“What do you call this style of furniture?” she asked.
“French provincial,” Jacob said, drawing out the words theatrically. “My mother has a thing for anything French. She thinks it’s the ultimate in class.” He pulled a face. “She’d like the whole house to look like Versailles. Luckily, my dad thinks it’s tacky.” He pointed at a door opposite. “Moving on.”
Across from his mother’s bedroom was a guest room. Niki made a point to walk in and look around, scanning the room for traces of a little girl. She opened the closet doors to find it empty except for a few lonely hangers. An upper shelf held folded blankets and an extra pillow. On the floor sat two boxes, both of them marked Christmas. She turned to Jacob. “You really have an empty room that sits here except for when you have guests?”
“Oh, yeah. And here’s the best part. We’ve never had overnight guests.”
“Never?”
“Not once,” he said, his hand making the shape of a zero. “And not in my old house either. No one’s allowed to stay over. My mom just likes the idea of having a guest bedroom.”
“Huh.” Niki closed the closet doors. “Must be nice.”
“Not really.” He beckoned with one finger. “One more room to see. Mine.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall. She was struck by how bold he’d become in such a short period of time. It didn’t take much to encourage a guy who’d never had encouragement. He walked through the door first, kicking a pile of clothing to one side and sweeping an arm across the room. “This is it.”
Niki walked to the middle of the room and pretended to look around. A bulletin board on one wall displayed a ribbon for winning an elementary school talent show, a certificate for completing a woodworking course, and two photos of beautiful girls lounging on the beach in bikinis. She recognized one of them as being a Victoria’s Secret model in her younger days. “Friends of yours?” she said, pointing.
“Yeah.”
He had a framed band poster of a group she’d never heard of, but otherwise the walls were bare. The bed was unmade, and his desk was completely covered with clutter. She sat on the edge of the bed. “I said I wanted to see your inner sanctum, and I guess this is it.”
“This is it,” he repeated, eagerly crossing the room to join her. He reminded her of a jowly dog trying to hold back while anticipating a treat. He sat so close to her that their thighs touched. When he reached over and rested his arm along her backside, she resisted the urge to pull away.
“You know, Jacob, it was the craziest thing, but when we first met, I felt a connection between us.” She turned to meet his eyes and saw the hope behind them. She felt guilty for leading him on, but she justified it, knowing she wouldn’t let it go too far.
“Oh my God. I felt that way too. I never thought you would, though.” He blinked and, as if overcome, cast his eyes downward.
“I’m not saying it’s a romantic feeling,” she continued. “But I’m getting something from you. A vibe. I feel like you need a friend, someone to confide in.”
“I have friends,” he said quietly, moving his right foot to kick a pair of boxer briefs under the bed. “So you feel sorry for me?”
“No, that’s not it.” Niki spoke slowly, leaning into him. “But I do want to know what’s weighing so heavily on you. I can tell that something is bothering you. You always look like you have a secret you don’t want to keep.”
“I do?”
She nodded and smiled. “And I know what that’s like, to be involved in something you know is wrong, maybe even illegal, but it’s not your fault and you can’t see your way clear. You’ll feel better if you tell me about it. No judging, I promise.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t do drugs, if that’s where you’re going with this.”
“No, I would never think that.”
“Okay,” he said grudgingly. “Not saying I haven’t tried things—”
“I know, I know. I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.” She rested her hands on her knees and looked away. “I’m getting a feeling that it’s something with your family. You’re an only child?”
“Yes.”
“So no other kids live here?”
“Just me.”
She caught the defensiveness. “It’s hard when there are no other kids in the house.”
Jacob looked at her and blinked. “I’m used to it.”
“So who did you buy the Hostess CupCakes for? That was so nice of you.”
“Just a kid I know. Her name is Mia. She likes cupcakes.”
Her name is Mia. “How do you know her?”
Instead of answering he leaned in, ever so slowly, and she had a sinking feeling he was coming in for a kiss. Quickly she darted in and gave him a peck on the cheek, then stood up and smiled provocatively. Jacob seemed a little dazed. “I’ll race you down the stairs!” She took off running, knowing that in a second he’d be right on her heels and that she had to stay ahead. By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs she heard his thundering footsteps behind her, but she kept going to the closed door he’d indicated led to the basement. Without hesitating, she opened it and flipped on the light switch.
“Wait!” he called out, his arm reaching, but she didn’t wait.
Instead she went down, two stairs at a time, her feet clattering on the hard surface. Getting to the bottom of the stairs, she rounded the corner to see one large open room with a door on the far right. For a basement, it was nice enough. The cement walls had been finished with drywall, and the floor was some kind of vinyl planking. What was unusual was how empty it was, devoid of furniture, lacking storage boxes. No photos or artwork on the walls. The only thing that broke up the stretch of white walls was one large bookcase on the far end and three glass block windows, two on one side of the room and one on the opposite side.
“Niki, wait!” Jacob yelled. He was downstairs now, looking at her like she’d lost her mind.
“Sorry, Jacob! I wanted to see everything,” she said, her arms outstretched, turning in a free-spirited way. “All of it.”
“There’s nothing to see,” he said, sounding annoyed.
“Really? Well what about this?” Niki strode over to the door and ceremoniously pulled it open. She’d been expecting to find a child, or at least a space where a child was staying, so it was puzzling to find a small bathroom—toilet, shower, and pedestal sink with an oval mirror above it. She walked in and scanned the room. Not much to it, but it was spotless.
Jacob came to her side. “It’s just the downstairs bathroom,” he said. “My mom doesn’t like anyone down here.” His tone was stern. “Time to go upstairs.” He grabbed her elbow and steered her away from there.
Once they’d returned to the first floor, Niki gave an excuse for having to leave. “My grandma is expecting me at home.” She apologized for going down to the basement. “I should have checked with you first before I went downstairs. That wasn’t cool.”
“It’s okay,” he said.
“I’ve got a thought,” she said. “Why don’t we exchange numbers?”
He nodded, getting out his phone, then dialed the number she gave him.
When it rang, she held it up. “Got it. Thanks. I’ll add you to my contacts.” She hurried into her coat and gave him a quick hug before she went out the door. “See you later, Jacob.”
“Later.” His voice was tinged with disappointment.
“I want you to know that I’m here for you, Jacob. Seriously, if I can ever help you in any way, let me know.”
Her offer made him smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
As she walked down the driveway, she hugged her arms around her, pleased with her discoveries. The glass block window that had fronted the flickering light was missing. The place it should have been was somewhere behind the bookcase. The other curious thing? On the pedestal sink in the bathroom stood a plastic cup holding a child-size toothbrush.
Little Mia was downstairs somewhere behind the wall.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Suzette raised a finger as the waiter came by. “Another martini, please.” It was the only thing that could save the evening. By the third one, she no longer minded looking at the photos of Mary’s infant grandson, and by the fifth, she actually saw Mary haloed in a rosy glow.
When Mary said, “Wow, you can really put them away,” Suzette took it as an overdue compliment.
They sat and drank long after the dinner plates were cleared away, ignoring the server’s suggestion that they take their drinks and head over to the bar. Mary drank herbal tea, something that made Suzette cringe on her behalf. The woman might as well wear an ID badge identifying herself as a senior citizen. Generously, Suzette pretended to approve.
Mary dipped her tea bag into the cup and said, “I find this helps me sleep at night.”
“Whatever it takes,” Suzette said warmly, lifting her martini glass.
For the last hour, Suzette had let Mary carry the conversation. She smiled and nodded at what seemed to be appropriate moments, but her mind was far away, drifting uncomfortably to what she was beginning to think of as the Mia problem. First the social worker and then the neighbor, digging into her personal business, asking if there were young children in her household. The neighbor, that frowsy nobody, had even asked specifically about a little girl. Busybody. Suzette had dismissed Matt’s assertion that the social worker was there for a reason and that reason was Mia, but now, with a sinking feeling, she realized he was right. Not that she’d ever admit it.
Well, if Mia’s presence was a problem, there was only one thing to do about it, and that was to take Mia out of the equation. Should the social worker come again, she’d find nothing out of the ordinary. Yes, she’d have to take care of the problem, and do it right away. There was no time to waste.
Once Mia was gone, the household would have to readjust in a big way. Suzette would most likely have to hire a cleaning lady, something she wasn’t looking forward to, but the house wasn’t going to clean itself. She hoped Jacob and Matt wouldn’t make a fuss about this change. She would have a good defense for her actions. Matt had long said they couldn’t keep the child, so she only needed to retort that she’d finally taken his advice.
She remembered back when she’d returned the guinea pig to the pet store. The clerk behind the counter hadn’t wanted to take it back, so she’d just scooped the little beast out of the shoebox, left it sitting on the counter, and walked out. No minimum-wage employee with ear gauges was going to tell her what to do.
Of course, Jacob had been crestfallen when he discovered the empty cage, but he’d gotten over it soon enough. Mia could go back to where she came from, none the worse for wear. If anything, she was in far better shape than when they’d found her. She supposed Jacob would “miss” her, but it was always something with him, and it wasn’t as if Mia could stay with them forever. Truthfully, she was starting to regret bringing her home in the first place.
Despite her pounding headache the next morning, Suzette got out of bed and started her day, taking a quick shower and getting dressed. Some pills for the pain, an extra tablet to lift her mood, and she was off to a good start. After a cup or two of coffee, she’d be ready to carry out her plan.
Once downstairs, she was glad to discover that she was the first one out of bed. Suzette headed down the basement stairs, unlatched the bookcase and swung it open, then flipped on the light switch. “Wake up, sleepyhead. Time to start your day!”
Mia sat up and groggily rubbed her eyes. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Hurry. Wash up and get dressed. I’ll have breakfast for you when you come upstairs.” Suzette was feeling lighter as she climbed the stairs. Today she’d be fixing a problem.
By the time Jacob and Matt came downstairs, Mia was already at the counter eating her oatmeal. Suzette had folded in a liberal amount of brown sugar and topped it with a smiley face made of raisins. She’d set it down along with a glass of milk and said, “Here you go, Miss Mia. Enjoy!” Mia had smiled and dug her spoon right into the bowl.
Such a good girl.
Jacob regarded his mother suspiciously when he came into the kitchen. “You’re up early,” he said.
She shrugged. “Just woke up and decided to start my day.” She smiled in a friendly way. Jacob might be a bit of a mess now, but someday he’d get a growth spurt and shed some of that baby fat. In time, too, he might be more willing to let her choose his clothes. With an improved appearance would come a better attitude and maybe a dose of confidence, all of which would make him ready for public viewing. He was her son, her only child. She wasn’t going to give up on him yet. Suzette was a big believer in second chances and keeping her options open.
“Okay.” Jacob walked past and went to the pantry closet, getting out a box of Cheerios. At the counter, he poured the cereal into a bowl and sliced a banana over the top. With a glance, he noticed Mia’s breakfast. “Hey, squirt. Where’d you get the oatmeal?”
“I made it,” Suzette said. “Would you like some?”
Jacob squinted in confusion. “No thanks.”
Matt poured himself a cup of coffee, and the family ate and drank in silence. Mia took forever to finish her oatmeal; she was still working on it when the guys headed out the door together. Matt had offered to drop Jacob off at school on his way to work so he wouldn’t have to take the bus.
To show there was no ill will between them, Suzette fluttered her fingers in a friendly wave and called out, “Goodbye! Have a good day!”
After they left, she pulled up a stool and sat next to Mia. “Today’s a very special day,” she said. “We’re going for a ride in the car, and I’m going to show you where you lived when you were a baby. Would you like that, Mia?”
Mia’s eyes got wide and she nodded, a spoonful of oatmeal still in her mouth. Her reaction was a tad unsettling. The child followed directions well enough, but Suzette doubted her intellectual capability went much beyond that. In this case, Mia would have had to understand the concept of doing something now in connection with what had happened in the past. The idea was clearly too abstract for someone as simpleminded as Mia. Most likely she was responding to Suzette’s tone of joyous anticipation.
“It’ll be fun,” Suzette promised. “You’ll see.”
While Mia finished eating, Suzette went downstairs and retrieved a pillow and blanket from Mia’s room, then set about putting everything in place so her plan would go smoothly.
Later, when Mia became so groggy that she dropped gracefully to the floor, Suzette wrapped her in the blanket and carried her out to the car.
Chapter Forty
Jacob had bolted out of his first-hour class after telling Mrs. Taylor he felt like he was going to be sick. He actually did feel ill, but it had more to do with the sinking feeling that something was off at home than any physical ailment. His mom’s early start to the day was unusual in and of itself. Adding that to her superficially cheery manner and the fact that she’d made oatmeal for Mia—well, it was weird. Weird enough to raise alarms.
Even his dad had commented on it on the drive to school, saying, “Looks like your mother will be starting one of her new careers soon.” She hadn’t done anything like that in a long time, but years before she’d gone through different phases, deciding on new life paths and setting lofty goals for herself. His mother was full of good ideas, but none of them stuck. And all of them began with an uncharacteristically good mood and a large dose of optimism. Just like that morning.
This time felt different, though. Something was up, and Jacob thought it concerned Mia. He wasn’t sure exactly what was going on, but he knew he didn’t like it. He left school without permission and headed home. The walk was dreary, the winter day gray and the sidewalks lined with slush. He was warm enough in his jacket layered over his hoodie. Jacob never wore a hat, but after a few blocks he pulled his hood up because his ears were cold.
Turning onto his street, he saw his mother backing down the driveway. If she spot
ted him, he was in trouble, but the car went in the other direction, stopping for a long time at the stop sign before driving on. His father said she was an overly cautious driver, but Jacob thought she was just terrible at it. Slow and inattentive. The fact that she was leaving the house this early was highly suspicious. She rarely had appointments at this time of day.
After walking up his driveway, he punched the code into the garage door opener. Mia might have some insights into what was going on, and if not, he would search his mother’s bedroom for clues and then call his dad.
Inside the house, he didn’t waste any time. “Mia? Mia?” He walked through the first floor, checking every room and looking behind the couch, but he couldn’t find her. Frowning, he went upstairs and called her name, the empty rooms echoing his voice back to him. A frantic feeling gnawed at his throat, and he went back down the steps, now yelling. “Mia! This isn’t funny. Come out now!”
His last stop was the basement, where there was no place to hide. He crossed the room, glanced into the empty bathroom, and went right to the bookcase, releasing the latch. It swung open easily, and his heart sank when he saw she was gone, and so was her pillow and the top blanket. Where the hell is Mia? What has Mom done?
In his heart he knew she’d taken Mia somewhere, but just to be thorough, he checked the house again. Methodically he went from room to room, looking in every closet and opening the cabinets where Mia might fit. When he finished, he got out his phone and called his dad. When voice mail kicked in, he left a message, careful not to say anything that might incriminate them in the future. “Dad? I came home from school sick, and Mom’s not here. She took the package from the basement, the one Griswold likes so much? I’m really worried. Call me.” His father might be in a meeting or driving somewhere. Sometimes he didn’t check his phone for an hour or two.
Jacob looked at the tracking app on his phone and saw that his mother was on the move. He tried calling her phone, and per usual, she didn’t answer. She had probably turned the ringer off at one point and forgot to turn it back on. His mom was the least tech-savvy person he knew. She thought she was current because she could text and knew about emojis.
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