Poisonous

by Allison Brennan

  Max said, “Austin ran out of the station. I don’t know why, but he wouldn’t stop when I called after him.”

  Paula sucked in her breath. “My son? What happened? What did you say to him?”

  “We’ll find him,” Grace said. “Go home.”

  They all went down the stairs. The police station was far busier now than an hour ago when Max first came in. Grace ordered two uniforms to go to Jenny Wallace’s house and bring Amanda to the station.

  Jenny heard Amanda’s name. “What’s going on?” She stood.

  Grace approached. “We need to talk to Amanda about her father’s gun.”

  “What?” Jenny said, still confused.

  “It’s your kids,” Paula said to Jenny with a sneer. “They’re to blame. We should never have moved here. Bill, we have to find Austin. He’s in trouble.”

  “They’re my kids, too,” Bill said to his wife. “Go home, Paula. I’ll fix this.”

  Paula looked like she’d been slapped. Her mouth opened, closed, then tears fell. She turned and ran out of the police station.

  “It’s about time you realized you had two other children,” Jenny said.

  “I’ve never forgotten. You turned Amanda against me with your lies.”

  “I never lied about what an asshole you are.”

  “Enough!” Grace said. “Where would Amanda go if she were in trouble?”

  Neither Jenny nor Bill had any idea.

  “I have two officers going to your house, Jenny. And two more on their way to your house, Bill. Where else? Friends, family?”

  “Tanya,” Jenny said. “Tanya Donnelly. I have her number and address on my phone.” She pulled her phone out with trembling fingers.

  “She has a car,” Bill said. “I bought it for her sixteenth birthday.”

  “I need the plates, make, and model.” She handed Bill a notepad.

  Max liked Grace’s focus and efficiency.

  “Anyone else?”

  “My parents,” Bill said. “They live in Larkspur. Not even a mile from here.”

  “Call them,” Grace said. “Ask if Amanda has come by or if they know where she is.”

  Max looked around. “Where’s Tommy?” she asked.

  “The bathroom,” Jenny said. “This whole thing has been so upsetting to him.”

  “How long ago?”

  Before Jenny answered, Grace ordered a male officer to check the restrooms. He came back a minute later. “He’s not there.”

  “Search the station. Find out if he left and if he left on foot or a vehicle.”

  “His bike,” Jenny said. “He has his bike.”

  Max ran out to the front where the bike rack was located. There were four bikes locked up.

  None of them belonged to Tommy Wallace.

  * * *

  Amanda took a deep breath and put a smile on her face even though she was nervous.

  She walked into her grandmother’s house. It smelled like bread—banana maybe, or raisin bread.

  “Grandma?”

  “Mandy? Is that you?” Her grandma came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on an apron. She smiled. “What a nice surprise.”

  “I went to Dad’s house and no one was there. I thought they might be here.”

  “Just Bella. Your dad dropped her by last night for a sleepover. He said he’d pick her up at noon. She sure keeps me on my toes!”

  “Oh, I had a question for my dad. Where’s Bella?”

  “With your grandpa. She has him watching this silly little show, ‘My Little Pony.’ Something like that. She has him wrapped around her little finger. I just took carrot muffins out of the oven, would you like one?”

  “Yum, thanks.” Amanda didn’t want a muffin, but she had to act normal. “I thought I smelled banana bread.”

  “I made banana bread earlier this morning. The church is having a bake sale after the service tomorrow. I have banana bread, carrot muffins, and I’m just mixing up some chocolate chip cookie dough for cookies.”

  Her grandparents were so … normal. The kind you read about in books. They were a lot older than most of her friend’s grandparents because her dad was a late baby. Her grandmother had told her often that she was told she couldn’t have kids, then when she was thirty-five she got pregnant. She was eighty-four now and her grandpa was eighty-six. Her grandpa seemed much older than her grandmother though. And he was forgetful.

  She was counting on it.

  She followed her grandmother into the kitchen and took a muffin. She ate it, even though she wanted to throw up. Not because it didn’t taste good—she couldn’t taste anything right now, her stomach was tied up in knots.

  She chatted about school until she thought enough time had passed that she’d done her due diligence. Then she said, “I’m going to say hi to grandpa and Bella.”

  Her grandmother handed her two muffins. “Bring these to them,” she said. “Bella loves the carrot muffins. But don’t tell her there are carrots in them! She won’t eat it then.”

  Amanda plastered a smile on her face and hoped it looked natural. She walked down the hall to the living room. It seemed to take forever. She saw her grandfather sleeping in his recliner while Bella was watching “My Little Pony” with wide eyes.

  “Hi, Bella,” she said.

  Bella said, “Shh!”

  “Grandma has a muffin for you.”

  Bella turned around, eyes wide. “Before lunch? Yeah!” She jumped up and took the muffins from Amanda’s hands. “Grandpa!”

  “He’s sleeping,” Amanda said quietly.

  “He’s always sleeping.”

  “That’s what old people do.”

  Bella wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to get old. I don’t like going to bed.”

  Good. Because you’re not going to get old.

  Bella loved dogs more than anything. Paula was allergic—or so she said—and they couldn’t have pets. Amanda said, “Mr. and Mrs. Fremont got a new puppy next door. Want to go see it?”

  “Yes! I’ll tell Grandma!”

  Amanda took her hand. “I already told her. Let’s go.”

  “What kind of puppy? What’s its name? One puppy or a litter? A litter is a lot of puppies that come out of the mommy doggy all at the same time. Like twins!”

  The phone started ringing in the house and Amanda’s heart skipped a beat. But she kept hold of Bella’s hand and let the little girl rattle on.

  Bella kept talking, and that distracted her all the way through the back door and out to the dock. This is where her dad kept his boat, right on the bay. When Amanda was little, before her dad took off, he used to take her and Tommy on the water all the time. Tommy loved boats, but was kind of scared because he couldn’t swim. Amanda loved boats, too. Or she used to.

  When Amanda was born, her dad had gotten a boat and called it Amanda. She was so proud of a boat being named after her. Now that boat was in dry storage because it had damage from a storm. Her father had a new boat. A bigger, better boat.

  He’d named it Bella.

  Amanda hated it.

  “Why are we getting in the boat? I wanna see the puppy!”

  “Come on.”

  “I wanna see the puppy!”

  “I have chocolate.”

  “You’re mean!”

  “You’re a brat.”

  “I’m telling Mommy you said that!”

  Amanda handed Bella what looked like a chocolate candy. Bella glared at her and took it and ate it, like Amanda knew she would.

  “Yuck! My tongue! It stings!”

  Thank you, jalapeño chocolate.

  Amanda handed her a water bottle. Bella guzzled it, crying.

  Almost immediately, her eyes got droopy.

  Sleeping pills will do that.

  She hoped she hadn’t put too much in the water. But maybe it would be easier that way.

  Amanda picked up groggy Bella from the dock and carried her onto the boat. She laid her out on the deck and prepared to take Bella out on t
he bay.

  “Amanda,” Tommy said.

  She turned around. “You got my message. Let’s go.”

  Amanda saw her grandmother at the back door look out at them, her hand shielding her eyes from the sun now that the fog had burned off.

  Tommy hesitated. She was going to have to leave him.

  “Goodbye, Tommy.”

  She pulled in the lines and started the motor.

  Tommy saw Bella in the corner, looking like she was sleeping. At the last minute as Amanda pulled away from the dock, he jumped on board.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Upon reentering the police station, Max found there was twice as much commotion as five minutes ago. Bill and Jenny stood like a buck and doe caught in headlights.

  “Call the Coast Guard,” Grace ordered the desk sergeant. “I need every available unit on call.”

  Grace glanced at Max. “Amanda took Bella from their grandparents’ house and onto a boat docked on the river. They’re heading out to the bay. Tommy jumped on board at the last minute.”

  “I don’t know what’s going on,” Jenny said. “What’s happening?”

  Bill put his arm around her shoulders and said, “We’ll bring them home safe.”

  “I’m meeting the Coast Guard in five minutes,” Grace said. “Jimenez, you’re with me.”

  “Let me go,” Max said. “Tommy trusts me.”

  “Trusts?” Jenny cried. “Haven’t you done enough?”

  Max ignored her. “Grace, I’m the only person who hasn’t lied to Tommy. I don’t know why he jumped on the boat, but he isn’t part of Amanda’s plan.”

  Grace nodded. “Bill, Jenny, you’ll stay at the docks with an officer. You’ll be kept informed. Max, with me and Jimenez.”

  They walked out just as David pulled up. Max didn’t have to say anything, and Grace just sighed and nodded. Max and David slid into the back of Grace’s sedan and Max filled him in on what happened. The main boat landing was less than a half mile away and they were there in minutes.

  The Coast Guard was already prepping the boat to go, and as soon as the four of them were on board, they left in search of Bella. Amanda had headed out less than fifteen minutes ago. Based on where she started and the speed of the boat, the Coast Guard had already determined the area they would most likely be found.

  As they moved from the pier, David handed Grace all the information he had collected about Amanda from Stephen Cross. Grace scanned the records, but it was Jimenez who noticed the same name on several e-mails as the name that had conversed with Travis on the ChatMe app.

  “ChatMe one-oh-one,” Jimenez said. “We don’t have the transcript, and we likely won’t get it unless we obtain one of the phones or computers that was used with the app, but it’s the same screen name.”

  “Send the information to the DA,” Grace told him. “Let’s get a warrant. For the ChatMe app, for Amanda’s computers and phone records, for Travis’s records. His parents are cooperating, but we do everything by the book. There has to be a record of their conversations somewhere.”

  “On it,” Jimenez said.

  Captain Guzman approached Grace. “We have the Bella in line of sight, Detective. It’s near Paradise Cay.”

  “That’s a distance.”

  “I’ve called in a smaller boat to assist. Their ETA is fifteen minutes.” He checked that they were all wearing vests, then escorted them to the main deck. He handed Grace a pair of binoculars, then pointed her in the right direction.

  “Shit,” she muttered. “She’s being reckless.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” said Captain Guzman. “We had reports from a private craft that the Bella came within twenty feet and created a hazard.”

  “Can you call her?” Jimenez asked.

  “We’ve attempted to reach the Bella by radio, but no one answers the call. We’ve determined that she’s well exceeding the speed limit for the channel. As soon as she passes the cay and into the main waters, the current will get even rougher.”

  “You can catch up with her though,” Max said.

  “Yes, but she has a head start. We’re gaining, and expect to intercept before she reaches Angel Island.”

  A seaman came down to brief him. “Captain, we can identify three individuals on the boat.”

  “Tommy, Amanda, and Bella,” Grace said.

  “No sign of the little girl, ma’am. Two boys and a girl.”

  Max took the binoculars from Grace and focused.

  “It’s Austin,” she said. “He’s bleeding.”

  * * *

  Austin sat in a corner of the deck, his head aching, mouth bleeding. He pretended he was more dazed than he was.

  He’d heard everything Amanda had just told Tommy. Amanda had killed Ivy. She’d killed Travis Whitman. And now she was going to kill him and Bella.

  Tommy stared blankly at his sister. It was like he’d gone into total stasis, not seeing or hearing anything.

  “Tommy,” Amanda said, “understand me! We weren’t good enough for Dad. He traded us in for Ivy and Austin. Perfect kids,” she said snidely. “I messed up. Travis was going to find out it wasn’t Bailey texting him.” She switched topics, acting all nutty. “Tommy, why do you love Austin more than me? Why go over there all the time? They didn’t want you!”

  Amanda turned to Austin and kicked him. “You stole my brother! You brought the reporter and now nothing is right! It was going to be fine. I had it planned. I just had to wait a while…” She shook her head. “Ivy took everything from me! My best friend, my daddy, my life. And then you”—she kicked Austin again—“you took my brother.”

  She didn’t have a gun. At least he didn’t see one. But she had a small knife in her hand. Austin might be able to wrestle the knife away from her, but Bella was starting to wake up in the corner. For the longest time, Austin thought she was dead. He stared at her, as did Tommy. She shifted a little, and her little chest moved up and down. She was cold, pulled in on herself, because she wore shorts and a T-shirt. It was a lot colder on the bay than on shore.

  Austin tried to get up but Amanda kicked him down. Tommy yelped as if he was the one who’d been kicked.

  “Stay!” Amanda told Austin. “Just stay put.” She looked around. Austin followed her eyes. There was a Coast Guard boat coming up to them.

  “No, no, no!”

  Over a bullhorn, a booming voice said, “Turn off the engine and stay where you are. Prepare to be boarded.”

  Amanda ran back to the wheel and sped up the boat. Austin took the opportunity to crawl over to Bella. She was trying to get up.

  “Aust…” Bella’s voice was drowsy.

  “Shh, it’s okay, honey. It’ll be okay. Tommy’s here.”

  “Tommy?” She almost smiled. “I miss my Tommy.”

  Austin looked at Tommy. “Tommy, Bella misses you.” Austin took off his hoodie and put it on his sister. She shivered.

  She coughed. “I don’t feel good.”

  “Tommy, get me a life vest. They’re in the box right next to you.”

  Tommy blinked. “Austin. You’re hurt. Did Amanda do that do you?”

  “I need the life vest for Bella. Please, Tommy. I need you to listen.”

  “Life vest.”

  The speedboat went faster. Tommy slipped as he opened the box.

  Amanda glanced back and screamed. “Get away from her!”

  Austin didn’t move. “Bella has never done anything to you,” he said. He was shaking from fear more than the cold salt air.

  “She’s a spoiled brat. She’s going to turn out just like Ivy. You know it.”

  Tommy reached for the life vest. He was shaking, too. His lips were turning blue. He wasn’t dressed for the bay. Where was his backpack? He carried his backpack everywhere.

  “Mandy,” Tommy said. “Mandy, you’re going too fast.” His voice cracked.

  She was steering the boat toward a Coast Guard ship that was coming right at them. “They’ll move,” she said.

  �
�Don’t, Mandy. Please. Please, please, please.”

  Tommy had the life vest in his grasp. His knuckles were white as he clenched it. Tommy was terrified of the water because he couldn’t swim. But even the best swimmers would have trouble out here in the bay. Not only was the water cold, the waves were high and choppy.

  Austin said, “Give it to me. Then get a vest for yourself.”

  Tommy nodded and slid the vest to Austin.

  Austin quickly put the vest on Bella. She could barely raise her arms. Her eyes were droopy. “I’m c-c-cold, Aussie,” she chattered.

  “Shh,” he said.

  The boat started to slow. Tommy was clutching a life vest to his chest.

  “Put it on,” Austin told him. “Tommy, please.”

  “I wanna go home,” Tommy said.

  “Aussie,” Bella said, “I wanna go home, too.”

  Amanda cut the engine. “How did they know?” she cried.

  Tommy said, “Mr. Kane talked to Maddie.”

  Amanda froze. “Maddie? Maddie Cross?”

  Tommy nodded. “Austin, I’m sorry—I should have told someone where I was going.”

  “It’s okay, Tommy. She tricked me, too.”

  “You’re too smart to be tricked.”

  “Sometimes I’m not. I’m sorry, Tommy. You’ll always be my brother. Put on the life vest, Tommy. Do it now.”

  Tommy nodded.

  “No!” Amanda said. “Tommy, he’s not your brother! He’s one of them. An imposter. A liar. He’s just like Ivy. Dad replaced you with him. Don’t you see? We weren’t good enough. Rewind, redo. Mom cries every night because of him. It’s not fair!”

  The boat drifted. Austin glanced up. There were three Coast Guard boats nearing. They were halfway between Angel Island and Alcatraz. The waves made the boat rock up and down.

  “Aussie, I’m sick,” Bella said, clutching him.

  “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

  “Yeah, right,” cracked Amanda.

  The guy with the bullhorn said, “Prepare to be boarded.”

  Amanda screamed. “It’s not fair. Because of him!” She pointed to Austin. “You used my brother.”

  “Amanda, it’s over. The Coast Guard is here. They’re coming.”

  “It’s not. It’s not over!”

  Amanda rushed Austin. He shielded Bella, but Amanda cut him with the knife she held and pushed him aside. She picked up the small girl and threw her over the edge of the boat.