“The hell I will.”
“Suit yourself.” He scooped the sleeping girl into his arms. Brianne stirred slightly but didn’t wake up.
“This is nuts. We don’t have time for this. They’ll be here any minute.”
“Then let’s get moving.”
“I’m not going anywhere with her.”
“Don’t be stupid,” he said, returning to the living room.
That’s three, Nikki thought, plopping down on the sofa and folding her arms across her chest. What was that saying—three strikes and you’re out? She wasn’t sure why she was being so stubborn, why she just didn’t go along with him, as she usually did, but there was just something … something about this girl, something about the way he looked at her, the way he acted around her … But surely if he had to choose between them …
“Suit yourself,” he said again, pausing briefly at the front door to toss Brianne over his shoulder. Then he opened the door and exited the cottage.
“What are you doing? They’ll see you!” Nikki shouted after him, knowing he was protected from view by the surrounding trees.
Nikki pictured him running around to the back of the cottage, where he’d hidden their car. She heard the car’s trunk creak open, then slam shut. This is ridiculous, she thought. That dumb girl is ruining everything. I should have slit her throat the second I laid eyes on her.
Which is exactly what I’m gonna do, she decided. Just as soon as I get the chance. If Henry, or Kenny, or Matthew, or fucking Ishmael, whatever the hell he wants to call himself, if he thinks he can just replace me that easy, that he can yell at me and call me stupid, well he doesn’t know me nearly as well as
he thinks he does. As soon as we stop for gas, as soon as he gets out of the car to take a leak, I’m gonna open that damn trunk and slice a blade across that stupid girl’s jugular.
Now that’s what I call a plan, she thought, full of fresh resolve as she unfolded her arms, placing both palms on the cushions beside her, about to push herself up and go after him, when her hand brushed against something cold and hard. The gun, she realized, as her fingers curled quickly around it.
Which was when she saw them standing in the open doorway, looking like a bunch of motley circus rejects: an attractive, middle-aged woman with dirty blond hair and a slightly crazed look in her eyes; a short woman with bangs that covered the top half of her face and glasses that covered the rest, dressed head to toe in black; a skinny, somewhat effeminate-looking man with spiky, carrot-orange hair; and last but not least, Jennifer, with her big tits and legs that went on forever. She recognized them as the group she’d seen arguing in the lobby of the lodge the previous afternoon.
“Hi,” said the first woman before Nikki had a chance to speak. “Sorry. We didn’t mean to startle you.”
Nikki slid the gun into the side pocket of her dress without anyone noticing. “What do you want?” She wondered where Henry was and what he was doing, whether he was watching them and biding his time, or if he was getting ready to drive off and leave her here alone.
“My name is Val. These are my friends,” Val began. “We’re looking for my daughter. We were hoping you might have seen her.”
“No,” Nikki said, eyes traveling warily among them. “I’m afraid I can’t help you.”
“She’s a pretty girl. Around your age. About five feet six, slim, long brown hair.”
“Sorry. Haven’t seen her.”
“Her name is Brianne,” Val continued, tears filling her eyes.
She looks like she’s going to pass out, Nikki thought, wondering if her mother had ever worried that much about her. “Pretty name,” she said.
“You look familiar. Have we met before?” asked the woman in black. She took several steps into the main room, uninvited.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“I’m Melissa. This is James. And Jennifer. You are …?”
“Nikki,” she answered reluctantly, not wanting to arouse undue suspicion. Probably she should try to get as much information out of them as she could. And what was it her grandmother used to say—you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?
“Is there someone else here we could talk to?” Jennifer asked. “Maybe your parents have seen her.”
“My parents aren’t here. This is my grandmother’s cottage,” she added when it seemed more explanation was required. “I’m staying with her for the summer.”
“Is she here? Could we talk to her?”
“She’s sleeping. She hasn’t been feeling very well.”
“And you’re sure you haven’t seen or heard anything?” asked Val again, swaying unsteadily.
“Like what?” Where the hell was Henry? What was he doing?
“Like maybe somebody crying or calling for help …”
“No. I’m sure I would have heard something like that. Are you all right? You look kinda funny.”
“I’m just exhausted.” Valerie suddenly collapsed in the doorway, crumbling to the floor like a piece of discarded tissue paper.
“Val, are you all right?” the others cried, almost in unison.
Nikki hid her budding smile behind her hand. Under more
normal circumstances, she might have found this fun. “Did she faint?” she asked, not moving.
“Do you think maybe we could get a glass of water?” Jennifer asked, although it was more command than question.
Nikki walked quickly to the sink, grabbing a freshly rinsed glass from the counter. All that time spent wiping the area clean of fingerprints for nothing, she thought, noticing James sniffing at the air. “What’s that weird smell?” she heard him ask as she was turning on the tap.
Nikki peered out the small window above the sink, hoping to see Henry, but all she saw was trees. Where the hell was he? What was he doing? Was he even still out there? Surely she would have heard the car pull away, she decided, shutting off the tap and carrying the glass of water over to Val. Jennifer immediately snatched the glass from her hands and held it up to Val’s lips.
“Would it be all right if we sit down for a few minutes?” James asked.
“My grandmother’s sleeping,” Nikki reminded them.
“We won’t disturb her,” Jennifer said.
“It’s just that we didn’t get much sleep last night, and we’ve been walking for hours,” Melissa added. “We need a few minutes to catch our breath.”
Nikki motioned toward the sofa. “I guess it’s okay.”
James and Jennifer led a still wobbly Val to the couch, sitting down on either side of her, as if propping her up. Melissa balanced on the sofa’s arm, staring at Nikki through huge, black-rimmed glasses that did nothing to diminish the intensity of her gaze.
“So, what happened to your daughter?” Nikki asked, then watched Val struggle with how much to tell her.
“She went hiking with her boyfriend yesterday,” Val replied
slowly, “and they haven’t come back. We think they might have gotten lost in the woods.”
“Or maybe they just took off,” Nikki said with a grin.
“You find that funny?” Melissa’s voice was an accusation. “Her mother is worried half to death. We all are.”
Nikki tensed at Melissa’s tone. I could shoot you right now, bitch, she thought, feeling the barrel of the gun in her hand. What she said was “Sorry. Didn’t mean to sound insensitive. Have you reported her missing to the park rangers?”
“Yes. We were down at ranger headquarters this morning. They’re organizing a search party.”
“And what—you’re the advance scouts?”
“It’s hard to just sit around and do nothing,” Val said.
“So the rangers don’t know you’re here?” Nikki asked, trying to read the expression on Val’s face.
The question struck Val as odd. The pursing of Melissa’s lips told her she was thinking the same thing. Something was seriously strange here. Say something, Val’s eyes urged her friend.
Anything
to keep the girl talking.
“That’s a beautiful pin you’re wearing,” Melissa said obligingly. “Is it an Eisenberg?”
“What?” Nikki glanced down at her chest. What was this woman talking about?
“The rhinestone bow you’re wearing. It looks like an Eisenberg.”
Nikki shrugged. “Does that mean it’s valuable?”
“It could be. I’d have to have a closer look.”
Nikki immediately unfastened the brooch and dropped it into Melissa’s hand, watching as Melissa turned it over and studied it.
“Yes. It’s an Eisenberg, all right. See? Here’s his signature, etched into the back.”
“So, how much would it be worth?” Nikki asked without bothering to look.
“Well, I don’t think this is really the time to be discussing …”
“There’s lots more,” Nikki said, interrupting her. “My grandmother’s got a drawer full of the shit.”
“In that case, perhaps we could talk to her …”
“I told you—she’s sleeping. Would you give me something for it right now?”
“I don’t think your grandmother would be very happy …”
“She won’t mind. I’ll get it.” Nikki immediately headed for the bedroom. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” She stopped suddenly, a big smile filling her face. “And then I’ll make you some of my special peach and cranberry tea.”
“OKAY, IS IT just me or is there something very wrong here?” Val whispered underneath her breath as soon as Nikki was gone. She was squeezing Brianne’s shoe so tightly, she could almost feel the leather starting to dissolve.
“There’s definitely something not right. That girl …,” Jennifer said.
“And that smell,” added James, fanning his face with his hand.
“Okay, the girl is definitely peculiar,” Melissa agreed, “but do you think she knows something about Brianne?”
“She’s definitely hiding something.”
“We need to check the other rooms,” Val said as Nikki was exiting the bedroom, her hands full of sparkling baubles, half a dozen necklaces slung carelessly around her neck. She kicked the bedroom door shut behind her.
“That oughta wake up Grandma,” James muttered behind his hand.
“Ta-da!” Nikki dropped about two dozen pins to the coffee table, then pulled the necklaces roughly over her head. “I thought it was junk. You really think it’s worth something?”
Val gave Melissa a look. The look said, take your time. Stretch this out as long as you can.
“Well, I’d really have to examine the pieces more closely,” Melissa said, lifting one of the brooches into her hands and turning it over, as James did the same.
“Are they an Eisen … who you said?”
“Well, this one here looks like a Coro,” James said.
“Is that good?”
“And I think this one might be an original Chanel.”
“You’re shitting me. Chanel? That’s gotta be worth plenty.”
“Excuse me,” Val said. “Do you mind if I use your bathroom?”
“Go ahead.” Nikki motioned vaguely over her shoulder toward the rear of the cottage, her attention focused solely on the jewelry. “It’s back there.”
“I’ll come with you,” Jennifer said, helping Val to her feet.
“So, would you give me something for the whole lot?” Nikki asked as Val and Jennifer were leaving the room.
“Well, I’ll need a little time to go through everything.”
“How much time? I mean, I’m kind of in a hurry.”
“Maybe another ten minutes or so?”
“How about that tea you offered?” James said.
“What’s she doing?” Val asked Jennifer as they neared the bathroom, realizing she’d been holding her breath. “Is she looking this way?”
“She went into the kitchen.” Jennifer quickly opened the bedroom door and the two women ducked inside.
The bed was unmade, the dresser drawers open, their contents strewn across the floor. There were stray beads everywhere. “God, what a mess.”
“No grandmother.”
“No Brianne, either,” Val said.
“Look under the bed,” Jennifer directed. “I’ll check the closet.” Her eyes quickly scanned its contents. “There’s women’s
and
men’s stuff in here,” she announced, glancing toward the bedroom door. “So where’s Grandpa?”
Val reached into the mess underneath the bed and pulled out a man’s rumpled shirt. There was a tin badge clinging to its front. “Oh, God.” She began tapping Brianne’s shoe against the badge, trying to wrap her mind around this latest development. The shirt had to belong to Henry Voight. What did it mean?
“Let’s check the other rooms,” Jennifer said as Val dropped the shirt to the floor.
The women quickly ducked into the hallway.
“You check. I’ll keep watch,” Jennifer said as Val opened the door to the second bedroom.
This bedroom was smaller than the first, the sun pushing against the olive-green curtains covering the window. The double bed, whose quilted spread matched the curtains, was neatly made and looked as if it had never been slept in, although the drawers of the dresser on the opposite wall were all open and their meager contents—some linens and a few towels—dumped on the hardwood floor. Val took a quick peek under the bed, then inside the closet. What few clothes were hanging there—an old housecoat, a few pairs of women’s slacks, all much too big for Nikki—had been pushed off to one side, as if to make room for company.
“Anything?” Jennifer whispered as Val emerged from the room.
“No.” She entered the third bedroom, a basic replica of the one she’d just left. Except for one crucial difference. “Oh, God.”
“What?” Jennifer was suddenly right beside her. “What is it?”
“Brianne was here,” Val said, feeling Brianne’s shoe burning a hole in the palm of her hand.
“What do you mean? How do you know?”
She pointed wordlessly at the bed, whose quilted spread was noticeably crumpled, as if someone had recently been lying in the middle of it. Dirt and stray leaves littered its surface. “It’s still warm.” Instantly, she was on her knees, checking under it as Jennifer vaulted toward the closet.
Nothing.
“Shit. Where is she?” Jennifer asked, returning to Val’s side.
There was a sudden, noticeable stirring in the air. The women turned. Nikki was standing in the doorway.
“Sorry. We turned the wrong way,” Val said quickly.
Nikki smiled. “Tea’s ready,” she said.
W
E DON’T WANT TO put you to any trouble,” Val was saying as Nikki led them back into the living room and handed them two mugs of tea.
“No trouble at all. It’s herbal,” she said. “Peach and cranberry.”