise that she not suffer any further stress from details. Whatever the outcome, the meds will make sure she’s sleeping. Don’t worry. I wish you all luck with the situation.”
“Thanks, Doc.” Bay shook the man’s hand and then went back into the room. Lila was lying so still, he thought she was sleeping. Her small frame was out of proportion with her huge belly, and it made her seem more fragile.
Rose Marie was standing at the window. “Did the doctor say anything else?”
“Just that we need to keep things as low stress as possible.” He gave her a knowing look. “And that he’ll be giving her something to keep her calm.”
“I don’t see why everyone keeps saying that,” Lila said. “I’ll calm down when they find my sister.”
Bay wished she’d just cooperate for once. Even at this moment, when things were so serious, she had to make it harder. “Now is not the time to be your usual bratty self. You should at least try to think positive for the baby’s sake.”
“You already love him more than me,” she pouted. “I’m just a vessel for the son you always wanted. I know you wish it was me instead of Mia. I know you’ve been sleeping with her all of these months.”