With tentative steps, she half slid her way down to the car, careful not to lose her balance. Ahead of her, Jacob had splashed his way toward the driver’s side door and was yanking unsuccessfully on the handle. “Unlock the door, Mom!” he screamed. The car was angled in such a way that the back tires were barely wet, while the front tires and the lower part of the door were completely submerged.
Niki called out, “I don’t think the door will open when it’s in water like that!”
“It has to open. Her airbag went off, and she doesn’t look good. We have to get her out!”
“I’ll see if Fred has something in the trunk we can use to break the window.” She clambered up to the road, breathless in her need to hurry. When she got to the car, she retrieved the keys and popped open the trunk. Fred’s trunk was as neat as the rest of the car, and empty too. She pulled at the trunk lining, and it came up on one side. Peeling it back, she saw a thin board covering most of the storage compartment. Off to the right was a smaller board with a cut-out handle. Frantically she pulled at this one, finding a folded-up jack underneath.
After getting it out, she hurried back to the crash site and made her way down the hill. Jacob walked briskly toward the bank, and she waded into the freezing water to meet him halfway. She grimaced as the cold soaked through her shoes and jeans to her skin. How is he able to bear standing in this water? Without saying a word, he took the jack from her outstretched hand and returned to the window.
“Mom,” he said. “You need to move back. I’m going to break the window.” His mother must have said something that sounded like an objection, because he replied, “There is no place around here to get a tow truck, Mom. We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
Niki splashed her way back to the shore to call 911.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Mia’s head felt fuzzy and her body heavy. For a long time, she drifted in and out, aware of the buzz of a vibration and the sound of music. She had no sense of where she was and couldn’t manage to open her eyes.
Her arms were pinned to her side, but her head rested on something soft and cushy. She couldn’t overcome her sleepiness, so she gave in to it.
She dreamed. It was a troubling nightmare of being chased by monsters. She ran through the house trying to get away from them, but they were everywhere: behind furniture, popping out of closets, hiding around corners. On one go-round, she saw Ma’am sitting at the kitchen table calmly drinking her coffee. She went to ask for her help, but then Ma’am turned into a monster too, her face morphing into something truly horrible, a shiny mask with yellow pointy teeth and dark menacing eyes. Her manicured nails became claws that skewered Mia’s arms and shook her so hard her teeth rattled, after which Monster-Ma’am tossed her across the room. She threw her so hard that the back of Mia’s head knocked against the wall. It was the force of hitting the wall that woke her up, she thought.
For a few minutes she was confused, not able to make sense of her surroundings.
She opened her eyes and saw only the darkest dark. She was wrapped up in some kind of fabric that held her arms to her sides. She felt a hard edge against her back, but nothing made sense. Was she still in the bad dream? She wiggled and squirmed and was finally able to get her arms free. Feeling around her, she could tell she was in a tight, enclosed space, but she couldn’t make sense of it. At the same time, she felt something wet down below and was horrified to realize that she had peed her pants.
Oh, she was going to be in so much trouble for this.
Ma’am hated crying, saying it was for weaklings, so Mia had learned to hold back, no matter what. Even when she was most afraid or sad she’d never shed a tear, but this time she couldn’t help herself. She was so scared that the tears came. Above the sound of the music, she heard voices echoing around her, yelling things she couldn’t understand. The voices sounded close and far away at the same time, but one of the voices, a man’s, sounded upset and angry. Mister had once watched a movie where a woman was buried in a box underground by a bad man. The woman in the box almost ran out of air before being saved at the very last minute. Mia thought that this was what had happened to her. It was dark and cold, and she was trapped. It was the only thing that made sense. Was the angry man whose voice she heard the one who’d buried her?
The other voice, a woman’s, sounded nicer, but Mia didn’t know her. Sometimes Ma’am acted nice and a second later got mean. It would be risky to call out for help, but if she didn’t, she might be trapped forever.
“Hello?” Her voice was raspy and weak. Her mouth was dry. She swallowed and tried again. “Help. Please, help.” It took all her effort, and for what? Her words were trapped by the space around her.
Would someone find her in time? If they didn’t, she would die. Of course, she was going to get punished when they saw she’d peed herself. That was for babies. Mia was way too old to have an accident.
Maybe they wouldn’t notice the wet spot.
The thought of dying under the dirt made her chest squeeze so tight she couldn’t breathe. Fear pushed out the tears, and she let loose, crying and crying. Her face was wet, and her nose was running, and she was chilly and miserable. Finally, not caring anymore, she let out a wail and then a sob. From there, she couldn’t seem to help herself. One sob led to another.
Mia had never felt so hopeless and miserable. She hoped that dying wouldn’t hurt too much.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Niki was almost to the shore when she heard a thin cry. She stopped to listen. There it was again. She cocked her head to one side. Is it coming from the car? She splashed back through the freezing water, ignoring Jacob, who was arguing with his mother, and instead focusing on the back of the Audi. Someone was definitely crying. Placing both hands on the top of the trunk, she leaned in. “Hello?”
The crying softened to a dull sobbing, loud enough so Niki knew there was a child in the trunk. “Mia, is that you?” No answer, just the sound of more muffled weeping, the breathless sobs of someone crying too hard to talk. It has to be Mia. Who else could it be? Niki yelled to Jacob. “Mia’s here! She’s in the trunk.”
“What!” He was at her side in an instant. “Mia, are you in there?”
“Jacob?” The voice was so heartbreakingly small and tentative that for a moment Niki forgot how cold she was.
“Yeah, Mia, it’s me, Jacob.”
“Jacob, I’m scared.”
“I know. It’s okay. We’re going to get you out of there.” He sloshed back to the window and shouted, “Mom, Mia’s in the trunk? You’ve got to be kidding me! You need to open it right now! What? Well, then you need to find it.” He glanced back at Niki. “She can’t find her key fob.” He went back to his mother. “Is it in your bag, Mom? Can you look in the bag?”
While he was dealing with his mother, Niki leaned down and spoke loudly. “Mia, I’m a friend of Jacob’s. My name is Niki. Are you hurt?”
There was a slight pause. “Niki from the gas station?”
“Yes, that’s me. Niki from the gas station. Are you hurt?”
“I don’t think so. But I’m scared. It’s so dark. I don’t know where I am.”
“I know you’re scared, honey, but just listen to me. You’re inside the trunk of a car. That’s why it’s dark. If you follow the sound of my voice and feel around on this side, you might find a handle or latch that will open the trunk, and I’ll be able to get you out.”
“A handle?”
“Yes. Right near here.” Niki spoke louder. “Can you follow the sound of my voice and see if you can find it? It will feel like something you can pull on.”
“I don’t know.” Mia’s voice was shaky. “I’m sorry, Niki. I’m really sorry, but I don’t know where you are.”
Niki knocked on the top of the trunk. “How about now?” She heard a knock from inside the trunk in response.
Mia’s voice came through. “Over here?”
“Good girl! You’re in the right spot. Now feel all over and see if you
can find the handle.”
“I think I found it.” Her voice rose with excitement.
“Good girl! Now pull on it and see—” The trunk lid popped open to reveal a little girl tangled up in a blanket, her hair mussed and face red and blotchy. “Mia? Honey, are you okay?”
Mia blinked in the sunlight. “Are you Niki?”
“Yes, I am. I’m Jacob’s friend. Come on out and I’ll take you to my car where it’s warm. Okay?” Mia nodded, and Niki scooped her up into her arms and carried her from the car.
Chapter Fifty
When Niki made it back to Fred’s car, she set Mia in the front seat, covered her with the blanket, and started up the engine to get the heater going. Then she turned to the wide-eyed child and said, “How are you feeling, Mia? Does anything hurt?”
Mia shook her head. She was oddly quiet, given the circumstances. In shock, maybe? She tried again. “That had to be scary being locked in the trunk.”
“I was afraid.” Mia’s lower lip trembled.
“Well, you’re safe now.” Niki spoke soothingly. “I’m going to be on the phone calling for help. Will you be okay for a minute or two?”
“Yes.” She craned her head to look back at the Audi still sitting in the pond. “Is Jacob going to come here?”
“Probably in a few minutes. We’ll just wait for him.”
Niki was relieved when her call went through, but it took a lot of explaining to make the operator understand that not only had there been a car accident, but she was also reporting a crime. “A kidnapping?” the operator said. “Was the child reported as abducted?”
“No.” Niki looked at Mia’s sweet, dazed expression. “It’s a long story. I’d be happy to tell the police when they get here. The main thing is we’ll need an ambulance and the police and a tow truck.”
Niki stayed on the line while the operator coordinated the response. She smiled down at Mia, who was watching her with rapt attention. “You okay?”
Mia nodded. “Jacob says you’re pretty.”
“That’s nice of him.”
“And he says you have hair and eyes the color of mine.”
“That’s true.”
Mia tilted her head and gave Niki an appraising look. “Sometimes Jacob buys me things from the gas station.”
“I know. Hostess CupCakes, right?” Slowly, Mia’s mouth stretched into a smile, warming Niki’s heart. She couldn’t help but notice that despite her bedraggled appearance and terrible haircut, Mia really was a beautiful little girl. Oh, sweetheart, how could you be lost for so long and have no one looking for you?
As if Jacob had heard them talking about him, the back door of the car opened and he jumped inside, setting the jack next to him on the seat. “Oh man, I’m cold. I had to get out of the water. I couldn’t stand it any longer.” The words came out through a chattering of teeth. “She won’t let me break the window. She’s yelling that we need to call 911.”
“Already done,” Niki said, showing him the phone. The car was really warm now, the blowing air dry and hot. She angled the vents to better reach the back seat.
Mia turned to look at Jacob. “Is Ma’am mad at me?”
Shivering, Jacob said, “Mia, you’re not in trouble. She is. Don’t worry about it.”
Mia pushed the blanket over the seat. “You can have this, Jacob. I’m warm now.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.
He pulled it toward him, accepting it gratefully. “Thanks, squirt.”
Fifteen minutes later, just as the operator had predicted, they saw the revolving red lights of emergency vehicles approaching. Niki got out of the car to greet them. “I’m the one who called 911,” she said to the first deputy to get out of the car. She felt like she was living someone else’s life, someone who took charge and knew what to do. Adulting at its most extreme. The deputies introduced themselves, and then another sheriff’s office car arrived, followed by an ambulance and a tow truck.
The deputies had so many questions, all of which she answered first from standing alongside Fred’s car and later in the back of the ambulance. She handed her car keys to a deputy sheriff who promised the car would be moved to the parking lot of the sheriff’s office.
Shortly after the emergency responders arrived, she, Mia, and Jacob were transported by a deputy sheriff to a medical clinic to be examined for exposure to the cold. The problem of Jacob’s mother being trapped in the car in the pond was left for others to solve.
Once they arrived at the medical clinic, Mia clung to Jacob until he said, “It’s okay, Mia. These are nice people. They want to help us.” Still she hesitated, gesturing for Jacob to lean over so she could whisper something in his ear. He answered aloud, “You can tell them anything you want. Answer all their questions. You won’t get into any trouble. I promise. No one is going to get mad. I promise you, Mia. You know I wouldn’t lie to you, right?”
Reluctantly, she allowed one of the nurses to take her hand and lead her away, although she did look back at Jacob and Niki as she was led down the hall. After that, Jacob and Niki were separated and taken to their own examining rooms. After the doctor had checked her out, saying she was fine, a nurse brought Niki gray sweatpants and white socks to replace her wet clothing, and Niki gratefully pulled them on.
In the lull after the examination, Niki called Sharon, who answered, “Niki! Thank God! Why didn’t you answer your messages?” Her voice rang with real concern.
Niki said, “I’m sorry, but so much has happened. I guess I wasn’t paying attention.” She filled Sharon in, and then Sharon told her what had happened on her end.
“I’ve been talking to Franny Benson, and she called the police. They came out to the house and questioned me, but I didn’t have much to tell them.”
“They need to call the Ash County Sheriff’s Office,” Niki said. “They’re the ones who responded to the 911 call. They’re handling things here.”
“Ash County Sheriff’s Office,” Sharon repeated, and Niki knew she was writing it down. “Where are you right now?”
“I’m at the Friendly Care Walk-In Clinic on Main Street,” Niki said, looking around. She was in the tiniest of rooms, the size of a health room in an elementary school. A hand sanitizer dispenser was positioned next to a sink and opposite a small desk with a computer. She was sitting on the examination table, even though there was an upholstered chair nearby. She was clearly in a room intended for children because the mural on one wall featured bears in tutus. “But I don’t think I’ll be here much longer. The deputy said we’re going to be driven back to the sheriff’s office for more questioning.”
“Listen, Niki. I talked to Amy, and she said not to tell them anything until you have a lawyer present. Even though you weren’t involved in abducting the little girl, it’s best to cover your bases. Ask for an attorney.”
“I think it’s too late for that. I already answered all kinds of questions.”
Sharon sighed. “Oh, Niki. I wish you’d called me first.”
“I wish that too,” Niki answered. Really, what she wished for was that Sharon could be at her side right now. At that moment there was nothing she wanted more. Suddenly, she was flooded with emotion. She’d been strong in dealing with law enforcement and the medical team, but now the feelings bottled up inside her spilled forward: gratitude for Sharon’s caring ways, relief at having found Mia in the trunk, worry for how things would go from here. How could anyone think I might be involved?
“It is what it is,” Sharon said matter-of-factly. “We can’t go back and undo it.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t call you,” Niki said, her voice emotional. “What if Jacob’s mom says I knew about this or something? She could say anything. I could be in big trouble.”
“Oh, honey, let’s look on the bright side. You found the little girl. You’re a hero! And we contacted Franny before any of this happened, so she’ll vouch for you and so will I. Amy is just doing what she always does—making sure there ar
e no loopholes. We’ll get through this.”
We’ll get through this. That line tugged at Niki’s heart. She wasn’t alone anymore. “Thanks, Sharon.”
Chapter Fifty-One
Everyone was so nice to Mia that she found it confusing. At the clinic the nurse and doctor were so kind, saying she was a brave girl. The nurse said Mia could call her Jenny. She was a smiling woman with dark curly hair pulled up into a ponytail. She gave Mia clean pants that were too long. After Mia put them on, Jenny said, “I’m sorry, Mia, but we don’t have any your size. I think I can make these work, though.” She knelt down on the floor and rolled up the bottoms until they were just the right length. Jenny looked up and smiled. “Better?” Her smile was so friendly that Mia felt like crying for some reason. All she could do was nod. Then Jenny put Mia’s wet underwear and jeans in a plastic bag and set them aside. She didn’t even say anything about Mia peeing in her pants.
The doctor, a tall man with glasses, looked inside her mouth and ears, and did some other tests to check to see if her heart was healthy and if her lungs were doing a good job of breathing. He measured how tall she was and had her stand on a scale to see how much she weighed. None of it hurt at all. Then he asked how old she was, and when she said she didn’t know because she didn’t know when her birthday was, he and Jenny looked at each other and got strangely quiet. Mia thought she had messed up, but he just said, “However old you are, I think you’re just perfect.” He gave her a big smile and then asked if he could shake her hand, because she was his favorite patient so far this month. When he finished, Jenny said that Mia was in wonderful health and was the best-behaved little girl she’d ever seen.
Then a nice lady deputy came and said she wanted to talk to Mia, so they went to a room in back. One of the nurses came in and brought Mia a sandwich and a juice box, and the nice deputy, whose name was Amanda, sat with her. Mia could hear sounds outside the room—phones ringing and doors opening and closing—but Amanda didn’t seem to notice. She was in her uniform, but she must have had the day off, because she didn’t work at all, just watched Mia eat, and then, when she was done, she got out some coloring paper and crayons and asked if Mia wanted to draw some pictures.
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