The Moonlight Child

by Karen McQuestion

  It was one of the few times Jacob remembered his mother doing something decent with no thought for herself, but of course, when they eventually tracked down Mia’s house, they were shocked at what they saw and afraid for their lives, so they got the hell out of there. Since they couldn’t leave her there, the plan changed. And then they’d brought her home, and now Mia lived with them. Over the years there were times he was so angry with his mother, the way she taunted him about his weight and called him useless, that he was tempted to turn her in, tell the police about Mia and how his mother had kept this little girl in their house for three years. Getting arrested would serve her right. The only thing that held him back was that he’d googled and found out that his father was right. Kidnapping was a felony in Wisconsin. Most likely, both of his parents would be charged, and maybe he would be too. He was seventeen, close to being an adult. But even if they didn’t charge him with a crime, without his parents, where would he live? With relatives out of state? And why should his dad go to prison? He was a good guy stuck in a bad situation.

  So things stayed the same, and as the months went by, Mia had more questions, all of which she aimed at him. His parents thought she had a ten-word vocabulary, that’s how quiet she was when they were around. It was a smart strategy, Jacob thought. His mother was threatened by those who thought for themselves, and she hated being talked back to. Mia had sensed this and kept up a nonthreatening facade.

  All of these thoughts played through Jacob’s mind on the walk home from school. He liked going to the Village Mart gas station, having the old guys greet him by name. There was a welcoming feel to the place. Now that they had the new hire, Niki, he was even more motivated to stop in. He didn’t usually go two days in a row, but he wanted to see her again, and he also wanted to buy Mia some cupcakes and a Sprite.

  When he pushed open the door, Niki looked up from behind the register and smiled right at him. When she said, “Hey, Jacob,” it felt like coming home.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Niki was the only one in the store when Jacob arrived. Albert was in the back helping to unload a truck. She had offered to be the one to carry the boxes into the storage room—it made sense, since she was strong and about a hundred years younger than Albert—but he’d waved away her offer. “Old guys like me need to keep moving,” he’d said. “I’d rather wear out than rust out. You just stay inside where it’s warm.”

  So she’d stayed behind the register, keeping an eye on the cars coming and going from the pumps. Only one guy came inside, and that was to buy cigarettes. He asked for Winston Lights, and when she turned to get them down from the shelf, he sheepishly said, “I vowed that if they ever got to be more than five dollars a pack, I’d quit, but that day came and went and here I am.” He handed her a twenty, and she rang up the purchase and gave him change.

  “It’s a tough habit to break,” she said sympathetically.

  “Tell me about it.” He stuffed the change in his pocket and told her to have a good day.

  By the time Jacob walked in, Niki was glad for the diversion. She’d recognized him from a distance. There was something about the defeated way he walked, head down, face partially covered by the hood of his sweatshirt. He wore his bulky backpack slung over one shoulder.

  When Niki greeted him by name, his face lit up. Niki knew that Sharon had planned to call child protective services that day to report the Flemings, but they wouldn’t have started their investigation yet, she didn’t think. As for Jacob, she’d planned to be friendly but not too friendly. Even though he appeared dejected, he wasn’t necessarily blameless in whatever was going on in his house. He was a source of information and nothing else as far as she was concerned.

  She watched as Jacob decisively opened the soda cooler, selecting a can of Sprite before darting back to the snack aisle. When he came to the counter, he plunked a package of cupcakes down and set the soda right next to it. “Hostess CupCakes,” she said. “Good choice.”

  “They’re not for me,” Jacob said, seemingly embarrassed.

  “Then they’re an even better choice, because you’re getting them for someone else.”

  “I guess.” He set his backpack on the floor and leaned over to rummage in one of the pockets. When he straightened up he had a crisp ten-dollar bill, which he slid across the counter.

  Niki scanned the can and the cupcakes. After putting the money in the register, she said, “For your girlfriend?”

  “What?” His eyebrows rose.

  “The cupcakes. You said they’re not for you. Are they for your girlfriend?”

  “I don’t . . . I mean, I—” He shook his head, appearing flustered. “No. Just for a little kid I know.”

  “That’s so nice of you!” Niki put the change in his hand. “I bet she’ll love them!” She watched his face for a reaction.

  Jacob nodded. “They’re her favorite. It’s kind of a surprise.”

  So now she’d established that they were for a little girl. Score one for Niki. She said, “So thoughtful. I notice that a lot of people don’t think about anyone but themselves. I’m not sure why. Selfish, I guess. But it’s not that hard to go out of your way for other people, you know? I mean, sometimes the smallest things can make a difference to someone. I know the whole Kindness Matters movement is sort of a cliché these days, but I still think it’s true.” Niki could hear herself rambling, but he wasn’t moving and he seemed pleased, so she kept on. “You’re a rare one, Jacob. Come back and let me know if she was happy to get them. I love hearing about this kind of thing.” Inwardly she cringed, thinking how lame this sounded. I love hearing about this kind of thing? What kind of thing would that be? Giving a kid some cupcakes?

  Despite her stupid-sounding attempt at conversation, it seemed to be meeting its mark. Jacob beamed like someone not used to getting compliments. “I will,” he said. “I could come back tomorrow. I mean, if you’re going to be working then.”

  Niki nodded. “I’m here Wednesday through Sunday from nine to five, so I’ll definitely be working.”

  “Great.” He put the cupcakes and soda in his backpack and pocketed the change.

  “You can count on it. I’ll be right here.”

  “It’s nice to be able to count on something,” Jacob said, and she sensed a wistfulness in his voice.

  Niki nodded. “The world can be so random sometimes. It’s good to know what to expect.”

  “Okay then. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” He hoisted the backpack over his shoulder and headed to the door.

  “Bye, Jacob,” she called out, and without turning around he held up a hand in farewell.

  Niki kept her eyes on the wall of glass, watching as he walked past the first row of pumps, and frowning slightly when she saw two young guys approach him from the sidewalk. They called out to him in what appeared to be a friendly way, but she recognized the defensive hunch of his shoulders. These were not friends, and he was not happy to see them. Now the two of them stood directly in front of Jacob, blocking his way. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he seemed to be shrinking away from them. Niki had seen this kind of thing before, and she knew how it felt.

  The door leading from the stockroom swung open, and she heard Albert’s booming voice say, “Good to have that done. What did I miss?”

  “Not much,” Niki said, her gaze still on the three teenagers outside. “Just the usual at the pumps. And Jacob was in getting some snacks. He was buying Hostess CupCakes for a little kid he knows. Has he ever done that before? Buy something for someone else?”

  “Not that I know of,” Albert said, coming to stand next to her.

  His words barely registered, because now the two boys were moving toward Jacob in a threatening way. One of them gave him a shove, making him stumble backward before he regained his balance. Without a pause, Niki said, “Back in a minute.” She pushed past Albert and rushed outside, her heart racing. She approached the boys, calling out, “Hey, Jacob!”

  All three sto
pped to look at her. Jacob appeared the most surprised. “Yeah?” he said.

  She rushed up to his side and slipped her hand onto the crook of his elbow. “Good news! My boss said I can have off that night, so we can go out after all.”

  “Okay,” Jacob said, a flicker of confusion on his face.

  “I know I told you he said no, but I begged and told him it was important that we have that evening together, so he changed his mind. Good news, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So it’s a date?”

  “Sure.” Something in the way he said it made her think he was catching on. “Of course.”

  “Yay for us!” She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t forget. I went to a lot of trouble to work out my schedule.”

  “I won’t forget,” he promised, standing a little taller.

  “Sorry for interrupting, guys,” Niki said. “But girlfriends always come first.”

  “Sure, no problem,” said the taller of the two. He exchanged a glance with his friend.

  Then the second one said, “Catch you later, LEGO Head.”

  Jacob and Niki watched as the two boys sauntered off, heading in the opposite direction of Jacob’s walk home. “Thanks,” Jacob said, his cheeks flushing red. He seemed too embarrassed to meet her eyes.

  “No worries. I have to get back to work,” Niki said, hugging herself. Now that the exchange was over, she felt the chill of the wintry air.

  “Okay, see you later.”

  She watched him walk off, then turned to dash back to the store. “Sorry about that,” she said to Albert, coming through the door and taking her place behind the counter.

  Albert still had his eye on the window, watching Jacob as he headed down the sidewalk. “Not a problem,” he said gruffly.

  “Is there something you wanted me to do?”

  Instead of answering her question, Albert gave her an approving look and said, “I saw what you did there. That was nice, sticking up for Jacob.”

  Niki shrugged. “I’ve never liked bullies.”

  “No one does, but not everyone wants to get involved. The way you went to his defense was exceptional. I’d say that makes you a standout person, Niki Ramos.”

  Niki didn’t feel like a standout person, but she took the compliment anyway. “Thanks.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Suzette felt like screaming. It was afternoon, almost time for Jacob to be coming home from school, when the doorbell went off—and kept going off. Ringing and ringing and ringing. She hadn’t noticed when it first began, but at least ten minutes had passed by now. The ringing had a pattern. Two quick rings and then a very long pause, so long that each time she hoped it was over, only to have it ring again. She had a policy of not answering the door unless she was expecting someone, but this intruder—this woman—wouldn’t get the hint. And it was definitely a woman standing alone on their front mat. Suzette had confirmed that by peering through the blinds.

  The woman was well dressed by most standards, but Suzette had sized her up quickly, noting that the purse was a knockoff brand and her coat a nondescript navy peacoat that one could find at any department store. Could she be from one of the charities that Suzette was involved with? Not likely. She had the look of a real estate agent or a census taker. What a bother.

  The doorbell rang twice more, and the noise of it was so grating that Suzette was ready to wring the woman’s neck. Another quick glance out the window showed the woman standing calmly in front of the door like she had all the time in the world. Suzette went into the kitchen, where Mia was on her hands and knees washing the floor. The child was only halfway done. So ridiculous. Mia took forever to scrub floors, but she tended to do an exceptionally good job, so Suzette didn’t like to hurry her. “Mia?” Suzette stood in the doorway, one hand on her hip.

  The child paused in her work to glance up at her. “Ma’am?”

  “You are to go downstairs immediately. Do not come back up until I call you. Do you understand me?”

  Mia nodded, squeezing out the rag.

  “Do it! Now!” It was infuriating to Suzette how she was forced to raise her voice. How difficult was it to follow orders?

  Mia set the rag down next to the bucket, scrambled to her feet, and went to the basement door, pulling it shut behind her. When Suzette no longer heard the child’s footsteps on the stair treads, she smoothed her hair and made her way to the front door. So much trouble to make the doorbell stop ringing. She’d take the woman’s card and send her on her way.

  When the door opened, the woman’s face lit up as if in recognition. “Well, there you are,” she said. “Suzette Fleming? I’m so glad I caught you at home.” Her gray hair was clipped back on the sides, like she was a geriatric schoolgirl.

  Her demeanor denoted a familiarity that made Suzette hesitate. Had they met at some point? Nothing about the woman seemed familiar. “Can I help you?”

  She smiled. “I’m Franny Benson, a social worker from the county. I work for the Child Protection Unit. We’ve had a report from the neighborhood, and I’d love to ask you a few questions, if you have a minute.” She held up an unimpressive photo ID.

  Suzette let out an exasperated sigh. Always with the questions. Is there no end to people wanting my opinion on happenings in the community? “I’m afraid I’m not interested, but thank you and—” Suzette started to close the door, but the woman spoke out again.

  “Wait! I understand you do a lot of work in the community serving on the boards of area charities?”

  Suzette opened the door a little wider. “You know about my work?”

  “Of course!”

  “Really?” Suzette’s lips slowly stretched into a smile. She knows about my leadership on the boards. And here Matt thought her work on the boards was just a waste of time. He’d said as much, saying that if she thought it was elevating her standing in the community she was dead wrong. “No one cares what a bunch of society women talk about sitting around a table in your so-called meetings,” he’d said, putting air quotes around the last word. “The executives who are fawning over you only do it because you raise money for them.”

  Franny said, “If I could just come in for a few minutes, I’d love to talk to you.”

  “I can give you ten or fifteen minutes,” Suzette said, relenting. She opened the door and ushered Franny inside, taking the woman’s coat and hanging it in the front hall closet. “Right this way.” Franny, her large handbag dangling from one hand, followed her into the living room. Suzette was justifiably proud of this room, with its tall curio cabinet filled with valuable Lladró figurines, and she made sure it was kept immaculate.

  After they took their seats, Franny said, “What a lovely home you have.”

  “Thank you. We like it.”

  Franny rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small clipboard and pen. “I know you have limited time, so I’ll keep this brief.”

  Suzette said, “I would appreciate it.”

  “How do you want to be known? Social activist? Humanitarian? Philanthropist?”

  “You can use my name if you want. Suzette Fleming.” She felt a surge of self-satisfaction. “And humanitarian comes closest to what I do, although I don’t think of it that way. Just trying to do my bit.”

  “You’re being modest, Ms. Fleming. If everyone took the time to work on behalf of charities, the world would be a better place.”

  “Thank you,” she said, her gaze dropping to her folded hands. Humanitarian. She liked the sound of that word.

  Franny’s next set of questions had to do with Suzette’s family. She jotted down the names and ages of her husband and son and inquired about Jacob’s school. “So Jacob is your only child?”

  “Yes,” Suzette said, with a sweet shake of her head. “Jacob is a straight-A student with lots of friends. Our house is sort of the hub for local teenagers. They all congregate here—they’re coming and going all the time. Many would say it seems chaotic, but I actually prefer it that w
ay.” She leaned forward. “I think it’s best to keep an eye on them, don’t you agree?”

  “Oh, absolutely.” Franny nodded.

  “My husband and I are in perfect agreement when it comes to raising Jacob.”

  “I see. Do you have any other children living here? Maybe from a previous marriage or even just visiting?”

  “No, not at all. It’s just the three of us, and we love it that way. We’re a very close-knit family. Jacob comes home from school and practically pours his soul out to me.” She tapped her fingertips to her forehead. “The stories I could tell you! Just the usual teenage drama, but of course it seems serious to him. So I listen. It’s important to be supportive.”

  “So important.”

  “You remember that age. There’s always some crisis, and it’s worse now with social media. Rumors fly, and gossip spreads like crazy. Not about Jacob, of course—he doesn’t have to worry about such things—but he’s like me, always looking out for the underdog. He’s such a role model for other students. His father and I are quite proud of him.”

  “He sounds like a wonderful young man. So would it be fair to say that besides your son, there have been no other children in the house in the last week or two?”

  “Besides his friends from high school?” Suzette frowned. “No. None at all.”

  “No younger children have been in your home?”

  “Of course not. Did someone say there was?” This woman was getting on her nerves.

  “I’m just following up on a report,” Franny said. “Very routine. I’m visiting with several people in the neighborhood.”

  Was she imagining things? Something about the expectant way Franny looked at Suzette made her neck stiffen. It was almost as if this woman knew about Mia. But of course, that was impossible. More likely she was looking for families to do foster care. As if. Suzette let out a laugh. “I’m not interested in taking care of younger children. As you can imagine, my work keeps me pretty busy. You caught me at home today, but that’s not usually the case. I’m almost always on the go. Now, did you have any more questions before I see you to the door?”