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ON THE DRIVE HOME AFTER dinner, Boo regaled Jamie with stories of her day. She spared no detail when talking about Max’s curiosity and delight in discovery. Boo’s mood was considerably brighter and it was clear she had taken immense pleasure in her task of accompanying Max to the museum.
“Thank you. I really appreciate you taking Max. As much as I hate to miss sharing these experiences, I love that you were there with him.” It was becoming increasingly difficult for Jamie to imagine her life, or Max’s, without Boo in it.
“I appreciate your trust.” This time it was Boo who reached for Jamie’s hand.
A quick phone call with Shon established they had turned up no new promising leads on María.
“Would you like to watch a movie or something?” Jamie asked as she created room in the fridge for leftover pieces of blueberry pie her mother had insisted she take home for later.
“I think I need something quiet.”
“Of course,” Jamie said. “Sit on the patio and watch the sunset?”
“Sounds wonderful. Anything I can help you with in here?”
“No, go ahead, I’ll join you in a few minutes.”
Boo took a seat on the patio, with Fred laid out on the cool flagstones. When Jamie appeared, she had changed into sweatpants and pulled on a long-sleeved shirt against the cool evening breeze. Boo appreciated the casual beauty of the woman lounging next to her.
“Do you think there’s someone out there right now taking pictures?” Boo stared at the edge of the woods. “This is a freaky feeling.”
“I don’t like it either, but I’m past caring.” Jamie grinned at Boo with a hint of mischief. “I don’t want to disrespect your relationship, but I think it’s time we grab María’s attention. I just hope she’s not the violently jealous type.”
“Should we...do something else...for publicity?” Boo cringed. “I can’t believe I just said that. I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. I’m thinking it too. How would you feel about doing something with Mom and Dad’s Bikes-for-Kids program? We could both volunteer, provide publicity for the program, and put a few more pictures out there?”
“I think it’s a great idea. I really admire your parents and their commitment to the community.” Boo stared intently at the edge of the wood again before continuing. “Jamie, thank you...for last night. I...” All Boo could think was I really want to kiss you right now.
“Anytime,” Jamie responded without being flirtatious, “but let’s hope this is resolved soon, because I hate to see you sad.”
Boo reached across the space between their chairs, enveloping Jamie’s hand in her own. She leaned slightly toward Jamie, lifting the soft hand to her lips and gently kissing it. Boo resisted the urge to continue kissing her way up Jamie’s arm. The look on Jamie’s face was one of invitation and desire. Boo allowed their intertwined hands to dangle between them, looking out at the sun disappearing behind the hills.
With the light fading fast, Jamie finally broke the silence.
“Boo, you are very important to me. I want you in my life and in Max’s life. I know it’s selfish of me. I want you to find your life, your family and friends. I would like to be a part of that, if you’ll let me.”
“I want you, and Max, in my life, too. And the rest of your family.” Boo struggled to contain her emotions. “I’m sure you have noticed I have become very attached to all of you these past couple of weeks. We’ll figure it out.”
“Do you want to...” Jamie left open the implied invitation back to her bed.
“Maybe I should just stay here for a while longer.” Boo barely dared to glance at Jamie lest she give in and follow Jamie to her bedroom.
Jamie rose from her seat, leaning down to kiss Boo on the cheek. The heat generated by the simple act of affection left them both lightheaded. Jamie disappeared into the house.
Fred sighed heavily, remaining stretched out at Boo’s side.
***
MARÍA DROVE BY THE first couple of houses on her list. When she drove past the gated driveway, she sensed it was the right place. A small house with several parking spaces in front, barely visible from the road, looked as though it could be an office. The satellite image had shown another, larger house with a pool further back the driveway, obscured from view from the road. María continued another half mile down the highway until she found a second gate. Of all the possibilities, this was the most likely to be the Jordan family home.
Turning around and driving past the two driveways again, María reasoned that the one leading to the small office and larger house with pool was more likely to be Jamie’s driveway. The satellite had revealed what appeared to be a small lane between the houses. While driving the section of highway, María had noticed a trail cross between the two driveways. There did not appear to be a fence surrounding the property, although one could be farther in the woods, invisible from the highway.
One option was to pull up to the gate and use the callbox to ask for Jirafa. The direct approach might work, but there was still a mystery about why Jirafa did not answer phone calls or texts. Clearly she was not being held against her will. Of course, it was also possible it was just a rumor and Jirafa was not staying with Jamie Jordan. But, given that María had seen the pictures of them together at the art gallery and in the SUV, it seemed more likely than not Jirafa was here. María pulled into the lake parking lot to call Isabella.
“If they are just friends, then Jirafa has probably told her about me. But, if they are dating, then maybe she’s not answering the phone because she’s not telling this woman everything. That really doesn’t sound like Jirafa, but then again none of this does.”
“Cariña, Jirafa has been under a lot of stress lately. Her life is changing and people react very differently to stress,” Isabella offered an understanding perspective, “but if you’re right, if she is dating this woman and hasn’t told her, then it might wreck it if you show up uninvited. Do you think it’s possible to talk with her alone, before this Jamie person or anyone else sees you?”
“I’d like to find a way. I was thinking about walking in. Jirafa can’t sit still. She’ll be out for a walk or something.”
“What if this woman has security, or they’re joined at the hip? Don’t get yourself arrested, or worse.” Isabella worried more about María’s safety at this point than Jirafa’s.
“You forget who you’re talking to,” María retorted with as much pride as bravado.
“That’s what worries me. Do not make me come bail you out.” Isabella’s final directive ended the call.
María returned to town to check into a hotel room. She considered her options. The driveway presented the simple route, but she assumed there were security cameras monitoring every movement along the drive. There might also be cameras in the woods, but it was a chance she would rather take. The clearing in front of the house was likely kept under surveillance. In that case, it would be better to go in the dark when a camera would be hampered by the limited range of the night vision spectrum. By the time she figured out if there was an infrared camera it would be too late. Her heat silhouette would definitely not look like a deer or coyote. This was another chance she would have to take if she wanted to find a position where she could talk to Jirafa alone.
Looking again at the satellite map of the property she believed to be Jamie Jordan’s house, there was no visible fenceline in the woods, but there appeared to be a trail from the lake to the crossover at the highway she spotted during her drive-by. Hopefully the trail continued on to the house.
María slept for a couple of hours, waking long before dawn to eat the remainder of the snacks Isabella packed for the trip. The drive to the lake was peaceful in the pre-dawn hour. Finding the trail on the side of the parking lot, she entered the woods. With only the light of a quarter moon and one small flashlight, this would be a tricky navigation, but María’s experience and instincts kicked in.
Crossing the highway, María found the trail again on the other side. There were several pairs of snake eyes and animals making rustling noises in the woods, none of which fazed her. The trail stopped at a gravel lane, presumably the one between the houses. Because of the tree canopy overhead and narrow sides, the lane was likely unmonitored.
Gravel crunched under María’s feet as she proceeded left toward the house with the pool. Switching off the flashlight, the eerie glow of the whitish gray stones under the dim moon filtering through the trees was the only light to navigate by.
As María reached the edge of the clearing for the house, she heard a sound in front of her. An outdoor light came on and the flash of a deer’s white tail disappeared into the woods.
“Mmm, a motion sensor,” María mouthed quietly to herself.
After one minute, the light turned off. María doubted whoever lived in the house wanted a floodlight to come on every time a skunk crossed the road or a deer grazed through the yard. The light would be flashing on and off all night in a place like this. She picked up a large stick and threw it into the clearing, low across the road. A dull thump but no light. She picked up another stick and threw it about five feet off the ground in the same path. The light came on.
“Okay, no sudden movement and stay low.” María crouched, proceeding slowly along the side of the lane until she was within what she calculated to be surveillance camera range. At this point she veered to the right, making her way toward the back of the house. She wanted a view of the layout of the house, looking for a place Jirafa was most likely to appear at daylight. María hoped to catch Jirafa’s attention and steal a few minutes alone with her to talk. Hopefully Jirafa could protect her from whatever security subsequently descended on her unexpected arrival, or she could disappear back into the woods.
In the moonlight María saw the shimmer of the pool and a person lying on a lounge chair on the patio. She crept slowly and cautiously toward the figure. This could be a security guard, asleep on the job.
Fortunately, no security light illuminated as María stepped onto the patio. The person on the chair seemed to be asleep, curled slightly to one side with arms behind the head. This was exactly how Jirafa slept.
With the first light of day barely making an appearance over the house, María began to make out the face of the person a few feet from her. It was definitely Jirafa, characteristically sleeping outside. María silently crouched on one knee next to the chair.
A deep bark came from the other side of the chair. Boo barely opened her eyes. “Fred, shhhh.”
Sensing someone next to her, Boo startled awake as the dark figure put a hand over her mouth and a strong hand clasped her arm.
“Jirafa, it’s me.”
María’s voice was enough. Boo reached up to take the hand from her mouth.
“María—what? How? Where?” Boo could only manage one word questions as she rolled over and grabbed María into a tight clinch that looked more like a tackle causing Fred to bark again.
“Fred, shhhh.” Boo looked at María, attempting to focus on her face. “Why are you sneaking around in the dark? Let’s go inside where I can see you.” She started to stand but María held her down.
“No, we need to talk. The police are looking for us, for you.”
“Yes, I can explain.” Boo shook her head to gather her thoughts, but having awoken from a deep sleep, she was not quick enough.
The unmistakable sound of a gun cocking behind María’s head pierced the still morning air.
“Don’t move or I will kill you,” Jamie emphasized the word will. “Now, take your hands off Boo, get on your stomach, arms out to the side.” Jamie had learned the command from a movie script and it seemed apropos for the situation.
This was perhaps Jamie’s best acting ever. The gun in her hand was a prop from a movie, brought home as a souvenir. She kept it secretly locked away, hidden from Max because she did not want him to think a gun was a toy.
“María, don’t hurt her,” Boo spoke calmly, fearing the worst. “Jamie, please, don’t shoot. It’s María.”
“María?” Jamie lowered the gun.
“Boo? Jirafa, who’s Boo?” María was more interested in the name than the gun. She jumped to her feet.
“Jirafa? Who’s Jirafa?” Jamie was as perplexed as María at this point.
“I’m Boo, and I’m Jirafa.” Boo had recognized her nickname the second María spoke it. “María, what’s my real name?”
Confusion overtook María’s face. “What do mean, what’s your real name? It’s—”
A figure flew out of the dark, tackling María and propelling both of them into the pool. Surfacing several feet apart, Fred jumped into the water between them, breaking their focus on each other. Startled, Jamie dropped the gun, causing a blank shot to fire. Everyone stopped.
“Sarah, it’s María. It’s okay.” Jamie beckoned her sister to the near side of the pool.
María took a few short backstrokes to the opposite side of the pool, distancing herself from Sarah and Jamie but never taking her eyes off of them. Boo joined her.
“It’s a blank, it’s not a real gun. I’m not going to shoot you,” Jamie yelled across the pool to reassure María and Boo.
María took the statement as a cue to pull herself out of the pool and stand next to Boo. The two pairs stood on opposite sides of the pool looking wearily at each other. Fred walked up the steps at the end of the pool and shook vigorously, spraying water everywhere, momentarily distracting everyone from their stand-off.
“What is going on here?” Sarah demanded.
“Me caen bien.” María’s eyes twinkled as she flashed a wide grin at Boo. “I’m starting to really like these two.”