The Sound of Home

by Krista Sandor

  Em closed her eyes and let the heat of his touch warm her face.

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “We’re going to figure this out.”

  She opened her eyes and met Michael’s sage green gaze. “Thank you.”

  The corner of his mouth raised into a crooked smile. “I love you, Em. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

  She knew he meant it.

  He leaned over the console and pressed a whisper-soft kiss to her lips, her cheeks, her chin. Something between them vibrated once, twice. It quieted for a moment then buzzed again.

  “I think that’s you,” Michael said, retrieving her phone from the center console.

  “Kathy Stein is texting me.”

  “What does the text say?” Michael asked.

  Em looked at the screen. “She says there’s an emergency. She needs me to come to the yoga studio.” Em held out the phone for Michael to see. “Looks like Zoe and another number are included in the text.”

  Michael pulled the car back into traffic. “Text her back, and tell her we’re on our way.”

  * * *

  They pulled up in front of the yoga studio in the heart of the Langley Park town center and jumped out of the Rover as Zoe and Jenna Fisher came jogging down Mulberry Drive.

  “I saw my mom texted you, too,” Zoe said. “Have you gone inside the studio yet?”

  “No,” Em answered. “We just arrived.”

  Michael shared a concerned look with Jenna. “I hope it’s not her ankle.”

  “She twisted her ankle badly about six months ago,” Jenna said, filling her in.

  Michael opened the door and ushered the women inside.

  The tranquil studio was lit with candles. Four mats were fanned out in a circular pattern around a small statue of Buddha. Several other statues of Buddha sitting cross-legged were scattered around the space. Em found a few more peeking out from behind a rack of mats like enlightened garden gnomes.

  “Mom!” Zoe called out. “Mom, where are you?”

  Kathy Stein emerged from behind a door on the far side of the yoga studio holding yet another Buddha statue. “I was in the back.” She surveyed the harried expressions of the group. “Did something happen?”

  “Mom, you sent us all a text saying there was an emergency and to get to the yoga studio ASAP. Did something happen?”

  Kathy nodded. “Absolutely, something’s happened. And it’s been happening for more than a week.”

  “Mrs. Stein,” Michael began, “is it your ankle? Are you in pain?”

  Kathy laughed. “Oh, no, my ankle is completely healed.”

  Em, Michael, Zoe, and Jenna stared at Kathy, confusion and worry etched on their faces.

  Kathy placed the Buddha on the floor then raised her hands and pressed them together in a prayer pose. “Mercury is in retrograde,” she said like a doctor breaking bad news to a patient.

  A pocket of silence swallowed the studio.

  “The planet, Mercury?” Jenna asked.

  Kathy’s eyes widened. “Yes, when Mercury’s in retrograde, it appears to be moving in the opposite direction compared to the other planets.”

  Zoe raised her hand like a kindergartener. “And how is this an emergency, Mom?”

  “When Mercury’s in retrograde, anything that can go wrong often will go wrong.”

  “So, you’re not hurt, Mrs. Stein?” Michael asked and eyed the sea of Buddhas.

  “No, I texted Jenna, Zoe, and Em so we could rebalance our chakras during this turbulent time,” Kathy answered.

  “Do I have to stay for this?” Michael asked.

  “You’re always welcome to stay, dear. But I called the girls here to harness the power of female energy.”

  Michael’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he met Em’s gaze with a deer in the headlights expression.

  She bit back a laugh. “Why don’t you head home,” she said. The poor man looked terrified. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

  In the span of five seconds, Michael moved at a speed men are only capable of when fleeing garden parties, baby showers, and women’s book club discussions.

  The door slammed behind him, and the women exploded into laughter.

  “You should have told him we were going to synchronize our menstrual cycles,” Zoe said, wiping a tear from her cheek.

  “I’ve never seen him move so fast,” Jenna added.

  Em was laughing so hard, she could barely speak. Zoe caught her eye, and they were back to the special place you make with your dearest girlfriend. Back to nights spent sharing secrets and dreams. Back to lazy summer days dipping their toes into Lake Boley.

  Kathy positioned herself at the top of her yoga mat. “All right, girls. Let’s carry this joyful energy into our practice today.”

  From the looks of it, Jenna and Zoe had just finished an outdoor run and were pretty much dressed to practice yoga. She, on the other hand, was wearing boots, leggings, and a tunic.

  “I don’t think I have on the right clothes for yoga, Mrs. Stein.”

  “Just take off your boots and socks, dear. The poses we’ll be doing today won’t require any special clothing,” Kathy replied.

  “So, this is happening?” Zoe asked to no one in particular.

  “I could do with a chakra cleansing,” Jenna said and took her place on a yoga mat. “It should probably be a requirement for anyone working in elementary schools, especially during the holidays.”

  “I agree,” Em said, coming to stand on the mat between Jenna and Zoe. “The same thing would happen at the school I worked at in Australia. Something in the air or the water made the kids extra crazy this time of year.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I called this emergency yoga session,” Kathy said with a knowing glint in her eye.

  Zoe took off her shoes and wiggled her toes. “After we finish this emergency yoga, we’re going to have a serious discussion about your Buddha addiction.”

  The girls giggled, but Zoe had a point. Several of the candles burning were actual wax Buddha heads.

  “All right,” Kathy said, ignoring Zoe’s comment. We’re here today to rebalance and center ourselves. Let’s find mountain pose as we slow our overactive minds and ground ourselves in today’s practice.”

  Em closed her eyes and followed Kathy’s instructions. After her morning in Garrett, a bit of centering and reflection wasn’t a bad idea.

  “Soften and relax your face and join me in Eagle Pose, Garudasana.”

  Em copied Kathy’s pretzel looking pose as she wrapped her left leg around her right leg and then wrapped her left arm under her right arm.

  “In Eagle Pose, we’re drawing our energy into the midline of the body. We must draw inward before we can release all the things that distract us. All the things that lead us from our true purpose.”

  Em closed her eyes and settled into the pose. The hum of the town center bustling outside floated through the air like a gentle lullaby. She inhaled and exhaled, listening to a child’s laughter out on the sidewalk. She opened her eyes and glanced toward the bank of windows. She blinked and took another look, not sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

  A woman was peering inside the studio. Blond hair. Snub-nosed. She held a toddler in her arms while an older child with the same gently tilted nose stood beside her and pulled on her hand. Em met the woman’s gaze, and, for a split second, she saw the teenage version of this person in tiny cut-off jean shorts holding out a red plastic cup.

  Em blinked again, and the woman turned away and hurried across the street.

  Twelve years had passed, but she had never forgotten the face of Tiffany Shelton.

  26

  “Mrs. Stein, I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”

  Em lost her balance and fell out of the yoga pose. She headed for the door. Barefoot, she searched the street for Tiffany Shelton. The woman wasn’t moving fast with two little ones in tow. They had crossed the street and were heading toward The Scoop Ice Cream Parlor. />
  “Tiffany!” Em called out. She gestured for a car to stop and ran across the street.

  Tiffany stilled and straightened her spine before she turned to face her.

  The color had drained from the woman’s face. “Yes, can I help you?”

  “Tiffany?” Em said. “Tiffany Shelton?”

  “It’s Tiffany Morrison now.”

  Em met Tiffany’s gaze. “I know you recognize me.”

  The little boy pulled on the sleeve of Tiffany’s coat. “Mommy, who’s the lady with no shoes?”

  “Just a lady Mommy knew when she was a little girl,” Tiffany answered, holding Em’s gaze.

  “I’m not here to cause any problems, Tiffany.”

  Tiffany’s face softened. She glanced at her older child who was entertained for the moment, peering inside the windows of the ice cream parlor. She shifted the toddler in her arms to her other hip. “I was sorry to hear what happened to you that night at Sadie’s Hollow.”

  “Do you remember anything from that night?” Em asked.

  The toddler fussed and pulled a strand of Tiffany’s hair. “One minute, sweetheart,” Tiffany said, jiggling the child. “It was a long time ago, Em.”

  “I know. I know. But you see, I’m trying to piece together what happened that night. I don’t have any memory of being injured.”

  Tiffany’s eyes widened. “I’d heard you’d had too much to drink and fell.”

  A lump formed in Em’s throat. The whole town believed that story.

  She swallowed past the emotion. “I don’t know what happened that night. I only remember interacting with a few people that night, and you’re one of them.”

  “I’m not proud of how I behaved that night, but I would never—”

  “I’m not accusing you of anything,” Em broke in. “But it would be a great help to me if we could talk. If you could tell me what you remember from that night.”

  Tiffany glanced at her child who was still amusing himself at the window. Then her gaze swept across the street. “Michael?”

  Em turned and saw Michael jogging toward them.

  “What are you doing outside without your shoes, Em?”

  He joined them on the sidewalk, took off his coat, and wrapped it around her shoulders. He looked her over then glanced toward Tiffany. “Tiff?” he said like he couldn’t believe his eyes.

  Tiffany’s cheeks bloomed crimson. “It’s been a long time.”

  He nodded, and his gaze bounced from Tiffany to the child in her arms. “Are these your kids?”

  The question dialed back Tiffany’s blush. “Yes, Cal is four, and Lila’s sixteen months.”

  He nodded and gave her a tight smile. “Are you two…” he broke off and gestured between Em and Tiffany.

  “I was in the yoga studio when I saw Tiffany pass by. I thought she might be able to help us figure out what happened the night I was injured.”

  The little boy lost interest in the window and pulled on his mother’s coat sleeve. “Mommy, you said we could get ice cream.”

  Tiffany patted the boy’s blond curls. “Hold on, Cal.”

  “I can see this is a bad time,” Em said, watching the toddler take another pull of Tiffany’s hair. “Maybe we can grab a coffee this week?”

  Tiffany met her gaze, and Em could see the exhaustion in the woman’s eyes. “We’re leaving tonight for Florida to visit my husband’s family for a couple of weeks. I’m only in town because we stopped by my parents’ place in Langley Park this morning to say goodbye before we left. I promised the kids we’d get ice cream after.”

  “What about when you get back from your trip?” Em asked. She knew Tiffany only had a few minutes before both her children went into meltdown mode.

  “I don’t think I’ll be much help. I really remember very little about that night.”

  “Anything you remember could be helpful,” Michael said, wrapping his arm around Em and rubbing her shoulder.

  Tiffany smiled, but something melancholy colored her expression. “I always knew you two would end up together.”

  “Please, Tiffany,” Em said. “Just a chat. Just a cup of coffee when you get back. It would mean a lot to me. To us.”

  Michael pulled her in a fraction closer and rubbed his hand down her arm. “Anything you can remember could be helpful, Tiff. Em’s right. We could use your help.”

  Tiffany nodded and rummaged with her free hand through her purse. She handed Em a pen and notepad. “Write down your phone number. I’ll call you when we get back in town.”

  * * *

  Michael took her hand. “Let’s go get your coat and shoes. You’ve got to be freezing.”

  Em watched Tiffany wrangle her children and enter the ice cream parlor.

  “I thought you went home?” Em said.

  “That was my plan, but I saw Nick coming out of the coffee shop, and we got to talking. He’s decided to make Kansas City his home and wants to move to Langley Park.”

  “I thought he lived here already?”

  “No, he’s based out of Nashville, but he flies all over. Whenever he’s got a layover in Kansas City, he stays with Sam or some aunt he’s got nearby in Mission Springs.”

  Zoe came out of the yoga studio. She handed Em her coat and boots. “Was that who I think it was?”

  “Yeah,” Em answered, pulling on her socks and boots. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had to try to talk to her. She’s one of the handful of people I remember from the night at the hollow.”

  Zoe craned her neck to look into the ice cream parlor. “Last I heard, she was living in the suburbs. I think her husband’s a firefighter. I’ve only seen her a handful of times since high school.”

  “I haven’t seen her once in the last twelve years,” Michael said.

  Em released a tight breath, and a wave of relief sweep over her. She hadn’t asked Michael about Tiffany. She knew it was silly to worry about some girl he’d hooked up with back in high school, but something deep in the darkest part of her still hated the fact that Tiffany and Michael had history.

  “Do you want to go back in?” Em asked Zoe, tilting her head toward the yoga studio. “I think I’m done with yoga for today.”

  “Hell, no! I’ll do yoga. Don’t get me wrong. I understand all the benefits of it. But my mother and Jenna take it to a whole different level. They both have to put up with my brother a lot more than I do, so I totally see the appeal of zoning out like a rutabaga for two hours.”

  Em shook her head and wrapped her arms around Zoe. “I really missed you, Z.”

  “Right back at ya,” Zoe answered with an uncharacteristic crack in her voice.

  “We could go grab a cup of coffee at The Drip,” Michael offered.

  Zoe snapped her fingers. “Yes! Let’s do that. I wanted to tell you, I spoke with the reporter who did the story on the ten-year anniversary of Tina Fowler’s death a couple of years ago.”

  They walked the few paces next door to The Drip. Michael went up to order while Zoe and Em grabbed a table.

  “Did he or she remember anything?” Em asked.

  “It’s a she, and yes, she remembered there were a couple of things that were weird about the Fowler hit and run.”

  Michael waved to them from the counter. “I know Em’s drink. What can I get you, Zoe?”

  “Dirty Chai. Three, no make it four shots of espresso,” Zoe called back.

  “Plan on sleeping anytime this week?” Em teased.

  “I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Now, listen. There were a few things that my reporter friend found interesting.” Zoe leaned forward. “There were two sets of tire tracks at the site of the hit and run, and the police weren’t sure which set hit Tina.”

  “Okay, that does seem a little strange. Could they determine the kind of car that hit her?”

  “No dice. They can only determine the kinds of cars that go with certain tires. In this case, they were able to pinpoint it to several midsized sedans and a light utility truck.”

  E
m frowned. “Sounds like ninety percent of the vehicles driving around Kansas.”

  “Yes, but there was another thing she remembered about the case,” Zoe said, now perching on the edge of her seat.

  Michael joined them and passed out their drinks. “What did I miss?”

  “I was just getting to the interesting part.” Zoe took a quick sip of her chai. “They found some jewelry near Tina’s body. But the family wasn’t sure if it belonged to her.”

  “Did your friend know what kind of jewelry?”

  “She couldn’t remember. The police wrote it off as some random roadside debris after the family said it wasn’t hers.”

  Em touched her neck. “My pearl necklace broke that night. I’m not sure how many pearls are missing, but if the police had found pearls...”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Zoe said. “When we found you, the necklace was broken. We grabbed it because we knew how important it was to you.”

  “I could ask Clay Stevens to look into it?” Michael offered.

  “Clay’s the police detective?” Em asked.

  He nodded. “Yes, he may know someone in the Garrett PD who wouldn’t mind taking a look at the case file.”

  “Are you guys still checking out the list of bridges I found? Anything look or feel familiar?” Zoe asked.

  Em lifted her flat white to take a sip, but the smell was off. She set the drink down. “We’ve been to several, but none of them felt like the bridge I went over.”

  Zoe nodded. “I’ve done a few searches for tall men and tried to localize the results to the Garrett area. All I’ve gotten so far are listings for clothing stores.”

  “You’re sure it’s the words “tall men” and not an actual bunch of tall guys?” Michael asked.

  “I can see the words like they’ve been cemented into my brain.”

  “Maybe you drove by a clothing store on your way to the hollow?” Michael offered.

  “I checked that, too,” Zoe answered. “Em and I didn’t drive by any Big and Tall Clothing stores on our way to the hollow that night.”

  “Did your reporter remember anything else?” Michael asked.

  Zoe nodded. “Yeah, something kind of weird. There’s a memorial near where Tina was killed, and nobody in the town seems to know who maintains it.”