CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

It had been a brutal day at SLIC and Katherine Riley was exhausted. A man had tried to return home to New Mexico and had almost made it before being caught and sent back to the East Coast. The ramifications of his success would have been devastating to maintaining order among men. If the truth about their dismal prospects was confirmed, she had no doubt males would resort to drastic measures to avoid their fate. Today only proved what she already knew to be true. She had to convince Claire to stay away from those two farm boys.

Katherine changed out of her work uniform and placed their meals in the nano-oven to heat. After the meal was on the table, Katherine called out to Claire, but got no response.

“I suppose she’s still mad,” Katherine uttered as she fumed toward Claire’s bedroom.

She pounded on the door and called out, but got no response. Fearing something was wrong with her daughter, she softened her voice and tried the knob, but the door was locked.

“Let me in,” Katherine demanded as she pounded on the door.

She was torn between anger and fear. Either way she had to get into her daughter’s room, but wasn’t sure how to accomplish the task. Exterior doors were opened with a wave of the palm over the microchip reader and they never locked interior doors, there was no need. If she called the authorities and they found something inappropriate inside the room, she wouldn’t have time to cover her tracks.

Katherine paced in front of Claire’s door until an idea came to her. She went outside and tried the bedroom window. As she suspected, it was unlocked. Katherine looked around to make sure no one was watching, pushed the window up and pulled herself through. She tumbled into the room, landing on her head, making her yelp in pain. Once inside, her suspicions were confirmedClaire was gone.

“I knew something like this would happen if she continued to hang around those bad influences,” Katherine ranted as she searched the room for a hint as to what her daughter was up to. Nothing seemed missing or out of place.

Katherine pulled out her phone and called Ruby Ward. She had the Ward number programmed into her phone since this wasn’t the first time she had to track Claire down, but Katherine was determined to make it the last.

Ruby’s voice mail picked up and Katherine was furious. She knew the old woman had to be home. Ruby had no job, no friends and no social life. She never left the house except for the occasional trip to the Facility to visit her imprisoned daughter, so unless she was dead, which in Katherine’s mind would be a blessing to society, she was home.

“This is Katherine Riley. Claire is gone and I assume she’s with Nyla. Answer the phone. I know your there. If I don’t hear from you in five minutes, I’m calling the authorities.”

“Sorry Katherine, I was in the kitchen and I always misplace the handset.”

“Claire. Where are Claire and Nyla?”

“Nyla’s here at home. I have no idea where your daughter is.”

“Let me speak to her,” Katherine demanded.

“She’s in the shower, can I take a message?” Ruby lied while simultaneously asking God for forgiveness.

“Have her call if she knows where Claire is.”

“I will,” Ruby replied, wishing there was more she could do to postpone the inevitable.

Katherine hung up and hissed out a demand for her phone to connect her to the farm. She tapped her foot impatiently while her voice commands were processed. She rubbed her aching neck as the phone rang. After six rings, someone answered.

“Hello.”

“Who is this?” Katherine demanded.

“This is Leah Lynch. May I ask who is calling?” She already knew it was Claire’s mother and was surprised she hadn’t heard from her earlier.

“It’s Katherine Riley. Where’s Claire?”

“I imagine she’s with Nyla and the boys. You know those kids are inseparable.”

“According to Nyla’s grandmother, Nyla is at home.”

Leah took a deep breath. She wasn’t surprised Ruby Ward had covered for Nyla and felt close to the woman she had only met in passing. Leah glanced around to make sure Vera was nowhere in sight. She wasn’t good at lying, because she had never needed to before. Life was so orderly, predetermined and predictable there was seldom anything to hide.

“Nyla’s probably meeting up with them later. I imagine they’re at the park or the Java Joint. Have you checked with the coffee shop?”

“No, but that’s my next call.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about them. They never stay out too late.”

Katherine thought about it for a moment. Maybe she was overreacting. If Nyla was going out later, that would explain why she was in the shower. Katherine sat on Claire’s bed, trying to muster up a more friendly tone. Just as she was about to ask another question something poked her palm. She stood and yanked the bedspread back and found the culpritClaire’s microchip.

“You’re either stupid or you’re lying,” Katherine screamed into the phone. “I hope you’re stupid, because if you’re lying to protect those boys I will make it my personal mission to ensure you pay dearly for the loss of my daughter.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Leah replied, struggling to sound calm.

“You had better find those boys and find them quick. I’m calling the authorities and reporting they’ve abducted Claire.”

“That’s a complete lie and you know it. If Claire is gone, she went of her own free will. Jared would never do anything to hurt her. He loves her,” Leah cried.

“Love? You don’t even know what that means and besides, who do you think the authorities will believe? Men are untrustworthy and everyone with a brain knows it. Now tell me where they are or I’m calling the authorities.”

“I wish I knew,” Leah whispered into the receiver as the line went dead.

Leah slid down the wall until she sat on the floor and buried her face in her hands. It would be only a matter of minutes before the hunt would be on for her boys. At least she had bought them some time. She had run interference with Vera all day. When the clinic called about Ethan’s missed appointment, she had apologized and rescheduled for the following week. Leah had done all she could do and desperately hoped it was enough.