Chapter 8

The next morning, Rose moved around her apartment at a snail’s pace. Even though she had a little twinge in her head from the two bottles of wine she and Missy shared, that wasn’t what kept her awake for most of the night. The girl’s face and the watery depths filled her dreams. She woke in a sweat for the second night in a row. She hoped that finding the girl would end the cycle or else she saw a bleak and sleepless future.

Missy scheduled Rose to work the evening shift at The Siren. After closing, she and Missy were going to put together the final preparations for Shane’s welcoming party.

When Rose had called into the precinct that morning, it barely took two minutes to convince Patrick to get on board with the plan.

‘He’s a stellar officer, but he needs to realize we’re not anything like the City,’ Patrick had said.

‘You always plan the best parties. I was hoping for some advice.’ A little flattery never hurt.

‘Well, I’m happy to oblige.’

She was going to miss him once he retired. There was no pretense when it came to Patrick; he was what he showed to the world. Rose took copious notes about the places that he’d used around town for various soirees.

‘Are you going to let him know about the party, or should I?’

‘I’ll let him know,’ Patrick said. ‘But I don’t have much time for the details. I’m sure you can handle them.’

She clicked the top of her pen over and over as her nerves grew. There was a lot to carry out in little time, but when the town came together, miracles happened. She’d seen it firsthand several years ago when a storm destroyed little Sally Drewe’s outdoor birthday party. But everyone came together and celebrated in the crowded hall under St. Cecilia’s Church. People had scraped the crepe decorations off the nearby houses and buildings for weeks. This situation wasn’t a disaster, but the coming together part always happened on its own.

By eleven, she’d checked most of the items off her list. She was earlier than she expected and could spend more time with Pearl before heading to work around two.

After opening the windows and feeling the delicious warm air circulating through her apartment, she took her time getting ready.

While showering, she thought of Shane and imagined the look on his face when he saw how much effort she and the other townies went through to welcome him. He’d thank her by including her in the case about the long-haired girl. At least, that was her goal. She’d get there eventually, and after the perfect ice-breaker, she’d be one step closer.

The weekend was supposed to be unseasonably warm, which was perfectly fine with Rose. Since it was a little later in the morning, she wanted to take Pearl onto the grounds to sit and chat. Hopefully, Pearl would have shaken loose some memory of Rose in the short time they were apart. Or at the very least, the ocean might help.

Tina greeted her at the desk. ‘Good morning, Rose. How are you today?’

‘Great,’ she said. ‘Are you coming to The Siren tomorrow?’

‘I wouldn’t miss it. I’ve heard a lot of things about the new chief, and I want to make my own observations.’

In the time between speaking to Patrick and arriving at the Whinding House, he must have worked his network and spread the news about the party.

‘He’s nice,’ Rose said. She wasn’t lying as she’d seen a good part of him. He had a thick shell, but Rose was ready with a chisel and hammer. The party would be her first crack.

‘I look forward to it,’ Tina said. ‘It will be nice to see everyone. I’ve barely left this desk for weeks. It would be good to have more help around here.’

‘Do you need people?’ Rose asked. ‘I don’t have much experience, but I could volunteer some hours?’

Tina smiled. ‘While that sounds nice, you have plenty on your plate right now. But I’ll keep you in mind.’

‘Don’t hesitate to ask.’ Rose signed the logbook and then headed over to the doors. The familiar click of the lock spiked something inside of her.

Today is going to be a good day for Pearl. She knew it, deep down in her bones.

Peering into Pearl’s room, she saw both sets of sheets were rumpled and the beds empty. Either a current resident had moved in with Pearl, or they’d admitted another person. Curiosity pulled her into the main room.

Katrina, one of the older nurses, nodded at Rose as she wheeled Bruce over to the window. Today she had a purple stripe of hair streaked down her short ponytail. Her granddaughter had enrolled at a local cosmetology school and enjoyed using her as a test subject for her future hair stylist career. ‘Pearl is with the garden group today.’

‘How is she?’ Rose asked.

It had been a sliding scale over the last year; Rose would have been happy if Pearl smiled or even knew her name.

‘The sunshine and fresh air will be good for her,’ Katrina said.

It wasn’t much of an answer, but no one had answers in a place like this. Rose shoved away the thinly veiled negative comment to the back of her mind and headed over to the metal doors at the end of the hallway. Pressing the same code from the other door, she pushed through.

The sunshine warmed her face, and she inhaled slowly. What was on Pearl’s mind when she came outside? Did she think she was back at their home by the ocean? Or did she think she was at her childhood home? Or a completely made-up place? Wherever her mind told her she was, Rose hoped that she was happy.

A dozen or so residents milled around the gardens. Most of them were unaccompanied, so she knew that they were from the main house.

Rose spotted Jessie in the mix. Once Jessie saw her, she waved her over. ‘Rose. I’m so happy to see you,’ Jessie said as an unfamiliar woman tugged at Jessie’s sleeve. ‘One moment, Mrs. Gillette.’

That must be the new resident sharing a room with Pearl. But she didn’t see Pearl anywhere in the small group huddled near the back of the gardens near the fence.

Jessie lifted on her toes, glancing at each of the residents. ‘Pearl was right here a minute ago.’

A stinging ache rippled through Rose’s chest as she sucked in a breath. She whipped around, not seeing Pearl anywhere.

Jessie came to her side and frantically chewed on her lower lip.

‘Where is she?’ Rose choked out.

‘She was right here.’

That wasn’t the response Rose wanted.

Jessie rushed over to another CNA and spoke close to the woman’s ear. The woman’s eyes widened, and she grabbed her phone, dialing a number on the screen.

‘Where is Pearl?’ Rose asked again.

‘Rose, we’re –’

Rose barely heard the rest of what Jessie had to say. A whooshing sound filled her ears, and a sour taste flooded her mouth. The only thing saving her sanity was the fence around the property. Pearl couldn’t have gotten far. Where was she?

Her gaze fell on the chain-linked fence near the chairs they’d sat on the other day. Rose knew she was getting closer but could barely feel her legs. It was as if someone had attached invisible threads to her limbs and was moving her faster and faster like a dancing marionette. The bottom part of the fence curled upward, the sharp edges no longer caressing the grass, but lifting toward the sky.

‘Over here!’ someone called. Rose could have sworn she said it. Or maybe she thought it. All she knew was that there was someone on the beach in the distance. Someone with long, gray hair whipping around her.

Rose’s entire body seized, and the world disappeared. Darkness filled her vision, tunneling on her mother so close to the water.

Rose cupped her hands around her mouth and called out for Pearl.

Before the last syllable rang in her ears, she ducked under the fence. One of the links caught on her shirt and ripped as she pushed through the small escape route that somehow Pearl had found in whatever time the nurses weren’t watching her.

There was a slight drop from the grassy area to the thin slice of beach before the ocean. Rose was surprised that Pearl was still standing after getting down there.

She couldn’t take her eyes off her Mom. Pearl’s feet were in the surf and getting closer to the water by the second. She could barely walk down the hallway without aid; she wouldn’t be able to swim. The surf would take her right under – God, Rose couldn’t even think about that.

‘Stop!’ she cried out, but the word cut off in her throat.

The entire world blurred around her as Pearl came into focus. The closer she got, the more Rose’s heart throbbed in her chest. The earlier energy that moved her forward disappeared in seconds.

The girl’s face flickered in her mind as the water washed over her again, dulling her senses.

She slammed into the present. ‘Come over here, Pearl,’ Rose shouted over the waves. Her feet sunk into the sand, but it was better than the sea swallowing her up.

Pearl turned to face Rose. A smile painted her lips, and her eyes were wide and no longer glossy.

Streaks of tears rolled down Rose’s cheeks. ‘Mom, please.’

Pearl turned back to the ocean and started toward it. The water reached over her ankles.

Rose choked out a sob. ‘Mom.’

Two people rushed past her in a blur, grabbing on to Pearl’s arms and leading her away from the water.

Rose whooshed out a breath as she struggled to keep her stomach from losing it all over the beach.

Jessie joined the men. ‘Pearl,’ she said, her breaths coming quickly.

Pearl pulled out of their grip and walked over to Rose. She lifted her hands to cup Rose’s cheeks. Her wrinkly fingers smudged the tears into Rose’s skin, whisking them away.

She gripped her Mom’s arms. She wanted to scream at her; demand to know what she was thinking. Instead, Pearl pulled her close, just as she had when she was a kid and needed her mother. Pearl wasn’t as active as she used to be, but she was strong enough right then, and just what Rose needed.

‘We need to check her out,’ Jessie said.

Pearl turned to Jessie, and the two aides stood on either side, helping her navigate the sandy terrain, back to The Cottage.

Rose stumbled after them, desperate to leave the paralyzing numbness behind and find out how Mom got to the water without anyone knowing.

She was relieved that the threat was over. Pearl was safe. But she could have sworn for one second that Pearl was about to say her name. She hadn’t seen that light in her mother’s eyes for a long time. She wondered what it was about today that gave her that clarity, and whether she would ever see it again.