“Daddy, look!” Delia said, scooping up Kevin and holding him out in front of her. The dog blinked at us, his legs pinwheeling as he wriggled to get down. Zach held out a french fry, giggling as Kevin gobbled it up.
“Hey!” Steven scolded him. “Don’t give him those. They’re not good for him. You’ll make him sick.”
“It’s fine,” I assured him. Maybe Vero was right and some greasy food would actually help.
Delia set Kevin down, chasing after him as he waddled toward a table covered in fast-food wrappers and oily crumpled napkins. He rose on his hind legs, sniffing the remains of a Happy Meal.
“What’s with the dog?” Steven asked.
So much for having eight hours to dream up a story. “I found him on the boardwalk. It was cold, and I didn’t have the heart to leave him out there alone.” Delia wrapped the dog snugly in her brother’s woobie while Zach played with Kevin’s floppy ears. Kevin didn’t seem to mind as Delia snuck him another french fry. “I’ll take him to the shelter in the morning. Have you seen my mom?”
Steven scratched his chest, fighting back a yawn. “She left a few hours ago. Said she was going to the casino.”
“The casino? Are you sure?” My mother was not the gambling type. She didn’t take risks. Not even in the kitchen. Susan McDonnell followed her recipe cards to the letter. Unless she was angry. Or upset. That’s when she tossed the measuring cups aside and things got a little extra salty. “I should find her and make sure she’s okay,” I said, reaching for the dog. Delia cried and held on. Zach let out an ear-piercing wail, slapping my hand away as I tried to pry Kevin out of his sister’s arms.
“Stop!” Steven shouted, startling us all. Even Kevin turned to stare. Steven pulled me aside. “Look,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, “this is the first time they’ve been happy all night. I’m one tantrum away from a migraine, and if you take that dog now, they’re both going to lose it.” He took a slow, steadying breath. “Leave the dog here while you check on your mom.”
I glanced back at the children as they started giggling again. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. The dog should probably come with me.”
“Why? You think I can’t handle him?”
“No,” I said in a placating tone. “It’s just that he ate something he shouldn’t have, and I need to keep an eye on him until he passes it.”
Steven blanched at the roll of poop bags I held up. “Must have been important. What’d the dog eat? A piece of jewelry or something?”
“Something like that.” He winced, and I dropped my voice to a whisper. “Look, I’d rather nobody know about this, and you know how Delia is. She can’t keep a secret—”
“Give me the damn bags,” he huffed, “before I change my mind.”
Surprised, I handed him the roll. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. If he poops while I’m gone, just leave it in the bag. I’ll deal with it later.” I kissed each of the kids good night and left to find my mother.
CHAPTER 29
I stood in the middle of the crowded casino, searching for my mom. Given her low tolerance for risk, the slot machines seemed like a logical place to start. I walked through several aisles of blinking, beeping stations, pausing when I caught a glimpse of my mother’s teal sneakers sticking out from the last row. I checked for signs of my sister or Sam, but my mother seemed to be alone.
I raised my voice over the noise. “Mom?” Her head snapped up, her hand flying to her chest. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be out of your room without a police escort.”
She made a dismissive sound, turning back to her game, pressing the button to place a bet. The screen spun through a series of images, one after another, each new spin slowly eating away at her balance. “Samara saw me leave my room and offered to come. I told her I’m a grown woman and perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
“So she just let you wander off to the casino on your own?”
“Of course not. She’s trying very hard to impress your sister.”
“Then where is she?”
“In the ladies’ room. Where’s Charles?”
I gestured vaguely around me. “I’m sure he’s here somewhere.”
She fed another twenty into her machine when her credits ran out. “You should stay here and keep me company until he gets back. Nick is a very competent detective. If he says we have nothing to worry about, I believe him, but there’s no harm in being cautious.”
“I was actually just going upstairs to get some sleep. You should come with me.”
“I’m not finished with my game,” she said stubbornly.
I contemplated excuses to leave, wondering if I could make it to the elevator before Sam returned from the bathroom, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong as I watched her press that button over and over again. “What are you doing, Ma? You should hold on to your money. Buy something nice for yourself or take yourself out for lunch tomorrow.”
“I’m tired of taking myself out.”
