She stares up at him. “What happened?”
“You’re not well. We need to get you back to the hospital.”
Grace’s voice comes out in short bursts. “I don’t want to go back. I’m here now. I want to help.”
Jared looks up at Macy. “What do you think?”
“I think I’m not going to tell you how to do your job.”
Grace waves Jared’s hands away and tries to sit up. “It was just a shock, that’s all. I’ll be fine now.”
“You need to take it very slowly. Can you do that for me?” He eases her forward and she sits cross-legged on the floor. “Wait like this for a few minutes. I don’t want you to pass out again.”
Grace shifts her position so she’s facing the window. Her eyes sweep across the area under the desk. “Did he take anything?”
Macy follows her gaze. There is nothing on the floor. “As far as we know all he’s done is leave you a message on the wall. Does it mean anything to you?”
Grace doesn’t look up at the writing. “No, I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
Warren steps into the center of the room and points up at the wall. “Grace, are you familiar with Saint Augustine and John Bunyan?”
“No, sir.”
He purses his lips. “John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim’s Progress. Your aunt was reading it the other day.”
Taking hold of Jared’s outstretched hand, she rises to her feet. “I didn’t notice.”
Macy’s words come out sharper than intended. “Grace, I need you to start paying attention now. I want you to have another look at what he’s written on the wall and then tell me whether you’ve seen it before.”
Grace bows her head. “Yes, ma’am.”
Macy glances over at Jared and Carson. “Do you mind waiting out on the landing? It’s kind of crowded in here.”
Grace won’t let go of Jared’s arm.
“It will be okay. Jared will be right outside and Warren and I are here with you. You’re in safe hands.”
Grace holds on to the back of the desk chair and looks up at the wall again. She sways as she reads. Macy keeps her eyes on Grace the entire time.
“I’m sorry. It means nothing to me.” Grace turns away and picks up the first sketchbook in the stack. She glances at it for a second and then places it facedown on the desk.
Macy comes over and stands next to her. “Are you absolutely sure, Grace?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Macy picks up one of the sketchbooks and flips through it. Drawings and little notes fill the pages. “You’re very talented.”
“Thank you.”
Macy watches Grace flip through the stack three times, her movements growing more rushed with each pass.
“Is something missing?”
“No,” says Grace quietly. “They’re all here.”
“I want you to go through the room and tell me if anything is out of place.” She gestures toward the chest of drawers. “Why don’t we start here?”
Macy picks up the tube of lipstick and holds it out in front of Grace. “Is this yours?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You bought it?”
Grace hesitates. “A while back.”
Macy twists it open. “It looks brand-new.”
“I haven’t had reason to use it.”
Macy puts it down and opens the top drawer.
Grace’s eyes widen. “He’s gone through my things.”
“That’s what I thought.”
She lowers her voice to a whisper. “I’m pretty sure he’s taken some of my underwear.”
“Take your time, Grace. I’ll need a description of everything that’s missing.”
Grace’s hands tremble as she sorts through her clothing. “He’s taken Thursday and Saturday.”
“Excuse me?”
Her face reddens. “It’s the days of the week.” She holds up a pair of pale blue underwear. “They’re written here on the back. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on.”
Grace goes through the rest of the drawers and the closet, but everything seems to be in place. They both stop in front of the bookshelf and stare up at the collection of glass-eyed dolls. The dolls appear to be as pristine as the day they were bought. Grace picks one up and its blue eyes roll back in its head. The porcelain skin is pure white. The hair is done in plaits and she wears a traditional German dress.
“That’s a lot of dolls,” says Macy.
Grace puts the doll back on the shelf, taking care to place it in the exact position it had been in previously.
“They were gifts from my uncle. Whenever he went away on a trip, he’d bring one back for me.”
“It looks like they’ve never been played with.”
“They’re not meant to be played with. They’re collectibles.”
On the other bookshelf a brand-new teddy bear sits front and center. Grace picks it up and turns it over in her hands but makes no comment. The rest of the stuffed animals appear to have been ravaged by a family pet. Many have been patched up but a few are still missing body parts.
Macy picks up a particularly homely kangaroo. “Did you have a dog?”
“My aunt has allergies so we couldn’t have pets.” She takes the kangaroo from Macy and gingerly puts it back on the shelf. “When I was younger I used to rescue unwanted stuffed animals. I liked to sew them up and give them a home.”
“Where did you find them?”
“Flea markets, garage sales. Places like that. My aunt hated it. The first thing she did was throw them in the washing machine when I brought them home.”
Macy points to the new teddy bear. “What about this one? It doesn’t look like a stray.”
“It was a gift.” She glances up at the ceiling light before turning to Macy. “Who changed the bulb?”
“Had it gone out?”
Grace sits down on the bed and closes her eyes. “When I was in the woods with my mom, I could see right into my room. It blinked a few times and went out.”
Macy glances over at Warren. “You need to check that bulb for prints.”
They hear Elizabeth out in the hallway shouting at someone. Her voice rises up from the floor below. “Grace, are you up there?”
Warren makes for the door and steps outside to meet her. “Elizabeth, we’re almost done in here. You need to give us a few more minutes.”
“I’ve given you as much time as I’m going to. I want you out of my house.”
“You know we can’t do that.”
“I heard that Grace fainted. She needs to go back to the hospital immediately.”
The landing is crowded. Jared, Carson, and two police officers hover at the top of the stairs. Elizabeth tries to sidestep Warren so she can look inside Grace’s bedroom but Macy steps out with Grace and shuts the door firmly behind her.
Elizabeth takes hold of her niece’s hand. “You poor thing. We’re taking you back to the hospital.”
Macy steps between them. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth, but I still need to ask you a few questions.”
“Can’t it wait until morning?”
“I promise to be brief.”
“It’s late.”
“It’s not late. It’s only a little after six.” Macy gestures to Jared and Carson. “Grace will return to the hospital with the paramedics. I’ll run you over there when we’re through here.”
Elizabeth crosses her arms in front of herself. “It doesn’t seem like you’re giving me a lot of choice.”
“Like I said, I promise to be brief.” She looks at the two police officers. “I need another few minutes up here with Warren. Could you take everyone downstairs and make sure Elizabeth is comfortable? Get her a cup of tea or something.”
Warren follows Macy back into Grace’s room and shuts the door behind him.
“Macy, I’m not going to tell you how to do your job, but Elizabeth isn’t used to being bossed around like that. It may make things easier if you’re gentle with her.”
�
��I’m not here to hold her hand. I’m trying to figure out who killed her sister.”
“And I’m just trying to help. I’ve known Elizabeth a long time. If you want her to cooperate you’re going to have to use a bit more charm.” Warren looks around the room. “Did you find anything?”
Macy hands him the evidence bag containing the silver strand of hair. “This was in Grace’s drawer. Maybe whoever did this left it behind?”
Warren holds the bag up to the light. “Impossible to tell. It may belong to Elizabeth.”
Macy walks over to the window. “Grace must have stood here and watched. You can see her handprints on the glass.”
“It’s a good fifty, maybe sixty yards to where we found them. I’d be surprised if Grace could give an accurate description.”
“But it would be close enough for her to recognize someone she knew.”
“You think Grace knew who the killer was?”
“It’s not making much sense but this feels personal.”
“You know, there was a lot of press about Grace’s heart transplant. Her name and picture have been in the papers. She’s a pretty girl; someone may have fixated on her. Someone could have made it personal.”
“If the office downstairs hadn’t been ransacked, I’d agree with you. But whoever broke into the house was looking for something specific.”
“Given a filing cabinet has been cleaned out, I’d say they found it.” He pauses. “You worked that case involving the four Eastern European girls?”
“I did.”
“Arnold Lamm was a suspect.”
“He’s still a suspect.”
“This could be related. Leanne left town at around that time.”
Macy heads for the door. “I need to go talk to Elizabeth.”
“Remember what I said.”
“It’s been noted. I promise to be gentle.”
*
Macy sits across from Elizabeth at the dining room table sipping a cold cup of coffee. Through an open archway she can see officers moving about inside Arnold Lamm’s office. The filing cabinets and locked desk drawers have been pried open with a crowbar. Papers printed with Cross Border Trucking’s letterhead are scattered across the floor. It’s all being documented as evidence.
Macy pushes a box of tissues in Elizabeth’s direction and offers to make her another cup of tea.
Elizabeth wipes her eyes and says she’s had enough tea for one day. “I knew Grace wasn’t well enough to deal with this.”
Macy looks at her watch. “She’s back at the hospital by now. They’ll take good care of her.”
“She shouldn’t have come out here in the first place.”
Macy wants to disagree but apologizes for the missing house keys instead.
Elizabeth waves her off. “I can’t blame that on you. You weren’t here.”
“But I’m here now. Everything is my responsibility.” Macy waits a few seconds. “Can you shed any light on all this?”
Elizabeth throws her hands up in the air. “I don’t understand any of this. My sister and I were never friendly. Our mother tried everything but Leanne would never meet us halfway. She seemed to take pleasure in making me miserable. As far as I’m concerned the only thing she ever did right was leaving town.”
“Tell me about Grace’s childhood. I’ve read the files from social services but I’d like to hear your thoughts firsthand.”
Elizabeth pulls her cardigan around her. “In the years before we adopted Grace, we only saw her a handful of times. Our friend Dustin kept tabs on her, making sure she was taking her medication, sneaking her money for food. Things like that. He’d make a point of stopping by Leanne’s place unannounced.”
“Is Dustin the man I met at the hospital yesterday?”
“That’s possible. He was with Grace. He and Leanne were friends but he didn’t approve of how she lived. He was more than willing to help us keep an eye on things. We were worried Grace didn’t get enough to eat. We’d see her from a distance sometimes. She was painfully thin.”
“It must have been difficult for you to sit back and do nothing.”
“When Leanne went off the rails completely, Dustin would take them in but they’d never stay long. My sister always had a stubborn streak. Once she was stable and Grace was fattened up she’d be out living in that dreadful trailer again.”
“Did Grace ever have any close friends? Someone from her past who we could talk to?”
Elizabeth’s eyes well up. “Leanne had a bad reputation in Collier. Affairs with married men, drink, drugs, things like that. I’m afraid people took it out on Grace. She was bullied in school.”
“Didn’t it get any easier for Grace when her mother left town?”
“We were hoping it would, and believe me when I say we tried hard once she was here with us. I’d organize things through my friends, but I got the impression she found other children boring. She preferred the company of adults.”
From her chair, Macy can see straight into the kitchen. The refrigerator is covered with family photos. Grace looks cheerful in every single one and yet all the photos they’ve shown on the news portray her as an unhappy child. “When did Grace’s health problems start?”
Elizabeth relaxes. “As a toddler she was diagnosed with leukemia. She survived but her heart was damaged. She was in and out of the hospital for years. Arnold and I have paid for all her medical insurance and expenses from the time she was born.”
“How did you manage that?”
“Arnold did what he had to do. I didn’t ask questions.”
“How did Leanne feel about the arrangement?”
“She told Grace her father was paying for everything.”
“But Grace doesn’t know who her father is.”
“It was a horrible thing to do. It gave Grace hope. She was crushed when she found out we were paying for everything, but the damage was already done. She’s obsessed with finding him.”
“Do you have any idea who he might be?”
“I’ve had my suspicions, but now Leanne is dead and Grace may never know the truth.”
“I’d like to hear your thoughts. It may be important.”
“It’s all based on rumor. It’s nothing more than gossip.”
“I’m not going to hold you to it.”
Elizabeth hesitates. “Near as I can tell my sister only had one serious relationship and that was with Toby Larson. I’ve always had an inkling he was Grace’s father.”
“The used car salesman in the television ads?”
“That’s him. At the time he was married to Pamela Larson. Still is.”
Macy makes some notes. “So it was an affair?”
“I’ll never understand what Toby saw in my sister. He’s such a good man. Since Arnold died he’s made a point of coming up here to check on us. He was supposed to come over this week to have a look at Arnold’s truck. I was going to give it to Grace but now I’m not so sure.”
“Does Grace suspect Toby is her father?”
“I’m sure she does but we’ve never discussed it openly.” Elizabeth runs her finger across the rim of her cup. “You see, Grace knows Toby is just one in a long list of possibilities. She says she doesn’t remember much about the years she spent living with her mother but I think she remembers plenty. There were a lot of men going in and out of that trailer.”
“Did Toby’s wife know about the affair?”
“Oh yeah, Pamela knew. Toby likes to make light of it but I hear she nearly killed him the night he tried to leave town with Leanne.”
“When was this?”
“Eleven years ago. It was the same night Leanne left Collier for good.”
“Is Pamela the type of person to hold a grudge?”
“Maybe you should ask her yourself.” She looks at her watch. “She should still be at the hospital. If we leave soon you just might catch her.”
“Does she work there?”
Elizabeth clenches and unclenches her swollen hands. “No,
she’s at the hospital for personal reasons. Her daughter Hayley attempted suicide this morning.”
“I’m sorry, that’s awful.”
“With Hayley it’s always been awful. I don’t know how Brian has put up with her all these years. Arnold warned him but he went ahead and married her anyway. God knows what she gets up to when he’s out on the road.”
“Her husband worked for Arnold?”
“Yes, occasionally, as an independent contractor.”
“Grace told me her mother sent her money on her birthdays?”
“Yes, but don’t read too much into it. Every year she’d stuff a wad of dirty bills into an envelope with a birthday card. There was never a note or return address.”
“It sounds like Leanne was afraid of letting people know where she was living.”
“It may well have been the case, but she still could have included a note. Those cards could have come from anyone. Do you have any idea how that made Grace feel?”
“Did Leanne try to contact you?”
“No,” she says, staring back at Macy. “And if she had I would have told her to stay away.”
“Were Grace and her uncle close?”
Elizabeth looks down at the table, smoothing the linen with her fingertips. “He doted on her, took her on fishing trips.”
“So they’d spend a lot of time alone together?”
Elizabeth’s head snaps up. “What are you implying?”
Macy glances at her notes. “Grace may have told her uncle more about her relationship with Leanne than you realize. I want to understand why Leanne left town so suddenly and why she was desperate enough to leave Grace behind.”
“Arnold wasn’t the type to have heart-to-hearts. I don’t think I ever saw them hug.” She gestures to a framed photo of her husband standing arm in arm with a friend. “Grace took that photo when she was about thirteen. She always looked forward to their trips. They’d spend a lot of time planning them.”
In the picture Arnold Lamm holds up a massive fish by the gills, but there is something odd about the composition. It’s only when Macy gets up to inspect it that she realizes there was once a third man in the photo. She points to the man standing with Arnold. He wears sunglasses and grins into the camera. His hair is cut short, making his head appear unnaturally round.
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