“I couldn’t resist. Besides, I’ve slept better ever since I got them,” I said, attempting to sound light-hearted.
Curling up on his side, he faced me. I grabbed hold of his wrist – desperate for his touch. His strength. His stability. “I wonder how you’d sleep if I was always right here next to you?” he asked gently.
I smiled shyly. “Well, Mr. Walker, I think I’d sleep quite well indeed. You, on the other hand, would undoubtedly feel like you’d crawled in bed with an ECT machine.”
His eyes rounded. “Excuse me, Ms. Adams. A what?”
I bit my lip. “Those machines used in electroshock therapy.”
He laughed. “I don’t want to know why you have knowledge of such things. But I think I’d prefer to cuddle with an electric eel.”
“Eww. One of those long, clammy snakelike things?” I made a face. “So much for romance.”
“We could find a way.” He winked.
I rolled my eyes and then allowed them to close. Memories of the day before came flooding back in a cold rush. I caught my breath as my heart missed a beat.
“Do we know anything? Do we have a plan?” I kept my eyes closed, digging my fingers a little deeper into his skin. Not on purpose but because I was scared of his response.
In a soft voice, he said, “They brought in a tracking dog last night while we were out searching. He was taken to the Sprinkler Park, given Ava Rose’s scent, and then away he went. Straight to the bathrooms, then over the footbridge and through the trails, and right into the parking lot on the far side. He stopped there and barked quite a bit.”
“So she got in a car?”
“That’s what they think. So now, the Sheriff’s department is in charge of launching an organized search effort – one which will continue today. You and I will be going door to door with flyers and pictures. But this time, you’re stuck with me. You’re not leaving my side. Got it?”
That question sounded more like a demand, but I cracked my eyes opened and nodded.
“Good.” His finger brushed my nose. “Also, Robyn is reaching out to the media this morning with Ava Rose’s picture and a description of what she was last wearing. They’ve set up a hotline – anonymous – in hopes someone will come forward with information.”
I sat up. “I want to offer a reward.” I thought of my million dollar check from Ellen and added, “A huge reward. No questions asked. Maybe that will motivate someone to release her.” I paused. “Then we track the bastard down and take him out…so he can never harm another child.”
Speechless, his mouth hung open and he nodded. Well, I had been pretty hardcore. Clearing his throat, he said, “My dad has already offered a large monetary reward for any information leading to her safe return. He’s authorized funds be taken out of our Guardian account.”
“Your dad’s a good man,” I murmured.
“Yes.” Jason lowered his eyes. “He cares about you and about Ava Rose.” He shook slightly. “He also knows that we are in love with each other…”
“Wh-what?”
“Yes. And that is something we’ll want to talk about with him. Sooner rather than later.”
I nodded. “You mean come totally clean? Even tell him what options we’re considering?”
“Yes. I think that would be best. If it comes down to it, which I hope it doesn’t – for his sake – he will choose family over the Senior Council. Even if that means he must step down.”
“Oh, Jason. I’m sorry…”
“Shhh…” he said, shaking his head furiously. “Don’t worry about that now. Our priority is finding Ava Rose.” He took a deep breath. “So, in addition to media coverage, Robyn is asking friends and family to use social media and spread the word about Ava Rose’s disappearance. While the police are treating this as a kidnapping case right now, they are still tossing around the possibility that she ran away.”
“What?” I said angrily.
“You and I know that won’t be the case. But the investigators have to consider all the angles.”
“They don’t know her like we do. She loves Robyn.”
“We know that’s true, but they don’t. They have to be objective. She’s a little girl who just finished cancer treatment and now that she’s better might try to run away in attempt to locate her biological mother…”
“No,” I said stubbornly.
“I’m just stating the facts, Alex. I don’t want you to be surprised or upset when you hear all these different scenarios.”
I sighed and squeezed his arm. “Sorry.”
“Hey, don’t you apologize to me. I understand. You love that little girl, and so do I. We have to get her back. I owe her a birthday bash on the Alexandria along with the promise of Orcas.”
My eyes flew to the far side of my room, where several of Ava’s Orca and tiger paintings adorned the wall. “I’m going to take a shower,” I said, motivated by her artwork, “and then we need to get out there and find her.” I clamored out of bed and then stopped suddenly when I realized I was wearing only underwear and a tank. Blushing from my toes to my nose, I turned and looked at Jason. “Did you?” I pointed to myself.
“No,” he said. “Ally did.”
“Oh, okay.” Quickly, I grabbed my robe out of the closet and looked at him shyly.
“I’ve seen you in a bikini, Alex. You don’t have to be embarrassed in front of me. Actually, I was rather enjoying the view.”
“Oh.”
“You’re beautiful.”
“Oh,” I said again. Gripping the soft cashmere robe, I contemplated for the briefest of seconds. Finally, I made a decision and threw it back in the closet. Walking around the room bravely, I gathered clean clothes. When I had a handful of items, I made my way over to the bed, leaned down, and kissed him. “I love you. Thank you. Give me twenty minutes and then we’ll go. You know that little girl is just as in love with you as I am, right?”
As I walked out the door, I heard him mumbling, “What? Huh? You can’t be serious?”
A little later, we joined forces with a large group of people, all who planned on devoting their day to finding a missing eight year old girl. In situations like this, all volunteers were required to sign in each time they participated in any of the search activities. As we waited in line, I nibbled away at the breakfast sandwich Jason had picked up at the Starbuck’s drive-up window. At his insistence, I’d given in and decided to eat. I didn’t much feel like it, but he’d reminded me that food and Essence went hand in hand. Apparently, he wanted to make sure I had plenty of both this time.
We spent all of that day and all of the next day, along with several hundred volunteers, sweeping the city. My parents even drove up from Tacoma and joined us. We knocked on doors, talked with people, and hung posters. How so many complete strangers came together to help and support one another in a time of tragedy was a tribute to the human spirit and the strength of our small community. While frustrating and tense, the experience was also amazing and unexpectedly heart-warming.
Unfortunately, we turned up nothing. There were no viable leads that had been called into the hotline, either. Late in the evening, after the second full day of searching, we were all completely exhausted. Tears had been shed, emotions had been strung, and hope was waning. In an attempt to boost morale and be supportive, Jessica’s parents reserved a banquet room for 40 at Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant. Not only were Ally, Ben, and the entire Bellingham Circle there, including Hannah, but the Nelsons had invited Robyn’s family and her close friends, as well. I was grateful for the Nelsons and told them so. They insisted no thanks were necessary; they only wished there was more they could do to help.
I sat between my dad and Jason’s mom, Janet, during dinner. She surprised me when she whispered in my ear, “Don’t give up hope. Not for Ava Rose and not for a life with Jason.” I could tell there was a lot more she wanted to discuss in regards to her son. But being a Bellingham police officer, she understood better than anyone that our current prioriti
es were elsewhere. We were a subdued group at dinner, but just being together was important. After dinner, along with a lot of hugs, there were also a lot of promises going around. Promises we’d stay strong and united and never give up hope.
Sadly, we’d traversed most of the city already, and there wasn’t much ground left to cover. Besides that, people needed to return to work. Personally, I didn’t feel I could go back to “living” when Ava Rose was still out there missing. I’d requested, and luckily been granted, a couple weeks off from work. They’d covered all my shifts for the current week, too. Once my boss heard about my close relationship with Ava Rose, how she was like a little sister to me, he’d actually insisted I take as much time as necessary.
Needing to catch up on sleep and some of his own business, Jason and I decided he’d get a better night’s sleep on the Alexandria than he would on my floor. Besides that, it was dangerous having him sleep over when my parents were in town. I didn’t think they’d necessarily approve, even though they didn’t know and could never understand how messed up our situation was. After saying good-night to him, I caught a ride home with my parents. They decided to head back home that night rather than the next morning because my dad had an emergency patient he needed to see. Once my parents left, I hooked up with Ally for a few minutes, apologizing for the damper that had been placed on her wedding plans. She’d hugged me and assured me that was not important and that everything in regards to her wedding plans had already been set into motion. All we needed to do was focus our attention on finding Ava Rose. We wanted her there on the big day, fulfilling her role as flower girl.
I remembered how her face had lit up when Ally had asked her to be her flower girl. Hugging Ally, she’d been beyond excited. She’d seen too many TV shows, because she’d grown all serious and promised she’d practice walking slow so she wouldn’t trip and ruin the wedding. Then she’d danced around the room singing, “I’m gonna be a flower girl. I’m gonna be a flower girl.” She’d even reached up and touched her hair, which had been growing back but was still super short, and said shyly, “I will have longer hair by then. I might even look pretty, huh?”
Ally had said, “Oh, Ava Rose. You’ll be beautiful.”
She’d looked at me for assurance, and I’d said, “Yes, you will.” Completely charmed, Ally and I had laughed about it later. Now, standing in my bedroom doorway, clinging to my best friend, I gathered strength from her touch. Funny, I thought. An Innocent holding a Dentelle. No matter who we were, or what our strengths might be, we all benefited from a hug.
Following our much needed heart-to-heart, Ally said, “One day at a time, Lex. First, Ava Rose. Second, nail-down a way to keep you, and everyone else, in Bellingham. Third, the wedding. And fourth, find a way you can be with Jason.”
“Love you, Ally,” I said, stepping into my room.
“Right back at you.”
Collapsing onto my bed that night, I didn’t even bother slipping out of my sundress. Lying on my tummy, propped up on my arms, I stared at the glistening waters of Bellingham Bay. The almost three-quarters moon, along with a gazillion stars, illuminated the night in a soft glow. About a week until the next full moon. My monthly reminder that Ash and I were eternally linked. I’d seen him coaxing Madison onto his motorcycle as we’d left the restaurant, and I’d wondered what they were up to. Was she finally giving him a chance? I hadn’t been in the mood to tease him or drill him for answers, but my curiosity was piqued.
I exhaled and rubbed my scratchy eyes. While brushing my teeth, I’d noticed they were bloodshot with dark circles. Between Ellen Zimmerman’s letter and Ava Rose’s disappearance, I’d shed buckets of tears over the last few days. Too bad Essence didn’t couldn’t touch up physical appearance. Ava Rose remained heavy on my heart. Thoughts of her consumed my every waking, breathing moment. Was there any chance she was also staring up at the moon, wondering if someone was going to rescue her? My heart constricted, and I silently choked back sobs. Eventually, I lay my head down on the pillow. Drifting in and out of sleep, I deliberated over my next move. What would it take to find her and bring her home safely?
Little did I know what a loaded question that would turn out to be.
CHAPTER 13 – THE PHONE CALL THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
The next morning, I had a very quiet house all to myself. Ally and Ben, both who’d been scheduled opening shifts at their respective jobs, weren’t due home until the afternoon. I showered, cleaned up my neglected room, and then ate a bowl of oatmeal – all in silence. I wasn’t in the mood for music, and I certainly didn’t want to listen to the local news. I already knew more details about the top story than the reporters did. More importantly, I didn’t want to be discouraged by the “experts.” They’d be reiterating how the first 48 hours after a child’s disappearance are the most crucial, and after that the chances of the child’s safe return are greatly diminished. I was already well aware that the 72 hour mark was fast approaching.
Rinsing my bowl in the sink, I noticed the green dishwasher light flashing “clean.” Over the last few days, Ally had graciously taken over all the household chores. Feeling grateful and guilty, I decided it was time to step up and help out. As I emptied the dishwasher, my cell phone rang, and I pounced on it as two opposing emotions, hope and fear, collided, wreaking havoc on my psyche.
I looked at the incoming number. That’s odd. Instead of displaying a phone number, my phone showed the message “restricted call.” I frowned and answered breathlessly. “Hello?”
“Hello, Lexi.” There was a long pause. “Have you missed me?”
The blood in my veins turned to ice and my body went slack. The plate slid from my hand and shattered into pieces all over the floor.
“Have I rendered you speechless?” The voice at the other end was deep and cheerful. “You don’t know how invigorating that is – knowing I still have such an effect over you. I feel the same way, you know? I long for your touch. Your Essence. I’m telling you, we were meant to be together.”
Completely off balance, I wavered and gripped the countertop. Jumping quickly sideways, I narrowly avoided stepping on a chunk of glass. Dread shook me to my very core. I knew that voice; I could never forget that voice. Not even if I tried. That voice belonged to the monster in my nightmares – Kieran.
“Come on, Lexi, can’t you think of something nice to say to an old friend? Or enemy, I suppose.” He chuckled. “I mean we do have quite a history together.”
Still, I couldn’t find my voice, and a long silence ensued.
“I’m waiting.” He tried to keep his voice calm, but I detected a hint of irritation.
“Wh-where are you? H-how did you g-get this n-number?” I stuttered.
“That’s more like it. Not great. But better.” He laughed. “Don’t go worrying yourself about nothing. I’m nowhere near Bellingham. And how I got your number is of no importance. What does matter is that I want to see you. And rather than me marching in there and causing a scene, I thought this time you could come to me. We’ll keep it simple. Pleasant.”
I cringed. There was nothing pleasant about this evil maniac. I couldn’t believe he was on my phone. What did he want? Really, I didn’t need to answer that. The simple answer was – me. His latest strategy made no sense.
“In fact, I have a proposition for you. I’d like you to visit me. Stay a few days. I really think we got off on the wrong foot before. Last time there were too many people involved, messing things up. I’d like to start over. Once you get to know me better, I think you’ll enjoy my company – see what a likeable guy I really am.”
Adrenaline. Abhorrence. And anger. They all plowed through my body as one. Squaring my shoulders, I stood tall against the kitchen counter. “You want me? Then you’re gonna have to come and get me,” I said, vehemence oozing from my every word. “You won’t be so lucky this time. I will rip you apart myself.”
He laughed jovially. “Oh my, a bit touchy, are we? But that’s good. That’s the Lexi I
like and respect.”
“This conversation is over,” I said adamantly. “Don’t contact me again. And if you ever see me, I suggest you run.” Even though I sounded all brave, I suddenly felt very weak. Paranoia had me edging up to the window so I could peek outside. Was it possible he was out in the yard, watching me now? All I saw were flowers in bloom and a lawn that desperately needed mowing. Ben had been a little busy helping out with the search lately, so the yard had been sadly neglected. Scanning further, I didn’t notice anything unusual in the neighbors’ yards. Most importantly, I didn’t sense his link. So, I was probably safe.
“Oh, Lexi, we still have a lot to discuss.”
“No! No, we don’t! Not now. Not ever.” I was practically foaming at the mouth.
Before I could hang up, he said casually, “I think we do. As a matter of fact, I’ve been meaning to ask how the search for Ava Rose is coming along. Any leads yet?”
In that moment, fear sliced through my stomach like a knife. This wasn’t right. How would he know about Ava Rose? And why would he care? Unless…“Wh-what do you know about Ava Rose?” I asked, my voice raising an octave with each syllable. My hands started shaking, and I sat down in the chair at the kitchen table.
“Everything, my dear. I know everything about it.”
This time fear, dread, and pure hatred were the emotions that shook the bones in my body, shattering even my soul. The phone slipped out of my hand, and my jaw fell.
Oh my God! Kieran had Ava Rose.
That had to be it. He’d been talking like he had the upper hand since the moment I’d answered the phone. That had to be why.
I picked up the phone and screamed into it, “If you’ve taken Ava Rose and if you’ve hurt her in any way, I will skin you alive and…”
“Lexi, Lexi, Lexi, calm down,” he interrupted in an apathetic voice. “She is perfectly fine. In fact, she’s happy and healthy and currently awaiting your arrival.”
Every synapse in my brain connected, and the whole situation became crystal clear. Ava Rose’s kidnapping had not been random. Kieran had targeted her because he wanted me. It was apparent he’d been watching me; I shuddered at the thought. Had he seen us riding bicycles, or picnicking at the park, or swimming at the pool? No, not him. He’d probably had some criminal – an Innocent who was anything but innocent, following us. Creepy crawlies wriggled under my skin. His evil was boundless. Ava Rose was important to me, so he’d captured her, knowing he had exactly the bait he needed to reel me in.
Dentelle #3 Guardian series Page 22
