Amanda looked disappointed. “The police took it with them.”
“What was the name of it?”
“I don't know,” Amanda said, embarrassed. “The label was missing.”
Stacey bit her lip in frustration. “What else did Kyle tell them?”
“He wasn't able to see their faces. Apparently they wore masks when they brought him his food.”
“That's too bad.”
Amanda smiled faintly. “I think the police were discouraged Kyle couldn't tell them more.”
“What did they expect? He's only eight.”
Amanda smiled in agreement.
“How are things with Mark?”
Amanda's face brightened. “Better than they've been in a while, actually.”
Stacey kept her expression neutral. “Really?”
“Yes. In fact, he's been staying around home a lot more these last couple of days.”
“That's great, Amanda,” Stacey hesitated, then asked. “Do you know someone named Deanna Everett?”
“Yes, of course,” Amanda said, a smile on her face. “Didn't I tell you that story?”
“No,” Stacey said, shocked that Amanda knew the woman having an affair with her husband.
“About eight months ago a man called us saying he was Mark's brother. Mark is adopted, you know.”
“Yes, I think you told me that,” Stacey said, wondering how Deanna tied in with Mark's long-lost brother.
“Yes, and Kevin, Mark's brother, had been looking for Mark for quite some time. You can imagine their joy in finding each other. Kevin is quite a bit older than Mark,” Amanda said.
“I remember you telling me about his brother finding him. But I think that’s all you told me.”
Amanda smiled. “Anyway, we spent a lot of time with Kevin and his daughters, Deanna and Tammy.”
Things were starting to become clear to Stacey and she was beginning to feel like a complete idiot.
Amanda's smile turned to a frown as she continued. “Two months after Mark and Kevin met, Kevin was killed in a car accident.”
“Oh no,” Stacey said, imagining all the tragedy Amanda and her family had endured recently.
“Poor Deanna was devastated. She had recently lost her husband in an accident herself, and now her dear father had passed away.”
Guilt and remorse flooded Stacey as she thought about the deception she had perpetrated on Deanna. She had been through so much yet Stacey had treated her like a criminal. Ashamed at her behavior, Stacey felt tears start.
“She's doing better now,” Amanda said. “Mark's helped her out a lot. He helped her get a job at the school, he helped her buy a car, and he sent her and Tammy to Hawaii.”
That certainly explains everything, Stacey thought, getting her tears under control. If Deanna's not involved in Kyle's kidnapping, who is? After being so far off in her assumptions, Stacey didn't trust herself to guess at who might be involved. “I'm glad Mark was able to help her so much,” Stacey said.
“Yes. She's had so many struggles. Even now she's in San Francisco trying to get things straightened out with her father's estate. She's cutting her trip short though and she'll be back this morning.”
“Oh.” Stacey stood. “Hey, I've got to get going. But I'm so thrilled things are working out for you.”
“Me, too.” Amanda walked her to the door. “Thanks for coming by and thanks for all you've done to help.”
At Amanda's last comment, guilt engulfed her. She knew she hadn't done enough to help get Kyle back, but she was very grateful he was home.
The reporters flung their never-ending questions at her as she walked back across the street to her house. Ignoring them, she inwardly smiled at the realization that now that Kyle was back, the reporters would soon be gone.
As she stepped through her front door, her smile quickly vanished. She knew she needed to apologize to Deanna for her incorrect assumptions. Grabbing her purse, Stacey went out to her car and drove to the nearest flower shop before heading over to Deanna's apartment.
When Deanna opened the door Stacey felt her face color.
“What are you doing here?” Deanna asked, alarmed.
Feeling horrible, Stacey held out the flowers. “I came to apologize.”
“Oh,” Deanna said, taking the flowers. “Okay.”
Stacey sighed. “Would if be possible for me to come in for a minute. I need to explain.”
“Um, I guess so.” Deanna held the door open for Stacey to enter. “You can sit down if you want.”
“Thank you,” Stacey said, then paused, biting her lip. “I just want to tell you I'm sorry for lying to you.”
“Lying to me?”
“Please. Let me finish.” When Stacey saw that Deanna was going to let her continue, Stacey said, “I'm Amanda's neighbor. I was just trying to help when I was asking you those questions. I . . . I just wanted to help.”
“I see,” Deanna said. “Does Amanda know what you did?”
Mortification made the tears start. “No. I haven't told her. I'm so embarrassed. I feel awful for treating you the way I did. And after all you've been through. Can you ever forgive me?”
“We all wanted to help Kyle. No harm done. I appreciate you telling me the truth now.”
Suffused with remorse, Stacey said, “It wasn't just Kyle I was concerned about. The FBI thought my husband was involved with Kyle's kidnapping.”
Deanna recoiled at this. “What did you say your name was?”
“Stacey. Stacey Hunter.”
“I think you'd better leave.”
“Of course. I'm so sorry.” Stacey left as quickly as she could, feeling no better than she had when she'd arrived.
Chapter Forty
As Stacey drove to the unfamiliar address that night, she hoped the party would not take too long. She wanted to hurry home and spend some time with her husband. After she’d left Deanna’s apartment she’d gone home and tried to focus on getting ready for this party. Mortified by the look on Deanna’s face when she told her who she was, now she was afraid to talk to Amanda, certain her niece would have told her what had happened.
Pushing thoughts of that aside, Stacey concentrated on finding the address on the slip of paper Patricia had given her. Fifteen minutes later she pulled in front of the house.
She had to knock several times before the door opened. The woman who answered wore a bathrobe. “You must be Stacey. I didn’t know your number and I wasn’t able to get a hold of Patricia, but I’ve come down with the flu or something and I had to cancel the party. I’m so sorry.”
“That’s okay,” Stacey said.
A few moments later she was headed home, happy to know she’d be spending the evening with her family.
* * *
Spread out on the family room floor, Jason and the kids played Candyland. The phone interrupted their fun. Jason went into the kitchen to answer it and was surprised to hear Patricia on the other end.
She sounded upset. “Jason, is that you? Come right away. Stacey's been in an accident. She's calling for you.”
“What? She just left a minute ago.” His mind whirled in confusion and alarm.
“There's no time to explain.” She told him to come to an address he had never heard of.
“What's she doing there? Shouldn't she be at a hospital?” He was more bewildered than ever.
Patricia's words turned to near sobs. “She's calling for you, Jason. Please hurry.”
Jason was left with a dead phone in his hand. He didn't understand what was happening but he knew Stacey must be in trouble. Looking at his children playing on the floor, he wondered what to do with them.
He called the Stones, but got no answer.
Frustration and stress muddied his thinking. “Come on kids, we're going for a ride.”
* * *
When Stacey walked into her own home she noticed how eerily quiet it was. The kids shouldn't be in bed yet, she thought. And it's too dark for them to be outside.
She checked each of the rooms, but couldn't find them anywhere. An abandoned game sat on the floor of the family room. Then she noticed a familiar floral scent. Where have I smelled that before? Foreboding washed over her.
She went out to the garage and saw Jason's car was not there. Where could they have gone?
Stacey called Jason’s cell phone, but it went straight to voice mail.
“My party was cancelled,” she said after the beep. “Where are you? Please call me when you get this message.”
Where could he be, she wondered. Then thought, the Stones. Maybe they saw when Jason left. Stacey picked up the phone and hesitated, still worried about her mistake with Deanna and what Amanda would say. Finally her concern for her family overcame her fear over talking to Amanda. The phone rang several times before Amanda finally answered. “No, I haven't seen them. We've been gone most of the day. We just got back home ourselves.”
Obviously Amanda hadn't spoken to her niece. Stacey was about to hang up the phone when Amanda cut in. “By the way, I found another bottle of that perfume Mark's sister left here.” Amanda laughed. “That girl is always leaving things here. Did you still want to smell it?”
Stacey was distracted by her worry over Jason and the kids. “Maybe another time. Thanks, Amanda.” She hung up the phone.
Pulling open the desk drawer, she took out their address book so she could call some of their friends. No one had seen them.
I need to calm down and think, she commanded herself. They probably just went out for a drive.
A knock at the front door interrupted her thoughts. It was Amanda. She seemed embarrassed. “I just wanted to thank you for all your help this last week.”
Stacey was not in the mood to chat. “Don't worry about it, Amanda. I didn't really do that much.”
“But you did. I really appreciate your support.” She lifted something in her hand. “I brought that perfume for you to smell.” Amanda lifted the stopper and tilted the bottle toward Stacey's nose.
Stacey just wanted her to leave so she could look for her family. Quickly sniffing the floral scent, she said, “I'm just glad Kyle's okay.”
“Me, too.” Amanda put the stopper back in the bottle.
“I've really got to go now. I haven't found Jason and the kids yet.”
“Oh. Well, good luck.” Amanda turned and walked back across the street.
Closing the door, Stacey turned her thoughts back to her missing family. She didn't know what to do next. She didn't want to call the police. Not after the treatment they'd given her and Jason recently.
Maybe Jason left a note on the refrigerator, Stacey thought. On the way to the kitchen she passed through the family room and again noticed the floral scent. She recognized it immediately since she had just smelled it in the bottle Amanda had brought over.
Then she remembered when she had smelled it before. That night Patricia brought the Beautiful You products into the bedroom. She remembered smelling it that night.
Patricia's been here.
Chapter Forty-One
Did Jason go somewhere with Patricia? Stacey wondered. Why would he do that after what he said earlier? What happened here? And why is the scent Kyle remembers from his kidnapper the same scent I remember Patricia wearing. Could Patricia be the one who took Kyle? Why would she do that?
Then, as she realized that Patricia could have been the one who killed Gary Tomlison, and that she now had Stacey’s family, terror pulsed over her in waves.
For a moment she had trouble thinking clearly as her imagination ran wild. What should I do? What should I do? her mind screamed. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and forced herself to stop and think. The police, she thought. I’ll call Detective Perkins. A moment later he was on the phone.
“I think Patricia Summers has taken my family,” she began.
“Who is she and why would she do that, Mrs. Hunter?” he asked, obviously skeptical of her statement.
“She’s my supervisor. And I’m not sure why she would take them. But I came home from an appointment she set up and my family was gone. And then I smelled her perfume.”
“I don’t think that proves anything.”
“But it was the same perfume Kyle Stone said his kidnapper wore.”
There was silence on the other end, then, “How can you be sure of that?”
“Amanda, Kyle’s mom, she brought over a bottle of the perfume. I smelled it and I recognized it.”
“You have to understand my position, Mrs. Hunter. Just the other day you were accusing Mark Stone and his niece of kidnapping Kyle. Now you’re saying it was some woman named Patricia Summers.”
Certain he thought she was a liar, Stacey felt her composure slipping. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m telling you the truth.”
He sighed. “I’ll tell you what. When one of my men has some free time this evening, I’ll send him over to talk to this Patricia Summers. Okay?”
Biting her lip to keep from crying, Stacey just nodded her head.
“In the meantime, sit tight. I’m sure your family will be home before you know it. And when they get there, give me a call so I can let my man know he doesn’t have to bother Ms. Summers.”
“Fine,” Stacey managed to say before hanging up.
Knowing it was up to her to help her family, she knew the first thing she needed to figure out was where Patricia may have taken them.
Then she remembered the mud on Patricia’s shoes the other night.
Does Patricia have some other property she owns? Is that where she kept Kyle? Where is this property? Maybe there’s something at her house that would give me a clue.
She had the presence of mind to bring a flashlight.
Parking several houses away from Patricia’s house, she carefully made her way to the back door. It was locked tight. Then she checked all the windows. The only one she found open was a bathroom window and it was rather narrow.
After removing the screen, Stacey looked around for something to stand on to boost herself through the window. She spotted a large planter and dragged it under the bathroom window, hoisting herself in through the opening. It was a tight fit, but she made it.
As she stood in the bathroom doorway, she pulled the flashlight out of her coat pocket and flicked it on. She had not been in Patricia’s house before but as she shined the light into the adjoining room, she could tell it was Patricia’s bedroom. A four-poster bed was centered against the largest wall, with a nightstand on either side. The dresser was huge and ornate, with an oversized mirror hanging in the middle.
Opening all the drawers, she didn’t see anything giving a clue as to where Patricia was keeping her family. She left the master bedroom and went down the hall. The next room was a guest bedroom. Stacey did not go in there but continued on down the hall.
As she stopped and looked up and down the hallway at all the doors, she flashed back to the nightmare she’d had a few days before.
The hallway was dark and seemed to stretch on for miles. There were dozens of closed doors lining the passageway. Stacey could hear Nikki crying, calling out for her mother to help her. Frantically running up and down the hallway, Stacey opened doors, searching for her precious six-year-old daughter. “I’m coming,” she screamed. “Mommy’s coming!”
It’s starting to come true, she thought as she started hyperventilating. Sinking to the floor, she put her head between her knees and took several slow, deep breaths until she could calm down.
Resting her head in her hands, she massaged her forehead, trying to stave off the growing headache. I have to remain calm, she ordered herself as she slowly stood. Breathing deeply, Stacey went toward the final door. It looked like an office.
A large desk with several papers scattered on top of it took up half of one wall. After shining the flashlight across the papers, Stacey saw they were mostly related to Beautiful You cosmetics. She opened the first drawer and found desk supplies. The next drawer had some papers in them, which Stacey pulled out
and spread on the floor.
Shining the flashlight across the papers, she quickly found one that might be helpful. It was a rental agreement for a piece of property on the outskirts of town that had been rented within the last month. Stacey found a piece of paper and wrote down the address. Then, putting the papers back where she had found them, she walked down the hall toward the master bedroom.
Just as she reached the doorway to the guest bedroom, she heard the sound of the front door opening. Rooted to the spot, she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
The sound of a woman humming filled the air, which snapped Stacey out of her stupor, and she backed into the guest bedroom, clicking off the flashlight. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to enable her to see a large chair in the corner. She quickly hid behind it and tried to slow her breathing.
The sound of footsteps came down the hall but seemed to end at the office. Stacey silently prayed Patricia would not need to use the bathroom; the screen was still out of the window.
The humming was coming from the office now. It sounded very cheery. After several minutes Stacey could hear Patricia walking back toward the front door.
At the sound of the lock being turned in the front door, Stacey jumped up and ran to the front window. She could see Patricia climb into the driver’s side of her car, then turn and talk to someone in the backseat. Stacey couldn’t see anyone there.
As Patricia pulled away from the curb, a little head popped up in the backseat. Stacey was horrified to see Patricia’s hand swing back quickly, the head disappearing from view. She could not tell if it was Robby or Nikki.
What is she doing to my children? Stacey’s mind screamed.
Chapter Forty-Two
Briefly considering calling the police, Stacey rapidly dismissed the idea, not wanting to waste time trying to convince Perkins that Patricia really had taken her family. Instead, she ran back to the bathroom window and climbed out, careful to replace the screen so Patricia wouldn’t know she had been there.
Out of breath by the time she reached her own car, she had to quickly look at a map to find the way to get to the address she had written down. Once she reached the house, she drove by once and saw Jason’s car parked in the carport, although Patricia’s car wasn’t there.
Suspicions: a novel of suspense Page 20