No Safe Place

by Mary Head

  Hey, this is Hannah. Sorry I missed your call; probably in class or asleep or something. Just leave me a message, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

  He mashed his thumb against the screen to end the call, pressing the phone against his forehead as his tears began to fall, streaming down his cheeks in hot trails. The empty beer bottle was still clutched in his hand, and a heartbeat later it was smashed on the floor, brown glass scattering between his feet and the refrigerator.

  Slowly he sank to the floor, feeling like he could hardly breathe as he pulled his legs up and leaned forward, resting his forehead against his knees. His phone slipped from his fingers, landing on the floor with a clatter, but he didn’t notice as he raised his hands to clutch his head, his whole body shaking as he cried.

  ◊◊◊

  Juliet walked up the front path to the door of David’s house, her keys jangling as she flipped through them. Eli trailed behind her, staring up at the house, and she glanced back at him.

  “C’mon, Eli, get the lead out,” she said, frowning as she climbed the two steps onto the small porch. He hurried to catch up to her, and her frown deepened when she tried the door knob, finding it unlocked. She pushed the door open, Eli close behind her as they stepped into the house, and they moved forward, past the divider. Juliet couldn’t help noticing how spotless the floor was and how clean the living room smelled as she set her purse on the table behind the couch; it almost looked like nothing had happened at all.

  “David?” she called as she took a couple steps forward. She had thought the house was silent at first but as she listened she heard a strange sound coming from the kitchen.

  Her hand dropped to her hip and she tugged her gun from its holster, holding it low as she walked slowly towards the kitchen, eyes sweeping left and right as she moved.

  The kitchen table was to her left as she passed under the archway into the kitchen, and she glanced in its direction before looking to the right, and that was when she saw David on the floor, his back pressed against the cabinet doors and his shoulders shaking as he cried. She quickly holstered her gun and hurried over to him, stepping over the shards of glass on the floor and kneeling down beside him.

  “David?” she said softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He didn’t look at her, just shook his head, and she shifted closer to him as footsteps sounded. She looked up to see Eli step into the kitchen, his gun out and held low, eyes wide as he stared at the two of them.

  “Put that away,” Juliet hissed, waving her free hand at him. “Go – go get the boxes out of my car,” she continued as he holstered his gun. “The keys are in the top of my purse.”

  Eli nodded, looking grateful as he disappeared from sight, and Juliet turned her attention back to David. She quietly said his name again and he raised his head slightly, sniffling as his eyes flicked to her face.

  “What is it?” she asked, her hand sliding from his shoulder to his back as she dipped her head to see him better.

  He shook his head again, his brow creasing. “What if I can’t find her? What if – what if I’ve lost her for good?”

  “Don’t say that,” Juliet said fiercely. “Don’t you dare give up hope. I know you’re scared, and that’s normal. Of course you’re scared. But you can’t give up. Not now, not ever.”

  David took a shaky breath, raising his head a little more and tilting it as he looked at Juliet.

  “I keep thinking about what they might be doing to her,” he said in a voice barely above a whisper.

  “Don’t think about that,” Juliet said quietly. “We both saw the mess in the living room. She didn’t go without a fight, and I’m sure wherever she is, she’s still fighting. She’s strong, and she’s smart, and she learned that from you, David. She’s small, but she’s powerful.”

  “Like you,” he murmured, the corner of his mouth rising slightly, and Juliet laughed softly.

  David sighed, raking a hand through his hair as another tear fell from his eye. “I miss her, Jules,” he said softly, a small tremor in his voice. “Without her, I’m not me.”

  “I know,” she whispered. “But we’re gonna find her. We are.”

  David nodded, scrubbing his palm over his cheek as Juliet continued to gently rub his back.

  After a moment, she took his hands and stood, pulling him to his feet. “C’mon. We’ve got work to do.” She glanced down. “Though we should sweep this glass up first.”

  She turned to head for the laundry room, but David maintained his grip on her hand.

  “Jules,” he said, waiting until she looked back at him. “I’m sorry about this morning. I –”

  Her shoulders rose in a small shrug as she smiled and shook her head. “It’s okay.”

  He looked at her for a moment and then tugged her to him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.

  “Thanks, Jules,” he murmured. She hugged him back, feeling a little breathless as she always did when she was this close to him, and whispered, “Don’t mention it.”

  Chapter 17

  Once the glass had been swept up, and David had fully regained his composure, they headed into the living room, where Eli was sitting on the couch, his hands clasped between his knees, one of which was bouncing up and down. There were three boxes on the coffee table in front of him, and he stood as David walked towards him, wiping his palms on his jeans.

  David didn’t speak, just lifted the lid of the one of the boxes to peer at the files lined up inside. Juliet had pulled open the drawer on the table behind the couch to take out the phonebook and was flipping through it.

  “Pizza?” she asked, glancing up as she pulled her phone from her pocket.

  David snorted, flipping through the files with his fingertips. “You eat too much pizza.”

  “Shut up,” Juliet retorted, shifting her gaze to Eli as David smirked. “What do you like on your pizza, Eli?”

  He shrugged, looking vaguely startled at being spoken to. “Whatever. Anything’s fine.”

  “Anything?” Juliet said, raising her eyebrows.

  Eli nodded a little uncertainly.

  “So like. . . pineapple?”

  “Jules, you don’t eat pineapple on your pizza,” David said absently as he flipped through a file. “Just order pepperoni like always.”

  “You take all the fun out of things,” Juliet said, though she was smiling slightly as she punched in the number.

  After she hung up, she came around the couch and snatched the file out of David’s hands.

  “Hey –” he started, reaching for the file.

  Juliet held it out of reach, eyeing him sternly. “Hey nothing. Go upstairs and get changed. You’ll feel better.” Her eyes roamed over his wrinkled clothes and she lifted her gaze to his face, raising her eyebrows at him as she crinkled her nose. “Maybe even throw in a shower.”

  David lowered his nose to his shirt and then grimaced. “Fine, fine, I’m going,” he muttered, and disappeared up the stairs.

  Juliet and Eli were separating the files into stacks when David came back down some twenty minutes later. Juliet gave an approving nod as she looked him over, taking in his jeans and Rolling Stones t-shirt, and the wire frames that had replaced his contacts.

  “Much better.”

  “I’m glad you approve,” he said, laughing as he moved towards his chair.

  The doorbell rang and he stopped moving, frowning as he looked towards the door.

  “Bit early for the pizza guy,” Juliet said, glancing at her watch as she stood and moved for the door. She stood on her toes to peer through the peephole and scowled when she saw who it was. She didn’t want to answer it, preferring to just leave the other woman standing on the porch, but sighed as she dropped flat on her feet and yanked the door open.

  The woman standing on the front porch didn’t look terribly surprised to see Juliet, and she forced a tight smile.

  “Juliet,” she murmured with false civility.

  “Karen.” Juliet’s scowl didn�
�t change. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m here for Hannah,” Karen said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and then started towards the door.

  Juliet snorted laughter. “That’s new,” she retorted, standing firmly in place to prevent Karen from entering the house.

  “What’s new?” Karen asked.

  Juliet rolled her eyes. “You caring about what happens to Hannah, you caring about someone that isn’t, well, you.”

  “I’m her mother,” Karen snapped, her fingers twisting around the leather strap of her purse.

  “Oh, you’re actually acknowledging you have a daughter?” Juliet said loudly, her eyebrows shooting up.

  Karen’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve never disowned my daughter.”

  “No,” Juliet agreed, “just ignored her because she inconvenienced you.”

  Karen opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when David appeared next to Juliet, taking her place in the doorway.

  “What do you want, Karen?” he said, sounding tired.

  “Are you going to invite me in?” she asked.

  “Wasn’t planning on it.”

  Juliet bit her lip to keep from smiling, taking in the other woman’s appearance. Karen was dressed impeccably as always, in a black skirt and a green silk blouse which brought out the shade in her hazel eyes.

  Juliet’s smile faded as she cast a glance down at herself, dressed in jeans and a well-worn Quantico t-shirt, and felt a small flash of insecurity. She told herself that even though David was once married to this woman, he had also divorced her, and for good reason, from the few interactions Juliet had had with her. If not for the vague resemblance to Hannah, limited to the blonde hair, hazel eyes, and dimple in her chin, Juliet would be hard pressed to tell that Karen was related to Hannah in any way. She was almost positive the other woman had had some work done in the six years since they had last seen her.

  Karen sighed and her expression softened a bit. “David, I came all this way –”

  “Nobody asked you to do that, Karen,” David interrupted. “I told you not to come. And now, I’m asking you to leave.”

  Karen held up a hand in acquiescence. “Fine. I just wanted to come down here and – and be here for you,” she said, her shoulders rising in a small shrug. “I’m just sorry about what’s happened.”

  David stared at Karen, trying to figure out what she was really saying. Even if she had come down here for him, which he doubted, he knew that couldn’t be the only reason, but she hadn’t given him any of the usual cues to decipher her true intentions, and he sighed, leaning against the doorframe.

  “Me too,” he said quietly, feeling his composure slip for one brief second. He took a breath, casting a quick glance at Juliet, who gave him a sympathetic look, and added, “Look, go back to New York. If you really care, then I’ll call you when we know something.”

  Karen frowned. “I came all this way, David. I think at least you could –”

  “Why are you really here?” he interrupted.

  “I told you, for Hannah. I’m worried about her.”

  David rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. You’ve never cared about Hannah unless it meant you got something out of it.”

  “That’s not fair. Or true. Our daughter is missing, David. I have a right to be worried about her,” Karen said with a look of affected hurt that David remembered quite well and didn’t believe for a second. She pressed her lips together and raised a hand to her mouth as if she were in danger of being overwhelmed by her emotions.

  Juliet smirked, not believing her act either, and dipped her head, catching the attention of the other woman.

  ”And you’re still on nanny duty?” Karen asked crisply, her demeanor instantly shifting.

  Juliet rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over chest. “Hannah needs someone else in her life who actually cares about her.”

  “I could still be in it if she hadn’t shut me out –”

  “You missed her graduation!” Juliet exclaimed. “Among so many other things. I’m surprised it took her that long to cut ties with you –”

  “Enough!” David yelled. His gaze flicked between Juliet and Karen. “Do we really have to do this now?”

  Juliet’s expression shifted into one of apology as she looked at David, and he turned his attention to Karen She sighed again and tipped her head to the side, an almost plaintive look on her face.

  “I really am worried.” She paused, raising a hand to push her hair behind her ear. “I’m just sorry I didn’t get to see Hannah one last time.”

  “Wait just one god damn minute,” David said, his voice hard as he straightened and placed his hand on the door frame. “What the hell are you trying to say?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  “You’re talking about Hannah like she’s already dead!” Juliet said incredulously.

  “Do you really think there’s any other outcome for this?” Karen replied, looking at Juliet a moment before turning her attention to David again. “This is your job, David. What would you tell any other family in this situation?”

  “I wouldn’t tell them their daughter was dead!” David cried. “Not until there was a body to prove it!”

  “How long has it been?” Karen said, raising her eyebrows. “Over 24 hours? You know better than I do what that means.”

  “It doesn’t mean Hannah is dead!” David yelled, fists clenching at his sides as he stepped out of the doorway and onto the front porch, forcing Karen back a step.

  “I don’t want her to be dead, David. If you believe one thing I’m telling you, please, believe that. But this is the reality of the situation.” Karen folded her arms over her chest. “I know you’re upset, but you’re going to have to face the truth eventually.”

  David shook his head, eyes blazing as he stared at Karen. “You have no idea who Hannah is.”

  “I know my daughter is just as stubborn as I am, but that doesn’t –”

  “No,” David interrupted harshly, pointing a stabbing finger in Karen’s face. “Not stubborn. Strong. I know she fought back because that’s what I taught her to do. I raised my daughter to stand up for herself.” He paused, his chest heaving as he looked at Karen, and then said in a low, firm voice, “She’s alive, and I will find her.”

  Without another word, he spun on his heel and stalked back into the living room, and Juliet stepped forward to grab the door.

  “I think it’s time for you to leave,” she said before shutting it in Karen’s shocked face with a satisfying thud.

  Chapter 18

  Juliet returned to the living room in time to hear David snap at Eli for dropping a file, and stepped around the couch to grab his arm.

  “We need to talk, come on,” she said, pushing him in the direction of his office and glancing back over her shoulder at Eli as he straightened. “Keep sorting like we were, and listen for the pizza guy.”

  Eli nodded as he tried to reorganize the file, and Juliet turned to join David in his office, shutting the door behind her.

  David whirled on her the second the door snapped shut. “Why did you bring him? He’s so fucking new, if you cut him his blood’s probably green.”

  Juliet’s lips twitched. “I don’t think he’s a Vulcan, David.” He gave her a look and she sighed. “He saw me with one of the file boxes and said he wanted to help. He likes you, and he already likes Han, even though he just met her, and we can use the help.”

  “You and I would’ve gotten on just fine by ourselves,” David said, looking disgruntled.

  Juliet couldn’t disagree with this, but she sighed again and said, “Look, Eli’s another pair of eyes and another brain. It can’t hurt having him here.”

  David sighed, his hand on his hip as he turned away from Juliet, and then muttered, “I can’t believe she came here.”

  “I know,” Juliet said quietly, staring at his back.

  “All of this bullshit, pretending to care about Hannah –” He broke off, taking a shaky bre
ath.

  “I know,” Juliet said again, taking a few steps towards him.

  “She doesn’t know Hannah at all,” he insisted. “She never did, never tried. Hannah’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and the most inconvenient thing to Karen. It’s – Han, she’s – she’s not dead, Jules.” He turned and looked at Juliet, his gaze intense. “She’s not.” He turned away again and muttered, “She can’t be.”

  Juliet closed the distance between them, raising her hand to his back as she came to stand beside him. His eyes were a little over bright, and she swept her hand across his back as she shifted closer.

  “It’s okay, David,” she said softly. “Karen’s gone, and now we can concentrate on finding Hannah. It’s okay.”

  He nodded and lifted his head to stare at the ceiling, sniffling and then taking a deep breath before his arm circled Juliet’s shoulders and he hugged her to him. Her arm slipped around his waist as she leaned into him, and she rested her head on his chest, smiling slightly when his chin settled on top of her head.

  “Oh, God,” David muttered after a minute, “and that asshole detective this morning.”

  He sighed and Juliet pulled away slightly to look up at him. “What happened?”

  “He accused me of abusing Han.”

  Juliet took a step back, staring at David in disbelief.

  “I understand it’s a valid question to have when a child goes missing, but he just kept pushing, saying that she left to get away from me, and it was just –” He broke off, shaking his head. “That was when Harry told them we were taking over.” He paused, looking pained. “Just the idea of me ever laying a hand on Hannah, me ever trying to hurt her. . . I don’t think I’ve raised my voice to her more than three times in her entire life, and the thought of –”

  “I know,” Juliet said, stepping to him again and reaching for his hand. “You’re an amazing father, David, and the people who matter know that. That cop was a bit of a dick last night too, I’m glad Harry decided to take over.”

  David smiled slightly and nodded, taking a breath before tugging Juliet to him and hugging her again.