The sleet sounded like baseballs slamming against the tin roof of the house as she rushed back inside. She was still wired from meeting Priscilla, but hopefully her problem was solved now. Priscilla wouldn’t be going to the cops or that damn reporter.
She wouldn’t be going anywhere. And if that Jan woman caused trouble, she’d end up just like her friend.
She stopped at the sink to catch her breath, washed her hands, then forced herself to act normal.
Hoping to distract Kaylee, who was terrified of storms, she set the box of wooden ornaments on the table along with paints, then went to fetch the girls. While her husband sat with Becky, Kaylee and Ava were watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
“Come on, girls,” she said as she paused the movie. “We’re going to decorate ornaments!”
Kaylee stood and clasped Ava’s hand and coaxed her to follow. Kaylee was such a sweet, docile child, but Ava had a fierce stubborn streak.
Piper had never been stubborn or talked back. She was the perfect angel.
Ava would be, too. One day. She had to be patient. Give her time to adjust. She would learn it was better to have a family than be alone.
Fresh pain stabbed through her chest where the hollow ache never seemed to cease. She knew all about being alone and the heartbreak of losing a loved one.
Kaylee smiled as she found the ornaments on the table, then selected a snowflake to paint. Ava chose a plain round ball.
While they began to dabble with the colors, she accessed the photographs she’d snapped of the next child on her list.
Sarah was her name.
The date on the calendar taunted her. Two days until Christmas. Her lungs clawed for air. In her mind, she could see Piper racing to the tree to find the presents Santa had left her, ripping open packages and tossing the bows in the air like confetti.
Her family had to be complete this year. She couldn’t live without her baby girl any longer.
“I’ll be right back, girls. Those look beautiful.” She hurried to the living room then heard Silas leave Becky’s room and go into his home office. He’d been locking himself in there more and more this month, sullen and silent, not spending time with the family. It was almost as if the more she wanted them all together, the more he withdrew.
She eased open the door to tell him she had another errand to do and ask him to watch the girls but found him looking at the news on his computer.
“Look at this,” he said, his tone guarded. “Ava’s parents are on TV pleading for whoever kidnapped their daughter to bring her back.”
She turned away as the couple clung to each other crying. She didn’t care what those people had to say. She wasn’t a kidnapper. She just took what was rightfully hers.
They were not getting Ava back.
“I have to go out for a while.”
“Again?” He stood and grabbed her arms, the frown lines around his eyes deepening as he scowled at her. “Where to this time? To steal someone else’s daughter? For God’s sake, look at those people’s faces.”
“What about our family?” she spat. “Or don’t you care? You just let our baby die—”
Pain tore through his eyes. “This has to stop,” he said, his teeth clenched. “You have to get some help. Go back to that counselor Emily and talk to her.”
“I don’t need help,” she screeched. “I need my baby back and you killed her.”
He shook her hard, but suddenly she heard Kaylee shouting, “Mommy, Mommy!”
The shrill sound of Kaylee’s voice sent a jolt of fear through her, and she shoved at her husband, turned and ran back to the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?” she said as she bolted into the room.
“Ava’s gone.”
Heart hammering, she looked up and saw the back door was open, frigid air swirling inside, rain running like a river across the backyard, reminding her of the awful night when her husband had killed her daughter. The world blurred and she was catapulted back to that horrible day.