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My cell phone let out a muffled trill from my purse. I dug it out. Aunt Zoe’s number showed on the screen. “Hello?”
“Are you coming home soon?” Layne asked.
“I need to take care of some paperwork and then I’ll be on my way. Why?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Make yourself a sandwich.” The other end of the line seemed unusually quiet. “Where’s Addy?”
“Out front.”
“What’s she selling this afternoon?” A white chicken, I hoped.
“Mittens for kittens that she made from some of her Barbie clothes.”
That was it. No more new outfits for her Safari Skipper doll. “Put your sister on the phone, please.”
“She’s busy right now.”
“Doing what?”
“Talking to that tall guy with the weird eyes again.”
Every last drop of saliva evaporated from my mouth. “What do you mean ‘again’?”
“He came by yesterday when she was selling doggie diapers and gave her a bag of taffy.”
That explained the handful of wrappers stashed in her shorts’ pocket that I found while loading the washing machine this morning. My hands trembled. Didn’t she realize the boogeyman was roaming the streets, snatching up little girls just like her?
“Layne, take the phone out to your sister right now.”
I heard the front screen door hinges squeak, followed by quick footfalls thumping on the wooden porch.
“Addy, Mom wants to talk to you.” Layne’s voice shook slightly. He must have been running.
A faint “goodbye” from Addy came through the phone. I crunched it tight against my ear, straining to hear any response from the candy man.
“You’re in big trouble.” Layne’s tone was taunting.
“Give me that, you brat.” Scuffling sounds made me pull the phone away several inches, then Addy’s voice rang through. “Layne’s lying, Mom.”
“No, I’m not!” Layne yelled in the background.
“Adelynn Renee,” I cut through their bickering. “Who was that man you were just talking to?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did he want?”
“To buy some mittens. He must have a dog, too, because he bought some diapers yesterday.”
Still no mention of the candy. She was holding out.
“I don’t want you selling stuff on the sidewalk, anymore.” I’d save the “don’t take candy from strangers” reminder for a face-to-face ass-chewing.
“Why not?”
Ah, the whiney tone. It strummed my neck muscles, which were already rigid as harp strings. “Addy, you know there’s someone out there kidnapping girls.”
