I turned to Phoenix. “What’s up?”
He cupped my cheeks. “I just wanted to tell you what yesterday meant to me. I… I know the whole day took a turn because of the horror of what is happening with Granny, but I want you to know that I never expected that and I love you. I just love you.’
I kissed him. He caught his breath like he was surprised before he kissed me back. I really had to do more to initiate physical contact since clearly my doing so was startling.
Finally, I pulled back. “It meant a ton to me, too. So much. I love you.”
He nodded. “Just had to say that. Come on, Jeremy probably has your phone set up already.”
In the two minutes we had been outside? I did love how quickly the Lents were able to accomplish things.
“You know I wouldn’t do this for other people but your people are from here.” An older woman spoke to Jerem y with her eyebrows raised. “And we would like you back. So, if I do this will you move back?”
Jeremy smiled at her. It was his most charming smile. I’d seen it whenever he meant to get what he wanted from strangers. It wasn’t his real smile, and I was glad he had never used it on me. When we’d been strangers he had mostly scowled.
“I can’t promise that. You know it’s not just about me. The whole family has to decide. And besides, I don’t know if my girl likes it here enough to stay.”
This landed her attention on me. I swallowed. Yep, Jer had just done that on purpose. I stepped toward him. “Hello. Everything okay with the phone?”
“Sure. Ms. Mabel isn’t sure she wants to give me the extra line on the account.” He smiled again. “But she does. I know she does.”
She waved her finger at Jeremy. “Oh you. Yes, I will. I was trying to convince him to move back here with you. You’re Alatheia. Everyone is all abuzz with you. Thinking after all those generations the Lents might come home. We have long memories here. It’s easier to be us here than anywhere else you could go. You don’t have to hide here.”
“I know that’s true.” This was an opportunity. The woman started to type, and I decided to pretend I could do what Dina did with people sometimes. I could get her to tell me something I wanted to know. “I’m just not sure I would fit in. Are people friendly here?”
Jer shot me a look. He really had no idea what I was doing. That was fine. If he didn’t want to play along, no problem, he just couldn’t get in my way of doing it.
Mabel lifted her head. “Oh absolutely. So friendly here. Lots of girls your age.”
My knit cap itched, but I wasn’t going to take it off right then. Maybe I was overwearing it. “Have you known all the families here long?”
“Oh yes. I’ve known the Lents and their friends for a long time.”
I turned to Jeremy and then back to her. “How many groups of friends are there?”
“Oh well, there are the Lents. The Trevors, of course. Their neighbors, the Walters. The Reeds. The Cardeauxs.” She shook her head. “I don’t need to tell you about all of that. They come up for visits every year.”
Sure. The visits that were supposed to set the boys up. Ding. Ding. Ding. Like a bell going off in my head.
She handed me my phone in a box and rattled off instructions. Barrett came over and squeezed my hand. He’d followed that. He knew just what I was thinking. Who had been there who hadn’t lost children? Had any of the families not gone?
I smiled at her. “Thanks.”
We exited and Jeremy shook his head. “What was that about?”
“She just made a connection we should have made. About who was there that night when Phoenix was taken. The families that were there. Only two of them lost children. Would have been three if Phoenix hadn’t survived.”
“Look, I think it’s possible someone could set their own kid up to die. I’d never have thought that until recently, but it’s possible.”
Barrett nodded. “Let’s assume it’s not them. I mean, maybe last resort? The Trevors were destroyed, from what I remember. So were the Reeds. But the Reeds didn’t make it. They broke up.They’re not here anymore. That’s very, very unusual, Alatheia. Divorce is almost non-existent in this community.”
I was going to take the Reeds off the list then. They didn’t plot a kidnapping and then break up. “Did they ever ask for ransom?”
Phoenix sighed. “No. So they took us to torture us and torture our families. And kill us. Punishment. Hatred. I don’t know.” He rocked on his feet. This was making him uncomfortable. “We wouldn’t have to play detective if I could just remember.”
“Banging your head against that is pointless.” Barrett touched his arm. “Trauma does what trauma does. You’ve already made huge strides this year.”
“Thanks for that.” He rubbed his eyes. “Thing is… the last two nights I’m wondering if I do actually remember something. It’s just a sense, more like a scent.”
