Tean wasn’t even sure what he wanted to say.All that came out was “Be careful.”
Jem cocked his head.But after a moment, he nodded.
Brigitte answered the door.She was dressed in a tunic sweater with a plaid scarf, leggings, and knee-high boots, and she’d found time to paint her nails dark red.As soon as she saw Jem, she let out a sharp cry and pulled him into a hug.Jem, whom Tean had once seen hug a man in a Pizza Hut because of something to do with free chicken wings—stood stiffly.After a few seconds, he patted Brigitte’s back.
And then Tean had a strange moment, like he was looking into a mirror and had only realized things were reversed.
Jem wasn’t holding back because he was uncomfortable.Or ifuncomfortablewas the right word, then it wasn’t for the reason Tean had assumed.
Jemwantedto hug her.
He just didn’t know how.Or didn’t know if it was permitted.
Something washed through Tean that left him unsteady, his head full of—ofsomething.
Everything wrong in his whole life, she was the one who did that to him.And now she hugs him like nothing ever happened.
“Thank you,” Brigitte was saying.“Thank you for coming.I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.They’regone.”
“Why don’t you tell us what happened?”Jem said.“Let’s start there.”
In the living area, the smell of fresh coffee was strong.Brigitte insisted they sit.She brought them coffee and cream and sugar.She didn’t have anything to eat, she apologized, except a Luna bar, but would they like one?
Jem took the coffee.He shook his head at the offer of the Luna bar.A question was on his face, but it became clearer with each passing second that he wasn’t going to interrupt this spell of domesticity.
“Mrs.Fitzpatrick,” Tean finally said.“I’m sorry, but I’m confused.You said Maeve and Milo are missing.”
She looked at him as though she hadn’t really noticed he was there until now.“That’s right.”
Then what, Tean almost said, the fuck are we doing?
And a voice that sounded like Jem’s said, Swear jar.
Maybe Jem had the same thought, though, because he leaned forward, hands wrapped around the mug and said, “When did you notice they were missing?”
“This morning.I went to wake them up, and they weren’t in their beds.”
Tean managed not to say,Obviously this morning.Instead, he asked, “What time was that?”
“Around nine.”
The clock on the coffee maker said nine forty-five.
“I tried to find them,” Brigitte said.“You know how they love to play their games, sneaking around.But they’re not here.”
“When was the last time you saw them?”Tean asked.
Brigitte touched her hair, and when she answered, it was to Jem.“Well, they were in their room most of the day yesterday.You know how kids are—they don’t want their parents hovering over them.”
“When was the last time you saw them?”Jem asked.
“I don’t know.”Brigitte offered a tremulous smile.“Yesterday is a blur.”
“You don’t know when you saw them?”Tean asked.
Brigitte ignored him.“You can find them, can’t you?”she said to Jem.“You’ll find them.”
“What time did they go to bed?”Jem asked.
