AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Someday, Rae would tell her more, but she recognized Lily was reaching maximum capacity for revelations. “They won’t. I promise you.”
Her daughter looked unconvinced. “How did you become a ... dominatrix?” Lily said the word like it was wrapped in filth, which stung.
“First off, I want you to know how I feel about my work. There’s nothing wrong with any kind of sex work, even prostitution, as long as it’s consensual and between adults, no matter what the current laws may say. What happened to me when I was younger was obviously the furthest thing from consensual.” She briefly told her about Viv and how she’d come to live with her and about how she’d gotten started in her career. “The work I do now gave me back control of my life, and it allows me to give you the kind of life I wish I had growing up. It also allows me to help other people who sometimes feel shame in who they are and what they like because some people in society think it’s wrong and are vocal about it.”
“Like how the kids in middle school bullied Klo for being nonbinary?”
“Sort of. Like LGBTQ folks, people into what’s called BDSM can face a lot of prejudice for coming out about it. I’ve known people who’ve lost their jobs for being open about doing the sorts of things I do for my clients.” Rae glanced at her watch. It was late and a school night. “There’s so much more I want to tell you about Viv and when I lived in Albuquerque, but you need to get ready for bed, and I have an early session tomorrow.”
They both stood up, Lily looking dazed. Rae hugged her long and hard and kissed her head, which was tricky since Lily was now taller than her. “I love you more than anything in this world.”
“I love you, too, Mom.”
Lily didn’t seem to want to let go, and Rae didn’t mind one bit. They stood like that for a good while before Lily broke free and headed back to her room, abandoning her cookies and now-cold tea on the coffee table.
Rae cleaned up the table, taking their mugs to the kitchen. She grabbed her phone off the counter and did one last check of her social media, and her heart stopped when she came across a friend’s Facebook post:
Hey, everyone, this is to let you know that Devon Mayes has been missing since last Friday. She was last seen by her sister when they ate lunch. Devon said she was going to run errands before meeting with friends, but she never made it to the happy hour meetup. If you have any information, please contact local authorities. Her family and friends are so worried about her, and we pray for her safe return home.
Under the post was a selfie of Devon she recognized as her friend’s Facebook profile pic, Devon’s vibrant red hair blowing against her smiling face, the orange sunset forming a glowing halo around her head.
Those rich, elite motherfuckers. They got to her; Rae knew it in her bones.
She didn’t think as she pulled up the number saved in her phone. She dialed, not caring that it was after eleven. Dayton picked up on the second ring.
“Rae?” He sounded wide awake. “What is it? Are you okay?”
“I’ll do it. I’ll go to the party with you.”
CHAPTER 29
RAE
2009
It was freezing inside the waiting area at the police station, and goose bumps rose all over Rae’s body. Normally, she was so hot from her pregnancy she would’ve been happy walking around naked everywhere, but the station felt like a walk-in freezer.
Another half hour passed before the detective came out to greet her. He was of average height with graying brown hair and kind eyes.
“Echo Phalin,” he said, his hand outstretched to shake her own. “I’m Detective McHugh. Sorry for the long wait.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Follow me. I have a quiet space for us to talk.”
She followed Detective McHugh toward the back of the station through a series of hallways to a small room. It looked like the kind of interrogation room she’d seen on TV shows, and she felt her armpits and palms get wet.
“Have a seat.” He directed her to take the plastic chair opposite him, a scratched-up table between them. She wondered how manypeople had sat in this room before, their nerves so bad they dug their fingernails across the table’s surface. “I’m glad you decided to speak with us, Echo. I know it must’ve been hard coming forward to talk about what happened to you.”
“Um, sir,” she said, hating how timid her voice came out. “I go by Rae Phalin now.”
“Okay, Rae.” He then told her he was going to record their discussion to make sure he got everything she said correct. “I want you to tell me in your own words how you came to meet Katelyn Reid.”
It was strange hearing Katelyn’s full name. Her reunion with her parents had been all over the news in California, but the media had left out her first name since she was so young.
“Uh, two men held me in a house in Santa Monica. I’m not sure where the house was, but it was near the ocean,” Rae lied. She knew exactly where the house was before she set fire to it, but the detective didn’t need to know it. “Another woman was there too. Her name was Maria.”
“Do you know Maria’s last name?”
