“You started this with all your snooping around. My sister’s mother-in-law called and told me about your visit.”
“I was only trying to help your sister.”
“How is she? They called me when she ran off and the police showed up. They’re looking for her, you know. They said nothing about you. I suppose that’s something.”
“See for yourself.” I motioned with my head to where Alyssa sat across us, pretending to read a book.
The woman’s eyes filled with tears at the sight of her sister. “I miss her so much. Before all this, we talked all the time. She never let on that she and Malcolm were having trouble. Maybe if she had, I could have helped somehow.”
“You have to focus, Meredith. We don’t have much time. I need you to tell me what happened the day Gracie went missing.”
She nodded, still looking at her sister. “It was just a regular day, I dropped her off at school, but when I arrived to pick her up later, she was gone. Her phone was off. Teachers and friends started a search party, but it’s like she just vanished into thin air.”
“I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but were you on time to pick her up?”
“Of course, I was five minutes early, in fact, as usual. I was chatting with her friend’s mother, and when Hayley arrived and Gracie didn’t, I got worried. Hayley was in a different class, but she’d seen Gracie in the second break which was just before the last lesson. I must have missed her coming out in the crowd. We questioned another girl who swore she saw Gracie get into a black Mercedes. She said she wouldn’t miss a car like that.” Meredith started to cry. “I did everything in my power to protect her. She wouldn’t just leave willingly. I can’t believe that, not after what happened the last time. Did Alyssa tell you about that?”
“Yeah, she told me about the staged kidnapping. And we have reason to believe Gregory Evans might be involved in her disappearance again.”
“Please tell Lissy I’m sorry. She trusted me, and I let her down.”
“It is not your fault,” I assured her, placing a hand briefly on hers. “These things happen, and when there is a mastermind behind it, we’re helpless. But we’re going to find your niece, and if your sister allows, I am going to help her prove her innocence.”
She pursed her lips. “Why have you risked everything for her? What’s in it for you?”
I could understand her skepticism. In her situation, I would be too. I never understood what it was about the woman sitting on the bench across from us, but the moment I had laid eyes on her, all I wanted was to see her free. It was as if we were destined to cross paths.
“Because I care for her. It’s that simple.”
“You have feelings for her.” It was an observation rather than a question.
“Is it that obvious?” I smiled sadly.
She nodded. “Take care of her heart. She’s been through hell and back.”
“All I want to do is take care of her… if she’ll let me.”
Rising, I scanned the area. “Thank you again. We will find Gracie. I promise.”
Meredith nodded and continued to feed the ducks as I turned to walk away.
Alyssa hurried back to the car a few minutes later. I knew she couldn’t resist seeing her sister and expected her to make any kind of contact, even for a second.
“I had to hug her,” she confessed, her eyes brimming with tears.
“My brother and I are pretty close, so I get it.”
“Do you see him often?” she asked, genuinely interested.
“Not as much as I’d like.”
Alyssa held her hands to her heart for half an hour, not uttering a word as she listened to me relay the conversation with her sister.
“It’s him. I just know it. The question is… what does he want?”
“We should get going, maybe grab some lunch, and we can talk over the events leading up to your husband’s death.”
“You read about it in the file,” she told me.
