“The info is right here.” Joy slid the ad schedule across the slanted desk to him. “Just like it is every week,” she mumbled under her breath.
He chose to ignore that too, though if he’d had the authority to do so, he might have fired her sassy self on the spot. He turned to the bank behind him and started laying out the classified ads. It never failed that Myrtle let someone slip in an ad at the last minute on Tuesday morning, but he could at least get it started for Michelle. Where was she, anyway? She’d taken to walking over her lunch hour, but it wasn’t like her to be late. Especially not early in the week.
It struck him that if it had been Joy or Myrtle or one of the typesetters, he could have cared less whether they were a few minutes late—if he even noticed they were absent. It wasn’t fair for him to treat Michelle any differently, but didn’t she know that the office was boring and stale without her?
It was 1:15 before he finally heard her come in the back way. He glanced up from the layout desk long enough to notice that her hair was pleasantly windblown and her cheeks were flushed.
She hurried into her cubicle, shedding her jacket as she went. She returned a minute later, rolling up her sleeves so she could work at the layout bank. “Sorry I’m late.”
“I got the classifieds started for you.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
“Everything okay?” he asked, without looking up.
“Yes… At least, I think so.”
He put down his craft knife and turned to lean one elbow on the sloped bank of the desk. “What’s going on?”
“I was supposed to have lunch with a friend, and she never showed up.”
He remembered her stowing food in the break room fridge this morning and had wondered what it was for. Not that that was any of his business either. But it had crossed his mind at the time that she might have a lunch-hour date, and he was relieved now to hear her say that she didn’t show up. So it wasn’t that kind of date. Good. “Did you call her?”
“She doesn’t have a phone.”
“Really? Who doesn’t have a phone in this century?”
She looked disgusted with him. “People who aren’t as rich as you, maybe?”
“Would you cut that out? Just because my dad is rich doesn’t mean I am.”
“That’s not my point.”
“Then what is your point?” Good grief, this was starting to sound like his conversation with Joy.
“Just that not everybody has all the advantages we take for granted.”
“Okay. You’re right. I’m sorry. So…your friend doesn’t have a phone. And you never got hold of her?”
“No. And I’m worried. Would you—” She stopped short, as if weighing her words. “Would you be able to check some police records for me?”
Chapter 19
“Police records?” Rob looked like an eager puppy waiting to hear where a bone was buried.
It reminded Michelle how much she lacked his journalistic instincts. “The friend I was having lunch with is Becky Preston.”
Rob’s brows went up, and she felt as if she were diving off a cliff into deep water.
“I’m worried about her, Rob.”
“She’s the one whose husband went to jail for beating her, right?”
She nodded. “She seemed really excited about our lunch. I don’t think she would have just ditched me.”
“And you want me to see if he’s still in jail?”
She nodded. “I know he was supposed to get out before Becky has her baby, but I didn’t think it was this soon.”
“She wouldn’t let him in the house, would she?”
She closed her eyes. “She’s pregnant. She doesn’t feel she has any choice.”
“Oh, man…” He blew out a breath. “What kind of choice is that?”
She didn’t have an answer for him. “Can you find out whether Mack Preston is out of jail yet?”
“I’ll try. I don’t usually go pick up the police report until Friday, but I can make an extra trip to check the records. Or the chief might talk to me—if I catch him in a good mood. Maybe you should go by her house again first, though, just in case your wires got crossed.”
“That’s a good idea. I know I’ve already eaten up my break time, but do you think I could leave a few minutes early today so I can stop by there?”
“Sure. I’ll go with you. I can help you finish the classifieds so you’re not behind in the morning.”
“Thanks, Rob.”
They worked silently for a few minutes before she sensed him watching her. She turned to face him, curious.
“Did you know her—Becky Preston—that day we went after the story?”
“No…well, not exactly. Why?”
“No reason. I just wondered how you got to be friends so quickly.”
“She was in the class below me in high school. I didn’t remember her, but she recognized me that day.” She told him about running into Becky and Eden in the grocery store. “And then I saw her again one day when I was walking during my lunch hour. We struck up a conversation and”—she shrugged—“we just sort of ended up friends.”
“Wow. That’s pretty cool.”
She shrugged. “What’s cool about it?”
“Just that you befriended somebody under those circumstances.”
She frowned. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of hero.”
“Well, you are.”
“Cut it out.”
He didn’t say anything else, and she had to admit she liked him thinking of her as a hero. But she wished she’d done something to actually earn the label. They finished up what they could of the classified pages then went out to Rob’s car around four.
“You remember where it is, right?”
Rob nodded and headed east. He turned the knob on the radio, and Three Dog Night blared, “Mama Told Me Not to Come.” She hoped it wasn’t a sign.
He pulled into the Preston driveway a few minutes later. He started to open his door, but Michelle put a hand on his arm. “It might be better if you wait here.”
“You’re sure it’s safe?”
“I won’t go in if…he’s there.”
Rob looked reluctant, but he waited in the car while she ran up and knocked on the door. The basket of food she’d left for Becky was gone, and this time Michelle was certain she saw the curtains move in the window beside the door.
She opened the screen door and pounded louder. “Becky? It’s Michelle. Is…everything okay?”
No answer. Maybe she’d seen Rob in the car and was afraid to open the door. Michelle tried the door and drew in a breath when it gave way. She started to close it, but then she saw Becky’s little girl sitting cross-legged on the sofa, staring at her.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Hi, Eden. Remember me? Is your mommy home?” Keeping one hand on the door in an effort to not appear as if she was trespassing, she waved at Eden.
The toddler popped a thumb into her mouth and peered out from under too-long bangs. Her eyes were as dark as her hair.
Michelle hollered again. “Becky? Are you here?”
The house smelled of stale cooking grease and sour milk. She dodged a menagerie of stuffed animals and toys littering the floor and went to the sofa. Holding out her hands to Eden, she smiled. “Do you remember me?”
The child kept her thumb firmly in her mouth but raised her left arm to Michelle.
She scooped Eden up and settled her on one hip. “Where’s your mommy?”
The little girl pulled her thumb out of her mouth long enough to point at the back door and say, “Mama?”
Cautiously Michelle walked through the house, talking softly to Eden the whole time. She checked the backyard, but there was no sign of Becky. The kitchen was tidy, and except for a pile of clean laundry folded on the unmade double bed, the bedroom was in order too. Eden’s playpen in the corner looked as if it served as a crib too, with a pile of blankets, discarded pajamas, and more stuffed animals.
&nb
sp; Michelle hollered again for Becky before going back to the front door to motion Rob inside.
He turned off the ignition and trotted up the steps, stopping short when he saw the toddler in her arms. “Everything okay?”
“I don’t think Becky’s here. I didn’t go upstairs, and I think there’s a basement, but I hollered and nobody answered.”
He frowned. “They left her alone here?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Would you mind coming in and help me go through the house? I’m a little…scared of what I might find.”
“Yeah, sure.” He followed her into the house and panned the room. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Anybody home?”
Eden jerked in Michelle’s arms and burst into tears.
Cuddling the toddler close to her chest, she crooned, “Oh, honey, it’s okay.” She bounced Eden gently in her arms, trying to calm her, and sang a tuneless version of “Hush Little Baby” under her breath.
Rob eased over to them as if Eden were a frightened puppy. When she didn’t cry, he patted the baby’s back, laughing softly. “Sorry, little one. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
She snuggled closer to Michelle and peeked up at Rob, looking wary.
“I’m sorry,” Rob said to Michelle. “I didn’t even think about that scaring her. What’s her name?”
“Eden.” She patted her tiny back, loving the weight of the child in her arms. She gave Rob a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. She’s fine now.”
“She’s cute.”
“Yeah, she is.”
He looked around the room. “Do you think her mom is here? You want me to go through the house?”
She nodded. “We’ll come with you.”
“I hope we don’t scare the mama to death like we did this little one.” Rob pinched her tiny toes through dingy booties that sported a hole in one toe.
Michelle followed Rob up the L-shaped stairway, talking softly to Eden as they went. “Is Mommy upstairs? Huh? Where’s Mommy?”
“Mama?” Eden sounded as puzzled as they were.
Rob stopped on the landing. “Man, it’s freezing up here.” He made his teeth chatter loudly.
Eden giggled over her thumb.
Rob chattered his teeth again. This time, Eden pulled her thumb out of her mouth and tried to imitate him. He cracked up, which made Michelle giggle.
A spark came to Eden’s eyes and she leaned out of Michelle’s arms, egging Rob on.
He obliged her, gnashing his teeth and crossing his eyes.
Eden reached for him, and Rob looked at Michelle as if seeking her permission.
“Sure… She likes you now.” She transferred Eden into his strong arms, and the toddler bounced with joy, poking at Rob’s mouth with pudgy fingers, trying to make him chatter again.
He indulged her then advanced to even sillier faces, which Eden did her best to mimic. Soon they were all laughing. They stood on the landing between the two flights while Rob made a charming fool of himself, getting Eden to giggle again and again. He quickly won the little girl over. The big girl too.
Michelle imagined the three of them—her and Rob and Eden—as a family. This was their house, and Eden was their daughter. In the space of a few seconds, she mentally redecorated the house into a cozy haven where they all lived and loved together, where there was another baby on the way and—
“Hey? Penn? Earth to Michelle…”
She was embarrassed to realize she’d spaced out. Rob waved his hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention.
“Where in the world did you go, Mish?”
“I—I was just thinking about where Becky might be,” she lied.
“Well, let’s look up here.” He led the way up the next flight of stairs. It was like an icebox on the second floor, but not surprisingly, the two small bedrooms and tiny bath between them were empty. The upstairs rooms appeared to be used only for storage. And if Becky had been up here, she surely would have heard all the commotion they’d made with their giggling games.
They started back down the steps with Rob leading the way, Eden in his arms. He turned the corner to descend the next flight when a woman’s scream pierced the air.
Chapter 20
Becky Preston stood in the doorway, hands pressed to her throat, eyes wide.
“It’s okay! It’s okay,” Rob said. He grabbed Michelle’s arm and urged her down the stairs so Becky could see her. “I’m Michelle’s friend. See.” He put an arm around Michelle’s shoulder, as if that would prove his statement. He noticed she didn’t try to shrug him off.
“Hi, Becky.” Michelle descended the last steps. “Everything’s okay. We were just…worried about you.”
Becky stood there frozen, obviously shaken and confused. She was noticeably pregnant, and her complexion was so pale it worried him.
“I’m so sorry,” Michelle told her. “We really didn’t break in. The door was open. We were worried about you. But Eden—she was sitting on the couch. Alone…”
Rob waited for the young mother to explain her absence. Instead, she burst into tears, just as Eden had when he’d frightened her with his yelling a few minutes ago.
“Becky?” Michelle hurried to her side. “What’s wrong?”
Eden started fussing and struggled to free herself from his arms. He set the child gently on the floor, and she toddled over to her mother and wrapped her arms around Becky’s knees. Rob couldn’t help but think of the photograph he’d taken that hot August day, of Eden clutching her mother in the same way while the police dragged off her daddy.
Michelle reached over to stroke Eden’s silky black hair, keeping her eyes on the baby’s mother. “I’m so sorry if we scared you, Becky. I was worried when you didn’t answer the door at lunchtime. I just”—she motioned toward Rob—“asked my friend from the Beacon to come with me to make sure everything was okay.”
Rob gave her an anemic wave and shrank back onto the stairway.
Becky looked between them, trembling. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?”
“Tell them what?”
“He needed me to bring him something, and Eden was napping. I thought… But it took longer than I thought it would and—” She put her face in her hands. “It was stupid. I never should have done it. I–I’ve never done anything like that before, but he said—”
“Who?” Michelle sounded as confused as Rob felt.
“Mack. He needed a few things, so I ran to the store. I was only gone for a few minutes. And she was napping…”
Surely Becky didn’t mean she’d left the little girl here alone. “Eden was awake when we got here, sitting there.” Michelle pointed to the sofa.
Becky shook her head. “No. She was in her crib…the playpen, I mean. She was in there when I left.”
“How long were you gone? Because she was sitting on the sofa when we got here about…?” She looked to Rob to fill in the blank.
He’d lost track of time but took a guess. “About twenty minutes ago, I’d say.”
“That can’t be. I wasn’t gone that long…. And she was in her playpen when I left. Sleeping.”
“How long ago?”
Becky looked sheepish. “I don’t know. Maybe half an hour. Maybe not quite that long.”
“Becky.” Michelle’s tone said What on earth were you thinking? But she only said, “Where were you?”
“Mack has a bad cold. They won’t give him anything for it at the jail, and they won’t let him go to the doctor. I—I ran to the drugstore for him.
“You really left the baby here alone?” Rob tried to temper his tone too late, and he heard the accusation in his own voice.
“She usually sleeps for at least two hours in the afternoon.” Defensiveness crept into Becky’s voice.
“But what if there’d been a fire or something?” He said it gently, but he could see in Becky’s face that it stung.
“And apparently she does know how to climb out of the playpen,” Rob said, unable to keep the indict
ment from his voice now.
Becky turned on him. “I’m not sure who you are, but you have no business telling me how to raise my daughter.”
“It’s okay, Becky.” Michelle’s voice was even. “He’s my friend. From the paper.”
“Yeah.” She spoke in a monotone. “I remember him.”
Michelle went still. “Where were you at lunchtime? Did you remember we were supposed to have lunch?”
Again, Becky hung her head. “Sorry, Michelle. I—something came up.”
Rob didn’t know what was going on, but there was something Becky wasn’t telling them. A horrible thought nudged at him. Had Eden been here alone when Michelle came by for lunch earlier? Was Becky so irresponsible that she’d leave the baby alone for hours?
Michelle eased toward the front door. “I was worried about you.”
“I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m sorry lunch didn’t work out. And…thanks for the food. I’ll get the basket back to you.”
“It’s okay.” Michelle looked hurt. “Well…we probably should go. I’m sorry if we scared you.”
“No big deal.” Becky looked at the door as if doing so would hurry them out.
Rob tried to catch Michelle’s eye. Surely she wasn’t just going to leave. They needed to make certain this wouldn’t happen again. Someone needed to talk to that woman and make sure she understood the severity of what she’d done. But Michelle opened the front door and unlatched the screen door.
Reluctantly, he followed her. “Nice to meet you,” he told Becky as he passed by, even though Michelle hadn’t officially made introductions. “ ’Bye, Eden.” He chattered his teeth again, but this time it didn’t produce even a grin.
Outside, he and Michelle were silent as they walked to the car, even though Becky closed the door the minute they were off the porch.
But in the car, Rob had a fit. “We’ve got to report her. She left that baby alone for who knows how long.”
“Do you think Eden climbed out of the crib on her own?”
He turned to study her. “Who else could have gotten her out?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I just mean—do you think Becky’s telling the truth? That Eden was in bed, sleeping, when she left? Maybe she left her there awake. Watching TV or something.”
Silver Bells Page 11
