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Next to him, mom’s wearing a similar jacket. She’s got a denim skirt on, mid-length. She looks worried and tired at the same time.
I seem oblivious to whatever is troubling them, running dirt through my fingers as I sit cross-legged beside them, my tongue sticking out the corner of my mouth.
I want to call Enzo and ask him what he was doing with this. Why does he have my file? Why beat the sheriff up? Why did the sheriff give the file to him? Why lie about its existence?
So many questions and I don’t have the answers to any of them.
I know one thing. Enzo saved my life today. I get the strangest feeling that he’s connected to all of this somehow but I can’t quite join the dots together.
I’m still thinking when Maisie walks in, grocery bags in her arms. “You all right?” she asks. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I slide the photo across to her. “Take a look at this.”
“Did the sheriff find your file after all?”
“Nope. He gave it to that guy that’s been following me. Enzo Lauria. Only this slipped out when he was leaving.”
She examines the picture. “What am I looking at? Shit, that’s you!”
I nod. “Look at the back.”
“Chippewa Falls? I know that campsite.”
“It’s a campsite?”
“Yeah, not too far from here. Was a campsite, I should say. Closed down back in the sixties. Other side of the mountain near Lake Comeg. Not too far from where Dad found you. You think maybe that’s where they left you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember anything from when I was found.”
“I bet it was. I wonder if this was taken the same day you went missing.” She shrugs. “It was a long time ago though, I guess. What does it mean, do you think?”
“I’ve no idea. I’m still trying to work it out. That’s not all though. Enzo kicked the shit out of the sheriff before he took my file.”
“What? Seriously? In front of you?”
“No, but it was obvious what had happened. The sheriff came out all covered in blood and yelled at me to get out. Told me not to come back.”
Holy shit. What’s going on?”
“Oh, and I got attacked on the way home by a guy trying to steal the necklace.”
“No way. You’re kidding.” She looks scared and, at that moment, I get a vision. It’s Maisie in danger. Right now, she’s nothing to do with any of this. I start involving her, and it might not be me with a gun to my head next time. It might be her. I can’t do that to her. She’s my best friend. I should keep her out of this. But how, when I’ve already started to tell her?
“It wasn’t much, really,” I add, hoping the lie is convincing. “Just some drug addict thought I was an easy mark. I told him where to get off and he ran. I don’t think anything would have happened.”
“Shit, you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Absolutely fine.” I manage a smile.
“So what’s the plan now?”
“Find out if there’s a bus that goes out to Chippewa Falls. Find out if my parents did bury something out there.”
“You sure you want to know? What if it’s a body or something?”
“It’s better to know than to forever be wondering. Fate gave me this photo for a reason. I’d be stupid to ignore my shot at getting to the truth.”
“I wish I had a car to take you. You want me to come with you on the bus? I could call in sick if you like.”
