Revealed

Chapter 2

Two

Fifth time since Deputy Mark Scott’s shift began? Or at least the fifth time he’d driven past the trailer court? Or around it? Maybe through it.

Fifth time.

He blew a deep breath out.

He’d hear about it from the other deputies. Chantelle had already blabbed to Guy about the previous shift. Her voice projected over the cruiser radio, like she sat right next to him in the cruiser, on the passenger seat, “Well, I counted three times. Right! Three times!”

Guy had chuckled in his low, big ox rumble.

Enough.

It wasn’t his fault. There must be a beacon on the top of Katty’s trailer that drew him in.

There was also a cute little girl named Bea, living in that trailer. She possessed a gigantic piece of his heart, too.

Too?

Like in Katty had a piece of his heart?

Hmm.

Yeah.

He guessed she did.

Around the trailer court circle again.

Past the last trailer and out to the street. Katty’s trailer was always visible in his rearview mirror. He’d have to find a way to warn her about the loose piece of siding near the roof.

He shook his head. Her car was gone. They must have gone to see Clarence at Hillcrest Nursing Home.

Or the grocery store.

Either way. Nobody home.

There he was again.

Bea ran to the front door and pushed the screen door open. “Hi!” She waved.

Only he didn’t see her. The cop car drove on past and around the trailer court.

“Depdy Scott.” Only he didn’t hear her.

“Please come back, Mr. Scott. Depdy Scott.” She let the door close. And wiped her eyes. Her tummy felt funny. Like she might throw up.

But not.

It felt like …

Like she it did every time Mommy left to go out.

Go out.

Go out?

Go.

She knew what that meant. She knew that meant get dressed, shoes on, brush teeth. Then … get in her car seat and wait for Mommy to buckle her in. Bea held her breath. She hadn’t told Mommy yet that she could buckle it herself.

Go.

To the store, to get more peanut butter and Fruit Loops.

Go.

To see Clarence and play with Mrs. Timm while Mommy worked. Get ice cream.

But go out?

That.

That was when Mommy got dressed up in her good jeans and a pretty shirt that showed too much of her boobies.

When Mommy smelled funny—her soda smelled funny. When Mommy wouldn’t let Bea take a sip of her soda.

That.

Go out.

She skipped from the front door to living room windows, down the hall to Mommy’s bedroom.

There.

She pounded on the window, only Depdy didn’t hear her.

She followed him into the bathroom. Other trailers blocked her sight until she just caught the back end of the car through that window.

Back into the kitchen and at the door again.

She pushed it open wide. The door made funny noises and didn’t close on its own.

Bea had to step outside to grab it, only once she was outside, the car drove out of the trailer park and onto the street.

Away.

Bea stood there for a long time. Maybe he had seen her and would turn around and drive back.

Maybe.

She held her breath and stood still. Her eyes followed the street—up and down, back and forth. She glanced at the deck, at the flowers in the pots there.

At the place where Mommy’s car was always …

Only it wasn’t there. It was gone.

She choked. Couldn’t breathe.

She swallowed and breathed a deeper breath.

That feeling again … like she might puke.

Only—

A flutter to her right caught her eye.

She looked.

Nothing.

Something to her left.

Nothing there.

She shook her head and started to go inside, reaching for the door.

Wings, like a bird.

A gi-gimongous bird.

Where she had been staring before, watching Depdy drive away, a huge angel stood—or rather knelt.

“Michael?”

She shook her head. If Michael was Clarence’s angel, then this couldn’t be him. Michael lived with Clarence.

As Bea watched—first his smile and twinkly blue eyes appeared, but soon his hair, his ears, and his clothes showed. His clothes were different somehow. She scanned every part of them. A strap crossed his chest to a belt. The belt had a big sword attached.

Her eyes flew to his.

A sword?

She stepped back, without thinking—back into the empty doorframe.

Only his eyes weren’t mad or scary.

They were … happy. Twinkly.

She wanted to hug him.

He nodded, but she hadn’t said it.

He nodded again.

First one step.

Another.

Deep breath.

He felt real.

Real skin. Real arms around her.