Charlie’s knuckles were wrapped around the steering wheel, white from the pressure of his grip. Even in the darkness, Melissa could see the agony in his eyes and the ashen pallor of his face. She struggled to sound reassuring. “At least the detectives meant it when they said they were searching for Riley.”
As soon as they had stepped from the house, they saw uniformed officers swarming the blocks around the cottage, knocking on doors with photographs of Riley. At this point, it felt as if they were simply driving along random streets while Melissa called the few nearby hospitals to see if they had heard anything new.
The screen of her phone continued to glow with each new text message from Neil and Amanda on one thread, and Katie on another. They were all offering to drive east to help with the search, but Charlie insisted that it would only create more chaos. It was a reminder that even though she, Charlie, and Riley were now a family, he still did not view her friends as part of his inner circle.
The car’s Bluetooth screen showed an incoming call from his sister, Rachel. He connected immediately. “Hey. Melissa and I are in the car. Just… looking. The police have got people out searching everywhere. We’re not even sure what to do at this point.”
“There’s no other trains tonight, but I can rent a car. Or get a driver. Anything you need.” Melissa could tell from the hoarseness of Rachel’s voice that she had been crying. “I just feel so guilty. I should have canceled my weekend appointments. That way, Riley would have been here with me during your trip.”
Melissa kept her gaze fixed on the sidewalks beyond the car window, feeling the burn of judgment. This was her fault. If she had listened to Mike, if she had talked to someone about those nightmares, maybe she wouldn’t have fallen into such a deep sleep.
“No one is to blame for this,” Charlie said. He placed a hand on Melissa’s for emphasis. “You know Riley. She wants to explore everything. She probably found her way outside and got lost. She knows not to talk to strangers. She could have even fallen asleep somewhere by now.”
It was the one hopeful scenario they kept returning to.
“Okay,” Rachel said, “but I’m planning to take the first train out in the morning, and I’m going to tell myself my little niece will be there to meet me and we can make breakfast together. And Melissa? Are you there?”
“Right here, Rachel.”
“I know I haven’t been the best sister-in-law so far…”
“I totally understand it’s been hard. I’m sure it all felt really fast. We don’t need to talk about that now.”
“Okay, but I want you to know I’m glad Charlie has you in his life. And you’re so good for Riley, too. I’m going to do better from now on.”
Melissa swallowed a lump in her throat, praying that there would be a “from now on”—a happily ever after, with Riley back home. “As will I. We’re family.”
Rachel was saying goodbye when Melissa’s own phone rang. It was Mike. She didn’t bother with a greeting. “Did you find her?” she said, holding in her breath with anticipation.
“No, sorry. But the police found me. We need to talk.”
They returned to the house to find Mike in the corner chair in the living room, his head in his hands until he startled upward when they entered. The strain and fatigue in his face had aged him, or maybe she tended to still see him in his youth, the way he seemed to see her as his little sister, Missy. But in this moment, she couldn’t believe how much he had grown to resemble their father.
“Can you give us a second, Charlie?” he asked wearily.
Charlie pressed his lips together, then shook his head, placing his hands on his hips. “Sorry, man. No. This is my daughter we’re talking about. I need to hear every word.”
Mike nodded his acceptance. “I went back to the park, figuring people who go there in the day might take an evening stroll, too. I saw one couple with a dog, but the description of the woman who harassed you didn’t ring a bell to them. I was heading for my car to leave, figuring I’d take a drive around the neighborhood, but those detectives pulled up, saying they had more questions. I asked if they had followed me. They said they were checking on the park, but it didn’t make sense. I pulled out from the house before they did. They had gone there to find me, not the park.”
Charlie’s breathing was growing more intense, and his hands were gripped into fists. “Why would they do that, Mike? Did you do something to my daughter?” Mike flinched as if he had been slapped, and Melissa let out a shocked gasp. Anger flared from Charlie’s eyes as he turned to her. “How many times have you told me how messed up he is from what happened when you were children? I knew I should have been more careful letting him around Riley.”
For the first time since they had buried their father, she could see tears forming in Mike’s eyes. “That’s really great,” he said. “Both of you.” The sarcasm was not enough to cover his pain.
“Please, Mike,” she pleaded, “we can talk about us and everything else later, but right now, it’s about Riley. What did the police want to know?”
“What Charlie apparently wants to know, too,” Mike said. “Where I was all day. So, you’ll both be happy to know that after Melissa left with Riley for lunch, I walked down to the bait and tackle shop in the village to get the lay of the land on the boating situation here. A couple buying a new reel overheard me talking to the shop owner. Turns out they’re serious anglers who live out here but also spend time island-hopping in the Caribbean. We stopped for a beer at the tavern and they wound up taking me all the way to Montauk to introduce me to a few outfits who might need a captain in the summer. I was excited to tell you the news, but the house was dark when I got home. Their names are Christian and Lea. Didn’t get the last name, but I kept Christian’s number. They must be well known to the locals, because that male detective immediately knew who I meant and called them to confirm they were with me all day and dropped me back here. You can call them, too, if you want.”
“Of course that’s not necessary,” Melissa said.
“Oh my God,” Charlie said. “I’m so sorry, Mike. I’m not thinking rationally right now.”
Mike waved off Charlie’s apology. “I get it. We’re good, man.”
“So, is that it?” Melissa asked. “They checked your alibi, and you had one. But when you called, you sounded worried.”
“They didn’t only ask about me.” His gaze shifted to his feet. “They were asking how long the two of you had known each other, how well I knew Charlie, how well you knew Charlie—along those lines. They only got more specific with their questions.”
He swallowed, continuing to avoid eye contact with Charlie. Melissa knew in her gut that whatever he was about to say was the reason he had asked to speak to her privately. His worries had never been for himself. They were about Charlie. She needed to know. “Specific about what?”
When Mike finally spoke, he looked directly at Charlie. “About your in-laws, the ones in Oregon. They asked if I knew their names or how to get in touch with them. They wanted to know whether you keep in contact and if they ever see Riley—that sort of thing.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Melissa said. “If Charlie thought for one second they were involved, why wouldn’t he just have the police check on them?”
“I said the same thing. And that’s when they asked if Charlie ever seemed like he’d be happier without his daughter around. It got really dark.”
Charlie’s face was contorted with confusion and dismay. “So, they think… I sent her to live with Linda’s parents? If I did that, I would just tell them. I wouldn’t need to stage a kidnapping.”
Mike said nothing, but Melissa knew her brother. There was something he still wasn’t saying. He needed a push. “Is that what they were suggesting, Mike?”
He shook his head slowly and muttered, “It was darker than that. Like maybe they think your in-laws will say you’re the kind of person who might have done something really bad to Riley. So you wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore.”