CHAPTER FOUR
2154 Words
CHAPTER FOUR
Linda Delaney-Sawyer’s home was in an area about a mile from Mia’s neighborhood, on the other side of the highway in University Park. As Mia drove the familiar streets, hood up, sunglasses on, looking out for police cars, she fought the deep urge to turn into her development and stop at her old house.
Aiden and Kelsey wouldn’t be there, anyway. It was mid-day, and they were likely at work and school.
School. Mia’s heart pinged with longing as she drove past the one-story brick building, Park Elementary School. She could just imagine her nine-year-old daughter, in her fourth grade classroom, sitting behind a desk. Her hair probably wouldn’t be in braids—that was far too difficult for Aiden to manage. And no pigtails—even when Mia had been in her life, those were far too babyish for her daughter. So she envisioned her hair in a ponytail, reading a book, maybe raising her hand to answer the teacher’s question.
Or maybe it was recess? She slowed down as she passed the building, trying to see if there were any kids out on the playground. But it was too early.
Sighing, she turned back just in time, because the car in front of her had come to a stop. She jammed on her brakes, lurching forward and stopping inches from its back bumper, then let out a sigh of relief. The last thing she needed was to get into a fender-bender now.
Finally, she pulled up to the small white ranch with the black shutters. As she idled there, wondering if she was really going to do this, her mind filled with memories of happier times—taking Kelsey to the front door with a pink sleeping bag and pillow bigger than she was, watching the girls play with water guns in the front yard.
She swallowed. Kelsey might not have had her mother, but she was still living her life, as best she could. Poor Jason was gone.
Making the decision, Mia cut the engine and stepped out onto the curb, then rushed across the lawn, making sure no neighbors were watching. Then she lifted the knocker and let it fall, once, twice.
Immediately, the door opened, and a woman peered out. At first, her dark-ringed, bloodshot eyes were those of a stranger, but gradually, Mia saw bits of the woman she remembered—the blonde hair, now tied back in a ponytail, the slim, statuesque figure. “Linda?” Mia asked.
“Oh, Mia,” she said, opening the door wider. She brought a hand to her face and immediately began to cry.
Mia stepped inside and wrapped the woman in a hug. “I heard about it. I am so sorry,” she said. “Is there anything I can do?”
She continued to sob into Mia’s shoulder for a moment, but then sniffed heavily and wiped at her tears, straightening. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to be strong. For Carolann, you know,” she said, looking back, likely to see if her younger child had seen her break down.
Mia smiled, expecting that Linda would ask about her escape, since it was all over the news. The next time she spoke, her voice was stronger. “Please, come in. I was just making lunch. Can I interest you? Tuna salad. Nothing special.”
“Thanks, that would be great,” Mia said, following her through the house, past many composite pictures featuring the honey-haired boy. She paused for a second at a graduation photo of a kid with hair in his eyes, cap and gown, a lopsided smile.
Poor kid, she thought, hurrying to catch up to Linda. She found her at a small, L-shaped kitchen with dark cabinets, spreading tuna onto Wonder bread. “Carolann! Lunch is ready!” she called, placing a sandwich on a plate.
The little girl came plodding down the stairs in bare feet and flowered shorts, her waist-length, shiny blonde hair bouncing behind her. She eyed Mia cautiously as she took her sandwich and a Snapple. “Thanks, Momma,” she said quietly.
Linda smoothed her hair. “You remember Mrs. North, don’t you? Kelsey’s mom? Say hello.”
She nodded. “Hello.”
“All right,” Linda said, nudging her off. “You can eat in the living room, in front of the television, if you want.”
The little girl scurried off as fast as her feet would carry her. Linda set a Snapple in front of Mia and brought two plates over, shaking her head. “It’s a shame we lost touch after I moved Carolann to the arts charter school. What’s new with you?”
Mia stared, dumbfounded. Was it possible she didn’t know? Or was she so beside herself with grief that she’d forgotten. “Well . . . you know . . . you’ve probably seen the reports . . . the trial . . .”
She shook her head. “Oh, darlin’, I don’t follow the news. I told you that. And I especially don’t, now. Now that Jason’s face is plastered all over it.”
So she didn’t know. With the way people talked about everything, and as friendly as Linda was, it was shocking that she hadn’t heard the gossip. Or maybe she’d ignored it. “I was surprised there was no media outside.”
“Oh, they were out there.” She stared at her sandwich, then set it down. “I told them if they didn’t get the hell out of here, I was going to kill them.”
“That worked?” Mia asked doubtfully.
“It did. I was holding a shotgun when I told them that.” She motioned to the sandwich. “Dig in. Is Kelsey enjoying school? Maybe we should try to get the kids together for a sleepover. I’m sure Carolann would love it.”
Mia nodded. “Kelsey would, too.” She bit into her sandwich. “I’m sure you must be busy with everything. Have the police been around?”
“Yes,” she stared at her sandwich. “I was there the day after it happened, questioned up and down. I just don’t understand how a tragedy like this could happen. Not to Jason. He was such a good boy.”
“Was he dating the girl?”
She nodded. “Kyrie. But she went by Kiki. Popular, all-American, beautiful. From a good family that lived right near your place. The Redbones?” She raised an eyebrow as if to ask Mia if she knew the family, but Mia shook her head. “They’d been dating a few months. Planned to go to University of Texas at Dallas together this fall. They were so happy about it.”
“I see,” Mia said. “It’s certainly a tragic thing. Where were they headed when it happened? Do you know?”
“They were just going out,” she said softly. “They liked to go on drives, go to the diner, watch a movie, that kind of thing. So I thought nothing of it. He’s a momma’s boy, so he texts me all the time, to tell me where he is, or just that he loves me. When he didn’t, after a few hours, I knew something was wrong. I was frantic when he didn’t show up by that morning. I got with Elle Redbone, Kiki’s mom, and found out she was missing, too. We didn’t think they’d run away; they wouldn’t do that. So we called and called, everyone who knew them. No one had seen them. No one at all. It wasn’t until the following night, when I was getting ready for bed, that I got the call. And I just knew he was dead.”
Mia shuddered at the thought of receiving a phone call like that. How awful. She didn’t think she’d have half the composure her friend had. She was trying to be strong for her younger daughter, and as far as Mia could see, succeeding. Mia had to give her credit for that. “I’m so sorry.”
Linda reached for her phone on the table. She opened it up and pulled up a photograph. “Here. Here it is. The last photo he posted on his i********:. It was the night he died.”
She stared at it. The couple seemed so happy, faces squished together, giving looks that almost seemed invincible. She was giving a peace sign. Beyond that, there was nothing but darkness, the faint black line of treetops against a midnight blue sky. The caption underneath said, #rockinandrollin. “Where are they? At a concert?”
Linda shook her head. “I couldn’t tell you. He never told me where they were going, exactly. But they were together. And happy.”
“Did they say if they had any suspects?”
For a moment, Linda looked like she might cry again, but then she turned to the living area, where Carolann had gone, and blinked clarity into her eyes. “No. None at all. And you know I asked them. I’m on them constantly, asking if there are developments. They’ve got nothing. Zero. They’re just all bozos. Awful. Rats, running around, chasing their own tails, asking the same questions over and over and never getting anywhere.”
Mia fell silent, thinking, but suddenly, Linda gasped.
She reached forward and put a hand on Mia’s forearm. “Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry. I forgot. Aren’t you something with law enforcement? I forget . . . ”
Mia nodded. “It’s all right. I don’t—"
She tilted her head. “Wait, aren’t you FBI?”
“I was, but—”
“Then you can look into this for me, can’t you?” she asked, her eyes pleading. She clapped her hands together in prayer. “Oh, please. This would be such a help to me. You don’t know what I have to deal with, with those idiots. If I can get an actual Fed on the case, I’d—”
“I really want to. Unfortunately,” Mia said, her heart twisting, “I can’t. You see, I have to—”
“Oh, but you have an in as an FBI agent! They’ll listen to you!” she said, her eyes wide, her hands now clasped in front of her, shaking.
“I’m not FBI anymore,” Mia said. It was the truth.
“You’re not?” Linda let out a big sigh, her shoulders slumping. “But you at least have know-how. You can look into it, maybe not officially, and see what you turn up. Right?”
Mia shook her head. “If I interfere with the police . . .” I’ll be arrested and sent to jail for the rest of my life.
“I’m not asking you to do anything illegal. Just . . . a little snooping around, maybe at the place where the bodies were found? Or I can give you a list of their friends, and—”
“I’m sorry,” she said, setting her half-eaten sandwich down and standing up. “As much as I want to help, I really can’t. But I did want to come by and offer my condolences.”
Linda’s face fell. “Oh. Yes. Well, thank you. I’ll see you to the door, then.”
Mia walked to the door and, as much as she tried to avoid it, her eyes caught on a picture of a younger Jason, in front of a beach, with his family. He was smiling in braces, but his eyes seemed to beg Mia for help. Poor kid, she thought again. Someone needs to find his killer.
She took another step, and another voice spoke inside her. Why not you?
She gritted her teeth. Because, the more I look into these crimes, the closer I’m putting myself to the police and the people who want to apprehend me. And I’ve been lucky so far, but if I keep tempting fate, my luck is going to run out.
She turned back to Linda. “Could you please not tell anyone I was here?”
Linda lifted an eyebrow.
“I’m supposed to be on another case. If they find out I was here, they’ll come down on me,” she explained.
“Oh. Of course,” the woman said, twisting her hands. “I appreciate you stopping by.”
She said goodbye to Linda, who barely looked at her, now, making her feel even guiltier. Every muscle inside Mia wanted her to go ahead and look into this case. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t take that chance. What she needed to do was stay in hiding, and figure out a solution to her own problem with Wilson Andrews. Not play around with new ones.
- Writer
