After last night, I was afraid to go outside. With the windows locked and the curtains drawn tight, I felt a slight sense of relief. If I can’t see out, then they can’t see in, I assured myself as I made myself dinner in the kitchen. I was too nervous to eat, but my mother used to say that sometimes going through the motions can make you feel a little better when nothing else can.
Darkness had fallen over the farm like a warning shadow, and with the windows plastered shut, the house had assumed a foggy gloom akin to a cave. All of the stale cigarette smoke floating around didn’t help much either. My throat felt blistery and sore.
Holding the butter knife, I slowly smeared Miracle Whip on six slices of bread. Suddenly, the knife clattered from my hand and hit the floor. A pair of headlights, deep red, pierced through the pearly white kitchen curtains even though they were closed.
I held my breath, waiting. Listening. Finally, I heard the soft thud of a door slamming and then a gentle knock at the door. Nervously, I crept over to the peephole. Taking a deep breath, I looked out to see who it was.
It was only Officer James. As usual, she looked like a nervous Nancy. I considered not answering, pretending to be asleep, but I wanted to hear an update about Martin Nesbitt and what happened to him in Granton.
Finally, I placed my hand on the knob and pulled the front door open while wearing a wooden smile. “Saw you on the news last night. You made it back to town pretty quickly.”
“We need to talk, Clara.”
Officer James’ usual nervousness was all but gone, her face now grim and daunting.
“Okay. Come in.” I headed for the kitchen to sit down, but she was already talking as I turned my back.
“Where did you take the girl? And what did ya do to Nova Nesbitt?”
My mouth dropped open and I turned around. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“We know about the website. The secret knitting club. We know you were the one chatting with her in Tennessee. I know you lured her here as your renter. Shit, you probably showed her your own ad in the paper. But why? If you cared about her so much, why would you take her little girl?”
I shook my head in disgust. “You’re insane. I’ve never even met Nova. She mailed in her deposit, and we spoke by email twice when she was interested in renting the property. She disappeared before I even got to meet her, you know?”
“No, I don’t know that. You knew her well, didn’t you, Clara? All those conversations between her and Al. Between her and you.”
“Al? I don’t know anyone named Al!” I snapped, pressing my back against the kitchen counter. The edge of it felt sharp as a razor against my back, and I pressed harder, wishing this woman would leave.
“Your little sister who got sick and died when you were a kid. Her name was Allison, right? You called her Al. My mother told me that. And you had a daughter who died, tragically, too. Were you trying to replace your daughter with Nova’s?”
“Of course not!” The room tilted and swayed sideways, like I was upside-down at the fair. I closed my eyes, wishing the spinning would go away.
“And that’s not the only thing we found. I got the VIN number off the truck. I know it belongs to your sister. Did she help you hide the girl? Did she help you hide the body? Is your sister here right now?”
Officer James was serious, her hands on her hips, lips curled up in a nasty smile. Any trace of that anxious woman I met the other day was gone.
“I told you. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I stumbled around the kitchen until I found my cigarette pack. But my hands were shaking so bad, I couldn’t light one.
“Oh, but you do, Clara. Your sister, Rachel, and your daughter, Krissy, are involved with a website that helps victims of domestic violence. I know you guys think you were doing the right thing by taking Nova’s child, but you weren’t. You can’t just take someone’s baby. I wish you’d just talk to me. Explain what’s going on…”
My throat tightened in dread. “Rachel? What does Rachel have to do with any of this? It’s my daughter Krissy’s website; Rachel just helps refer women who are in trouble to the site…”
Officer James cursed under her breath. “He really must have done it.”
“Done what?” I asked, my voice as small as a child’s. “Has something happened to Rachel?”
“I’m sorry to tell you this but Rachel is also missing,” she said. “So, cut the crap. I know you knew Nova before she became your tenant.”
“Then he killed her. That awful man must have killed her,” I moaned. My feet wobbled out from under me and I dropped down to my knees. Had Nova’s awful husband murdered my sister? I wouldn’t put it past him…
I flopped forward onto the kitchen floor, burying my face into the sandy linoleum as the pain washed over me.