Claire put a pan of water on the stove and started warming a bottle from the refrigerator. Jenny’s cries gained in momentum as Beth pinned on the dry diaper and pulled on Jenny’s plastic pants.
Suddenly, a violent pounding shook the house. “Mrs. Wilder, I know you’re in there.” It wasn’t hard to recognize Pete Henshaw’s rusty growl.
Claire locked eyes with Beth. What were they to do? He was a big man, and if he wanted to, he could carry Beth out of the house. “Go,” Claire whispered. “Into the bathroom and lock the door.”
Pete banged on the door again. Claire heard the bathroom door shut and the lock click.
Claire took a deep breath and opened the door.
“Where is she, Mrs. Wilder?” Pete Henshaw looked past her, his determined gaze searching the room.
“Are you looking for Beth?” Claire asked with all the composureshe could muster considering she was holding a screaming baby. Iris appeared behind him and Claire felt a moment’s relief. Surely the woman could see how absurd this whole situation was?
“I know she’s in there, Pete.” Iris’s desperate tone doused any hope of her as an ally.
Claire patted Jenny, glad Pete couldn’t hear the pounding of her heart. “I brought her to the Depot,” she lied.
“I don’t believe you.” Pete Henshaw put his boot on the threshold, like a salesman who didn’t want the door shut in his face.
Claire looked down. “For heaven’s sake, Mr. Henshaw.” She marshaled her teacher voice and squared her shoulders. “What would you like to do, search my house?” Claire bounced Jenny on her shoulder, her heart hammering as she hoped he wouldn’t call her bluff.
He hesitated.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Claire continued, “I have a hungry baby to tend to.” She marched to the kitchen, leaving the door wide open. Her legs were quaking, as she rescued the bottle from the hot water and tested the temperature, hoping Pete Henshaw couldn’t see her hand shake. She risked a glance at the door.
The big man remained on the threshold.
Jenny was frantic for her bottle. Claire sat down and settled Jenny on her lap. When Jenny latched on to the nipple, the room suddenly went quiet. Claire glanced back at Pete with a raised eyebrow as if asking if he was going to violate the rules of common decency.
“Pete,” Iris said. She nudged him forward.
Pete scowled as he looked from his wife to Claire. “Come on, Iris.” He put a firm hand on his wife’s arm and guided her down the steps. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll find her.” Outside, the Henshaws’ truck started up. Claire sagged with relief when she heard the grind of gravel under tires.
When Jenny finished her bottle, Claire knocked on the bathroom door.
“I think they’ll be back,” Beth said as she came out and peered out the front window. “After they check the Depot.”
“We’ll be gone by then.” Claire handed Jenny to Beth. “You burp her. I’m going to pack up some things for us.”
Claire put five bottles of formula in an ice chest, threw in some sandwich meat and a half block of cheese. The can of powdered formula and the rest of a loaf of bread went in a paper bag. When Claire pulled the cookie tin from the top shelf to get money for their hotel in Ennis and the bus ticket, she found nothing but a scrawled note.I borrowed some money. I’ll pay you back, I promise. Frannie.
Oh, the nerve of her! Claire crumpled the note and threw it in the garbage. She could just wring Frannie’s little neck.
In the bedroom, Claire grabbed her suitcase and packed a set of clothes for herself and Jenny, and then considered Beth. “You can’t show up at your parents’ with just the clothes on your back.” Claire pulled out a couple of summer dresses from hangers. “These should fit you for a couple months at least.”
Beth touched the fabric of a soft pink shirtwaist. “I’ve never worn anything so pretty.”
Claire looked at the closet full of dresses, all gifts from Dad and reminders of her life before Red. Was her life still here with Red? Or would she have to go home with Jenny and tell Dad that he’d been right all along? Her throat tightened at the thought. She pulled the rest of the dresses from their hangers. “You can have them all. After the baby is born you’ll have something nice to wear.” She forced herself to keep a spark of hope. Hope that she hadn’t made a mistake. That Red would come back.
Finally, they were in the truck heading north out of Riverside on 191. “Watch for Pete’s truck,” she told Beth. They’d be in Ennis in an hour, and God willing, Pete Henshaw wouldn’t look for them there.
That’s when the truck engine sputtered and the speedometer dipped.
Claire pushed on the gas pedal. The engine died.
“What is it?” Beth asked, alarm in her voice.
Claire steered to the side of the road. The truck coasted to a stop and Claire had a sinking realization. She’d driven to Mammoth andback without once looking at the gas gauge. The needle was firmly on E.
