“Her face was odd,” Jack admitted. “It was like she was prepared for something awful to happen, and yet even the threat of that wasn’t enough to get her to tell the truth.”
“What do you think she’s hiding?”
“Something really bad,” Jack said.
“It’s summer break,” Brian said, turning his attention back to the winding road in front of him. “Where do you want to look for high school kids?”
“Go to the school.”
“I just told you it was summer break,” Brian reminded him.
“It’s also a small town,” Jack said. “Most schools have basketball courts. We should be able to find some teenage boys there to start with. They’ll direct us where to go after that.”
“I take it you’ve done this before.”
“Not exactly this,” Jack clarified. “Teenagers are the same everywhere, though.”
“Okay,” Brian said. “I know where the high school is. We’ll start there.”
“DO you know Kelly Sisto?” Jack asked, trying to remain casual as the teenage boys eyed him suspiciously. He remembered what it was like to be their age. Even if you weren’t doing anything wrong, the arrival of police officers was still cause for concern.
“I know her.” The boy, who identified himself as Kevin, was standoffish. “What did she do?”
“She didn’t do anything,” Jack said. “She was … injured ... over in Shadow Lake the other day. We’re trying to find out who hurt her.”
“Why don’t you just ask her?” another boy, this one named Mitch, asked.
“She’s having some issues right now,” Jack said honestly. “She’s scared to tell us what happened to her. That’s why we’re here.”
“We didn’t do anything to her,” Kevin said quickly.
“I know that,” Jack said. “We don’t think you did. I promise. We’re just trying to find out who she hung around with.”
“Did she have any good friends?” Brian asked.
“She was kind of a loner,” Mitch said. “She had a few friends, but I wouldn’t really call them close friends. I think she was embarrassed because of her home situation.”
“What do you know about that?” Jack asked.
“I know that her foster parents never came to school conferences, or games, or parents’ night. I can’t ever remember seeing her with them other than once or twice at the grocery store. It was more like she didn’t have parents.”
“I think she was kind of on her own,” Kevin said.
“To your knowledge, did she ever get in any trouble?”
“No,” Kevin said. “She was one of those girls who sat at the end of the bleachers all by herself during a game. She never even watched it. She always had her nose stuck in a book.”
“Did she have any boyfriends?” Brian asked, not missing the quick look Mitch and Kevin exchanged.
“I never saw her with anyone,” Mitch replied carefully.
“You heard rumors, though, didn’t you?” Jack pressed.
“Some of the girls spread rumors about her,” Kevin said. “I’m not sure if they were true or not.”
“We’re not looking to shoot the messenger.”
“Kayla Clayvin told a few people that Kelly supposedly had an older boyfriend and they were … doing it.”
“How old?” Jack asked.
“Old enough that she got called into the guidance counselor’s office to talk about it,” Kevin said. “I have no idea what happened in there, but whatever it was, Kelly had to spend a lot of time in the office.”
“And you have no idea who this supposed boyfriend was?” Jack asked.
“None, man,” Mitch said. “She was a total loner. She never talked to us.”
“Do you think she was shy, or do you think something else was going on?” Brian asked.
“I think that Kelly was just marking time,” Mitch said. “Once she turned eighteen, she knew she was going to be turned out on the street. That’s the way the system works. I heard her talking about it one day.
“She knew she wasn’t going to college, and she knew her grades didn’t matter, so she only kept them up to make sure her foster parents didn’t come down on her,” he continued. “She was making plans to find a restaurant job over the summer because she pretty much figured that was her future.”
The statement made Jack inexplicably sad. “Tell me about this guidance counselor. What’s his name?”
“Mr. Thorpe.”
“Does he have a first name?” Jack asked.
“Oh, yeah, Gil.”
“I don’t suppose you know where he lives, do you?” Brian asked.
Mitch shrugged. “He lives on the same street as my grandparents.”
Jack and Brian exchanged a look. They both knew where their next stop would be.
GIL THORPE was in his late thirties, and he dressed like he’d just stepped off of the pages of a J.Crew catalog. His khakis were pressed and pristine. His loafers had actual pennies in them. His polo shirt looked like it hadn’t gone through the wash yet. He clearly took pride in his appearance, even though there was nothing about him that stood out.
He also seemed genuinely shocked to hear about Kelly’s situation.
“I don’t know what to say,” he said, handing Jack and Brian bottles of water as he settled on the couch across from them. “I had no idea Kelly was even missing, let alone … any of that.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Jack said. “Her foster parents didn’t know she was missing until we told them either.”
“Well, I wish I could say that was out of character for them, but the Gideons are … limited … in the way they deal with Kelly,” Gil said. “When Kelly first started having trouble, I thought they would be helpful in my efforts to rein her in. I was wrong.”
“What kind of trouble are we talking about?” Brian asked.
“I want to start by saying that I think Kelly is a gifted student,” Gil said. “She’s been overlooked her whole life because no one took the time to realize how smart she is. Now, I’m not casting aspersions on the foster care system. I know caseworkers are busy, and I know it’s impossible for them to take special interest in any one child.
“Kelly was still overlooked,” he said. “Had someone spent more time with her when she was younger, she might have been put in the gifted and talented classes, and her future might be vastly different.”
“So, you’re saying she’s smart,” Jack said.
“She’s very smart,” Gil said. “She reads faster than just about any student I’ve ever encountered, and she truly loves books. She does lag a little in science and math, but I think it’s because she doesn’t apply herself. She’s learned she doesn’t have to excel at anything because no one cares enough to make her. She does just enough to get by, and she puts minimal effort in to do that.”
“What do you know about her friends?” Brian asked.
“As far as I can tell, she doesn’t have any,” Gil said. “I’m not going to pretend I watch her in the lunchroom or anything, but Kelly is one of those kids who isolates herself. I think she’s embarrassed by her circumstances so she doesn’t want anyone to get close enough to ask about them.”
“Her foster parents insinuated she had friends,” Jack said.
“You also said her foster parents had no idea where she was spending her nights or where she was from day to day,” Gil said. “I would be surprised if those people even knew her middle name. Well, scratch that, if her middle name appeared on the checks from the state, then they might’ve known it.”
Jack grimaced. “What about boyfriends? The boys on the basketball court said there was a rumor she was dating an older boy.”
“That’s the first I’m hearing about that,” Gil said.
“They said that’s why she was called to your office for meetings,” Brian said.
Gil chuckled. “I’m sure someone made that up just so the other kids would have something to gossip about,” he said. “Kelly was c
alled into my office for regular meetings for … behavioral issues.”
“Like?”
“I’m not sure how much I should tell you,” Gil admitted. “I’m not a licensed therapist, but my sessions with these kids are supposed to be private.”
“We need information,” Jack said. “Kelly is in danger.”
“I guess that trumps everything else,” Gil said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Kelly was brought to my attention because two different teachers said she was lying. At first they were small lies about why she didn’t finish her homework … stuff like her computer died, or one of her foster siblings spilled milk on it. Then she started telling bigger lies.”
“Can you give us some examples?” Brian asked.
“Sure,” Gil said. “She told the lunch lady that her foster parents died and she was raising her foster siblings on her own. She told the librarian that aliens were abducting her from her bed at night so they could do experiments on her. She told the custodian that she was being stalked by a government agency who implanted a chip in her brain.”
Jack was floored. She’d never mentioned any of those things to him, and he was fairly certain Max and Ivy would’ve told him if she’d said anything of the sort to them. “Why do you think she did that?”
“I think she’s starved for attention,” Gil said. “It’s not uncommon with kids in similar circumstances. When they feel everyone has forgotten them, they go out of their way to make sure someone will remember them – even if it’s because they lie.”
“How were you treating Kelly?”
“Technically, I’m not treating her,” Gil said. “I don’t have the authority. Basically, I just called her into my office twice a week and let her talk. She just wanted attention, so I let her talk to me as much as she wanted. Most of it was mundane, but I think the human contact was the most important thing.”
“And you’re sure you don’t know anything about an older boyfriend, right?” Jack asked.
“I’m sure.”
Jack and Brian got to their feet, extending their hands in turn to Gil.
“Thanks for talking to us,” Jack said.
“I just hope I helped.”
“You gave us … a lot to think about,” Jack said.
“I do have a question,” Gil said as he led them to the door. “What’s going to happen to Kelly now?”
“We’re not sure yet,” Brian said. “I can tell you she will not be returning to the Gideons. I believe the state is looking for a new foster family, but she’s in limbo right now.”
“Where is she staying?”
“At a safe place in Shadow Lake,” Jack said.
“I hope you find out what happened to her,” Gil said. “The girl has already been through so much. I fear something like this might break her.”
“She’s strong,” Jack said. “We’re doing everything in our power to see that she remains that way.”
“That’s good,” Gil said. “We need more police officers like you. God bless you.”
Jack’s cheeks burned under the praise. “Um … thanks.”
“Thank you for your time,” Brian said. “We might stop by to talk again if something comes up.”
“Stop in whenever you want,” Gil said. “If you feel like it might help for me to talk to Kelly, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“We’ll consider it.”
Sixteen
“Where are we going?” Kelly asked, following Ivy into the woods on the far side of her property. “I thought we were going back to the greenhouse after lunch.”
“We’re going for a walk,” Ivy said. “We’ve done enough work for one day.”
“But … why are we going into the woods?” Kelly was nervous. She had an unfortunate habit of wringing her hands when she didn’t know what else to do with them. She wasn’t prone to excited utterances and gestures. Ivy had a feeling it was because she went out of her way to remain calm since she was always in someone else’s house, but she wanted to test the theory further before making up her mind.
“I happen to love the woods,” Ivy said. “I find them … relaxing.”
“But … .” Kelly broke off, biting her lower lip.
Ivy slowed her forward momentum. “But what?”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“What would I be afraid of?”
“The man who broke into your house last night.” Kelly’s voice was barely a whisper.
“I thought you didn’t want to talk about him.”
“I don’t.”
“I’m not frightened of these woods,” Ivy said, choosing her words carefully. “I grew up in these woods. I daydreamed in these woods. I played games with Max in these woods. These woods are magic. No one can ever take that away from me.”
“Magic?” Kelly looked both surprised and hopeful.
“There are all different kinds of magic,” Ivy said. “Some you can see, and some you can feel. I’m going to take you to a place where you can do both.”
“And we’ll be safe?”
“We’ll be safe,” Ivy said. “I promised to keep you safe. I plan on keeping that promise.”
“What if he is out here?” Kelly asked, her fingers shaking.
“I don’t think he would risk coming out here when the sun is still out,” Ivy said. “You don’t have to worry about him coming back tonight either. Jack will be back before the sun sets. He’s staying with us again.”
“I thought he was angry with me.”
“Jack is frustrated,” Ivy said. “He’s dealing with a few things of his own, and he’s trying to keep us safe. He’s got a lot on his plate.”
“Why won’t he talk about those scars on his chest?” Kelly asked.
“Because he’s not ready to do it yet,” Ivy replied. “You shouldn’t have brought them up. You more than anyone should realize that Jack needs to deal with his wounds on his own timetable. You don’t want to be pushed, so why did you think it was all right to push Jack?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt him,” Kelly said, her green eyes wide as they landed on Ivy’s conflicted blue ones. “I really didn’t. I like Jack.”
“Jack has a job to do,” Ivy said. “He’s a good man. He wants to help you. Heck, Jack is the type of man who will die to protect you. He still deserves his own secrets.”
“I’ll apologize,” Kelly said, her voice low.
“You will,” Ivy agreed. “When Jack presses you on what happened, he’s not trying to hurt you. He’s trying to help you. I understand you don’t want to talk about it. I understand something truly terrible happened to you. I don’t understand why you’re protecting the man who hurt you, though.”
“That’s not what I’m doing,” Kelly said, her knuckles whitening under the exertion she was using to hold her hands in place.
“Then what are you doing?”
“I don’t want to think about it,” Kelly said. “Can’t you understand that?”
“I can.”
“Can’t you accept it and let it go?”
“No,” Ivy said. “What I can do is promise to let it go for the next few hours, though. I want to take you to a special place. I’m hoping it will help you as much as it helped me.”
“WHAT DO you think?” Jack asked from the passenger seat of Brian’s car as they headed back toward Shadow Lake.
“I think Kelly has lived a very sad life,” Brian said.
“If the guidance counselor is right, and he seemed pretty sincere, Kelly is one of those kids who is smarter than anyone around her realizes,” Jack said. “She’s probably bored in class, and disinterested in life outside of it.”
“What do you think about the boyfriend?”
“Just because she didn’t own up to having an older boyfriend to Thorpe, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist,” Jack said. “High school kids are all over the place with the gossip, but a lot of times it does stem from something real. They might not have all the details right, but I’m betting they have some of them right.”
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“Thorpe has been trying to help Kelly find focus in her life,” Brian said. “If he’s right about the lying … .”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Jack said. “Even if Kelly showed up in Ivy’s greenhouse looking for attention, that doesn’t explain the guy who tried to break into Ivy’s house. Ivy wasn’t thrown into the wall by a lie.”
“That’s true,” Brian said. “What if Kelly knows something about someone and they’re desperate to shut her up? She has a reputation as a liar, but someone might be scared that she’ll find the right set of ears and be vindicated for telling the truth.”
“That would explain why Kelly is so frightened,” Jack said. “We have no way of knowing what she knows until she tells us, though.”
“And she’s still refusing to talk about it,” Brian mused. “How long do you think that will last?”
“As long as Ivy keeps enabling her.”
“Ivy is going to protect that girl with every ounce of strength she has,” Brian said. “You might want to pick a different battle.”
“Ivy and I have come to an understanding,” Jack said. “I’m going to let her drag the truth out of Kelly at her own pace as long as she lets me stay at her house to make sure they’re safe after dark.”
“Oh, well, that’s convenient,” Brian said, his smirk wry.
“I’m sleeping on the couch,” Jack said, not bothering to admit he’d shared it with a guest the previous evening.
“I didn’t say you weren’t,” Brian said. “That’s a small cottage for two big personalities, though.”
“We’ll be fine,” Jack said. “Ivy is scared, too. She doesn’t want to admit it, but she is.”
“And you’re going to keep her safe, aren’t you?”
“Even if it kills me,” Jack confirmed.
“WHAT is this place?” Kelly’s eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked around Ivy’s fairy ring with unabashed delight. The round circle of mushrooms was naturally occurring, and it just happened to ring a tree that was so old it appeared to have a wizened face.
“It’s called a fairy ring,” Ivy said, smiling. This was her favorite place on Earth. Whenever she visited, she believed all things were possible.
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