by Sanna Hines
“Why didn’t you go for your gun?” Dan asked.
“This is Massachusetts, not Florida,” Mike said. “If I killed someone on the deck—technically outside the house—I’d face charges. And I was thinking at the time, ‘What if it’s a kid just fooling around, maybe into urban climbing like I was?’ Like we all were years ago.”
“We haven’t had reports of climbers lately.”
“Liv dismissed the idea of a student prankster,” Holly reported. “Let’s not forget why I’m here. I’m worried it was the kidnapper.”
“He’d have to know Olivia’s name and address,” Dan said. “The department hasn’t released that information.” He stood. “I better check out the deck.”
Holly waited in the warmth of the hall while the men went outside. After they poked at things on the deck for a while, they came in, Dan telling Mike, “You shouldn’t have let your pissed-off mood get the better of you. You destroyed any clues we might have found on the fence.”
“What about neighboring places?” Holly asked.
“We’ll search those in the morning when there’s more light. And speaking of light, why isn’t the deck lamp working?”
“Bulb’s blown. It’s on my round-to-it list,” Mike said.
“I can request extra cruiser drive-bys of the area and see if anyone else called in a report. That’s about it for now.”
Dan shook hands with Mike, who said, “Thanks. I’ll see you out.”
“Actually, Holly can lock up, can’t she? I’d like a word with her before I leave.”
Mike’s eyes flashed surprise before nonchalance reclaimed his face. “Oh. Sure. Well, goodnight, then.” He started up the stairway.
Dan took Holly’s elbow, guiding her through the vestibule toward the front door. He looked over his shoulder at the stairs, nodded, and then said in a whisper, “You need to be careful around Mike. Don’t trust him. Far as I’m concerned, he invented this ‘prowler’. There’s no sign of anyone else, and he admitted beating on the fence. I think it’s a setup.”
“What? Why would he do such a thing?”
“To get an intruder on report. If something happens to the girl later, he’ll be covered.”
Holly shoved both hands at Dan, pushing away his absurd logic. “That’s crazy. It’s paranoid. Mike’s no criminal!”
“He puts on a good act, but he has a big-time grudge against his niece. She’ll inherit his father’s money after his mother dies. If Liv dies first, Mike will be back in the black.”
“How can you possible know this…this awful gossip?” Holly demanded. “It’s personal. People don’t chatter about money, inheritances, who gets what.”
“Keep your voice down.” Dan looked toward the stairs again. “I’m in touch with Mike’s ex. Karina and I were friends at Sidley. I run into her from time to time. One day, I guess she needed someone to talk to. She told me about Mike, why his father disinherited him, the whole sorry story. It’s pretty grim.”
“Jeez.” Holly rubbed her mouth. “How could anything be worse than wanting someone in your family to die?”
“How about child abuse when Liv was little?”
Holly’s eyes popped. “Oh my God! He did that? Mike did that?”
“His sister said he did. She told their father. The old man was so disgusted, he cut ties with Mike. Karina did, too.”
“I’m not buying it. Liv doesn’t seem afraid of him, and Mike’s not weird. I mean not that weird. Anyway, why would Catherine let Mike live here if he’s a threat to Liv?”
“Mothers,” Dan said, “won’t believe anything bad about their children. All their babies are angels. When you’re a cop, you learn people aren’t what they seem.” Looking into Holly’s eyes, he asked, “You still want to be a cop one day, don’t you?”
“Absolutely. Can’t wait.”
“Then stay sharp. Maybe you’ll pick up on something important.” He opened the door. “Hey, apologies again for the boat ride. Raincheck?”
“I’d like that.” Holly returned Dan’s smile before he left, but her mouth tightened when she locked the door. Could Mike really be a pervert? Had she overlooked the signs? What should she do to protect Liv? She had to ask Catherine—
But Catherine was gone tonight. Oh, dear God. What if something happened while she was away?
Holly stole up the stairs, past Catherine’s floor, up to Liv’s, flinching at every creaking board. She tested Liv’s doorknob; it didn’t turn. The door was locked. She heard growling from Teddy and Liv’s sleepy voice. “Who’s there?”
“Just me. I wanted to be certain you were safe.”
“I was fine until you woke me up. Go away.”
Holly wavered, unsure if she should camp out in the hall or the guest room next to Liv’s suite. She peered up the stairwell toward Mike’s dark floor.
In the end, she went back to her room with an even heavier heart than earlier in the night. Who were these people really? Why was everything so complicated, so twisted? Nothing in her life prepared her for deceit, malice, violence where she lived. I’m too damned naive, Holly chided herself. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a cop.
She moved on automatic pilot, pondering her character, her future. Near her door, something at the edge of vision checked her. Bare foot poised to cross the threshold, Holly nearly stepped in Teddy’s latest deposit.
The dog pad she moved across the terrace was back.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Day 10—Monday morning (Columbus Day)
“Creepy,” Liv said. She picked at her breakfast. Too many carbs. She’d never lose weight eating carbs.
Holly talked through a piece of half-eaten pancake. “I got mad—thought you’d done it—until I realized we would’ve seen you come down the stairs.”
“She could have used the fire ladder,” Mrs. Barnes said over her shoulder as she reached for a carton of milk in the fridge.
“Hey! Whose side are you on?” Liv demanded. “And…what fire ladder?”
Mrs. Barnes turned to stare at Liv. “You’ve been here more than a year and nobody’s told you about the ladder? It’s in the hope chest under your window. All the upstairs rooms have ladders.”
Liv frowned. “The chest with the antique quilts in it? Grandmother said not to touch those.”
“Well, she should have told you about the ladder. It’s like one you’d use for a tree house, only the ropes and slats are metal. Hook the curved ends around your window sill and throw the rest outside. Presto! Instant fire escape.”
Holly sloshed o.j. around her mouth. “I believe Liv. She didn’t do it, but someone did. While we were talking on the terrace last night, we weren’t alone.”
“Scary thought.” Mrs. Barnes poured milk into Liv’s glass.
“So I went into my room and called Dan, er, Officer Vogel, to tell him Mike didn’t imagine the prowler.”
“Why would he think that?” Liv asked.
“He’s a cop. They’re always looking for unexpected angles. I said he was wrong: Somebody moved Teddy’s dog pad, and it wasn’t any of us.”
“Good!” Liv said. “I hope he felt stupid. I don’t like him.”
“You don’t?” Holly said.
“He treated me like a criminal at the café and in the police car on the way home. Got me in trouble with Grandmother, too.”
“Just doing his job,” Mrs. Barnes said.
“But he was snarky about it.”
Holly shrugged. “Dan was called to an accident scene so he didn’t come back, but what he said made me feel better. ‘Kid stuff. Burglars don’t pull pranks.’ He thought we were dealing with an adolescent, and I should talk to you more about people you know.”
“I already told you no one at Sidley would do lame stuff like that.” Teddy, on Liv’s lap, nosed closer to the neglected pancake. Liv looked away, hoping he’d snatch it.
Eying Teddy severely, Mrs. Barnes moved the plate. “Who’s gonna watch that pup while you’re at the gym?”
“Um…you?”
Mrs. Barnes nodded. “Okay, but you’ve only got one hour. I have work to do outside. Don’t expect His Highness to clean up the mess from the fence, do you?”
“You mean Mike?” Holly asked. “With a broken arm?”
Mrs. Barnes cocked her head. “Arm?”
She didn’t know about their weekend. Liv filled her in. Mrs. Barnes said, “Oh, good Lord! How awful.” Frowning, she added, “And I don’t like the idea Mrs. S. being alone overnight.”
“Grandmother hired a caregiver. Some chick named Marisol,” Liv said. “Guess it worked out all right.”
Mrs. Barnes sniffed. “Well, this Marisol wasn’t much on cleaning.” She wiped the counter with extra vigor. “Do you know what time your grandmother will be home?” Mrs. Barnes got her answer when the kitchen door opened.
“I saw the light on down here,” Catherine said. “Jen, it’s Columbus Day. I thought you’d stay home with your husband today.”
“After a whole weekend away?” Mrs. Barnes looked scandalized. “Three days off, and I’d spend the next three just catching up.”
“Am I paying you double for the holiday?”
“Uh huh.”
“In that case, I’ll have chocolate chips in my pancakes.” Catherine set down her package, took a seat at the kitchen counter and swiveled to face Liv. “I’m surprised to see you up so early on a free day.”
“We’re going to the gym,” Liv told her. “The one down the street. I want to join up and work out there.”
“Really? Is that where the action is?”
Liv wrinkled her nose.
“Don’t look at me that way, Olivia. ‘Where the action is’ is a perfectly normal expression for a person my age. Come give me a hug.” She reached to embrace Liv and got Teddy in the bargain.
“Catherine,” Holly said, “we had a problem last night.”
“I know. Myron called on his way to work. Shocking business. I’m looking into a security system today—should have done it long ago. Thank Heaven, you’re all safe! Wish I’d heard about what was going on. There I was having a fine, old time with my friends, believing everything was okay.”
“It was too late to call. Glad you enjoyed your overnight, though. Did you go shopping?” Holly asked, nodding at the box.
Shaking her head, Catherine lifted the cardboard lid and pushed away yellowed tissue paper. “This is Timothy.” She held up an antique baby boy doll with straw-blond hair and emerald eyes. He wore a red tartan cap, coat and trousers. “He’s been staying with my friend, Karen, but she’s moving to Arizona, and—”
“That’s the doll I saw in the baby carriage the day Ari was kidnapped!” Liv cried.
“It’s not. This is that doll’s twin. The other—James—belonged to Linda Tinsley before it was left in the park.”
“But…but…” Liv sputtered.
“Let me explain.” Catherine set Timothy on the counter. “The caregiver who stayed with me while you were in Portsmouth said she works for the Tinsleys on weekdays but she expects to be fired. I was surprised. Marisol is a pleasant, young woman, so I asked why. She told me Linda Tinsley insisted she take the James doll for a walk, and Marisol left it in the park.
“It seems Linda has gone a little funny in the head,” Catherine observed sadly. “I suppose tragedy and spending one’s life in bed can do that to a person. At any rate, Marisol was on that outing for Linda at Commonwealth Mall when your friend disappeared.”
Excited, Liv asked, “Did she see the kidnapper? What about Teddy? She was throwing sticks for him. Did she talk about Teddy?”
“She didn’t mention a dog. Marisol wasn’t facing the street, but she heard the fuss after you realized Ariel was gone. She panicked because of immigration problems. Rather than face police questioning, she left the doll and carriage. If Linda learns James is gone, she’ll accuse Marisol of theft.”
“This Marisol must have seen something,” Holly said. “A detective should interview her.”
“She swears she didn’t. Marisol can’t help with the search for the missing children, but I’d like to help her. If I give her Timothy, Linda Tinsley may believe it’s her James doll, and Marisol will keep her job.”
“Who’s Linda?” Holly asked. “I’ve only heard about Karina.”
“Linda is Karina’s mother. She’s put on so much weight, she’s bedridden.”
Liv looked at the doll. Since she knew it wasn’t a baby, it didn’t scare her like the one in the park. It was kind of cute. “You don’t see boy dolls too often.”
“Exactly my thought when I spotted him in Linda’s home. Your grandfather and I were at a party there—oh…it must be twelve years ago. I took a wrong turn on the way to the bathroom and wound up in this marvelous doll room, like the toy shop of a child’s dream. I stood there gaping, and then Linda came in.
“Well, of course, I felt embarrassed to be caught snooping, but Linda was eager to show me her collection. We discussed dolls for a bit—I have the antiques in your room, Liv, plus a few of my favorites from childhood. Thank you, Jen,” Catherine said when Mrs. Barnes set a plate of pancakes in front of her. “A cup of coffee, too, please?”
She picked up the doll. “Linda’s collection included a set of twins, nearly alike but with subtle differences. Timothy was slightly blonder. Myron was such a towhead as a tiny child, the doll reminded me of him.” She turned to Liv, her expression soft and wistful. “And then Linda gave me Timothy. Imagine!
“I declined, of course. Told her I couldn’t break up a set, couldn’t accept such a precious gift, but Linda was adamant. She had twin boys, she said, so why did she need twin dolls?
“I took the doll.” Catherine stroked his face. “I simply couldn’t resist.”
Placing Timothy back in his box, she added, “Later, when I had time to research dolls of this sort, I learned what they actually were. This is an effigy doll.”
“Like voodoo?” Liv asked.
“No black magic—but there is a macabre element. Effigy dolls were made to commemorate dead children. Before photography, portraits of babies were rare. When infants passed away, all grieving parents could do was have dolls made as reminders of their lost ones.”
“So sad.” Mrs. Barnes set down a mug.
“It is.” Catherine sipped her coffee. “When I looked at the doll, I felt sadness and…” She lowered her eyes. “…a bit superstitious, too. Timothy resembled Myron, and Timothy died young. It seemed like a bad omen. I wanted to return the doll to Linda, but the timing was wrong. Not long after, her son Brandon was struck and killed by a car. Returning Timothy then could have been painful for her. My friend Trish took Timothy, but now, I think he should go back to Linda.”
“Speaking of Myron, uh, Mike,” Holly said to Catherine, “I’d like a word with you.”
“Sorry, dear. Won’t have a moment to spare until later this afternoon. There’s this new security problem, and I’ve so much left to do arranging the rally and concert. We couldn’t get the band shell on the Charles, so we’ll have to work miracles creating a stage at the Common. Now they’re saying it may rain, which means finding some way to shelter the performers and their equipment. On Friday, I’ll be biting my nails to the quick, hoping I haven’t forgotten something essential.”
“Grandmother! You’re coming to the concert? You never go out in public.”
“This new medicine I’m taking gives me courage. I only fell asleep once while I was visiting my friends, and that was during the first movie.”
“What kind of movie?” Mrs. Barnes asked.
“Rom com. I forgot the name.”
Mrs. Barnes said, “Those things put me to sleep.”
After breakfast, Holly urged Liv to hurry so they could get to the gym. Maddy had signed her up for a guest pass like Liv.
“Nice of your friend to let me work out, too,” Holly said while Liv picked up her purse. “I thought all cool kids were mean.”
“Not these,” Liv said. “Ari’s t
he leader, and she hates when people are put down. Says it happens to Jews all the time. She won’t be friends with bullies.”
“Ari sounds like a good person,” Holly said. “Ready?”
Liv’s phone pinged twice. “Wait. Let me read the texts.”
The first was from Cam. Day off. Parkour demo and jam at B’ton govt ctr. 2 pm. Come?
Chase sent the other. Meeting. Hero team. Noon. My house.
Liv pocketed her phone. What to do? Here the two hottest guys she knew wanted to see her—her!—at nearly the same time. Then the solution dawned. “Uh, there’s a meeting at Chase’s house. You can drop me off there like last time. Don’t wait around. I’ll be tied up most of the day.”
When Holly nodded, and then strode toward the gym like a barn-sour horse rushing home, Liv had to work hard not to shriek with joy. She’d have her afternoon with Chase and Cam—and no Holly as babysitter. Freedom, at last!
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Day 10—Monday
“Stealth woke eye to eye with a superhero—Brandon’s pillowcase, Brandon’s bed. His laptop sat open on the night table, running a webcam view of someone’s terrace. The camera angle was high, ten or twelve feet above the flagstones. A girl in a sweat suit stood watching a white dog—that dog? —take a dump in the corner. “I hate that dog,” he muttered. When the girl turned, Stealth wasn’t surprised by the face of Olivia Smallwood. Then the scene cut back to her watching the dog. The video was on a loop.
“BRANDON!” Stealth bellowed. Only his twin could hear him. Their domain was the fourth floor; the Momster and her aide were on the third, too far away to be a problem.
No answer. “Damn it, you little prick, stop hiding! What the hell have you done now?”
Brandon’s gloating voice said, Last night, I sneaked over to Olivia’s house—Man! Not easy to get in there and set up the camera. A dude nearly caught me at it. He chased me away, but I holed up until things were quiet so I could be sure the view was right. Then I moved the dog shit mat in front of the redhead’s door! Brandon laughed.