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“Got it,” Sean says, pulling a handful of files from the bottom right drawer and beginning the search.
My anxiety level grows with each passing second. Every five minutes at most, I pause to either call home or the other phone, or check my voice mail even though the spy phone’s ringer is on high and it’s been right next to me this whole time. Fifty minutes into the process, I’m about to start crying out of frustration when Sean pulls a little box out of the bottom of the file drawer across from the desk. With me watching, he opens it, then smiles.
“Bingo,” he says.
“Oh, thank god,” I say quickly, rushing over and grabbing the pink sticky note from his hands. It’s just a handwritten list of strange number-letter combinations, with no explanation of which matches which account… she wouldn’t make it that easy. But I breathe easier knowing that somewhere on this list is the key to finding Ella and Betsey.
I wake the computer, open the Internet, then start typing the name of a website that auto-fills thanks to Mom’s frequent visits. I type my mother’s email address into the username space, then start trying the passwords. At the very moment I hope that this isn’t one of those sites that locks you out after too many failed attempts, I’m in.
“What is that?” Sean asks, peering at the map of the United States over my shoulder. There’s a little green dot flashing on the screen, which gives me a small sense of relief.
Except that it’s flashing over Nevada.
“It’s them,” I explain to Sean, touching my throat instinctively. “It’s the necklace.”
“Should we call the police?” Sean asks. “Report a kidnapping?”
“Except they don’t exist,” I mutter. “And besides, it’s only been an hour. They’ll never believe us.” I pause for a few seconds. “Plus, we don’t even know what happened.”
>“N…” I try, but I don’t have enough air to say the word. My ribcage feels like it’s sealed in a concrete mold. “No,” I say. “I… need to… calm…”
Sean gets it and his tone evens out. “Shh, Lizzie, just breathe,” he says into the phone. “Put your hand on your heart; imagine that it’s mine. I’m here for you. You’re okay; just breathe.”
I hear a car honk; I picture him flipping an illegal U-turn to come and help me.
“Breathe with me,” he says before taking a deep inhale, then exhaling. My palm is still firmly on my chest—not pressing, but resolutely planted there. I pretend it’s his.
“Take a breath,” Sean says before inhaling and exhaling again. Once more, and my heartbeat starts to slow. Another time, and I start to breathe with him. A few more breaths, and I’m back to normal.
“Whoa,” I say when I can talk again. Only then do I realize I’m on the floor of my mom’s office. I start to stand up but feel woozy, so I stay put for now.
“What happened?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I say. “It felt like a panic attack or something. I have no idea why….” My voice trails off; I’m preoccupied by the fact that even though I’m breathing normally now, I’m still feeling very unsettled. I’m jumpy. I snap my head in the direction of the doorway. No one’s there.
“What’s happening?” Sean asks, sounding worried.
“I don’t know,” I repeat. “I’m… I wonder if someone saw me come here?”
“Your mom’s going to find out soon enough, right?”
“I guess, but… I just have this weird feeling right now. It’s like suddenly, I’m… afraid. Not of Mom, but of something….”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” he says sweetly. “You’re totally safe.”
That’s when it hits me.
“I have to go,” I say urgently.
“What now?” Sean asks. “What’s happening? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I say. “But I get it now. I may be safe, but the others aren’t. Ella and Betsey are in trouble.”
I call home five times on the way, but no one answers.
“Please be okay,” I say out loud, feeling strongly that something is seriously wrong. “You have to be okay.”
I go through it in my mind as I drive. Sean said that Mom got a call, that she abandoned her shopping cart at the store on the day before Thanksgiving and returned home suddenly. Now, after she’s back at home, I get this awful feeling that the others are in danger. But it doesn’t make sense: Mom would never do anything to harm Ella and Betsey.
