Chương 5
Rain streaked the glass.
“I can’t call in every time he destabilizes my life.”
“Maybe this qualifies.”
“I already missed half a shift last week because of the lawyer.”
“You say that like you got a manicure.”
Rachel snapped, “Somebody has to pay the lawyer.”
Julie’s hands tightened on the wheel.
Neither spoke for three exits.
Then Julie said, “That was mean.”
Rachel rested her forehead against the cool window.
“I know.”
“I’m still taking you to my place.”
“I know.”
“And you’re paying to clean the boots.”
Rachel laughed despite herself.
Sophie slept through it.
At Julie’s townhouse, Rachel put Sophie in the guest bed without removing her jeans because waking her felt cruel.
She unzipped the mustard jacket.
Sophie opened her eyes.
“Where’s Mr. Paws?”
“At home.”
“Is he okay?”
Rachel swallowed.
“He’s okay.”
“The police won’t throw him away?”
“No.”
“They have to cut him open again.”
“We already did that.”
“Will you sew him?”
“Yes.”
Sophie considered this.
“You’re bad at ears.”
“I know.”
“Aunt Julie is better.”
From the doorway Julie whispered, “Accurate.”
Rachel turned.
“Go away.”
Sophie smiled sleepily.
Rachel pulled the blanket up.
“Mom?”
“Yeah?”
“Is Daddy going to jail?”
Rachel sat on the edge of the bed.
She could have said she did not know.
That would have been true.
She could have said everything would be okay.
That would have been easier.
Instead she said, “The police are figuring out what happened.”
“Because I told?”
“No.”
Sophie’s eyes remained on her.
“If he gets in trouble, it’s because of things he did. Not because you told the truth.”
Sophie’s lower lip trembled once, then steadied.
“I still love him.”
Rachel looked down at her own hands.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
It came out too quickly.
Sophie noticed.
“You don’t.”
Rachel rubbed the blanket between her fingers.
“I love some things about him. And I’m very angry with him. Both can happen.”
“Like when you were mad at me for cutting my bangs?”
Julie made a choking sound from the hall.
Rachel looked at Sophie’s uneven fringe, which had been growing out for five months.
“Much more complicated than the bangs.”
“I looked bad.”
“You looked eight.”
“I was seven.”
“Then you looked ahead of your time.”
Sophie smiled.
Her eyes closed.
Rachel remained beside her until her breathing slowed.
In the kitchen, Julie handed Rachel a mug of tea.
Rachel took one sip and made a face.
“What is this?”
“Chamomile.”
“It tastes like lawn.”
“You’re welcome.”
Rachel set it down.
Her phone showed four new texts from people she barely knew.
One from Linda.
One from Ethan’s sister.
Two from coworkers who had apparently heard there had been police activity in employee garage C.
News did not need social media to spread. Airports had always been gossip machines.
Julie sat across from her.
“Give me your phone.”
“No.”
“You’re staring at it like it owes you money.”
“It does. I bought it.”
“Rachel.”
She kept scrolling.
A message from her supervisor, Dennis:
Heard there was an incident. Take tomorrow. We’ll cover.
Rachel typed:
I can handle the staffing call remotely.
She deleted it.
Typed again:
Thank you. I’ll update you tomorrow afternoon.
Sent.
The act felt strangely frightening.
She had built much of her adult life around being the person who did not create inconvenience.
Reliable employee.
Reasonable wife.
Easy daughter.
The mother who remembered snack day.
The woman who apologized when a server brought her the wrong order.
It occurred to her that Ethan had benefited enormously from this.
Julie was opening a bag of pretzels.
“Do you think he was really going to take her?”
Rachel did not answer.
Julie stopped chewing.
“Rach.”
“I don’t know.”
“But you think so.”
“I think he told her they’d be gone before I woke up.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“What kind of person puts a tracker in a teddy bear?”
Rachel looked at the untouched tea.
“One who knows I always let her bring it.”
The next morning an investigator called at 7:12.
Rachel was awake.
She had not really slept.
Detective Hannah Brooks worked for the airport police unit assigned to property crime and access violations, though she explained that other agencies might become involved depending on what the evidence established.
Ethan had been released shortly before five.
The word made Rachel sit upright on Julie’s couch.
“Released where?”
“I don’t know where he went after leaving.”
“You let him leave?”
Brooks did not react to the accusation.
“He was not held on a charge requiring continued detention at that point. We secured the relevant property under consent and warrant procedures. There are restrictions in place concerning contact with you while the emergency family order is being addressed.”
“Restrictions in place is not the same as he can’t come here.”
“No.”
Rachel stood.
Julie appeared at the top of the stairs.
“What?”
Rachel held up a finger.
Brooks continued. “Your attorney has already filed for an emergency modification. The hearing is scheduled this afternoon.”
“How do you know that?”
“Your attorney called us for the incident report number.”
Of course she had.
Rachel had forgotten leaving a voicemail at 1:03 A.M.
“Does Ethan know where I am?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“He tracked Sophie.”
“I know.”
“What if there’s another tracker?”
“We can help inspect your vehicle and belongings.”
Rachel looked toward the guest room.
“What about her school?”
“You should notify them of the temporary situation and provide any updated order as soon as you receive it.”
Rachel sat again.
A headache had formed behind her right eye.
“Did you find anything on the tracker?”
“I can’t discuss results yet.”
“His phone?”
“Same answer.”
“The fob?”
“We confirmed it was not legitimately issued to him.”
Rachel pressed her fingers to her temple.
“So he cloned mine.”
“We are investigating how it was produced and used.”
“Detective.”
“Yes?”
“Do you believe me?”
May you like
There was a pause.
“I believe something serious happened. My job is to establish what can be proved.”
