Brenda went back into the kitchen and slid onto a stool, rested her elbow on the counter and stared at the glass with the tiny electronic devices floating amid the melting ice cubes. Whoever put those in her home was convinced she knew something. Why would anyone believe this when she had never been involved with Scott’s business? Unless he told the bad guys—and these were really bad guys—otherwise. If she got her hands on him…
Ben placed the box and the drinks next to the glass. “You have paper plates?”
“I do. They’re an essential around here.” She reached over and opened one of the drawers on the island. She liked keeping paper plates handy. They were immensely useful for snacking children. Not to mention they were unbreakable. Whenever Janey had friends over, paper plates were the preferred dishware.
The fresh wave of feelings came from deep inside so quickly and with such impact, she couldn’t hope to slow them. Would she ever have a normal evening with her daughter again? Here in their home? How could the man she had once loved and married—for God’s sake—have allowed this to happen?
Forget about his wife, why would he let this happen to his own child?
No, the real question was, how hadsheallowed this to happen? Why hadn’t she paid better attention?
How had she become so complacent?
“Go ahead and start without me.” She placed the plates on the counter. “I should call Janey before her bedtime.”
She backed away, then turned and hurried to her room. She put through a call to Mallory’s number. The call was answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Brenda, is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” She sat down on the edge of her bed, an urgency pulsing inside her. “I just need to hear Janey’s voice.”
“Oh.” Mallory made a sound of regret. “She’s asleep already. Would you like me to wake her? That little girl is really missing you too. She keeps asking when we can go home.”
The words pierced right through the center of Brenda’s chest. “No. Don’t wake her.” Just because she was miserable didn’t mean Janey had to be as well. “I’ll call her in the morning.”
“Are you all right, Brenda? We’ve been worried about you.”
“Yeah. I guess I am. I’m just tired and missing my child.”
“My word,” Mallory said. “After all you’ve been through it’s no wonder you’re tired. Most people would be hiding in their closets sucking their thumbs about now. You should be proud of the strength you’ve shown, Brenda.”
She wasn’t feeling particularly proud or strong right now.
“The one thing you don’t have to worry about,” Mallory went on, “is your daughter. She’s fine. She misses you but she’s fine.”
“Thank you. I really miss her.”
“’Course you do.”
A second or two of silence and then Mallory asked, “So you’ve found nothing that might be whatever that message on your garage door was about?”
“Not one thing.” She decided not to tell Mallory about the message on Bradley Street or the visit to Scott’s house. What wasthe point? They had learned nothing. Everywhere they looked there was either nothing or some dead-end lead.
“I’m really sorry this is happening. Please let me know if there’s anything else we can do.”
Brenda smiled sadly. “Just take care of my little girl.”
“You got it.”
They said their goodbyes and Brenda ended the call. She should take a shower and just go to bed. Who wanted pizza again? What had she been thinking ordering it? But then if she did go to bed and managed to sleep she would only have bad dreams. Better to stay awake until she was too exhausted to dream.
A soft rap on the open door had her shifting her attention there.
“Pizza’s getting cold.” He studied her closely. “You okay?”
Brenda pushed to her feet and walked toward him, unsure if she could work up an appetite. Especially for pizza. “I spoke to Mallory.”
He stepped aside for her to pass. “Everything okay?”
