LIVING ON THE EDGE

CHAPTER: 39

"Well, I knew Adriana for about twelve years. Nicholas did not mention her when we were dating, and she was not invited to our wedding. Sounds strange, but I did not know that she existed until after we were married. Of course, I was annoyed; oh, excuse my language, but really, I was far beyond mad when I found out that I had a sister-in-law I did not know existed. Can you imagine not telling your spouse about your sibling? Weird, right?" Amy asked Sharon.

"Yes, that is odd. Did Nicholas explain why he did not tell you anything about her?" Sharon asked.

"He said that she was dead for the Davies'. She had run away and after an extensive search, it was concluded that she must be dead, but that is weird, right? I mean, families search for decades for their missing loved ones. I have got two pigheaded brothers, but if one of those goes missing, we are searching for them till the day we die, right? No abandoning your family, right?" Amy stated.

"I agree." Sharon thought of her twin brother, Peter, who was abducted when he was twelve years old. The first thing she had done after becoming a police officer was to get his case file and try to find him. Every two years, she revisited the case. There will never be a time when she would stop looking for him. Sharon shook off the memories and focused on the conversation with Amy.

"Why do you think they stopped looking for her?" Sharon asked her.

"The Davies' think that everything has to be perfect, but that is not possible, so they pretend, lie, and create stories until they have the perfect world. Adriana was a wild one. She broke their perfect dream, so to speak when she ran away. There was no hiding the fact that they had a teenage daughter one day, but not the next, you see? She was not doing what they wanted, so they dropped her out of the whole deal," Amy Davies told Sharon.

"I see. So, what was it like when Adriana returned?"

"Oh my God! It was like she had never left. The parents loved her again, but Nicholas was upset. He felt like it was so fake to act as if nothing had happened. He was hurt that he was no longer the only child. He is not a monster, but up to that point, he had bought everything that his parents had tried to sell him, you understand?" Amy asked.

"I believe so. What was your relationship with Adriana like?" Sharon asked Amy. 

"Oh, I just loved her. She was the sister I had always wanted but never had. I am the oldest of three like I told you, with two brothers, so I never had that sisterly thing. When Adriana came around, I finally had a chance to experience that. She was a great sister-in-law. I loved her dearly," Amy said.

The quiver in Amy Davies' voice was the first genuine expression of intense feeling for Adriana that she had heard, apart from Chase. The way her voice caught in her throat; the unexpected emotional response involuntarily elicited even though years had passed. The consistent pain of losing a loved one. This unlikely source of information justified a meeting. The bitterness of divorce was not there, and even though she was technically no longer part of the family, Amy spoke kindly about Adriana. Sharon needed to hear more of what she had to say.

"Mrs. Davies, would it be okay if I stopped by to speak with you in person?" Sharon asked.

"Oh, yeah. Anything to help. Adriana deserves justice. I am free today," Amy replied.

Amy Davies lived in a sprawling new apartment complex on the edge of the Township, with spacious units, pale-colored brick exterior, cobblestoned sidewalks, and wrought iron fence surrounding the property, which was bordered by large strips of greenery on all sides. Amy lived at the end of a blind alley on a street. 

A push of the doorbell set off an order of barks that rang out in a calculated manner, telling her that the canine presence was manufactured. Almost immediately, the door opened. Amy Davies was a short, stout woman with an attractive and warm face. She wore a blue cotton shirt, inexpensive stretch jeans, and brown work boots. Her hair, bright red and curly, seemed to be fighting its way out of a loosely tied ponytail. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with feverish energy. Her cheeks were fat and rosy. Sharon took her meaty, gnarled hand in hers and gave it a firm shake before stepping into the apartment.

"Hey there. Can I get you some tea or coffee?" Amy asked Sharon.

"No, thank you. I appreciate your willingness to talk with me," Sharon said.

The apartment was cozy. It was decorated with antiques. The brass fixtures and the hardwood floors gave the place a charming, but Victorian look. A substantial collage of photos showing three rosy-cheeked teens and Nicholas was displayed on the wall. It was interesting to see that he still played a prominent role in all the photos, which reminded Sharon that Amy had called Nicholas her husband on the phone. There was another photo where he was beaming with pride as he hugged his three daughters close. He looked very happy, and nothing like the man she had recently met.

"Yes, we were a very happy family except when Nicholas was drunk. Unfortunately, I had to finalize the divorce for him to stop drinking. Now he is sober. I just wish he could have done that before any of this mess, you know?" Amy said.

"I am sorry to hear that," Sharon told her.

"Well, he has always been stubborn. Who knows what will happen now," Amy said, but her face struggled to hold back a burst of confidence. 

"I wish you the best," Sharon said, and even though she had only just met Amy, she meant it, with all her heart.